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| 1980 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Dave Babych
Selected in first round
No.
2 overall by Winnipeg Jets
Born May 23, 1961
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-2 Weight: 205
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Portland (WHL)
Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)
Hometown:
Edmonton, Alberta |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1977-78 |
Fort Saskatchewan | AJHL |
56 | 31 |
69 | 100 |
37 | | |
Portland | WCHL |
6 | 1 |
3 | 4 |
4 | | 1978-79 |
Portland | WHL |
67 | 20 |
59 | 79 |
63 | | 1979-80 |
Portland | WHL |
50 | 22 |
60 | 82 |
71 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
WHL Top Defenseman: 1979-80 (Portland)
AJHL Top Defenseman:
1977-78 (Fort Saskatchewan)
AJHL Rookie of Year: 1977-78 (Fort
Saskatchewan)
WHL All-Star First Team: 1979-80 (Portland)
AJHL All-Star First Team: 1977-78 (Fort Saskatchewan)
Miscellaneous: Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as
No. 2 prospect for the 1980 NHL draft. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 10, 1980 (Winnipeg at
Washington)
Numbers: 44 (Winnipeg); 44
(Hart.); 44 (Van.); 44 (Phila.); 44 (L.A.)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired 2000 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP | PIM |
| 1980-1999 | WIN, HAR, VAN, PHI, LA |
1,195 | 142 |
581 | 723 |
970 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP | PIM |
| 1982-1998 | WIN, HAR, VAN, PHI |
114 | 21 |
41 | 62 |
113 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game: 1983 (Winnipeg), 1984 (Winnipeg)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1994 (Vancouver)
Hartford Most Valuable Defenseman: 1985-86, 1988-89
Hartford Founders Trophy (Community Service): 1989-90
Winnipeg Assists Leader: 1982-83 (61)
Winnipeg Playoffs Points
Leader: 1985 (9)
Winnipeg Playoffs Assists Leader: 1985 (7)
Winnipeg Playoffs Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1982 (29)
Hartford
Playoffs Points Leader: 1989 (6)
Hartford Playoffs Assists Leader:
1989 (5)
Miscellaneous: Scored goal in his first NHL game. The goal, which beat
Washington goalie Mike Palmateer at 18:48 of the third period, was also the
first goal of Winnipeg's 1980-81 season. ... Paired on defense with Serge
Savard for Winnipeg in 1981-82 and 1982-83. ... Set Winnipeg/Phoenix
single-season records (since broken) for points (68), goals (19) and assists
(49) by a defenseman in 1981-82. ... Became first player in Winnipeg/Phoenix
franchise history to be voted as a starter in an NHL All-Star Game, a feat he
achieved in 1983. ... Set Winnipeg/Phoenix single-season records (since
broken) for points (74) and assists (61) by a defenseman in 1981-82. ...
Missed part of 1983-84 season with separated shoulder, an injury suffered in
March 1984. ... Set Winnipeg/Phoenix record (since broken) with assists in
eight consecutive games during 1983-84 season. ... Scored goal in each of his
NHL All-Star Game appearances, in 1983 and 1984. ... Missed part of 1984-85
season with back spasms, an injury suffered in December 1984. ... Missed part
of 1985-86 season with groin injury. ... Missed part of 1986-87 season with
hip injury, suffered in January 1987. ... Missed part of 1987-88 season with
bruised knee, an injury suffered in February 1988. ... Missed part of 1988-89
season with laceration of right hand, an injury suffered when he was his hand
made contact with Uwe Krupp's skate in a fight during Hartford's March 16,
1989, game vs. Buffalo. The cut required 18 stitches to close. ... Missed part
of 1989-90 season with bruised foot, an injury suffered in March 1990. ... Missed
half of 1990-91
season with wrist injury that required surgery on Oct. 29, 1990. ... Missed
remainder of 1990-91 season and entire 1991 playoffs with broken right thumb,
an injury suffered during Hartford's Feb. 9, 1991, game vs. Calgary. ... Claimed
by Minnesota from Hartford in Minnesota-San Jose Dispersal Draft on May 30,
1991, but never played for parent team, because North Stars traded him to
Vancouver in exchange for Tom Kurvers on June 22, 1991. ... Missed part of
1991-92 season with sore back, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Nov. 3,
1991, game vs. Edmonton. ... Missed start of 1992-93 season with hernia,
diagnosed during Vancouver's training camp on Sept. 22, 1992. The hernia
required surgery on Sept. 30, 1992. ... Missed parts of 1992-93 season with
sprained knee, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Dec. 7, 1992, game vs.
St. Louis, with the flu, contracted on March 20, 1993, and with facial
lacerations, an injury suffered during Vancouver's April 4, 1993, game at
Ottawa. ... Missed parts of 1993-94 season with facial lacerations, an injury
suffered during Vancouver's Dec. 15, 1993, game at Edmonton and with bruised
foot, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Feb. 13, 1994, game at Florida.
... Was Vancouver's nominee for 1993-94 Masterton Trophy. ... Missed part of
1995 season with bruised thigh, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Feb. 5,
1995, game vs. Chicago. ... Missed parts of 1995-96 season with broken foot,
suffered during Vancouver's Dec. 8, 1995, game vs. St. Louis, with virus,
contracted in February 1996, and with hand injury, suffered during Vancouver's
Feb. 27, 1996, game vs. Pittsburgh. ... Missed remainder of 1995-96 season and
entire 1996 playoffs with ankle injury, suffered during Vancouver's April 1,
1996, game vs. Edmonton. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with strained
groin, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Dec. 3, 1996, game at Detroit.
... Missed parts of 1997-98 season with strained back and hip, an injury
suffered during Vancouver's Oct. 9, 1997, game vs. Toronto, and with strained
back, an injury suffered during Vancouver's Nov. 4, 1997, game at Washington.
... Missed remainder of 1997-98 regular season with broken left foot, an
injury suffered during Philadelphia's April 8, 1998, game at Tampa Bay. ...
Was represented by agent Gus Badali during his latter playing days.
Babych Sues Flyers:
Two years after his retirement, May 2002, Babych filed a civil lawsuit against
the Philadelphia Flyers and former team doctor, Arthur Bartolozzi, claiming
that an improper diagnosis of his foot injury had shortened his career. The
dispute centered on the left foot, which Babych fractured while playing for
the Flyers on April 8, 1998. At the time, Bartolozzi told Babych that his
injury was a bone bruise rather than an actual fracture and did not require a
cast. The team gave him an injection of pain-killer so he could play in the
Flyers' first 1998 playoff game, but he could not skate through the pain.
Bartolozzi suggested Babych have the foot injected with novocaine so that he
would not be able to feel it during the game. Babych continued this practice
through the playoffs, and it was only afterward that he realized he had
further damaged his foot. Babych sued the Flyers for $2 million in lost wages
plus additional damages because he felt the injury ruined him as a player.
Babych argued that the Flyers had previously offered him a $750,000 contract
for 1999-00, but never followed through on the offer because they knew the
true extent of his injury. The Flyers argued that the injury itself had not
ended Babych's playing career, because his skills were clearly declining and
he still managed to play half the 1998-99 season in the NHL as well as part of
the 1999-00 season in Europe. Babych's trial took place in Atlantic City,
N.J., in October 2002, and featured testimony from many hockey personalities,
including Eric Lindros and Bob Clarke. Babych won the suit and was awarded
$1.37 million by the jury on Oct. 31, 2002. Of the final award, $350,000 was
for "pain and suffering," while the rest were for Babych's lost wages as a
result of the injury. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland)
World Championships: 1981 (fourth
place), 1989 (silver medal)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Wore a trademark
bushy mustache during each of his 20 NHL seasons. ... Signed with
Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland) as free agent on Jan. 31, 2000. ... An avid golfer
during his playing days, he competed in 1996 Greater Hartford Pro-Am. ... Played on
Winnipeg's off-season charity softball team. ... Was active in charitable
causes during playing days in Vancouver, including work on behalf of Multiple
Sclerosis Society and an organization that raised money to fund research for
children's liver diseases. ... Invested in a Winnipeg-area waterslide park and golf course
with his brother Wayne during his playing days. ... Joined with brother Wayne
to start hockey camps in Edmonton during his playing days. The camps grew and
continued past his retirement, and later were based out of Vancouver. ...
Joined with brother Wayne to organize and host the annual Babych Anglers
Challenge charity fishing tournament in 1990s.
Personal: Full name is David
Michael Babych. ... Also known as David Babych during his playing days. ...
Younger brother of former NHL player Wayne Babych. ... Dave's first wife (Sherrey
Buffie) had a twin sister (Shelley Buffie) who married Wayne Babych, making the Babych brothers also
brothers-in-law. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Winnipeg traded Babych to Hartford in
exchange for Ray Neufeld on November 21, 1985. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '80 | | Total Selected: |
210 | | Forwards: |
122 | | Defense: |
71 | | Goaltenders: |
17 | | Major Junior: |
138 | | Tier II Junior: |
7 | | College Players: |
42 | | High School: |
8 |
| Canadian: |
159 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
3 | | USA Citizens: |
35 | | U.S.-Born: |
35 |
| European: |
13 |
| Reached NHL: |
132 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
24 | | Hall of Fame: |
4 |
| All-Star Game: |
17 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
5 |
| Olympians: |
19 |
| Picks Traded: |
25 |
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