1
He had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 1970 as a spare player for Boston before ever playing a single game in the NHL.
15 Interesting Facts About Ivan Boldirev
Known as one of the NHL's greatest stickhandlers, Ivan Boldirev was a highly productive centre who played over 1,000 games and starred for several teams, including Chicago, Vancouver, and Detroit.
Position
Centre
Jersey
#9
Status
Retired
Teams
6
Facts
15
2
He was selected to play in his only career NHL All-Star Game in 1978.
3
He was born in Yugoslavia and emigrated to Canada with his family when he was just two years old.
4
He was selected 11th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1969 NHL amateur draft.
5
He was a key offensive contributor during the Vancouver Canucks' surprise run to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals, scoring eight goals in 17 games.
6
He finished his 15-season NHL career with exactly 361 goals and 505 assists for 866 points.
7
He grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and was so shy as a child that his first-grade teacher sent a note home requesting his parents speak English with him.
8
He led the Chicago Black Hawks in goals, assists, and points during both the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons.
9
He achieved his career-high of 83 points in a single season during the 1983-84 campaign while playing alongside rookie Steve Yzerman.
10
He spent his entire first professional season in the Central Hockey League with the Oklahoma City Blazers.
11
He was traded from Chicago to the Atlanta Flames late in the 1978-79 season as part of a massive nine-player trade.
12
He and teammate Darcy Rota were traded together in two consecutive deals, remaining teammates across three different NHL organizations.
13
He was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Detroit Red Wings during the 1982-83 season in exchange for forward Mark Kirton.
14
He played in his 1,000th career NHL game and recorded his 500th assist during his final season in 1984-85.
15
He played junior hockey for both his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and the Oshawa Generals before turning professional.
About Ivan Boldirev
Ivan Boldirev was a highly skilled, Serbian-born Canadian centre who became celebrated as one of the NHL's premier stickhandlers over a 15-season career. After starting with the Boston Bruins organization, he went on to lead the Chicago Black Hawks in scoring in the late 1970s and helped guide the Vancouver Canucks to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals. He finished his career with the Detroit Red Wings, retiring in 1985 with 866 career points.
Career Achievements & Milestones
✓
NHL All-Star
1978
✓
Stanley Cup Engraving
1970
✓
Stanley Cup Finalist
1982
✓
OHL Second All-Star Team
1969
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Ivan Boldirev.
Player Info
Country: Canada
Position: Centre
Jersey #: 9
Status: Retired
Age: 76 years old
Physical Stats
Height: 6' 0" (183 cm)
Weight: 190 lbs (86 kg)
Born: Zrenjanin, Serbia
Career Stats
Seasons: 16
Goals: 361
Assists: 505
Points: 866
Teams: 6
Drafted: 1969
Round: 1st
Teams & Career
Boston Bruins California Golden Seals Chicago Black Hawks Atlanta Flames Vancouver Canucks Detroit Red Wings
Ivan Boldirev played for 6 different teams during his 16 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the Boston Bruins in 1969.