Brad Park

Brad Park
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1988
Park in the 1970s
Born (1948-07-06) July 6, 1948
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
Boston Bruins
Detroit Red Wings
National team  Canada
NHL draft 2nd overall, 1966
New York Rangers
Playing career 1968–1985

Douglas Bradford Park (born July 6, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A defenceman, Park played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Considered to be one of the best defencemen of his era, he was named to an All-Star team seven times. The most productive years of Park's career were overshadowed by Bobby Orr, with whom he played for a brief time, and Denis Potvin, so Park never hoisted the Stanley Cup nor won the Norris Trophy as the season's top defenceman. Park was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2017, he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.[1]

Early life

Born on July 6, 1948, to his dad Bob and his mother Betty. Park grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, his father was a youth hockey referee and coach. Growing up he and his dad would place the salt and pepper shakers on the kitchen table like chessmen in analyzing defensive.[2]

At 15, Park was short only being 5 feet tall. But he would grow eight inches in a year this led to him trying out for the Marlboros in 1965. Where he would get noticed in the first scrimmage by checking Brent Imlach the son of at the time Maple Leafs coach and GM, and knocking him out.[2]

Growing up Park worked as a laborer at Golf Course in the Thornhill district of Toronto.[3]

Playing career

As a youth, Park played against older kids, leading to Park developing into a strong player. in the 1960 he played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Scarboro Lions winning the tournament,[4][2] and was a member of the Junior B Toronto Westclairs (1964–1965) and then the Junior A Toronto Marlboros (1965–1968). Helping them win the Memorial cup in Memorial Cup in 1967. He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round (second overall) in the 1966 NHL amateur draft and, after a brief stint with the minor-league Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, began playing for the Rangers in 1968.

New York Rangers

Park developed into the best Rangers defenceman, whose offensive skill, stickhandling and pugnacity made him popular with local fans and media. He even drew occasional comparisons with the Boston Bruins superstar Bobby Orr, universally acclaimed to be the greatest at his position in hockey history. Years afterward, Park remarked, "I saw no reason to be upset because I was rated second to Bobby Orr. After all, Orr not only was the top defenceman in the game but he was considered the best player ever to put on a pair of skates. There was nothing insulting about being rated No. 2 to such a super superstar."[5]

Park would make an immediate impact for the Rangers making his debut during the 1968-69 season where he would finish third in voting for the Calder Trophy. From here Park would only get better and better as in just his second year he would be named a Named a first All-Star team for the first time and would play in that years all star game. Park would then be named to the second All-Star team during the 1970-71 season. The following year Park was made the alternate captain of the Rangers and briefly served as their captain. In 1972, after the team's top scorer, Jean Ratelle, was lost due to a broken ankle, Park would pick up the slack during that time being nearly a point-per-game player with 73 points in 75 games, and his 24 goals tied him with Carol Vadnais for the fourth-highest total by a defenseman in NHL history. During the postseason he led the Rangers past the defending Stanley Cup-champion Montreal Canadiens in the first round and the West Division champion Chicago Black Hawks in the semifinals of the playoffs. The Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup finals where they fell to the Boston Bruins in six games. After the Rangers staved off elimination in Game 5 at Boston, Bruins assistant captain Phil Esposito said famously, "If the Rangers think they're going to beat us in the next two games, they're full of 'Park' spelled backwards", Sure enough, the Bruins put them away in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. Park finished a distant second to Orr in the Norris Trophy vote. Brad continued to be a star for the Rangers once again being named second team all star once again in 1973. Then having his best statistical season during the 1973-74 season where he had 82 points (25 goals and 57 assists) in 78 games. Once again being named a First team all star. At the age of 26, Park would become the youngest Rangers captain ever.[6][7]

On December 12th 1971 Park became the first defenseman in Rangers history to score a hat trick in a 8-3 victory over Pittsburgh. Later that same year he would also become the first defenseman in NHL history to score 2 hat tricks in the same season. [8]

When the upstart World Hockey Association tried to lure Park away, the Rangers re-signed him to a $200,000-a-year contract that made him, briefly, the highest-paid player in the NHL.[2]

In the 1972 Summit Series, with Orr unable to play due to injury, Park emerged as a key contributor to Team Canada's series over the Soviets, being named Best Defenceman of the series.

After opening the 1975–76 season with their worst start in ten years, the Rangers began to unload their high-priced veterans. Park, Jean Ratelle, and Joe Zanussi were traded to the Boston Bruins in a November 7 blockbuster deal that also sent Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais to the Rangers, one that shocked everyone.[9][10] The New York press and public had felt that Park, 27 at the time, was overweight, overpaid, and over the hill, as he was facing unfavorable comparisons to Denis Potvin.[2][6]

Boston Bruins

While Esposito and Vadnais were effective players for the Rangers, the team remained mired at the bottom of the division after "the trade", and Rangers general manager Emile Francis was eventually fired. Contrary to expectations that the Rangers had gotten the better end of the trade, the struggling Bruins were instantly rejuvenated and soon again became one of the NHL's best teams, despite the departures of Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr.[2]

Taking over the mantle of leadership from Orr, whose career was threatened by injury and who would soon leave the team, Park continued his success under coach Don Cherry. Park had previously been an end-to-end puck carrier, but with the Bruins, he was told by Cherry to concentrate on defense.[2] Getting over his unpopularity in Boston from when he was a member of the arch-rival Rangers, Park made a relatively smooth transition to his new team,[11] even hitch-hiking a ride from two teenagers at 1 am after his car ran out of gas, and Park later rewarded them with free tickets to the next Boston home game. Park’s exceptional play would also make it easy for him to win over the fans.[2]

During his time with the Bruins Park was just one of the most valuable players in the league being named a first team all star for a fourth and fifth time in 1976 and 1978. Hockey writer Frank Orr commented on Parks time in Boston starting "He was an excellent defensive defenseman. He killed penalties, he played the power play, he was out in the last minutes of all periods, and he played extremely well."[2]

From 1977 to 1979, Cherry's "Lunch Pail A.C." captured three division titles for the Bruins. Park finished in second for the Norris Trophy race twice in a Bruins' uniform, with 1977–78 being considered one of his finest seasons with 79 points in 80 games.[5] In 1977 and 1978, Park was a key contributor to Boston's back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens both times.[12] During the 1978-79 season Park would lead the NHL with the best plus-minus with a plus 28 rating.[8] His last highlight with Boston came in Game 7 of the Adams Division finals against the Buffalo Sabres in the 1983 playoffs, when Park scored the game-winning goal in overtime and help Boston advance in to the conference finals[13] — Park's career overlapped with the first four years of the emerging superstar defenseman of the Bruins, Ray Bourque, from 1979 to 1983. That same year Park would also be awarded the Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award for his work with the cerebral palsy association of Massachusetts. Bruins coach Don Cherry had this to say about Parks time with the Bruins stating "Brad was unbelievable for the Bruins, "He played nearly 30 minutes a game. He was tough as nails and could body-check with the best." Also calling Park's point shot a "cannon."[2]

Park played in the NHL All-Star Game for 9 straight years from 1970 to 1978

Detroit Red Wings

The following season (1983–84), Park signed with the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent.[14] He won the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance that same year, having set a record for assists by a Red Wings' defenseman (53). After the 1985 season, still an effective player but hobbled by repeated knee injuries, he announced his retirement.[15][16] The next year, he served as Detroit's head coach before he was fired on June 3, 1986.[17][18][19][20]

Retirement and personal life

Soon after his retirement and before he coached the Red Wings, he served as a color commentator and studio analyst for CTV and ESPN NHL broadcasts in between.[21][22]

In 1988, Park was elected in his first year of eligibility to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his hometown of Toronto.[23][24]

Park was one of five plaintiffs along with Dave Forbes, Rick Middleton, Ulf Nilsson and Doug Smail in Forbes v. Eagleson, a class action lawsuit filed in 1995 on behalf of about 1,000 NHL players who were employed by NHL teams between 1972 and 1991 against Alan Eagleson, the league and its member clubs. The players alleged that the NHL and its teams violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act by colluding with Eagleson to enable him to embezzle from the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and that the four-year statute of limitations in civil racketeering cases began when Eagleson was indicted in 1994. The lawsuit was dismissed on August 27, 1998, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Thomas Newman O'Neill Jr. who ruled that the statute of limitations expired because it had begun in 1991 when the players were made aware of the allegations against Eagleson. O'Neill's decision was upheld in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on October 17, 2000.[25][26]

In 2001 Park returned to the Rangers as a pro scout holding the position until 2004.[8]

Park was later inducted into the Canada sports hall of fame in 2005.[27]

In 2010 Park would lace up his skates more time to play to play in the Boston Bruins Legends classic at Fenway Park.[28]

In 2012 Park received the NHL alumni association’s man of the year award for his work with former players. He would also receive the award a second time in 2025 as a member of the 1972 Canada that competed in the summit series.[29]

Park’s name was inshrined on the Canada walk of fame as a member of the 1972 Summit series team in 2012.[30]

Park has resided on the North Shore of Massachusetts and on Sebago Lake in Maine for almost 40 years, with his wife Gerry.[31] He has five children and eight grandchildren. His autobiography, Straight Shooter: The Brad Park Story, was published in August, 2012.

In 2022 Park would be inducted into the Ontario sports hall of fame.[32]

In 2024 Park was honored by the sports museum tradition event at the TD Garden, and was given the hockey legacy award.[33]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1965–66 Toronto Marlboros OHA 33 0 14 14 48 14 1 0 1 38
1966–67 Toronto Marlboros OHA 28 4 15 19 73 8 4 3 7 17
1967–68 Toronto Marlboros OHA 51 10 33 43 120 5 0 6 6 37
1968–69 New York Rangers NHL 54 3 23 26 70 4 0 2 2 7
1968–69 Buffalo Bisons AHL 17 2 12 14 49 — — — — —
1969–70 New York Rangers NHL 60 11 26 37 98 5 1 2 3 11
1970–71 New York Rangers NHL 68 7 37 44 114 13 0 4 4 42
1971–72 New York Rangers NHL 75 24 49 73 130 16 4 7 11 21
1972–73 New York Rangers NHL 52 10 43 53 51 10 2 5 7 8
1973–74 New York Rangers NHL 78 25 57 82 148 13 4 8 12 38
1974–75 New York Rangers NHL 65 13 44 57 104 3 1 4 5 2
1975–76 New York Rangers NHL 13 2 4 6 23 — — — — —
1975–76 Boston Bruins NHL 43 16 37 53 95 11 3 8 11 14
1976–77 Boston Bruins NHL 77 12 55 67 67 14 2 10 12 4
1977–78 Boston Bruins NHL 80 22 57 79 79 15 9 11 20 14
1978–79 Boston Bruins NHL 40 7 32 39 10 11 1 4 5 8
1979–80 Boston Bruins NHL 32 5 16 21 27 10 3 6 9 4
1980–81 Boston Bruins NHL 78 14 52 66 111 3 1 3 4 11
1981–82 Boston Bruins NHL 75 14 42 56 82 11 1 4 5 4
1982–83 Boston Bruins NHL 76 10 26 36 82 16 3 9 12 18
1983–84 Detroit Red Wings NHL 80 5 53 58 85 3 0 3 3 0
1984–85 Detroit Red Wings NHL 67 13 30 43 53 3 0 0 0 11
NHL totals 1,113 213 683 896 1,429 161 35 90 125 217

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1972 Canada SS 8 1 4 5 2
Senior totals 8 1 4 5 2

Coaching statistics

Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
Detroit Red Wings 1985–86 45 9 34 2 40 5th in Norris Missed playoffs

Honours and achievements

See also

References

  1. ^ "100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kirshenbaum, Josh (December 6, 1976). "BOSTON'S FAVORITE PARK IS NOT FENWAY". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  3. ^ "Park, Hall of Fame defenseman, enjoying simple life on 75th birthday | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  4. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  5. ^ a b "Legends of Hockey – Spotlight – Brad Park – the Pinnacle". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  6. ^ a b Hackel, Stu (January 1, 2017). "Brad Park: 100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  7. ^ "Brad Park Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  8. ^ a b c "1966 NHL Amateur Draft -- Brad Park". www.hockeydraftcentral.com. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  9. ^ "Bruins Trade Esposito To Rangers in 5 Player Deal". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Retrieved 2023-08-20 – via Google News Archive Search.
  10. ^ Kreiser, John (November 6, 2020). "Nov. 7: Rangers acquire Esposito, Vadnais from Bruins for Park, Ratelle". NHL.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  11. ^ "Legends of Hockey – Spotlight – One on One with Brad Park". Archived from the original on 2010-07-03. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  12. ^ Mulvoy, Mark (May 29, 1978). "AIMING TO SET UP AN UPSET". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  13. ^ Moran, Malcolm (1983-04-28). "PLAYERS; For Park, a Perfect Moment (Published 1983)". New York Times. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  14. ^ "The Detroit Red Wings announced Tuesday the signing of Brad Park.... – UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  15. ^ Reinmuth, Gary (1985-04-19). "THE DEFENSE RESTS: BRAD PARK RETIRES". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  16. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE; Brad Park Retires (Published 1985)". New York Times. 1985-04-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  17. ^ Tripi, Bob (December 30, 1985). "The Detroit Red Wings fired Coach Harry Neale today..." United Press International. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  18. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE; Park Named Coach (Published 1985)". New York Times. 1985-12-31. p. A12. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  19. ^ Tripi, Bob. "The burden now falls on Brad Park to do... – UPI Archives". United Press International. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  20. ^ "Brad Park was fired Tuesday as coach and director... – UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  21. ^ Sarni, Jim (October 10, 1985). "ESPN BREAKS THE ICE FOR SPORTS FANS WITH CAPS-RANGERS GAME THURSDAY". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  22. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (September 20, 1985). "Stockton, Walker Get a Break as Big Call Goes Their Way". Los Angeles Times. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  23. ^ Finn, Robin (1988-06-14). "N.H.L.; League Upholds Devils' Punishment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  24. ^ "Bruins Legend Brad Park keeps it humble while living in Maine". BOSTON BRUINS ALUMNI. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  25. ^ Forbes v. Eagleson, 19 F. Supp. 2d 352 (E.D. Pa. 1998) – Justia.com. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  26. ^ "NHL Notes: Judge Sides With NHL," The Washington Post, Wednesday, October 18, 2000. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "Hall of Famers | Canada's Sports Hall of Fame | Home: Mobile". halloffamers.sportshall.ca. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  28. ^ "Live Blog: Bruins Legends Classic". NESN.com. 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  29. ^ Horan, Riley (2025-01-24). "2025 Keith Magnuson 'Man of the Year' Award - NHL Alumni Association". Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  30. ^ "Canada's Walk of Fame". Canada's Walk of Fame. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
  31. ^ "Bruins legend Brad Park keeps it humble while living in Maine". 13 November 2014.
  32. ^ admin (2022-03-24). "Brad Park". Ontario Sport Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  33. ^ Crowley, Tim (2024-11-21). "Boston Sports Legends Share Strong Honor At 'The Tradition'". NESN.com. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  34. ^ Cohen, Russ; Halligan, John; Raider, Adam (2009). 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters. John Wiley & Sons. p. 190. ISBN 978-0470736197. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  35. ^ "Bruins Announce "Historic 100" Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal | Boston Bruins". www.nhl.com. 2023-09-12. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
  36. ^ "Bruins Announce All-Centennial Team | Boston Bruins". www.nhl.com. 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
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