Chris Oddleifson facts for kids

Christopher Roy Oddleifson (born September 7, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1972 to 1981. Chris Oddleifson is best known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks. He was one of their top players during the 1970s. He even served as the team captain in the 1976–77 season.

Playing Career: Chris Oddleifson's Hockey Journey

Starting Out: Drafted by the Seals

Chris Oddleifson was chosen 10th overall in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. This happened after a great season with the Winnipeg Jets. He played for them in the WCHL, which was a junior league. That year, he scored 95 points, including 64 assists, and had 243 penalty minutes.

He was drafted by the California Golden Seals. However, he never played an NHL game for them. He was sent to play in the minor leagues. In the middle of the 1971–72 season, he was traded to the Boston Bruins.

Making His NHL Debut with the Bruins

Chris Oddleifson made his NHL debut in the 1972–73 season. He played 6 games for the Boston Bruins. He became a full-time player for the Bruins in the 1973–74 season. A highlight was when he scored four goals in one game against the Golden Seals. This was the team that had drafted him earlier.

On February 7, 1974, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. This was part of a big trade for another player, Bobby Schmautz. He finished his first full NHL season with 13 goals and 29 points. These points were from games played with both Boston and Vancouver.

Becoming a Star with the Vancouver Canucks

Breakout Season and Playoff Success

The 1974–75 was a huge year for Chris Oddleifson. He became a key leader for the young Vancouver Canucks team. The team surprisingly won their division that year. They also made the playoffs for the very first time in their history.

Chris showed he was a great all-around player. He was big and tough, and he was good at setting up goals for his teammates. He could play both as a center and on the wing. He led the Canucks in scoring early in the season. However, he broke his jaw and missed 20 games. Even with that, he still had career highs of 16 goals and 35 assists, totaling 51 points in just 60 games.

Best Season and Captaincy

In the 1975–76 season, Chris Oddleifson had his best year in the NHL. He scored 16 goals and led the team with 46 assists. This gave him a career-high of 62 points.

His scoring numbers went down a bit in the next few seasons. But he remained one of the team's best all-around forwards. He was also one of the most popular players. He was named team captain for the 1976–77 season. He scored a career-high 17 goals in the 1977–78 season.

Later Career and Retirement

By the 1979–80 season, new young stars like Thomas Gradin and Stan Smyl joined the Canucks. This meant Chris Oddleifson played more of a defensive role. He finished that season with 8 goals and 28 points, which were career lows.

Early in the 1980–81 season, he was sent to the Dallas Black Hawks. This effectively ended his NHL career. Chris Oddleifson then played two more seasons in Switzerland before he retired in 1983. He finished his NHL career with 95 goals and 191 assists, for a total of 286 points in 524 games. He also had 464 penalty minutes.

Life After Hockey

After his hockey career, Chris Oddleifson moved back to Vancouver. He became a successful real estate agent. He still plays with the Canucks oldtimers team, which is a group of former players.

Awards and Achievements

• MJHL Second All-Star Team (1968)
• WCHL All-Star Team (1970)
• Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

Career Statistics