Johnny Bucyk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Bucyk |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1981 | |||
Bucyk in 2010
|
|||
| Born | May 12, 1935 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins |
||
| Playing career | 1955–1978 | ||
John Paul "Chief" Bucyk (born May 12, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was a left winger and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He played most of his career with the Boston Bruins. Bucyk has been involved with the Bruins' team since the late 1950s. In 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' of all time.
Bucyk was a very skilled left winger. He was also a big player for his time. Even though other famous players like Bobby Hull and Frank Mahovlich played at the same time, Bucyk had a long and amazing career. When he retired, he was one of the top point scorers and had played the third-most games in history. He scored twenty goals or more in sixteen different seasons. Bucyk was known for his strong defensive plays. He was also a very fair player. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for good sportsmanship in 1971 and 1974. Bucyk was one of the main leaders for the Bruins when they won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Hockey
Bucyk was born in Edmonton, Canada. His parents were immigrants from Ukraine. His family was poor, and his father passed away when Bucyk was 11 years old. Because of this, Bucyk could not afford ice skates until he was 13.
During the hockey off-season, Bucyk would go back to Edmonton. He worked at a car dealership that helped sponsor his junior hockey team.
Learning to Skate Better
Bucyk played junior hockey for four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings. At first, he was not a very good skater. His coach, Ken McAuley, arranged for Bucyk to train with a figure skater. This helped him improve his skating a lot. He became one of the top scorers for the Oil Kings. The team also had future Hall of Famer Norm Ullman.
In 1954, Bucyk and the Oil Kings played in the 1954 Memorial Cup final. Bucyk scored an amazing 28 goals in 21 playoff games. He also scored 14 goals in 14 Memorial Cup games.
Joining the Pros
After the Memorial Cup, Bucyk signed a professional contract. He joined the Edmonton Flyers in the Western Hockey League. This team was connected to the Detroit Red Wings. He played with his junior teammate Ullman again. He also played with future Bruins teammates Bronco Horvath and Vic Stasiuk. Horvath gave Bucyk his nickname "Chief." He thought Bucyk used his stick like a tomahawk to fight for the puck. In 1955, Bucyk's first full season with the Flyers, he scored 30 goals and 58 assists. The Flyers won the league championship that year.
NHL Career Highlights
Starting with the Red Wings
After the 1955 WHL playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings called Bucyk up. He practiced with the team during the 1955 Stanley Cup playoffs. He didn't play in any games, but Detroit won the Stanley Cup that year. His very first NHL game was in the 1955 All-Star Game. In his first full season in 1956, he didn't score many points. He played on the team's third and fourth lines.
Becoming a Boston Bruin
The "Uke Line"
Before the 1958 season, the Boston Bruins got Horvath and Stasiuk. The Bruins' general manager, Lynn Patrick, thought that putting Bucyk back with them would help the team. So, Detroit traded Bucyk to the Bruins for Terry Sawchuk, a very famous goalie.
Bucyk became a top left winger in Boston. He played with Stasiuk and Horvath, forming the "Uke Line." This name came from the idea that all three players were of Ukrainian background. (Actually, Stasiuk was Hungarian.) This line made a big impact right away. They helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Bucyk and Stasiuk each scored 21 goals. Bucyk scored his first three goals in one game (a hat trick) in a nationally televised game against the New York Rangers.
Challenges and Leadership
Bucyk and his "Uke Line" teammates continued to play well. However, by the 1961 season, their defense had some problems. The coach decided to split up the line. Stasiuk and Horvath were traded by the end of 1961. The Bruins missed the playoffs for two years in a row.
The Boston Bruins struggled a lot in the 1960s. They finished in last place for five seasons in a row. During this time, Bucyk was often paired with Murray Oliver and Tommy Williams. This line was called the "BOW" line. Bucyk led the team in scoring many times. He was one of the team's only stars. He was chosen to play in the All-Star Games in 1963, 1964, and 1965. In 1967, he scored his 200th goal and was named team captain. The Bruins missed the playoffs for eight years in a row, which was a record at the time.
Winning the Stanley Cup
The Bruins started to get much better when they added star players like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. In 1968, Boston quickly became a top team and made it to the playoffs. Bucyk finished second in team scoring and was named to his fifth All-Star Game. He was also chosen as a Second Team All-Star for the league. Bucyk was especially good on the Bruins' very strong power-play unit. This unit included Phil Esposito, John McKenzie, Bobby Orr, and Fred Stanfield. He was also very accurate with his shots. He was among the top ten players in the league for shooting accuracy in eleven seasons. He led the league in 1971, 1973, and 1974.
Two seasons later, in 1970, the Bruins won their fourth Stanley Cup. Bucyk was fourth in team scoring and second in goal scoring during the playoffs. He also played in the 1970 NHL All-Star Game. Even though he wasn't the team captain after 1967, he was the most senior assistant captain. This meant he had the honor of being the first player to skate the Stanley Cup around the Boston Garden ice.
The 1970–71 season was amazing for the Bruins. They set many new records. Bucyk had his best season ever. He became one of the first players in league history to score 50 goals (on March 16, 1971). He also became one of the first to score 100 points (on March 13, 1971). He played in his seventh All-Star Game. He was also named a First Team All-Star for the league. He won his first Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for being the most gentlemanly player. At 35 years old, he was the oldest player in league history to score 50 goals at that time. He also broke the record for assists and points by a left winger. He finished third in league scoring that season.
Bucyk won his second and final Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 1972. He continued to be a star player for most of the 1970s. He was named team captain again in 1973. He won the Lady Byng Trophy again in 1974. In 1977, he received the Lester Patrick Trophy for his important contributions to hockey in the United States.
Retirement and Lasting Impact
Bucyk played until the 1978 season. He was still a star player in his second-to-last season. In 1980, the Bruins retired his number 9 jersey. This means no other Bruins player will wear that number.
When he retired, Bucyk was fourth all-time in points and goals in the NHL. He was third in games played. He was also the top career point scorer among left wingers. Today, he is still the Bruins' all-time leader in goals scored, with 545 goals. Only Ray Bourque has passed his team records for points, games played, and assists.
Bucyk has received many honors since he retired. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1998, he was ranked number 45 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. In 2017, the National Hockey League named him one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. The Bruins also have an award named after him, the John P. Bucyk Award. It is given each year to a Bruins player who does great charity work off the ice.
Bucyk is still involved with the Bruins today. He has worked as a radio broadcaster and in the team's front office. He is now an ambassador for the team. He is sometimes called the "unofficial mayor of TD Garden" (the Bruins' home arena). In 2011, Bucyk's name was engraved on the Stanley Cup for a third time. This was because he was part of the Bruins' coaching and administrative staff when they won the Cup. This was his 53rd year in a row with the team. As of 2025, Bucyk has been involved in professional hockey for 71 years, which is the longest time on record.
Family Life
Bucyk's nephew, Randy Bucyk, also played hockey. He played for Northeastern University and for the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames. Randy Bucyk won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986. He also played for the Canadian national team in 1989. Bucyk also played with his older brother, William Bucyk. William was a defenseman for the Oil Kings and played in the minor league Western Hockey League.
Bucyk was married to his wife Anne for 53 years. She passed away in 2012. They had three children together: Jo-Anne, Michael, and Larry.
Career Statistics
Regular season and playoffs
- Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1951–52 | Edmonton Maple Leafs | AJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951–52 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCJHL | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1952–53 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCJHL | 39 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 24 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 14 | ||
| 1953–54 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCJHL | 33 | 29 | 38 | 67 | 38 | 21 | 28 | 17 | 45 | 30 | ||
| 1953–54 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1953–54 | Edmonton Oil Kings | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 10 | ||
| 1954–55 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 70 | 30 | 58 | 88 | 57 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 1954–55 | Edmonton Flyers | Ed-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 22 | ||
| 1955–56 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 38 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1955–56 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 66 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1957–58 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 68 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 57 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 1958–59 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1959–60 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 56 | 16 | 36 | 52 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1960–61 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 19 | 20 | 39 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1961–62 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 67 | 20 | 40 | 60 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962–63 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 27 | 39 | 66 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1963–64 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 62 | 18 | 36 | 54 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964–65 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 68 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1965–66 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 63 | 27 | 30 | 57 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 59 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967–68 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 30 | 39 | 69 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 24 | 42 | 66 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 1969–70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 31 | 38 | 69 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 51 | 65 | 116 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 32 | 51 | 83 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 6 | ||
| 1972–73 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 40 | 53 | 93 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1973–74 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 31 | 44 | 75 | 8 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 4 | ||
| 1974–75 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 29 | 52 | 81 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1975–76 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 77 | 36 | 47 | 83 | 20 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 49 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 53 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,540 | 556 | 813 | 1,369 | 493 | 124 | 41 | 62 | 103 | 42 | ||||
Statistics via Hockey Reference
Achievements and Facts
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1955, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, and 1971.
- Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1968.
- Stanley Cup champion in 1970 and 1972.
- Won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1971 and 1974.
- Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1971.
- Won Lester Patrick Trophy for helping hockey grow in the United States in 1977.
- Known as the "Chief" because a cartoonist mistakenly thought he looked like a Native American.
- He was a Ukrainian Canadian and part of the "Uke" line with Bronco Horvath and Vic Stasiuk.
- When the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1970, Bucyk was the first player to lift the Cup. This was because he was the most senior Alternate Captain.
- His nephew Randy Bucyk played for Northeastern University and for the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames. Randy won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986.
- He scored twenty goals or more in sixteen different seasons.
- He is the career leader in goals for the Bruins.
- He is second to Ray Bourque in career games, assists, and points for the Bruins.
- When he retired, he was third in all-time NHL games played.
- He was the oldest player to score 50 goals in one season (51 goals in 1970–71) at age 35. This record stood until Alexander Ovechkin broke it in 2022.
- He was also the oldest player to score 50 goals for the first time in his career (in 1970–71).
- He played the most NHL games (1,370) before scoring 500 goals.
- His number 9 jersey was retired by the Boston Bruins on March 13, 1980.
- He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981.
- In 1998, he was ranked number 45 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
- In January 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history by the National Hockey League.
- Named one of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time.
- Named to the Boston Bruins All-Centennial Team.
See also
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
