Career Vitals

Career NHL Statistics

Team: St. Louis
Years: 1973. Playoffs: None

Career Highlights

Also played right wing during his pro career. ... Named to NCAA West All-America First Team with Colorado College in 1969-70. ... Named to WCHA All-Star First Team with Colorado College in 1969-70. ... Named to WCHA All-Star First Team with Colorado College in 1970-71. ... Led CHL with 50 assists for Fort Worth in 1972-73. ... Named to CHL All-Star Second Team with Fort Worth in 1972-73. ... Had two assists for St. Louis in his second NHL game on Dec. 4, 1973 at N.Y. Islanders, including assist on Gord Brooks' winning goal in second period. ... Scored his only NHL goal at 2:30 of first period to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead over Toronto on Dec. 11, 1973. ... Led Denver (WHL) with 74 points in 1973-74. ... Finished fifth in voting for Leader Cup as WHL MVP and third in voting for Hume Cup as WHL Most Gentlemanly Player with Denver in 1973-74. ... Finished third in NAHL with 103 points for Philadelphia in 1974-75. ... Named to NAHL All-Star Second Team with Philadelphia in 1974-75. ... Finished second in NAHL with 84 assists for Philadelphia in 1975-76. ... Won NAHL Lockhart Cup with Philadelphia in 1976. ... Led NAHL playoffs in points (37) and assists (25) with Philadelphia in 1976. ... Named to NAHL All-Star Second Team with Philadelphia in 1975-76. ... Finished second in AHL with 85 assists for Philadelphia in 1976-77. ... Named to NAHL All-Star Second Team with Philadelphia in 1976-77. ... Finished third in NAHL with 90 points and second with 62 assists for Philadelphia in 1977-78. ... Played on Team USA squad that placed sixth in 1978 World Championships at Prague. ... Played on Team USA squad that placed seventh in 1979 World Championships at Moscow.

Transaction History

June 12, 1974 -- Claimed by Washington from St. Louis in NHL Expansion Draft.

The Discrimination Lawsuit

Collyard and former NHL player Warren "Butch" Williams both sued the NHL, several of its U.S.-based teams, and the U.S. Department of Labor in the late 1970s because they were unable to secure tryouts with teams whose rosters were made up almost exclusively of Canadian players. The lawsuits (Williams in late 1978 and Collyard in March 1979) were generally viewed as the same case even though they were filed separately. The suits contended that the players were being discriminated against strictly because they were U.S.-trained hockey players and that teams were hiring lesser qualified Canadians without even giving U.S. players a chance at those NHL jobs. Thus, they contended that there was an implicit preference for Canadians within the league and it was against immigration laws for U.S.-based teams to hire Canadians over equally qualified Americans. They argued that as Minnesota natives and residents, they were not allowed to be expressly denied employment opportunities in this manner under terms of the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Collyard and Williams also argued that it was illegal for the U.S. Dept. of Labor to allow Canadian players to enter the United States in circumvention of traditional immigration laws for Canadians seeking employment in the U.S. Collyard and Williams said government policy with regard to the Canadians playing in the NHL was preventing them from earning a living. Collyard filed his suit in the U.S. District Court in Duluth, Minn., and said he was seeking $1 million in damages. On Oct. 11, 1979, the cases, known as "Collyard vs. Washington Capitals"  and "Williams vs. Boston Bruins" were both summarily dismissed by the U.S. District Court in Minnesota where they were filed. Judge Miles W. Lord sided with the league's contention that the claim was irrelevant outside the state of MInnesota and that there was no specific claim of monetary injury based on discrimination alone. He also held that the Immigration and Nationality Act did not call for or merit a private cause of action against the government under these specific circumstances.

Significant Injuries

Missed part of 1972-73 season with knee injury.

Life Outside the NHL

Full Name: Robert Leander Collyard
Nickname: "B.C."
Also Known as: Bobby Collyard

Other Post-Draft Teams: Colorado College (WCHA); Kansas City, Fort Worth (CHL); Denver (WHL); Philadelphia (NAHL); Philadelphia (AHL); Bad Nauheim (W. Germany); Milwaukee, Kalamazoo (IHL)

Education: Majored in business at Colorado College.

Miscellaneous:

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