Rick Middleton
| Rick Middleton | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
December 4, 1953 Toronto, ON, CAN | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
New York Rangers Boston Bruins | ||
| National team |
 Canada | ||
| NHL Draft |
14th overall, 1973 New York Rangers | ||
| WHA Draft |
21st overall, 1973 Minnesota Fighting Saints | ||
| Playing career | 1974–1988 | ||
Richard David "Nifty" Middleton (born December 4, 1953) is a former professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.
Playing career
A right winger, Middleton was drafted in the 1st round, 14th overall, by the Rangers in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft after a glittering junior career with the Oshawa Generals in which he led his league in scoring his final year and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team. He spent the 1973–74 season with the Rangers' farm team, the AHL Providence Reds, earning rookie of the year honors and being named to the AHL's First All-Star Team.
He made the big club during the 1974–75 season, and despite suffering injuries that restricted him to 47 games, scored 22 goals in that limited time. The following season was not as spectacular, as he scored 24 goals in 77 games while showing defensive deficiencies. Following the 1975–76 season, the Rangers traded Middleton to the Boston Bruins for veteran winger Ken Hodge.
It was one of the most one-sided deals in hockey history. Hodge played only a single season more before his career ended, while Middleton became a great star in Boston, scoring a hat trick in his first game as a Bruin and nearly nine hundred points in a Bruins uniform over the next twelve years. Generally paired with centre Barry Pederson, Middleton had five straight seasons of at least forty goals and ninety points and led the Bruins to perennial glittering records. His leadership was apparent in being named co-captain (with Ray Bourque) to succeed Terry O'Reilly in 1985, a position he held until he retired, wearing the "C" during home games.
His best season was the 1981–82 season, during which Middleton scored a career high 51 goals, won the Lady Byng Trophy for excellence and sportsmanship, and was named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team. The following season he led the Bruins to the league's best regular season record, and set still unbroken records that year for the most points scored in the playoffs by a player not advancing to the finals (33) and for a single playoff series (19, in the quarterfinals against Buffalo). His 105 points in the 1983–84 season tied Ken Hodge's team record for most points scored in a season by a right winger, and remains unbroken.
Middleton also starred in international play, being named to play for Team Canada in the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984. Teamed on a line with Wayne Gretzky and Michel Goulet in the 1984 series, he scored four goals and four assists in seven games. Further, Middleton played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1981, 1982 and 1984.
Retirement
In the 1986 season, Middleton was struck by a puck on the temple in practice, and missed the remainder of the season and playoffs with a concussion. Although he wore a helmet thereafter and recovered enough to score 31 goals the following year, he had recurring headaches for the rest of his career, and retired following the 1988 season.
He retired with 448 goals and 540 assists for 988 points in 1005 games, and added 100 points in 114 playoff games.
He is currently the President of Boston Bruins Alumni and a partner in Orlanda Energy Systems. Rick recently joined forces with New England High School Sports Showcases and will run high school hockey showcases beginning in June 2014.
NESN
Middleton was a studio analyst for New England Sports Network (NESN) which covers the Boston Bruins from 2002–2007.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1971–72 | Oshawa Generals | OHA-Jr. | 53 | 36 | 34 | 70 | 24 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 1972–73 | Oshawa Generals | OHA-Jr. | 62 | 67 | 70 | 137 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Providence Reds | AHL | 63 | 36 | 48 | 84 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 2 | ||
| 1974–75 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 22 | 18 | 40 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1975–76 | New York Rangers | NHL | 77 | 24 | 26 | 50 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 79 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 71 | 38 | 48 | 86 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 40 | 52 | 92 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | ||
| 1980–81 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 44 | 59 | 103 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 75 | 51 | 43 | 94 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0 | ||
| 1982–83 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 49 | 47 | 96 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 6 | ||
| 1983–84 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 47 | 58 | 105 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1984–85 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 30 | 46 | 76 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 49 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 31 | 37 | 68 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1987–88 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 59 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 11 | 19 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 4 | ||
| OHA totals | 115 | 103 | 104 | 207 | 38 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1005 | 448 | 540 | 988 | 157 | 114 | 45 | 55 | 100 | 19 | ||||
See also
External links
- Rick Middleton's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
- Rick Middleton's biography at Legends of Hockey
| Preceded by Terry O'Reilly |
Boston Bruins captain 1985–88, with Ray Bourque |
Succeeded by Ray Bourque |
| Preceded by Rick Kehoe |
Winner of the Lady Byng Trophy 1982 |
Succeeded by Mike Bossy |
| Preceded by Bob MacMillan |
New York Rangers first round draft pick 1973 |
Succeeded by Dave Maloney |