Dave Babych
15 Interesting Facts
Dave Babych was a long-time NHL defenceman who scored 723 career points and became the first player in league history to permanently wear jersey number 44.
He was selected second overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
He played in two NHL All-Star Games during his career, in 1983 and 1984.
He was the first player in NHL history to wear jersey number 44 on a permanent basis.
He and his brother Wayne became the highest-drafted pair of brothers in NHL history at the time of his draft.
He scored the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final for the Vancouver Canucks.
He became the first defenceman in Vancouver Canucks regular-season history to score a hat trick.
He led all defenders on his team in scoring in each of his first ten NHL seasons.
He scored a career-high 74 points during the 1982–83 NHL season with the Winnipeg Jets.
He was traded from Winnipeg to the Hartford Whalers in 1985 in exchange for Ray Neufeld.
He appeared in a small acting role in the movie Slap Shot 2.
He finished his NHL career with 1,195 regular season games played, recording 142 goals and 581 assists.
He won a medical malpractice lawsuit against an orthopedic surgeon following a misdiagnosed foot injury late in his career.
He was selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1991 NHL Expansion Draft before being immediately traded to Vancouver.
He recorded 100 points in 56 games for the Fort Saskatchewan Traders in the AJHL during the 1977–78 season.
He finished his professional playing career playing for Swiss club Ambrì-Piotta in the year 2000.
About Dave Babych
Selected second overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, Dave Babych was an offensive defenceman who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League. Famous for being the first NHL player to wear jersey number 44 permanently, he recorded 723 career points in 1,195 regular season games. He played a prominent role on the 1993-94 Vancouver Canucks team that reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Career Achievements & Milestones
NHL All-Star Game Selection
1983
NHL All-Star Game Selection
1984
WHL First All-Star Team
1980
Stanley Cup Finalist
1994
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Dave Babych.
Player Info
Physical Stats
Career Stats
Season Scoring
Teams & Career
Dave Babych played for 6 different teams during his 19 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1980.