Rick Vaive - Bio

Bio

Vaive was selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, after a stellar junior hockey career with the Sherbrooke Castors. His professional career, which began in the WHA with the Birmingham Bulls, lasted from 1978 until 1992.

In 1980, the Canucks traded Vaive, along with Bill Derlago, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dave "Tiger" Williams and Jerry Butler. In Toronto, Vaive and Derlago were teamed with Pat Hickey, and Derlago became Vaive's setup man. Vaive scored prolifically with the Leafs, becoming the first 50-goal scorer in franchise history, surpassing that threshold three times. He recorded 54 goals in 1981–82, 51 goals in 1982–83, and 52 goals in 1983–84. He also served as captain of the Maple Leafs from 1982 to 1986. Vaive was stripped of his captaincy during the 1985–86 NHL season, for missing a morning practice.

Vaive was a late cut from the 1984 Canada Cup team.

His trade from Toronto along with Steve Thomas and Bob McGill to Chicago in exchange for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk before the 1987 season was one of several lamentable trades arranged by team owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s. Vaive netted 43 goals in his first season in Chicago but would never manage more than 31 in a season after that. He spent 4 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring as a member of the AHL's Hamilton Canucks in 1993.

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