1
He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship in 1982.
15 Interesting Facts About Rick Middleton
Rick Middleton was a prolific right winger for the Boston Bruins, known for his scoring prowess, sportsmanship, and later for coaching the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team to a gold medal.
Position
Right wing
Jersey
#16
Status
Retired
Teams
3
Facts
15
2
His #16 jersey number was retired by the Boston Bruins in 2018.
3
He coached the United States Paralympic Sled Hockey team to a gold medal at the 2002 Paralympic Olympics.
4
He holds the unbroken Bruins' team record for most points scored in a season by a right winger with 105 points.
5
He ranks second all-time in career shooting percentage (19.7) among players with 400+ goals.
6
He was a co-captain for the Boston Bruins alongside Ray Bourque from 1985 until his retirement.
7
He was drafted 14th overall in the first round of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft.
8
He was traded from the New York Rangers to the Boston Bruins for Ken Hodge in 1976.
9
He was named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team in 1982.
10
He recorded his first 100-plus-point season in 1980-81, scoring 44 goals and 59 assists.
11
He scored a hat trick in his debut game for the Boston Bruins on October 7, 1976.
12
He played in 1,005 NHL regular season games during his career.
13
He set multiple unbroken playoff records, including most points scored in the playoffs by a player not advancing to the finals (33 in 17 games).
14
He holds the Bruins' team record for 25 shorthanded goals, a record he held for over 30 years.
15
He was 12 points shy of reaching the 1,000 career points milestone when he left the NHL.
About Rick Middleton
Richard 'Nifty' Middleton was a highly skilled right winger known for his exceptional stickhandling and scoring ability, primarily with the Boston Bruins where he served as co-captain. He recorded multiple 90-plus and 100-plus-point seasons, won the Lady Byng Trophy, and had his #16 jersey retired. After his NHL career, he notably coached the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team to a gold medal.
Career Achievements & Milestones
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Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
1982
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Canada Cup Gold Medal
1984
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Boston Bruins Jersey Number Retired
2018
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Coached U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to Gold Medal
2002
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NHL Second All-Star Team
1982
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Rick Middleton.
Player Info
Country: Canada
Position: Right wing
Jersey #: 16
Status: Retired
Age: 72 years old
Physical Stats
Height: 5' 11" (180 cm)
Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)
Born: Toronto, Ontario
Career Stats
Seasons: 16
Goals: 448
Assists: 540
Points: 988
Teams: 3
Drafted: 1973
Round: 1st
Teams & Career
New York Rangers Boston Bruins EHC Bülach
Rick Middleton played for 3 different teams during his 16 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the New York Rangers in 1973.