Ivan Boldirev
Encyclopedia
Ivan Boldirev is a retired Serbian-Canadian
professional
ice hockey
centre
who played 15 seasons in the NHL
from 1970 through 1985. Boldirev was noted during his career as one of the sport's best stickhandlers.
Boldirev started playing junior hockey as kid, initially joining his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving to the Oshawa Generals
of the Ontario Hockey Association
in 1967-68.
He was the first choice (11th overall) of the Boston Bruins
in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft
after two stellar seasons with the Generals.
. Boldirev was called up to Boston as a spare body for the 1970 NHL playoffs, but didn't play a game as Boston romped to their first championship since 1941. However, in a quirk of history he managed to get his name engraved on the Stanley Cup
before ever playing in an NHL game, the only forward or defencemen ever to do so.
Boldirev was back in Oklahoma City for the 1970–71, although he received his first NHL action with a two-game callup to the Bruins. During this period, Boston was the best, deepest squad in the NHL, and for a young player to crack their roster was a formidable task. Boldirev was in a group of players (Reggie Leach
and Rick MacLeish
, each of whom would star for Flyers later in the decade, were others) who were good enough to play for many NHL squads but were instead stuck in Boston's system, and would need a trade to get the opportunity they needed.
Boldirev started the 1971–72 as a depth player in Boston, but received his big break partway into the season when he was dealt to the hapless California Golden Seals
. On the talent-starved Seals, Boldirev received the chance he needed and blossomed into a solid NHL player, finishing 4th on the team with 16 goals and 41 points. By 1973–74, he finished 2nd on the Seals with 25 goals and 56 points.
In 1974, Boldirev was dealt to the Chicago Black Hawks
, where he would go on to the most productive phase of his career. He immediately established himself as one of the team's top players, posting 24 goals and 67 points in 1974–75. He posted 60+ points in each of his five seasons in Chicago, and by the late 1970s had replaced Stan Mikita
as the team's top offensive player. He led the Black Hawks in goals, assists, and points in 1976–77 and 1977–78, and was selected to play in the 1978 NHL All-Star Game.
Boldirev was leading the Black Hawks in scoring again in 1978–79 when he was dealt to the Atlanta Flames
late in the season in a huge 9–player trade. He contributed 14 points in 13 games after joining the Flames, but his stay in Atlanta would last less than a year before he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks
. Interestingly, Darcy Rota
was moved along with Boldirev in both trades, and the two would be teammates (and frequently linemates) for nearly a decade with three different organizations.
After joining the Canucks, Boldirev went on a goalscoring binge to close out the 1979–80 season with 16 goals in 27 games. In Vancouver, he continued to be a consistent productive performer, and continued to dazzle fans with his elegant, effort displays of stickhandling. He was a standout performer in Vancouver's run to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals, scoring 8 goals in 17 games after a 73-point regular season.
Boldirev's production dropped off in the 1982–83 season, as he registered just 5 goals and 25 points in his first 39 games. Thinking Boldirev (now in his mid-thirties) was in decline, the Canucks sent him to the Detroit Red Wings
for journeyman forward Mark Kirton
. Boldirev proceeded to undergo a resurgence in Detroit, scoring 13 goals and 30 points in just 33 games with the Wings. In 1983–84, he had the most productive season of his career, matching his career high of 35 goals and setting a career high of 83 points. Boldirev combined with rookie Steve Yzerman
to form an excellent one-two punch down the middle, and helped Detroit back to the playoffs for the first time since 1978.
In 1984–85, Boldirev played in his 1000th NHL game and notched his 500th assist, but his production waned as he failed to notch 50 points for the first time since 1973. He retired at the end of the season with career totals of 361 goals and 505 assists for 866 points in 1052 NHL games. He currently does periodic work on behalf of the Blackhawk Alumni Association.
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
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
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...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 15 seasons in the 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...
from 1970 through 1985. Boldirev was noted during his career as one of the sport's best stickhandlers.
Amateur career
Born in Yugoslavia, Boldirev's family emigrated to Canada when he was 2. Growing up in Canada, he was known as a shy child. Boldirev felt that his shyness "probably goes back to when I first came over to Canada and didn't speak any English. My-first grade teacher sent a note home telling my parents that we should speak English at home, but they didn't speak it so they couldn't even read the note!".Boldirev started playing junior hockey as kid, initially joining his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving to the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
of the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
in 1967-68.
He was the first choice (11th overall) of the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft
1969 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1969 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This draft is notable for being the first NHL draft to be conducted after the league ended direct sponsorship of junior hockey.-Selections by round:...
after two stellar seasons with the Generals.
Professional career
Boldirev turned pro in 1969 and spent his entire first season with Boston's CHL affiliate in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. Boldirev was called up to Boston as a spare body for the 1970 NHL playoffs, but didn't play a game as Boston romped to their first championship since 1941. However, in a quirk of history he managed to get his name engraved on the 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...
before ever playing in an NHL game, the only forward or defencemen ever to do so.
Boldirev was back in Oklahoma City for the 1970–71, although he received his first NHL action with a two-game callup to the Bruins. During this period, Boston was the best, deepest squad in the NHL, and for a young player to crack their roster was a formidable task. Boldirev was in a group of players (Reggie Leach
Reggie Leach
Reginald Joseph Leach is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. He is best known for his time in Philadelphia, winning a Stanley Cup with...
and Rick MacLeish
Rick MacLeish
Richard George MacLeish is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings...
, each of whom would star for Flyers later in the decade, were others) who were good enough to play for many NHL squads but were instead stuck in Boston's system, and would need a trade to get the opportunity they needed.
Boldirev started the 1971–72 as a depth player in Boston, but received his big break partway into the season when he was dealt to the hapless California Golden 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...
. On the talent-starved Seals, Boldirev received the chance he needed and blossomed into a solid NHL player, finishing 4th on the team with 16 goals and 41 points. By 1973–74, he finished 2nd on the Seals with 25 goals and 56 points.
In 1974, Boldirev was dealt to the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, where he would go on to the most productive phase of his career. He immediately established himself as one of the team's top players, posting 24 goals and 67 points in 1974–75. He posted 60+ points in each of his five seasons in Chicago, and by the late 1970s had replaced Stan Mikita
Stan Mikita
Stanislav "Stan" Mikita , is a Slovak-born Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, generally regarded as the best centre of the 1960s. In 1961, he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he played his entire career.-Early life:Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovak Republic...
as the team's top offensive player. He led the Black Hawks in goals, assists, and points in 1976–77 and 1977–78, and was selected to play in the 1978 NHL All-Star Game.
Boldirev was leading the Black Hawks in scoring again in 1978–79 when he was dealt to the Atlanta Flames
Atlanta Flames
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the...
late in the season in a huge 9–player trade. He contributed 14 points in 13 games after joining the Flames, but his stay in Atlanta would last less than a year before he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
. Interestingly, Darcy Rota
Darcy Rota
Darcy Irwin Rota is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent eleven seasons in the National Hockey League...
was moved along with Boldirev in both trades, and the two would be teammates (and frequently linemates) for nearly a decade with three different organizations.
After joining the Canucks, Boldirev went on a goalscoring binge to close out the 1979–80 season with 16 goals in 27 games. In Vancouver, he continued to be a consistent productive performer, and continued to dazzle fans with his elegant, effort displays of stickhandling. He was a standout performer in Vancouver's run to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals, scoring 8 goals in 17 games after a 73-point regular season.
Boldirev's production dropped off in the 1982–83 season, as he registered just 5 goals and 25 points in his first 39 games. Thinking Boldirev (now in his mid-thirties) was in decline, the Canucks sent him to the 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...
for journeyman forward Mark Kirton
Mark Kirton
Mark Robert Kirton is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 266 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks. He currently works as a realtor in Oakville, Ontario.- External links :...
. Boldirev proceeded to undergo a resurgence in Detroit, scoring 13 goals and 30 points in just 33 games with the Wings. In 1983–84, he had the most productive season of his career, matching his career high of 35 goals and setting a career high of 83 points. Boldirev combined with rookie Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
to form an excellent one-two punch down the middle, and helped Detroit back to the playoffs for the first time since 1978.
In 1984–85, Boldirev played in his 1000th NHL game and notched his 500th assist, but his production waned as he failed to notch 50 points for the first time since 1973. He retired at the end of the season with career totals of 361 goals and 505 assists for 866 points in 1052 NHL games. He currently does periodic work on behalf of the Blackhawk Alumni Association.
Career statistics
| 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 | ||
| 1967–68 | Oshawa Generals Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League... |
OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
50 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968–69 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 54 | 25 | 34 | 59 | 101 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Oklahoma City Blazers Oklahoma City Blazers The Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the Northwest Division of the Central Hockey League. The Blazers played at the Ford Center, located in downtown Oklahoma City. Their colors were burgundy, gold and white... |
CHL | 65 | 18 | 49 | 67 | 114 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 68 | 19 | 52 | 71 | 98 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | ||
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | California Golden 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... |
NHL | 57 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 56 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 77 | 25 | 31 | 56 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 80 | 24 | 43 | 67 | 54 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1975–76 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 78 | 28 | 34 | 62 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 80 | 24 | 38 | 62 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 80 | 35 | 45 | 80 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1978–79 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 66 | 29 | 35 | 64 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Atlanta Flames Atlanta Flames The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 to 1980. The team, a member of the National Hockey League , was relocated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the start of the 1980–81 NHL season and were re-named the Calgary Flames. The NHL returned to the... |
NHL | 13 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1979–80 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 52 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 27 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1980–81 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 72 | 26 | 33 | 59 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 78 | 33 | 40 | 73 | 45 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 1982–83 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 39 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | 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... |
NHL | 33 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 35 | 48 | 83 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1984–85 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 19 | 30 | 49 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1052 | 361 | 505 | 866 | 507 | 48 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 14 | ||||