Bryan Watson (hockey)
Encyclopedia
Bryan Joseph "Bugsy, Super Pest" Watson (born November 14, 1942 in Bancroft, Ontario
) is a retired Canadian ice hockey
defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Montreal Canadiens
, Detroit Red Wings
, Oakland Seals
, Pittsburgh Penguins
, St. Louis Blues
, Washington Capitals
and the Cincinnati Stingers
of the World Hockey Association
. Watson also previously served as a head coach and assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers
in 1980-81
.
and the Peterborough Petes
. He would eventually become team captain of the Petes and would be named the team's MVP
in his final junior campaign. Watson continued and signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens, making his NHL debut in the 1963-64 NHL season
. He would play just over half the season in his rookie year appearing in 39 games with the big club and playing 6 more games in an opening round series vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In Watson's sophomore season he only appeared in 5 games with Montreal, spending the bulk of the season with the AHL's Quebec Aces
where head coach Bernie Geoffrion
paired the 21 year old blueliner with 39 year old veteran Doug Harvey.
when the Canadiens traded him to the Chicago Black Hawks on June 8, 1965. Watson was the property of the Blackhawks for one day before the Detroit Red Wings selected him in the intra-league draft on June 9, 1965. In 1965-66
, in his first year with the Red Wings he didn't miss a game, dressing for all 70 regular season contests. A season in which he scored his first NHL goal and led the team in penalty minutes. He would also appear in all 12 playoff games for Detroit, scoring the only 2 post-season markers of his career and helping the Red Wings advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
against his former team the Montreal Canadiens. In 1966-67
Watson split his time between the Red Wings and Detroit's farm team in the CPHL
, the Memphis Wings
.
would be an eventful year for Watson as it marked his return, albeit very briefly, to the organization and system he started his career with. This was also an eventful and historic year for the National Hockey League. The Original Six
era officially came to an end at the start of the 1967-68 season as Clarence Campbell
and the league, who had awarded new NHL franchises to six American cities, made their inaugural appearances that year. With six new teams, the Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota North Stars. Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, St, Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings needing players, the NHL held an expansion draft in Montreal, Quebec. The draft would see the six new teams filling their rosters by picking from a specified pool of players who the original six teams made available to be selected. As a result, Watson was left unprotected by the Detroit Red Wings and Wren Blair
and the Minnesota North Stars
selected him with their 15th pick in the draft. That same day Blair shipped Watson back to Montreal by making a four player deal with Sam Pollock
, with the Canadiens shipping three young prospects, Billy Plager, Leo Thiffault and Barrie Meissner to Minnesota in return. Back in Montreal for the second time, Watson would only appear in a dozen games with the Canadiens in 1967-68, registering just 1 assist and 9 penalty minutes. He found himself back in the minors playing a handful of games for the Cleveland Barons in the AHL and the bulk of the year in the CPHL for the Houston Apollos
, with his second stint coming to an end at the conclusion of the 1967-68 season.
Watson was on the move yet again, becoming the property of his third expansion team in a year and a half. Oakland general manager Frank Selke, Jr. orchestrated a six player swap with the Pittsburgh Penguins that included Watson going the other way. With the move to Pittsburgh, he would find his first semi-permanent home, spending parts of the next 6 seasons in Steeltown. Watson would have the best offensive season of his career as a Penguin, scoring a career high in goals (3) and points (20) in 1971-72
. He would follow that up by leading the Penguins in penalty minutes in 3 of his 4 full seasons with the club, finishing second behind fellow pugilist and namesake Bryan Hextall's 133 PIM in 1970-71
. It was in Pittsburgh where Watson would just barely serve his longest tenure with one team in the NHL, donning the baby blue and white jersey of the Penguins for 304 of the 878 games he would play in the National Hockey League (302 with Detroit).
, after starting the season in Pittsburgh and a very brief 11 game stop with the St. Louis Blues, Watson found himself back in Detroit for the second time in his career. In his second season back with the Red Wings he would record a career high 322 penalty minutes in 1975-76
, posting the second highest total in the league behind Steve Durbano's 370 PIM. His second go-round with the Red Wings would be his second to last stop in the NHL.
when he was traded for Greg Joly, a former highly touted junior prospect who was drafted 1st overall by the Capitals in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
from the Regina Pats
of the WHL
. Over the course of the next three seasons in the nation's capital, he would play 155 games and rack up another 294 minutes in penalties as a Capital. After appearing in 20 games with the Capitals in 1978-79
, Watson left the NHL to join the Cincinnati Stingers of the fledgling World Hockey Association where he would end his professional career as a player, playing out the remainder of the season with the Ohio
based franchise.
In 878 career NHL games, Watson scored 17 goals, 135 assists, and amassed 2,212 penalty minutes.
. The Hartford Whalers
, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques
and the Edmonton Oilers, with head coach Glen Sather
, all made their NHL debut's that year. The Oilers, with phenom Wayne Gretzky
and 18 year old Mark Messier
, qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs
their first season in the NHL. After being swept by the Philadelphia Flyers
in the first round, Oilers owner Peter Pocklington
promoted head coach Glen Sather and named him the teams new President and General Manager. In 1980-81, with the Oilers in need of a new bench boss, Watson got the nod and was named head coach of the Edmonton Oilers to start the franchise's second season in the NHL. However, after the Oilers posted a record of 4 wins, 9 losses and 5 ties to start the season Sather decided to go back behind the bench, with Watson remaining on as an assistant with Billy Harris. The Oilers went on and qualified for the playoffs for the second straight season, sweeping the heavily favoured Montreal Canadiens in the first round three games to none. The Oilers lost their best-of-seven series against the New York Islanders
in the second round, which also brought an end to Watson's association with professional hockey as he would not return behind the Oilers bench the following year. Watson retired from hockey and returned to the Washington D.C area where he finished his NHL playing career and where he still resides today.
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Bancroft, Ontario
Bancroft is a town located on the York River in Hastings County in the Canadian province of Ontario.- History :In 1853 the first pioneer family settled in the area, and over the next 15 years the settlement grew quickly, as another 88 families followed...
) is a retired Canadian ice hockey
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...
defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League
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...
for 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 ...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Oakland Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, 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...
and the Cincinnati Stingers
Cincinnati Stingers
The Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in...
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
. Watson also previously served as a head coach and assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in 1980-81
1980-81 NHL season
The 1980–81 NHL season was the 64th season of the National Hockey League. This was the first season that the Calgary Flames played in Calgary, Alberta. Previously, they were the Atlanta Flames and played in Atlanta, Georgia. The New York Islanders won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating...
.
Montreal Canadiens (1963-65)
Watson worked his way up through the Montreal Canadiens system starting his junior hockey career with head coach Scotty BowmanScotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
and the Peterborough Petes
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
. He would eventually become team captain of the Petes and would be named the team's MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in his final junior campaign. Watson continued and signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens, making his NHL debut in the 1963-64 NHL season
1963-64 NHL season
The 1963–64 NHL season was the 47th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 70 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs won their third consecutive Stanley Cup by defeating the Detroit Red Wings four games to three in the final series.-Offseason:...
. He would play just over half the season in his rookie year appearing in 39 games with the big club and playing 6 more games in an opening round series vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In Watson's sophomore season he only appeared in 5 games with Montreal, spending the bulk of the season with the AHL's Quebec Aces
Quebec Aces
The Quebec Aces, also known in French as Les As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec. The Aces were founded in 1928, and played until 1971. The team played home games at the Quebec Coliseum from 1930 to 1971.The Aces were Allan Cup...
where head coach Bernie Geoffrion
Bernie Geoffrion
Joseph André Bernard Geoffrion , nicknamed Boom Boom, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens and New York...
paired the 21 year old blueliner with 39 year old veteran Doug Harvey.
Detroit Red Wings (1965-67)
Watson left the province of QuébecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
when the Canadiens traded him to the Chicago Black Hawks on June 8, 1965. Watson was the property of the Blackhawks for one day before the Detroit Red Wings selected him in the intra-league draft on June 9, 1965. In 1965-66
1965-66 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
, in his first year with the Red Wings he didn't miss a game, dressing for all 70 regular season contests. A season in which he scored his first NHL goal and led the team in penalty minutes. He would also appear in all 12 playoff games for Detroit, scoring the only 2 post-season markers of his career and helping the Red Wings advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
against his former team the Montreal Canadiens. In 1966-67
1966-67 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts-Debuts:The following is a list...
Watson split his time between the Red Wings and Detroit's farm team in the CPHL
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
, the Memphis Wings
Memphis Wings
The Memphis Wings were a professional ice hockey team in Memphis, Tennessee. They played from 1964-67 in the Central Professional Hockey League. As their name suggested, they were a farm team of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings....
.
Montreal Canadiens (1967-68)
1967-681967-68 NHL season
The 1967–68 NHL season was the 51st season of the National Hockey League. The league expanded to 12 teams, putting the new six in the West Division, while the original six were all placed in the East Division. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup against the new St...
would be an eventful year for Watson as it marked his return, albeit very briefly, to the organization and system he started his career with. This was also an eventful and historic year for the National Hockey League. The Original Six
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
era officially came to an end at the start of the 1967-68 season as Clarence Campbell
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell OBE, QC was the third president of the National Hockey League from 1946 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
and the league, who had awarded new NHL franchises to six American cities, made their inaugural appearances that year. With six new teams, the Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota North Stars. Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, St, Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings needing players, the NHL held an expansion draft in Montreal, Quebec. The draft would see the six new teams filling their rosters by picking from a specified pool of players who the original six teams made available to be selected. As a result, Watson was left unprotected by the Detroit Red Wings and Wren Blair
Wren Blair
Wren Blair is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1970. He was also the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from July 1975 to December 1976...
and the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
selected him with their 15th pick in the draft. That same day Blair shipped Watson back to Montreal by making a four player deal with Sam Pollock
Sam Pollock
Samuel Patterson Smyth "Sam" Pollock, OC, CQ was a general manager in the National Hockey League.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Sam was a keen evaluator of talent. In 1950, with the Montreal Junior Canadiens and in 1958, with the Ottawa Junior Canadiens, he won the Memorial Cup...
, with the Canadiens shipping three young prospects, Billy Plager, Leo Thiffault and Barrie Meissner to Minnesota in return. Back in Montreal for the second time, Watson would only appear in a dozen games with the Canadiens in 1967-68, registering just 1 assist and 9 penalty minutes. He found himself back in the minors playing a handful of games for the Cleveland Barons in the AHL and the bulk of the year in the CPHL for the Houston Apollos
Houston Apollos
The Houston Apollos were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Houston, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1965 to 1969, and then from 1979 to 1981....
, with his second stint coming to an end at the conclusion of the 1967-68 season.
Oakland Seals and the Pittsburgh Penguins (1968-74)
During the summer, at the end of the 1967-68 season, Watson became the property of his second expansion team in just over a year when he was dealt by Sam Pollock to the Oakland Seals on June 28, 1968 for Tom Thurlby and a 1st round draft pick in 1972. After playing the first 50 games for the Seals in the 1968-69 season1968-69 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
Watson was on the move yet again, becoming the property of his third expansion team in a year and a half. Oakland general manager Frank Selke, Jr. orchestrated a six player swap with the Pittsburgh Penguins that included Watson going the other way. With the move to Pittsburgh, he would find his first semi-permanent home, spending parts of the next 6 seasons in Steeltown. Watson would have the best offensive season of his career as a Penguin, scoring a career high in goals (3) and points (20) in 1971-72
1971-72 NHL season
-Final:New York Rangers vs. Boston BruinsBoston Bruins win the best-of-seven series 4 games to 2 for the Stanley Cup-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:-Leading goaltenders:...
. He would follow that up by leading the Penguins in penalty minutes in 3 of his 4 full seasons with the club, finishing second behind fellow pugilist and namesake Bryan Hextall's 133 PIM in 1970-71
1970-71 NHL season
The 1970–71 NHL season was the 54th season of the National Hockey League. Two new teams, the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks made their debuts and were both put into the East Division. The Chicago Black Hawks were moved to the West Division...
. It was in Pittsburgh where Watson would just barely serve his longest tenure with one team in the NHL, donning the baby blue and white jersey of the Penguins for 304 of the 878 games he would play in the National Hockey League (302 with Detroit).
Detroit Red Wings (1974-76)
In 1973-741973-74 NHL season
-NHL awards:A new award, the Jack Adams for the best coach, was introduced for this season. The first winner was Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers.-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:...
, after starting the season in Pittsburgh and a very brief 11 game stop with the St. Louis Blues, Watson found himself back in Detroit for the second time in his career. In his second season back with the Red Wings he would record a career high 322 penalty minutes in 1975-76
1975-76 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts-Debuts:The following is a list...
, posting the second highest total in the league behind Steve Durbano's 370 PIM. His second go-round with the Red Wings would be his second to last stop in the NHL.
Washington Capitals (1976-79)
Watson joined the Washington Capitals a few weeks into the 1976-77 regular season1976-77 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
when he was traded for Greg Joly, a former highly touted junior prospect who was drafted 1st overall by the Capitals in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
1974 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1974 NHL Amateur Draft was held via conference call at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec. In an effort to prevent the WHA from poaching players, the draft was conducted early and in secret. This failed to prevent tampering as information leaked out via agents and other sources over the three...
from the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
of the WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
. Over the course of the next three seasons in the nation's capital, he would play 155 games and rack up another 294 minutes in penalties as a Capital. After appearing in 20 games with the Capitals in 1978-79
1978-79 NHL season
The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals four games to one for their fourth Cup in a row...
, Watson left the NHL to join the Cincinnati Stingers of the fledgling World Hockey Association where he would end his professional career as a player, playing out the remainder of the season with the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
based franchise.
In 878 career NHL games, Watson scored 17 goals, 135 assists, and amassed 2,212 penalty minutes.
Coaching career
Watson's only season and final season as a player in the WHA would also be the last season of operation for the league as a whole. By seasons end, with the WHA reduced to only 6 teams in 1978-79, the league ceased to operate at the end of the year. Four teams from that league merged into the NHL for the start of the 1979-80 NHL season1979-80 NHL season
The 1979–80 NHL season was the 63rd season of the National Hockey League. This season saw the addition of four teams from the disbanded World Hockey Association as expansion franchises. The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers , and Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL, bringing the total...
. The Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
and the Edmonton Oilers, with head coach Glen Sather
Glen Sather
Glen Cameron "Slats" Sather is the President and general manager of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also served as the head coach of the Rangers, as well as General Manager and coach of the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association and later NHL...
, all made their NHL debut's that year. The Oilers, with phenom Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and 18 year old Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
, qualified for the 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...
their first season in the NHL. After being swept by the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first round, Oilers owner Peter Pocklington
Peter Pocklington
Peter Hugh Pocklington is a Canadian entrepreneur.He made his initial fortune as the owner of one of the largest auto dealerships in Canada, and later took over a meat packing company involved in a high-profile labour strike....
promoted head coach Glen Sather and named him the teams new President and General Manager. In 1980-81, with the Oilers in need of a new bench boss, Watson got the nod and was named head coach of the Edmonton Oilers to start the franchise's second season in the NHL. However, after the Oilers posted a record of 4 wins, 9 losses and 5 ties to start the season Sather decided to go back behind the bench, with Watson remaining on as an assistant with Billy Harris. The Oilers went on and qualified for the playoffs for the second straight season, sweeping the heavily favoured Montreal Canadiens in the first round three games to none. The Oilers lost their best-of-seven series against the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the second round, which also brought an end to Watson's association with professional hockey as he would not return behind the Oilers bench the following year. Watson retired from hockey and returned to the Washington D.C area where he finished his NHL playing career and where he still resides today.
Personal life
In 1983, Watson and his wife Lindy opened "Bugsy's Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar" in Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Awards and achievements
- 1964-65 - Stanley Cup Champion - Montreal Canadiens.
- 1967-68 - CPHL Most Valuable Player - Houston Apollos
- 1967-68 - CPHL Most Valuable Defenseman - Houston Apollos
- 1967-68 - CPHL First Team All-Star - Houston Apollos
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G 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... |
A 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... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1963-64 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 39 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1963-64 | Omaha Knights | CPHL | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1964-65 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1964-65 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 64 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 186 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | ||
| 1965-66 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 133 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 30 | ||
| 1966-67 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 48 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 66 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1966-67 | Memphis Wings | CPHL | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 76 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1967-68 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1967-68 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 22 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1967-68 | Houston Apollos | CPHL | 50 | 2 | 37 | 39 | 293 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1968-69 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 50 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 97 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1968-69 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 18 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 35 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1969-70 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 61 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 189 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ||
| 1969-70 | Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1970-71 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 43 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 119 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1971-72 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 75 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 212 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | ||
| 1972-73 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 69 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 179 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1973-74 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 38 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 137 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1973-74 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1973-74 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 21 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 99 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1974-75 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 238 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1975-76 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 322 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1976-77 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 39 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1976-77 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 56 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 91 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1977-78 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 79 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 167 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1978-79 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1978-79 | Cincinnati Stingers | WHA | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 56 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 878 | 17 | 135 | 152 | 2212 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 70 | ||||
Transactions
- Traded by the Montreal Canadiens to the Chicago Blackhawks for Don JohnsDon JohnsDonald Ernest Johns is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 153 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Minnesota North Stars....
, June 8, 1965. - Claimed from the Chicago Blackhawks by the Detroit Red Wings in Intra-League Draft, June 9, 1965.
- Claimed from the Detroit Red Wings by the Minnesota North Stars in NHL Expansion Draft, June 6, 1967.
- Traded by the Minnesota North Stars to the Montreal Canadiens for Bill PlagerBill PlagerWilliam Ronald Plager is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Plager started his National Hockey League career with the Minnesota North Stars in 1967. He also played for the St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Flames...
, Leo ThiffaultLeo ThiffaultLeo Edmond Thiffault was a professional ice hockey player who played five games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Minnesota North Stars.- References :...
and Barrie MeissnerBarrie MeissnerBarrie Michael Meissner is a former National Hockey League player for the Minnesota North Stars.-References:...
, June 6, 1967. - Traded by the Montreal Canadiens with cash to the Oakland Seals for a 1st round choice in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft (Michel LarocqueMichel LarocqueMichel Raymond "Bunny" Larocque was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League....
) and future considerations (Tom ThurlbyTom ThurlbyThomas Newman Thurlby is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who briefly played in the National Hockey League for the Oakland Seals.-Career statistics:-External links:...
), June 28, 1968. - Traded by the Oakland Seals with George SwarbrickGeorge SwarbrickGeorge Raymond Swarbrick is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played 132 NHL games with the Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philadelphia Flyers.-External links:...
and Tracy PrattTracy PrattTracy Arnold Pratt is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League. He is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Babe Pratt....
to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Earl IngarfieldEarl IngarfieldEarl Thompson Ingarfield, Sr. is a retired professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for thirteen seasons from 1958–59 until 1970–71....
, Gene UbriacoGene UbriacoEugene Stephen Ubriaco is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played three NHL seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals, and Chicago Black Hawks.-NHL career:...
and Dick MattiussiDick MattiussiRichard Arthur "Dick" Mattiussi is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, January 30, 1969. - Drafted by the Los Angeles Sharks in the 1972 WHA General Player Draft, February 12, 1972.
- Traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins with Greg PolisGreg PolisGregory Linn Polis is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Polis played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Washington Capitals.-Early life:...
and a 2nd round choice in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft (Bob HessBob HessRobert George Hess is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Hartford Whalers...
) to the St. Louis Blues for Steve DurbanoSteve DurbanoHarry Steven "Mental Case" Durbano was a professional ice hockey player noted for his villainous behavior on the ice and his larger-than-life persona off it....
, Ab DeMarcoAb DeMarcoAlbert George DeMarco, Sr. was a Canadian ice hockey forward.Born in North Bay, Ontario, DeMarco started his National Hockey League career with the Chicago Black Hawks. He would also play with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. His career lasted from 1938 to...
and Bob Kelly, January 17, 1974. - Traded by the St. Louis Blues with Chris EvansChris Evans (ice hockey)Christopher Bruce "Big Indian" Evans was a professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, and Kansas City Scouts...
and Jean HamelJean HamelJean P. Hamel is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 699 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Quebec Nordiques, and Montreal Canadiens....
to the Detroit Red Wings for Ted Harris, Bill Collins and Garnet BaileyGarnet BaileyGarnet Edward "Ace" Bailey was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winning teams...
, February 14, 1974. - Traded by the Detroit Red Wings to the Washington Capitals for Greg JolyGreg JolyGregory James Joly is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted number one overall in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft by the Washington Capitals from the Regina Pats...
, November 30, 1976. - Signed as a free agent by the Cincinnati Stingers, March 2, 1979.
- Claimed from the Cincinnati Stingers by the Edmonton Oilers in the WHA Dispersal Draft, June 9, 1979.