CRAIG MACTAVISH

#14

Center

Born 08/15/1958

London, ON

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 195 lbs

Shoots: Left

·          Selected by Boston Bruins in Round 9 (#153 overall) of 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

·          Signed as a free agent by Edmonton, February 1, 1985.

·          Traded to NY Rangers by Edmonton for Todd Marchant, March 21, 1994.

 

OTHER CAREER HIGHLITES:

·          NCAA (College Div.) East All-American Team (1979)

·          Played in NHL All-Star Game (1996)

 

Stanley Cup Winner: 1987Stanley Cup Winner: 1988Stanley Cup Winner: 1990

 OILERS' STATS:

 SEASON:

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

 1985-86

74

23

24

47

70

 1986-87

79

20

19

39

55

 1987-88

80

15

17

32

47

 1988-89

80

21

31

52

55

 1989-90

80

21

22

43

89

 1990-91

80

17

15

32

76

 1991-92

80

12

18

30

98

 1992-93

82

10

20

30

110

 1993-94

66

16

10

26

80

 TOTALS:

701

155

176

331

680

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 PLAYOFFS:

GP

G

A

PTS

PIM

 1985-86

10

4

4

8

11

 1986-87

21

1

9

10

16

 1987-88

19

0

1

1

31

 1988-89

7

0

1

1

8

 1989-90

22

2

6

8

29

 1990-91

18

3

3

6

20

 1991-92

16

3

0

3

28

 1992-93

---

---

---

---

---

 1993-94

---

---

---

---

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 TOTALS:

111

13

24

37

142

A tenacious checker and team leader who could also be dangerous in the offensive zone.  The hard-nosed competitor was the last player in the NHL to play without a helmet.

Born in London, Ontario, MacTavish spent two years at The University of Lowell, a Division II school in Massachusetts where he was an all-American in 1979.  He was taken 153rd overall by the Boston Bruins in 1978 and recorded 28 points in 46 games as a rookie in 1979-80 after starting the year in the AHL.  Over the next two seasons, the young pivot spent more time in the minors working on his overall game.  He returned in 1982-83 as a solid checker and penalty killer and helped the club reach the semifinals.

After scoring 43 points in 1983-84, MacTavish was involved in an automobile accident that forced him to miss the next season.  He signed as a free agent with the Edmonton Oilers and spent nearly nine years with the organization.  MacTavish recorded four 20-goal seasons and played a major role on Edmonton's Stanley Cup triumphs in 1987, 1988 and 1990.  In 1992 he was named team captain and held this position until he was traded to the New York Rangers late in the 1993-94 season.

The veteran pivot's ability to win face-offs and keep his cool in big games helped the Blueshirts win their first Stanley Cup since 1940.  MacTavish split his last two seasons between the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues before retiring in 1997.  After hanging up his skates he immediately looked to begin a career in coaching.  The respected veteran spent two years as an assistant with the New York Rangers.  In 1999-00, MacTavish was Kevin Lowe's assistant in Edmonton before taking over the bench boss job the next season.  He guided the Oilers to 39 wins in his first year as an NHL coach.