Brian Engblom
Encyclopedia
Brian Paul Engblom is an ice hockey
broadcaster
and retired Canadian
professional hockey defenseman.
and was drafted 22nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens
in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first two professional seasons with Montreal's AHL
affiliate Nova Scotia Voyageurs
before playing in his first NHL
game in the 1977 Stanley Cup playoffs
with Montreal. He won three Stanley Cup
s, in 1977, 1978, and 1979 with the Canadiens. Engblom's name was left off the Cup in 1977, because he played no regular season games. He played in two playoff games, and did not play in the finals.
In 1982, while Engblom was establishing himself as a top NHL defenseman, he was involved in a blockbuster trade that saw himself, Doug Jarvis
, Rod Langway
and Craig Laughlin
dealt to the Washington Capitals
in exchange for Rick Green
and Ryan Walter
. A season later, he was dealt with Ken Houston
to the Los Angeles Kings
in exchange for future Hall Of Famer Larry Murphy. He finished his career with stints for the Buffalo Sabres
, and Calgary Flames
. Playing in eleven NHL seasons, Engblom finished in NHL career with 29 goal
s and 177 assist
s.
for ESPN
from 1992–93 through 2003–04 and currently handles both duties on Versus
. He also did post-game analysis for the Colorado Avalanche
on Altitude Sports and Entertainment
. He will be the color commentator for the Winnipeg Jets
on TSN
for the 2011-12 season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and retired Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional hockey defenseman.
Biography
Engblom played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and was drafted 22nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first two professional seasons with Montreal's AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate Nova Scotia Voyageurs
Nova Scotia Voyageurs
The Nova Scotia Voyageurs were a professional ice hockey team, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They played in the American Hockey League, from 1971 to 1984. The Voyageurs played their first two seasons , as the Montreal Voyageurs....
before playing in his first NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
game in the 1977 Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
with Montreal. He won three Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s, in 1977, 1978, and 1979 with the Canadiens. Engblom's name was left off the Cup in 1977, because he played no regular season games. He played in two playoff games, and did not play in the finals.
In 1982, while Engblom was establishing himself as a top NHL defenseman, he was involved in a blockbuster trade that saw himself, Doug Jarvis
Doug Jarvis
Douglas M. Jarvis is a former Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Hartford Whalers in the National Hockey League. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Doug...
, Rod Langway
Rod Langway
Rod Cory Langway is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League and Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association...
and Craig Laughlin
Craig Laughlin
Craig Alan Laughlin is a retired Canadian ice hockey right wing and color analyst for the Washington Capitals on CSN Washington.Laughlin was drafted in 1977 by the Montreal Canadiens...
dealt to the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
in exchange for Rick Green
Rick Green (ice hockey)
Richard Douglas Green is a former ice hockey defenceman.Green was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, First Overall. He was also drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft, First Round, Tenth Overall...
and Ryan Walter
Ryan Walter
Ryan William Walter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League...
. A season later, he was dealt with Ken Houston
Ken Houston
Kenneth Ray Houston is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League and National Football League...
to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in exchange for future Hall Of Famer Larry Murphy. He finished his career with stints for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, and Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. Playing in eleven NHL seasons, Engblom finished in NHL career with 29 goal
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
s and 177 assist
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
s.
Broadcasting career
Engblom was an NHL studio analyst and color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
from 1992–93 through 2003–04 and currently handles both duties on Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
. He also did post-game analysis for the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
on Altitude Sports and Entertainment
Altitude Sports and Entertainment
Altitude Sports and Entertainment is a regional sports network that serves the Rocky Mountain region, specifically Denver. It officially launched on Sept...
. He will be the color commentator for the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
on TSN
NHL on TSN
The NHL on TSN is TSN's broadcast of National Hockey League games. The show's current incarnation debuted in 2002. The channel has exclusive local rights to the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets.-Coverage overview:...
for the 2011-12 season.
Awards and achievements
- MJHL Most Valuable Player (1973)
- WCHAWestern Collegiate Hockey AssociationThe Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
First All-Star Team (1975) - NCAA West First All-American Team (1975)
- AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
First All-Star Team (19771976–77 AHL seasonThe 1976–77 AHL season was the 41st season of the American Hockey League. The league lost two teams, and divisions were dissolved. Six teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy is awarded is for first place in the regular season, and the John D. Chick Trophy is not...
) - Eddie Shore AwardEddie Shore AwardThe Eddie Shore Award is presented annually to the AHL's best defenceman. The award winner is chosen by AHL media and players. The award is named after Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Shore.-Winners:-Other Eddie Shore Award:...
(AHL Most Outstanding Defenseman) (1977) - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championships (19771977 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1977 Stanley Cup Final championship series was contested by the Boston Bruins and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins were making their first appearance in the Final series since their loss in the 1974 Final. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to none,...
, 19781978 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1978 Stanley Cup Final championship series was contested by the Boston Bruins and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, making their third-straight appearance. The series was a rematch of the 1977 final...
, and 19791979 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1979 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the New York Rangers and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, making their fourth straight appearance. It was New York's first appearance since . The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win...
) - NHL Second Team All-StarNHL All-Star TeamThe NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
(1982) - “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of FameManitoba Hockey Hall of FameThe Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...