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| 1978 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Larry Playfair
Selected in first round
No.
13 overall by Buffalo Sabres
Born June 23, 1958
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-4 Weight: 201
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Portland (WCHL)
Birthplace: Fort St. James, B.C. (Canada)
Hometown:
Fort St. James, British Columbia |
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 |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1974-75 |
Langley | BCJHL |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
-- | | |
Kamloops | WCHL |
1 | 0 |
0 | 0 |
0 | | 1975-76 |
Langley | BCJHL |
72 | 10 |
20 | 30 |
162 | | |
Kamloops | WCHL |
3 | 0 |
0 | 0 |
0 | | 1976-77 |
Portland | WCHL |
65 | 2 |
17 | 19 |
199 | | 1977-78 |
Portland | WCHL |
71 | 13 |
19 | 32 |
402 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
WCHL All-Star First Team: 1977-78 (Portland)
Miscellaneous: Set Portland (WCHL) single-season record (since broken) with 402
penalty minutes in 1977-78. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: November 23, 1978 (Buffalo at Boston)
Numbers: 27, 40 (Buffalo); 20, 23 (Los Angeles)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired August 14, 1990 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1978-1989 |
Buffalo, Los Angeles | 688 |
26 | 94 | 120 |
1,812 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1980-1989 |
Buffalo, Los Angeles | 43 |
0 | 6 |
6 | 111 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Buffalo Seventh Player Award (Most
Inspirational): 1981-82
Buffalo Silver Stick Award (Enthusiasm):
1981-82 (last winner)
Buffalo Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1979-80 (145), 1980-81 (169), 1981-82
(258), 1982-83 (180), 1983-84 (209), 1984-85 (157)
Buffalo Playoffs
Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1981 (26)
Los Angeles Penalty-Minutes Leader:
1987-88 (197)
Management Career: Named Buffalo Director of Special Events prior to
1991-92 season and remained in that position through 1991-92 season. ...
Named Buffalo Director of Corporate Relations prior to 1992-93 season and
remained in position through 1993-94 season. ... Named Buffalo Director of
Alumni Relations prior to 1995-96 season and remained in that position
through 2003-04
season.
Broadcasting Career: Named Buffalo radio color commentator
prior to 1993-94 season and remained in that position through 1995 season.
Miscellaneous: Suffered concussion on his first NHL shift when he was
elbowed by Boston's John Wensink. ... Paired on defense with Mike Ramsey for
Buffalo at end of 1979-80 season. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with
severely lacerated right hand, an injury suffered in Buffalo's 1980-81
season-opener at Chicago on Oct. 9, 1980. ... Played left wing for parts of
1980-81 season. ... Set Buffalo single-season record (since broken) with 258
penalty minutes in 1981-82. ... Missed remainder of 1983 playoffs with chipped
bone in right elbow, an injury suffered during Game 2 of Buffalo's Adams
Division final series vs. Boston on April 15, 1983. ... Was first player in
Buffalo history to break 1,000 career penalty minutes, a feat he achieved in
1983-84. Went on to set Buffalo career record (since broken) of
1,390 penalty minutes. ... Missed parts of 1983-84 season with knee and foot
injuries. ... Missed part of 1984-85 season with bruised thigh. ... Missed
part of 1985-86 season with shoulder injury suffered in January 1986. ...
Missed remainder of 1985-86 season with left knee injury, suffered during Los
Angeles' March 1, 1986 game vs. Montreal. The injury required surgery on March
2, 1986. ... Had off-season shoulder surgery in April 1986. ... Missed part of
1986-87 season with damaged left knee, an injury suffered when he collided
with Terry Ruskowski during Los Angeles's Dec. 17, 1986, game vs. Pittsburgh.
The injury required arthroscopic surgery on Jan. 2, 1987, and he re-injured
the knee during Los Angeles' Jan. 31, 1987, game at Montreal. He underwent
season-ending reconstructive knee surgery on Feb. 19, 1987. ... Missed start
of 1987-88 season while still recovering from his Feb. 19, 1987, knee surgery.
He did not return to action until Nov. 19, 1987. ... Missed part of 1987-88
season with groin injury. ... Missed end of 1987-88 season with chest injury,
but returned for 1988 playoffs. ... Wore No. 40 for his first game back with
Buffalo during 1988-89 season. ... Missed most of 1989-90 season with pulled hamstring
and strained back. The back injury, which he first suffered in Buffalo's 1989
training camp, caused him chronic pain that ended his career. ... Was one of
NHL's most feared fighters during his playing days. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Hershey (AHL)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame:
Inducted 2002
Miscellaneous: Was active in charitable causes during
his years in Buffalo, working to help raise money for Multiple Sclerosis
research and promote reading for children. ... Played in Heroes of Hockey game
at 2001 NHL All-Star Weekend in Denver. ... Played in Celebrity charity hockey
game at 2002 NHL All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. ... Went into real estate
and construction business after retirement. ... Also serves as agent for his
brother Jim, who became a prominent professional hockey coach after ending his
playing career.
Personal: Full name is Larry
William Playfair. ... Older brother of former NHL player Jim Playfair. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Buffalo traded Playfair, Sean McKenna
and Ken Baumgartner to Los Angeles for Brian Engblom and Doug
Smith on January 30, 1986. More than two years later, Buffalo got Playfair
back when it received him from Los Angeles for Bob Logan and undisclosed 1989
late-round pick (ninth-round pick -- Jim Giacin) on October 21, 1988. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '78 | | Total Selected: |
234 | | Forwards: |
143 | | Defense: |
67 | | Goaltenders: |
24 | | Major Junior: |
127 | | College Players: |
80 |
| Canadian: |
170 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
0 | | USA Citizens: |
47 | | U.S.-Born: |
47 |
| European: |
17 |
| Reached NHL: |
95 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
16 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
18 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
1 |
| Olympians: |
16 |
| Picks Traded: |
46 |
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