Rick Middleton

Rick Middleton
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
Nickname(s)	Nifty
Height Weight	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 175 lb (80 kg)
Teams	New York Rangers Boston Bruins
Nationality	Canadian
Born	December 4,1953, Toronto, ON, CAN
NHL Draft	14th overall, 1973 New York Rangers
Pro Career	1974 – 1988

Richard (Rick) Middleton (born December 4, 1953, in Toronto, Ontario) is a former professional player for the NHL New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

A right wing, Middleton was drafted in the 1st round, 14th overall, by the Rangers in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft after a glittering junior hockey career with the Oshawa Generals in which he led his league in scoring his final year with 137 points in 62 games and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team. He spent the 1973–74 season with the Rangers' farm team, the AHL Providence Reds, earning rookie of the year honors and being named to the AHL's First All-Star Team.

He made the big club during the 1974–75 season, and despite suffering injuries that restricted him to 47 games, scored 22 goals in that limited time. The following season was not as spectacular, as he scored 24 goals in 77 games while showing defensive deficiencies. Following the 1975–76 season, the Rangers traded Middleton to the Boston Bruins for veteran winger Ken Hodge.

It was one of the most one-sided deals in hockey history. Hodge played only a single season more before his career ended, while Middleton became a great star in Boston, scoring a hat trick in his first game as a Bruin and nearly nine hundred points in a Bruins uniform over the next twelve years. Generally paired with centre Barry Pederson, "Nifty" had five straight seasons of at least forty goals and ninety points and led the Bruins to perennial glittering records. His leadership was apparent in being named co-captain (with Ray Bourque) to succeed Terry O'Reilly in 1985, a position he held until he retired.

His best season was the 1981–82 season, during which Middleton scored a career high 51 goals, won the Lady Byng Trophy for excellence and sportsmanship, and was named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team. The following season he led the Bruins to the league's best regular season record, and set still unbroken records that year for the most points scored in the playoffs by a player not advancing to the finals (33) and for a single playoff series (19, in the quarterfinals against Buffalo). His 105 points in the 1983–84 season tied Ken Hodge's team record for most points scored in a season by a right winger, and remains unbroken.

Middleton also starred in international play, being named to play for Team Canada in the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984. Teamed on a line with Wayne Gretzky and Michel Goulet in the 1984 series, he scored four goals and four assists in seven games.

Middleton played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1981, 1982 and 1984. He retired with 448 goals and 540 assists for 988 points in 1005 games, and added 100 points in 114 playoff games. His number 16 would be retired by the bruins in 2018.

Awards, honors and achievements

• Won Red Tilson Trophy (OHL Most Outstanding Player) in 1973.
• Won Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (AHL Rookie of the Year) in 1974.
• Named to the AHL First All-Star Team in 1974.
• Seventh Player Award — 1979
• Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy — 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984
• Bruins Three Stars Awards — 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
• NHL All-Star Game — 1981, 1982, 1984
• 1981 Canada Cup Silver Medal
• Won NHL Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1982.
• Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1982.
• 1984 Canada Cup Gold Medal
• His #16 Jersey was retired by the Boston Bruins on November 29, 2018.
• Named One of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time.
• Named to the Boston Bruins All-Centennial Team.

As a coach

• 2002 Gold medal as head coach of the United States 2002 Paralympic Sled Hockey team.
• Inducted into the U.S hockey hall of fame in 2024 as a member of the 2002 United States Paralympic Sled hockey team.

Records

• Most points in one playoff series: (19)
• Most shorthanded assists in a single playoff game (2)
• Most even strength points in a single playoff game (6)
• Highest playoff points per game average in one post-season by a right winger: (1.94)
• Highest playoff assists per game average in one post-season by a right winger: (1.29)
• Highest plus/minus in a single playoff game for a forward (+6)
• Most even strength assists in a single game for a right winger (4)
• Highest points per game average by a right winger in a single game (6.00)

Coaching career

In 2002 Middleton would join the international level, serving as a head coach of the United States 2002 Paralympic Sled Hockey team. Middleton who had little experience with the sport before taking the position. Would end up taking a team that were considerable underdogs to great heights. The team would go 5-0 in the preliminary round. Then leading the team to their first ever gold medal with a 4-3 victory over Norway. This would make them the first American team to win gold in the Paralympic Games. The team would later be inducted into U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2022 and the USA hockey hall of fame in 2024.

He is currently the President of Boston Bruins Alumni and a partner in Orlanda Energy Systems. Middleton joined with New England High School Sports Showcases, running high school hockey showcases beginning in June 2014.

Middleton now resides in Hampton Middleton is married to his wife Liz he has 2 step children and 3 biological 2 sons and 1 daughter.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1971–72	Oshawa Generals	OHA		53	36	34	70	24		12	5	5	10	2
1972–73	Oshawa Generals	OHL		62	67	70	137	14
1973–74	Providence Reds	AHL		63	36	48	84	14		15	9	6	15	2
1974–75	New York Rangers	NHL		47	22	18	40	19		3	0	0	0	2
1975–76	New York Rangers	NHL		77	24	26	50	14
1976–77	Boston Bruins	NHL		72	20	22	42	2		13	5	4	9	0
1977–78	Boston Bruins	NHL		79	25	35	60	8		15	5	2	7	0
1978–79	Boston Bruins	NHL		71	38	48	86	7		11	4	8	12	0
1979–80	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	40	52	92	24		10	4	2	6	5
1980–81	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	44	59	103	16		3	0	1	1	2
1981–82	Boston Bruins	NHL		75	51	43	94	12		11	6	9	15	0
1982–83	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	49	47	96	8		17	11	22	33	6
1983–84	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	47	58	105	14		3	0	0	0	0
1984–85	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	30	46	76	6		5	3	0	3	0
1985–86	Boston Bruins	NHL		49	14	30	44	10
1986–87	Boston Bruins	NHL		76	31	37	68	6		4	2	2	4	0
1987–88	Boston Bruins	NHL		59	13	19	32	11		19	5	5	10	4
OHA totals				115	103	104	207	38		12	5	5	10	2
NHL totals				1005	448	540	988	157		114	45	55	100	19

External links

• Rick Middleton's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Terry O'Reilly	Boston Bruins captains 1985-88, with Ray Bourque	Succeeded by Ray Bourque
Preceded by Rick Kehoe	Winner of the Lady Byng Trophy 1982	Succeeded by Mike Bossy