Rick MacLeish - Playing Career

Playing Career

MacLeish was drafted 4th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft after playing the majority of his junior career with the Peterborough Petes. After spending the first half of his first professional season with the Oklahoma City Blazers, MacLeish was involved in a three-way deal which sent him, Bruce Gamble, Dan Schock, and a 1st round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers, Bernie Parent and a 2nd round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Mike Walton to Boston. MacLeish spent the rest of the 1970–71 season with the Flyers, scoring two goals and four assists in 26 games. He also added a goal in four playoff games. In the 1971–72 season he saw his output drop considerably, to just a single goal, and consequently split the year between the Flyers and their AHL affiliate, the Richmond Robins.

The 1972-73 season proved to be a breakout year for Macleish, as he became the first member of the Flyers to ever score 50 goals in a single campaign. He added fifty assists this year, to bring his points total to 100. This was enough to finish fourth in league scoring, only a single point behind Bobby Orr.

In the 1973-74 Macleish's regular season scoring dropped slightly, as he scored 32 goals and added 45 assists. In the playoffs, however, he led all scorers with 13 goals and 9 assists as the Flyers claimed their first ever Stanley Cup. He scored the only goal in the series' sixth and final game, and narrowly missed out on winning the Conn Smythe Trophy to his teammate Bernie Parent.

After another successful regular season in 1974-75, notching 38 goals and 41 assists Macleish went on to lead his team again in playoff scoring as they won a second consecutive championship. This championship marked the last time the trophy was raised by a team consisting of only Canadian born players.

Macleish's 1975-76 season was marred by injury as he only played in 51 games. He manages to accumulate 22 goals and 23 assists in the regular season, but was unable to play in the playoffs which saw the Flyers swept in four games by the Montreal Canadiens.

The following year saw Macleish lead the Flyers in scoring for the first time in his career, tallying 49 goals and 48 assists. It also was the first year in which he earned an invitation to the all star game, a feat he would duplicate in the following year.