GORD KLUZAK PROFESSIONAL

Prior to 1982 Canada had sent the defending Memorial Cup champions to represent the country at the world juniors. In 1982 Kluzak was chosen to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships. He would play in only 13 more games, his last being on Nov. After that Kluzak's career stalled because of chronic knee problems that resulted in 11 surgeries. Kluzak managed to play 66 of Boston's 80 games during the 1987вЂ“88 season, and all 23 playoff games, as Boston went to the Stanley Cup Finals. His best year in the NHL may have been 1987вЂ“88. He would re-injure the knee again in September 1986 and miss another season. This required major reconstructive surgery and forced Kluzak to miss the entire 1984вЂ“85 regular season and 1985 playoffs.

7, 1984, Kluzak tore ligaments in his left knee when he collided in mid-ice with New Jersey Devils defenceman Dave Lewis. He managed to avoid knee injuries for his first two NHL seasons. Kluzak, on the other hand was out of hockey at the age of 27 - felled by knee injuries, after playing in only 299 NHL games. Other notable NHL players drafted after Kluzak include Scott Stevens (5th, 1635 NHL games played), Phil Housley (6th, 1495 NHL games played), Dave Andreychuk (16th, 1639 NHL games played), Tomas Sandstrom (36th, 983 NHL games played), Pat Verbeek (43rd, 1434 NHL games played), and Doug Gilmour (134th, 1474 NHL games played). Nylund was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and ended his career with 608 NHL games under his belt. Minnesota did end up picking Bellows, who went on to become a star in the NHL, with 485 goals and 1022 points over nearly 1200 NHL games. 2 pick in exchange for Brad Palmer and Dave Donnelly. Sinden made a deal with the Minnesota North Stars, who had the second pick that year, where he agreed to let them have Bellows with the No. Sinden passed up on Kitchener Rangers star Brian Bellows, who was the popular choice amongst Bruin fans, and Gary Nylund of the Portland Winter Hawks, who many, including The Hockey News, felt was the better defenceman. Harry Sinden, the Boston Bruins general manager was sold on the young defenceman, and made him the 1st overall pick in that year's NHL Entry Draft. 2 WHL prospect for the 1982 NHL draft by The Hockey News. The injury did not hurt his draft placement however, as he was rated as the No. 9, 1982, which would be the first of many knee problems for Kluzak.

He missed half of the 1981вЂ“82 season and entire 1982 playoffs after he tore ligaments in his left knee in a game against the Medicine Hat Tigers on Feb. Kluzak played junior hockey for two seasons with the WHL's Billings Bighorns, where he was paired on defence with future NHLer Bob Rouse. Gord Kluzak grew up on a wheat farm in Saskatchewan, and attended high school in Wilcox, Saskatchewan at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame. Kluzak currently works as a broadcaster for the Bruins. He was selected first overall by the Bruins in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

GORD KLUZAK PROFESSIONAL

Gordon Glen Kluzak (born Main Climax, Saskatchewan) is a retired Canadian professional hockey player who played for the Boston Bruins of the NHL from 1982 to 1991.

Gord kluzak