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1976
AMATEUR DRAFT
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1976 NHL DRAFT PICK
Don Murdoch
Selected in first round
No. 6 overall by New York Rangers

Born October 25, 1956
Position: Right Wing
Height: 5-11   Weight: 180
BEFORE THE DRAFT
Last Team: Medicine Hat (WCHL)                      
Birthplace: Cranbrook, B.C. (Canada)
Hometown: Cranbrook, British Columbia
PRE-DRAFT STATISTICS
Year TeamLeague GPG ATP PIM
1973-74 VernonBCJHL 4550 3282 69
  KamloopsWCHL 41 01 9
1974-75 Medicine HatWCHL 7082 59141 83
1975-76 Medicine HatWCHL 7088 77165 202

PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
WCHL Rookie of Year:
1974-75 (Medicine Hat)
BCJHL MVP: 1973-74 (Vernon)
WCHL All-Star First Team: 1974-75, 1975-76 (Medicine Hat)
BCJHL All-Star First Team: 1973-74 (Vernon)
BCJHL All-Star Game: 1974 (Vernon)
WCHL/WHL Records: Most goals by a rookie (82 in 1974-75)
CMJHL Goals Leader: 1975-76 (Medicine Hat) (88)
WCHL Goals Leader: 1974-75 (Med. Hat) (82), 1975-76 (M. Hat) (88)
Miscellaneous: Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as WCHL's No. 2 prospect for the 1976 NHL draft. ... Set WCHL/WHL record (since broken) for points by a rookie with 141 in 1974-75. ... Played on line with Greg Carroll and Morris Lukowich for Medicine Hat in 1975-76.
NHL CAREER
Debut: October 6, 1976 (Minnesota at N.Y. Rangers)
Numbers:  14 (N.Y. Rangers); 47 (Edmonton); 14 (Detroit)
Stanley Cup: Never won.  Playing Status: Retired 1986
CAREER NHL STATISTICS
YearsTeamsGPGATPPIM
1976-1982 NYR, EDM, DET320 121117238 155
CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
YearsTeamsGPGATPPIM
1978-1980 N.Y. Rangers, Edmonton24 10818 16

NHL AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game:
1977 (N.Y. Rangers)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1979 (N.Y. Rangers)
NHL Records: Most goals in a game by a rookie (5 for N.Y. Rangers at Minnesota on Oct. 12, 1976, shares record)
N.Y. Rangers Records: Most goals in a game (5 at Minnesota on Oct. 12, 1976)
N.Y. Rangers Playoffs Points Leader: 1978 (4)
N.Y. Rangers Playoffs Assists Leader: 1978 (3)
Edmonton Playoffs Goals Leader: 1980 (2, tie)
1979-80: Played on first Edmonton Oilers NHL team.
Scouting Career: Named N.Y. Rangers amateur scout for Michigan and Ontario during 1986-87 season and remained in that position through 1988-89 season. ... Named Tampa Bay amateur scout for U.S. colleges and Ontario prior to team's inaugural 1992-93 season and remained in that position until July 29, 1994.
Management Career: Named Tampa Bay head scout on July 29, 1994, and remained in that position until Oct. 20, 1998. ... Named Tampa Bay Director of Player Development on Oct. 20, 1998, and remained in that position through 1998-99 season.
Miscellaneous: Scored two goals in his first NHL game and five goals in fourth NHL game. Both games were played against Minnesota. ... Scored 16 goals in his first 16 NHL games. ... Set N.Y. Rangers record (since broken) for goals by rookie with 32 in 1976-77. ... Tied N.Y. Rangers record (since broken) for points by rookie with 54 in 1976-77. ... Was runner-up to Willi Plett for 1976-77 Calder Trophy. ... Missed end of 1976-77 season with torn tendon in left ankle, an injury suffered in a mid-February practice with N.Y. Rangers. The injury required two surgeries, including a postseason operation in May 1977. ... Missed part of 1977-78 season with slipped vertebra. ... Had shoulder surgery in September 1978 to correct chronic shoulder dislocation. ... Missed start of 1978-79 under drug-related suspension. ... Traded by Edmonton to Minnesota in exchange for Don Jackson and return of Edmonton's 1982 third-round pick (Wally Chapman) on Aug. 21, 1981. Minnesota then traded  Murdoch and Greg Smith to Detroit in exchange for the option to switch first-round draft picks in 1982. The North Stars exercised this option and chose Brian Bellows, while the Red Wings chose Murray Craven.
Murdoch's Suspension: On Aug. 12, 1977, Murdoch was arrested in Toronto International Airport for attempting to bring drugs across the U.S.-Canada border. Airport police said Murdoch had 4.8 grams of cocaine, which he was trying to bring from New York to Toronto. The charges led to a Canadian court conviction for possession of cocaine, but Murodch's sentence was suspended. The NHL, however, decided to fine Murdoch $500 and suspend him for the entire 1978-79 season on July 6, 1978. NHL president John Ziegler wanted to use Murdoch to set an example for other players by showing the extreme price of a drug-related offense while playing in the league. The 80-game suspension was the most severe penalty given to an NHL player since the 1945-46 season, when two players were banned from the league for allegedly betting on their games. Ziegler left open the option of ending Murdoch's suspension after 40 games, which eventually did happen. The Rangers, however, were not allowed to appeal the suspension until after their 30th game, and only if Murdoch stayed out of trouble until then. Murdoch was permitted to practice with the Rangers during his suspension, but could not play in any preseason or regular-season games. He also was banned from playing in Rangers scrimmages that were open to the public. The suspension was lifted on Jan. 3, 1979, and Murdoch returned to action on Jan. 10, 1979.
NON-NHL CAREER
Post-Draft Teams: Wichita (CHL); Adirondack (AHL); Montana (CHL); Muskegon, Indianapolis, Toledo (IHL)
NON-NHL AWARDS AND HONORS
CHL McNab Trophy (Playoffs MVP):
1981 (Wichita)
WHA Draft Pick: 1976 (by Cincinnati, No. 12 overall in Round 2)
CHL Records: Most goals in one playoff year (17 for Wichita in 1981)
CHL Playoffs Goals Leader: 1981 (Wichita) (17 goals)
1985-86: Played 12 games for Muskegon team that went on to win IHL playoff title, but was not with team during postseason.
Coaching Career: Named Louisiana (ECHL) head coach prior to 1999-00 season and remained in position through 1999-00 season.
Management Career: Named St. Petersburg (ACHL) vice president and director of corporate sales on Sept. 30, 2002, relocated with team to Winston-Salem on Dec. 4, 2002, and remained in that position into 2002-03 season.
Miscellaneous: Missed part of 1982-83 season with injured Achilles tendon suffered in October 1982. ... Missed part of 1984-85 season with torn knee ligaments, an injury suffered in November 1984.
Personal: Nicknamed "Doc" and "Murder." ... Full name is Donald Walter Murdoch. ... Younger brother of former NHL player Bob L. Murdoch. ... Distant cousin of former NHL players Billy Dea and Murray Murdoch.
HOW HE GOT AWAY
TRADE: N.Y. Rangers traded Murdoch to Edmonton in exchange for Cam Connor and 1981 third-round pick (Peter Sundstrom) on March 11, 1980. As part of the deal, N.Y. Rangers had a choice of making the draft pick in 1980 or 1981, and they chose to do it in 1981.

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SNAPSHOT '76
Total Selected: 135
Forwards: 83
Defense: 39
Goaltenders: 13
Major Junior: 97
College Players: 26
Canadian: 103
Euro-Canadian: 1
USA Citizens: 23
U.S.-Born: 23
European: 8
Reached NHL: 73
Won Stanley Cup: 8
Hall of Fame: 1
All-Star Game: 12
Year-end All-Star: 2
Olympians: 6
Picks Traded: 15
 
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