Dave Babych

Lore & Background

Babych was selected second overall in the 1980 NHL entry draft by the Winnipeg Jets after a standout junior career with the Portland Winter Hawks. He and his brother Wayne were the highest-drafted pair of brothers in NHL history at the time. Babych led all Winnipeg blueliners in scoring in each of his first 10 NHL seasons. He set franchise records for defencemen with 19 goals and 68 points in 1981–82, and broke his own club record with 74 points in 1982–83. He was traded to the Hartford Whalers in 1985–86, where he continued to excel, and later played for the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Los Angeles Kings. He finished his career with 723 points in 1195 NHL games.

In Their Own Story

The Scotiabank Saddledome was a different building back then—smaller, louder, the boards closer to the front-row seats. Babych skated in on the third line, helmet on, stick already in his hands, and the moment he crossed the blue line you could feel the shift in the room's energy. A puck dropped in the neutral zone, and before the opposing centre could even set his edges, Babych was there, chest to chest, eyes level, saying nothing. The puck went to Sakic. The play went to Gilmour. But the space, the time, the breathing room for the star to make his play—that was Babych's gift, and he gave it up every shift, every night, without a single highlight reel to prove it. The crowd didn't need to see it on the jumbotron. They felt it in the rumble of the ice under their feet.

Reader's Guide

Babych was an offensive defenceman who led his team's blueliners in scoring for 10 consecutive seasons. He was known for his offensive ability and steady play, especially during his seven years with the Vancouver Canucks. He scored a hat trick as a defenceman for the Canucks on November 22, 1991, against the Calgary Flames. He also scored a game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. After retiring, he worked part-time with the Canucks as an assistant specializing in defencemen.

Did You Know?

• Babych was the first NHL player to wear the number 44 on a permanent basis.
• He and his brother Wayne were the highest-drafted pair of brothers in NHL history at the time of their selections.
• Babych scored a hat trick as a defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks on November 22, 1991, against the Calgary Flames.
• Nathan LaFayette scored the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final for the Canucks.