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Gord Kluzak was one of the best defenceman in junior hockey in 1982, and was taken first overall by the Boston Bruins in the NHL Entry Draft. A promising career was cut short by injury though. Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/409085-nhl-awards-who-stole-the-show-in-1990 (May be subject to copyright) |
This past season Gary Galley was doing a Boston Bruins playoff game. A former Bruin himself, he listed off the greatest defencemen in Boston’s history – Eddie Shore; Bobby Orr; Raymond Bourque; and – Gord Kluzak.
As someone who played with him, Galley said Gord Kluzak would have been up there too, had injury not shortened his career.
World Junior sensation
Gord Kluzak first caught my attention, and the attention of the world, in the 1981 World Junior Championship. It was the first time Canada was sending a representative drawn from teams across North America, after it proved fruitless sending the defending Canadian junior champions.
Gord Kluzak first caught my attention, and the attention of the world, in the 1981 World Junior Championship. It was the first time Canada was sending a representative drawn from teams across North America, after it proved fruitless sending the defending Canadian junior champions.
Kluzak had been playing for the Billings Bighorns of the Western Hockey League, and proved to be a standout on the international stage. Not only did he help Canada to the nation’s first ever World Junior gold medal, but he was named the tournament’s top defenceman.
The future looked bright for Kluzak.
Draft sensation
The consensus number one pick in the ensuing NHL Entry Draft was Brian Bellows of the Kitchener Rangers. Kluzak was rated a top pick as well.
The consensus number one pick in the ensuing NHL Entry Draft was Brian Bellows of the Kitchener Rangers. Kluzak was rated a top pick as well.
The Boston Bruins held the number one pick and the Minnesota North Stars chose second. They really wanted Bellows, and Boston was content taking Kluzak. However, to cement the deal, Minnesota General Manager Lou Nanne sent Brad Palmer and Dave Donnelly to the Bruins in exchange for the Bruins not selecting Bellows first overall.
What I remember most about Palmer was that, in the playoffs the previous year against the Calgary Flames, Palmer’s slap shot was so hard it broke the net.
Now, he would be joining Bruins along with their number one pick overall, Gord Kluzak.
Good start
Kluzak would play 70 games in his rookie season of 1982-1983, where he recorded one goal and six assists, and another goal and four assists in the playoffs. He followed that up in 1983-1984 playing 80 games, scoring 10 goals and adding 27 assists for 37 points.
Kluzak would play 70 games in his rookie season of 1982-1983, where he recorded one goal and six assists, and another goal and four assists in the playoffs. He followed that up in 1983-1984 playing 80 games, scoring 10 goals and adding 27 assists for 37 points.
Injury bug
Kluzak had torn ligaments in his left knee in Billings, missing half of the 1981-1982 season and all of the playoffs. The injury bug returned on Oct. 7, 1984, when Kluzak sustained the same knee injury, forcing him to miss the entire 1984-1985 season and the playoffs.
Kluzak had torn ligaments in his left knee in Billings, missing half of the 1981-1982 season and all of the playoffs. The injury bug returned on Oct. 7, 1984, when Kluzak sustained the same knee injury, forcing him to miss the entire 1984-1985 season and the playoffs.
He was back for the 1985-1986 season, playing in 70 games, scoring eight goals and 31 assists for 39 points, adding another goal and an assist in three playoff games.
Then tragedy struck again. Kluzak re-injured the knee in September of 1986 and missed the entire 1986-1987 season.
Return to glory
He was back in the line-up for the 1987-1988 season, which turned out to be the best year of his career. He would play in 66 games, scoring six goals and adding 31 assists for 37 points.
He was back in the line-up for the 1987-1988 season, which turned out to be the best year of his career. He would play in 66 games, scoring six goals and adding 31 assists for 37 points.
However it was the 1988 playoffs where Kluzak truly excelled. Along with Raymond Bourque, Michael Thelven, and Don Sweeney, Kluzak was part of a Bruin defensive corps that stymied opponents and led Boston to their first playoff victory over the Montreal Canadiens in 40 years. They followed that up with a seven-game victory over New Jersey in the Wales Conference Final, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final where they ran into a superior Edmonton Oiler team. Kluzak appeared in 23 playoff games, scoring four goals and adding eight assists.
The end
He would only play 13 more games in the NHL, suffering perpetual knee injuries and undergoing 11 surgeries. He appeared in three games in 1988-1989 recording one assist. He played in eight games in 1989-1990, notching two more assists.
He would only play 13 more games in the NHL, suffering perpetual knee injuries and undergoing 11 surgeries. He appeared in three games in 1988-1989 recording one assist. He played in eight games in 1989-1990, notching two more assists.
For his efforts to try and play through injuries, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the 1989-1990 season.
His final season was 1990-1991, when he played in two games and had no points. His final game was on Nov. 5, 1990 against the New York Rangers. He had had enough. He announced his retirement a week later on Nov. 12, after playing just 299 NHL games. He was just 27 years of age.
Parting thoughts
Gord Kluzak was one of the best defenceman in junior hockey in 1981-1982. Not only did he excel in the Western Hockey League but helped lead Canada to its first ever World Junior gold medal. For his efforts he was named the best defenceman in the world.
Gord Kluzak was one of the best defenceman in junior hockey in 1981-1982. Not only did he excel in the Western Hockey League but helped lead Canada to its first ever World Junior gold medal. For his efforts he was named the best defenceman in the world.
The Boston Bruins invested enough faith in him to take him first overall in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. Things looked promising, then Kluzak could just not catch a break.
What impressed me was the indomitable spirit he possessed. He kept trying to come back, injury after injury, surgery after surgery. He showed the same tenacity trying to come back from injury that he showed grinding it out in ice arenas across North America. He caught the attention of the entire hockey world, receiving the Masterton Trophy for the courage he showed battling injury.
To me, that is the mark he left behind. He never gave up until his body finally told him he had to.
Had he not suffered such catastrophic injury he would have been a stalwart on the Bruin blue line. Instead, I cannot help but wonder, with that courage and determination, what could have been?
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