1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 127 Rick Middleton Hockey Card (Front)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 127 Rick Middleton Hockey Card (Back)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
A slick skater and a nifty stickhandler, Rick joins the Bruins after two years with the New York Rangers. He is a proven scorer and a man of many moves and motions. Rick was a 1st round choice in 1973 draft.
En Français
Bon patineur et habile avec son bâton, Rick s’est joint aux Bruins après deux ans avec les Rangers. Il a fait ses preuves comme compteur. Choisi à la 1ière ronde du repêchage de 1973.
Details
Rick Middleton was traded from the New York Rangers to the Boston Bruins on May 26, 1976, straight up for Ken Hodge. He was the 14th overall selection by the Rangers at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft after three years of junior with the Oshawa Generals. Rick was also a second round choice of the Minnesota Fighting Saints at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.
For Boston, the trade was a steal. Middleton led the OHA Junior A in goal scoring for the 1972-73 season with 67. His 137 points placed him third behind Blake Dunlop and Dennis Ververgaert. The following year, he was a standout with the Providence Reds in the AHL, earning the Dudley Red Garrett Award as rookie of the year. In his two years with the Rangers, Rick scored no less that 22 goals.
Middleton spent 12 years with the Bruins, scoring 448 goals in 1,005 games. He topped 20 goals in all but two injury shortened seasons. He had 40 or more goals in five consecutive seasons, topping out with 51 in 1981-82. As for Ken Hodge, he had one full season with the Rangers.
Between 1974-75 and 1987-88, Rick Middleton played in 1,005 regular season and 114 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Rangers and Bruins. He helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup final on three occasions, twice losing to the Montreal Canadiens and once to the Edmonton Oilers.