Rick Hampton

Rick Hampton (born July 14, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He was raised in King City, Ontario.

He played junior hockey for a strong St. Catharines Black Hawks team and was drafted 3rd overall by the California Golden Seals in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft. In those years junior players could turn pro at 18. Hampton and a lot of his teamates left the Hawks to join the NHL.

Hampton started his National Hockey League career with the California Golden Seals in 1974. The Seals were a very weak team and big things were expected from Hampton. The pressure was too much for the teenager and his play was good but not great. He moved to the Cleveland Barons along with the rest of the franchise.He also played for Canada in the 1977 and 1978 World Championships.

The Los Angeles Kings accquired him in 1978 from the Minnesota North Stars after the Barons folded. He played only 52 games over 2 seasons and only scored 3 goals.

He left the NHL after the 1980 season. He played several more seasons in the minor leagues and retired from hockey after playing the 1984 season with the Rochester Americans.