3 First Overall Picks In Boston Bruins History

In the half century that the NHL Amateur Draft (NHL Entry Draft) has existed, the Boston Bruins have selected the first overall pick on just three occasions. The first played just 24 games with the Bruins. The second was meant to be a star defenseman but injuries got the best of him. The third is still starring in the National Hockey League but not with the Bruins.

Barry Gibbs - 1966

Barry Gibbs was the first overall pick at the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft. Gibbs was drafted from the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in the days before the WHL covered all of Western Canada. Gibbs played 24 games with Boston over two seasons, 1967-68 and 1968-69. The following year, he was traded away from the Bruins and became a regular in the NHL with a string of mediocre teams.

Gibbs played an impressive total of 796 games in the National Hockey League from 1967-68 to 1979-80. Along with the Bruins, Barry played with a lacklustre group of NHL teams that included the Minnesota North Stars, Atlanta Flames, St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings.

His only personal accolade in pro hockey came in 1968-69 when he was awarded as the CHL’s Most Valuable Defenseman with the Oklahoma City Blazers. That Blazers team finished first overall in the nine team league. In the playoffs, Oklahoma City reached the finals but fell in five to the Bobby Kromm coached Dallas Black Hawks.

Gord Kluzak - 1982

In 1982, once again Western Canada was the source of Boston’s first overall pick. Gord Kluzak played junior hockey with the Billings Bighorns of the WHL. The Bighorns franchise became the current Tri-City Americans. In his final year with Billings, 1981-82, Kluzak helped Team Canada to a Gold Medal at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.

Kluzak caught on as a regular with Boston right from the start and played two full seasons before having to miss the entire 1984-85 season due to a knee injury. He never fully recovered and after eleven knee operations, Gord called it a career after playing just 299 games in the National Hockey League, all with the Bruins.

Joe Thornton - 1997

The Bruins took Joe Thornton first overall at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft after playing just two years of junior hockey with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. In his first year in the OHL, Thornton was honoured with the Emms Family Award. In his second, he totaled 122 points in just 59 games. Like Gord Kluzak before him, Thornton helped Team Canada to Gold at the 1997 IIHF World Juniors.

Joe played with the Bruins from 1997-98 until a trade sent him to the San Jose Sharks during the 2005-06 season. In his time with Boston, Thornton was team captain for several seasons and exceeded the 100 point plateau in 2002-03 with 101.

In a year mixed between the Bruins and Sharks in 2005-06, Joe won the Art Ross Trophy with a combined 125 points. Thornton finished just two points ahead of Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers. He was also the recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. The following year, Thornton topped 100 points with 114 in his first full season with San Jose. In 2006-07, Joe placed second in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, six points behind Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. As of the end of 2013-14, Thornton remains with the San Jose Sharks.

 

Hockey Trivia: The 1975 NHL Amateur Draft

The 1975 NHL Amateur Draft followed the Philadelphia Flyers second consecutive Stanley Cup victory in 1974-75 and the start of the Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup dynasty in 1975-76. The NHL was in fierce competition with the World Hockey Association and many junior players were drafted to both leagues. Test and expand your knowledge of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft with the following four hockey trivia questions and answers.

Q. Who was the first overall pick at the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft?

A. The Philadelphia Flyers chose Mel Bridgeman first overall in 1975. Bridgeman was fresh off a 66 goal and 157 point season with the Victoria Cougars of the WCHL. Mel played in the NHL from 1975-76 to 1988-89 with the Flyers, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks.

Bridgeman is the only player the Flyers have ever chosen first overall. James Van Riemsdyk came close in 2007. He went second overall, behind Patrick Kane. Kane came out of the London Knights and was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks. Van Riemsdyk was drafted out of the University of New Hampshire.

Q. Who was the only player drafted in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft to play over 1,000 regular season games in the league?

A. Dave Taylor was taken way down in the 15^th round by the Los Angeles Kings, 210^th overall. Yet, Taylor was the only draftee in 1975 to play over 1,000 games during his NHL career. Drafted out of Clarkson University, Taylor played 1,111 games between 1977-78 and 1993-94, all with the Kings.

First overall pick, Mel Bridgeman came close, playing 977 NHL regular season games. Doug Jarvis was taken in the second round and finished up his career with 964 games played. Bridgeman and Jarvis are the only two from the 1975 draft to reach the 900 game plateau.

Q. Who was the first member of the OHA’s London Knights to be selected in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft?

A. Dennis Maruk was taken in the second round, 21^st overall, by the California Golden Seals. Maruk had just been honoured with the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHA’s most outstanding player in 1974-75, finishing third in scoring with 145 points. Maruk played 888 regular season NHL games and contributed 878 points over a National Hockey Career that spanned from 1975-76 to 1988-89. Besides the Golden Seals, Dennis also played for the Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars and Washington Capitals.

Q. What team drafted NHL Ironman Doug Jarvis in the second round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft?

A. Although he never played for them, the Toronto Maple Leafs took Jarvis 24^th overall. Doug played in the NHL from 1975-76 to 1987-88 with the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Hartford Whalers. He didn’t miss a scheduled game between his first and last NHL games. His record of 964 consecutive games stands as an NHL record today. Jarvis even played two extra games in 1985-86 after being traded from Washington to Hartford.