Brad Park

Lore & Background

Park grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, with four siblings. His father, a Scottish immigrant and former Royal Canadian Air Force sergeant, was a youth hockey referee and coach; Park and his dad would use salt and pepper shakers on the kitchen table to analyze defensive play. As a teenager, Park worked as a laborer at a golf course in Thornhill, Toronto. He played youth hockey against older kids, and in 1960 he played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Scarborough Lions, winning the tournament. He later played Junior B for the Toronto Westclairs and Junior A for the Toronto Marlboros, helping the Marlboros win the 1967 Memorial Cup.

Reader's Guide

Park was drafted by the New York Rangers second overall in 1966 and began his NHL career in 1968. He quickly became the Rangers' best defenceman, known for offensive skill, stickhandling, and pugnacity. He drew comparisons to Bobby Orr, universally acclaimed as the greatest defenceman. Park remarked he saw no reason to be upset being rated second to Orr. Park finished runner-up for the Norris Trophy four times, always losing to Orr, and later was overshadowed by Denis Potvin. He was named to the First All-Star Team three times and the Second All-Star Team twice. In the 1972 Summit Series, with Orr injured, Park was named Best Defenceman. He was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1975 in a blockbuster deal. With the Bruins, he was told by coach Don Cherry to concentrate on defense, and he helped rejuvenate the team. Park was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017.

Did You Know?

• Park became the first Rangers defenseman to get four assists in a game on February 2, 1969, at age 20 years, 211 days, an NHL record for youngest defenseman to do so.
• He was the first defenseman in NHL history to score two hat tricks in the same season (1971-72).
• Park was named the youngest Rangers captain ever at age 26 in the 1974 offseason.
• He left the Rangers as their all-time leading scorer among defensemen with 95 goals, 283 assists, and 378 points.