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Bill Ranford in his first stint with the Boston Bruins in the '80s. Source: Facebook/Fan of the old ~ Boston Garden ~ (May be subject to copyright) |
I was reminded of that story I heard more than 35 years ago when I saw it is Bill Ranford’s birthday today.
Growing up
Wikipedia reveals Bill Ranford’s father was in the Canadian Armed Forces, so he moved around a lot. He did spend some time in Red Deer, which is the community I always heard him associated with.
Wikipedia reveals Bill Ranford’s father was in the Canadian Armed Forces, so he moved around a lot. He did spend some time in Red Deer, which is the community I always heard him associated with.
He played his junior hockey with the New Westminster Bruins of the Western Hockey League from 1983 to 1986, where he did draw some attention from National Hockey League scouts.
My beloved Boston Bruins selected him in the third round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 52nd overall.
He returned to junior for the 1985-1986 season, appearing in 53 games for New Westminster, winning 17, losing 29, and tying one, with one shutout and a 4.84 goals against average. For his efforts, he was named a Western Hockey League second team all-star.
Boston bound
I picked up his trail when he joined the Boston Bruins after the end of the WHL season. Ranford appeared in four regular season games, winning three and posting a goals against average of 2.50.
I picked up his trail when he joined the Boston Bruins after the end of the WHL season. Ranford appeared in four regular season games, winning three and posting a goals against average of 2.50.
The Bruins finished third in the Adams Division, setting up a first-round, best-of -five battle against Montreal who finished second. Ranford started two games, and lost them both, as the Canadiens swept the Bruins on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.
Ranford started the 1986-1987 season in the minors with the Moncton Golden Flames of the American Hockey League. He went 3-0, was called up to the big club, and spent the remainder of the season with the Bruins. He appeared in 41 games for Boston, winning 16, losing 20, and tying two, with three shutouts and a 3.33 goals against average.
The Bruins again finished third in the Adams Division, setting up a first-round, best-of-seven series this time, against Montreal who finished second. Ranford again started two games, and lost them both, as the Canadiens swept the Bruins again.
That kind of soured Boston’s new coach, Terry O’Reilly, so Ranford started the 1987-1988 season in the minors. He played for the the Maine Mariners, also of the American Hockey League, where he appeared in 51 games, winning 27, losing 16, and tying six, with one shutout and a 3.47 goals against average.
He would not play again with Boston that year.
On March 8, 1988 he was traded to Edmonton with Geoff Courtnall, for Andy Moog.
Road to success
In trading Andy Moog, Bill Ranford spent the remainder of the 1987-1988 replacing him as the back-up to all-star Grant Fuhr. He appeared in six regular season games, and none in the playoffs. He won three games, tied two, had a goals against average of 2.95 and no shut outs. The Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup, beating my beloved Bruins in the final. Ranford and Courtnall also showed the Bruins it was a bad idea to trade them.
In trading Andy Moog, Bill Ranford spent the remainder of the 1987-1988 replacing him as the back-up to all-star Grant Fuhr. He appeared in six regular season games, and none in the playoffs. He won three games, tied two, had a goals against average of 2.95 and no shut outs. The Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup, beating my beloved Bruins in the final. Ranford and Courtnall also showed the Bruins it was a bad idea to trade them.
In the 1988-1989 season, Ranford was firmly entrenched as Fuhr’s back-up. He appeared in 29 games, winning 15, losing eight, tying two and registering one shut out with a goals against average of 3.50. He didn’t appear in any playoff games as the defending champion Oilers were eliminated by Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
As the 1980s closed, Bill Ranford was poised to become an elite goaltender, if he only got the chance.
It would come sooner than expected.
That championship season
Fuhr was injured early in the 1989-1990 season and Ranford took over full-time goaltending duties. He would appear in 56 games, winning 24, losing 16, and tying nine, with a 3.19 goals against average and one shut out.
Fuhr was injured early in the 1989-1990 season and Ranford took over full-time goaltending duties. He would appear in 56 games, winning 24, losing 16, and tying nine, with a 3.19 goals against average and one shut out.
The Oilers finished second in the Smythe Divisioon and had to come back from down 3-1 in their first-round series to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3. That set up a re-match with the Los Angeles Kings, who the Oilers swept in four straight games. That put them in the Campbell Conference final where they defeated Chicago 4-2. Awaiting the Oilers in the final was the Boston Bruins who the Oilers swept in the Stanley Cup final two years earlier. The result was not much different this time around as the Oilers prevailed in five games.
Ranford went 16-6 in the playoffs, starting every game for the Oilers. He had one shut out, a 2.53 goals against average, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.
The future indeed looked bright for Bill Ranford.
The years after
Bill Ranford would go on to backstop Canada to the 1991 Canada Cup championship and was named most valuable player of that tournament. He would be named to the 1991 NHL All-star Game, and in 1994 helped Canada win its first World Hockey Championship since 1961. Ranford was selected the tournament’s best goaltender and was selected the tournament’s all-star goaltender.
Bill Ranford would go on to backstop Canada to the 1991 Canada Cup championship and was named most valuable player of that tournament. He would be named to the 1991 NHL All-star Game, and in 1994 helped Canada win its first World Hockey Championship since 1961. Ranford was selected the tournament’s best goaltender and was selected the tournament’s all-star goaltender.
He would go on to play for Boston again, then the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, and ended his career back with the Edmonton Oilers.
He retired after the 1999-2000 season.
A simple kindness
Through all of this success, especially in a short period of time, one Bill Ranford story sticks out.
Through all of this success, especially in a short period of time, one Bill Ranford story sticks out.
I was living in res when my friend James introduced me to a friend of his. That friend was name Jens. He had moved to Red Deer when he was still in school.
One day, we were talking hockey and James told me he loved Ranford, who at the time was still a back-up in Edmonton.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he helped Jens with his English when they were in school.”
That would have been when they were young, because Ranford went to high school in New Westminster where he was playing junior.
That simple kindness has always stuck with me.
Parting thoughts
I always pulled for Bill Ranford because he broke in with Boston. He was such a clutch performer on hockey’s biggest stages.
I always pulled for Bill Ranford because he broke in with Boston. He was such a clutch performer on hockey’s biggest stages.
Yet, what will always make him a favourite of mine is showing a simple kindness to someone when he really didn’t have to, and it sounded like few others did.
Stanley Cup, Canada Cup, and World Championship MVPs are impressive, but that simple kindness is what makes him a most valuable player in life.
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