Laurie Boschman

Laurie Joseph Boschman (born June 4, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators. In his final NHL season, Boschman served as the first captain of the Ottawa Senators. Boschman was born in Major, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. As of completion of the , Boschman is one of only 17 players in NHL history to have recorded over 500 points and over 2,000 penalty minutes in their career.

Junior hockey Boschman played with the Brandon Travellers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for two abbreviated seasons in 1975 through to 1976. He joined the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) at the end of the 1976–77 season, appearing in three games with the Wheat Kings, earning an assist. His play earned him regular minutes during the 1977 WCHL playoffs and in 12 playoff games with Brandon, Boschman had a goal and two points. but ultimately lost the series in five games, four games to one.

In his first full season with the Wheat Kings in 1977–78, Boschman registered with 42 goals and 99 points in 72 games, as well as accumulating 227 penalty minutes, In the post-season, Boschman had two goals and seven points in six games, Boschman exploded offensively for Brandon in the 1978–79 season, as he had 66 goals and 149 points in 65 games, He scored his first NHL goal on November 7 against goaltender Ed Staniowski in a 7–4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. He registered his first multi-goal game on November 10, scoring two in an 8–4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Boschman appeared in all 80 games with the team during the 1979–80 season, scoring 16 goals and 48 points. In three playoff games, Boschman had just the goal and two points, However, Boschman's agent, Bill Watters, told the Maple Leafs that Boschman would not be sent to the AHL and that they could play him in Toronto or trade him. In January, Boschman, suffering from a stomach ulcer, was assigned to the Cincinnati Tigers of the Central Hockey League, but never played a game for them. Ballard again criticized Boschman for his injuries claiming that Alan Eagleson was scheming with the player.

Edmonton Oilers Later that season, Imlach was fired and McNamara became the new Maple Leafs general manager. As part of McNamara's effort to rebuild the team, Boschman was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for winger Walt Poddubny and prospect Phil Drouillard on March 8, 1982. Boschman made his Oilers debut on March 10 in a 3–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his first goal as an Oiler on March 13 against Rick Heinz in a 5–3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. He finished the 1981–82 season with the Oilers appearing in 11 games, scoring two goals and five points, On March 7, 1983, Edmonton traded Boschman to the Winnipeg Jets for forward Willy Lindström.

Winnipeg Jets Boschman appeared in 12 games with the Winnipeg Jets in the 1982–83 season, scoring three goals and eight points. He registered his first point with Winnipeg on March 13, assisting on a goal by Scott Arniel in a 4–3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Boschman got his first goal with the Jets against Rick St. Croix in the following game on March 18, a 7–3 victory over the Maple Leafs. Winnipeg qualified for the 1983 Stanley Cup playoffs. In three post-season games, Boschman earned an assist in three games,

Boschman had a breakout season with the Jets in the 1983–84 season, as he scored 28 goals and 74 points in 61 games, as well as earning 234 penalty minutes. His second four-point game came on December 5 where he scored two goals and marked two assists in a 7–5 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. He suffered a dislocated shoulder against the New Jersey Devils on December 7 returning on January 17, 1984, versus the Washington Capitals. He spent the rest of the season in a shoulder harness. After his return, Boschman registered two four-point games in the span of three games, the first in a 5–4 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 18, with Boschman assisting on all but one of the goals and the second in a 6–4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on January 20, scoring two goals and two assists. The Jets made the 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs but were swept by the Edmonton Oilers for the second consecutive season. In the post-season, Boschman was held to an assist in three games. He had two other four-point games during the season, the first against Washington on February 13, 1985, in a 5–3 victory with a goal and three assists. The line of Boschman, Doug Smail and Jim Nill recorded ten points combined in the game. The second came against New Jersey on March 12 with a goal and three assists in a 6–3 victory. Winnipeg made the 1985 Stanley Cup playoffs, as the Jets defeated the Calgary Flames before being swept by the Edmonton Oilers for the third straight season, this time in the Smythe Division final. In the post-season, Boschman had two goals and three points in eight games. The Jets qualified for the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, but were swept by the Calgary Flames in the first round. In three playoff games, Boschman was held to one assist. The Jets made the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs only to lose to the Edmonton Oilers again in the first round. In five playoff games, Boschman had a goal and four points. He returned to the lineup on November 18 after missing ten games. The team failed to qualify for the 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs. Boschman had his worst season in six seasons due to injuries and lowered production. Rumours of the Jets trading Boschman began during the 1989 offseason.

His offensive game continued to struggle in the 1989–90 season, as in 66 games, Boschman earned 10 goals and 27 points. On February 16, 1990, Boschman was suspended for eight games after high-sticking Los Angeles Kings forward Tomas Sandström. Boschman saw his ice time cut as the season wore on and was scratched from the lineup for most of the first round of the 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs. In two playoff games, Boschman was held pointless, as the Jets lost again to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. On September 6, 1990, the Jets traded Boschman to the New Jersey Devils for Bob Brooke.

New Jersey Devils The acquisition of Boschman was the second trade in as many days by Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello to toughen up the team, previously acquiring Claude Lemieux from the Montreal Canadiens. Boschman made his first appearance with the Devils on opening night, October 4, 1990, in a 3–3 tie with the Detroit Red Wings. He scored his first goal (and his second) in a Devils uniform on October 13 against Mike Vernon in a 5–3 victory over the Calgary Flames. He played on a line with Troy Crowder and Al Stewart. Boschman appeared in 78 games in his first year with the Devils in the 1990–91 season, scoring 11 goals and 20 points and recording 79 penalty minutes; his lowest penalty minute total since his rookie season.

In 75 games with the Devils in the 1991–92 season, Boschman scored eight goals and 28 points and 121 penalty minutes. The Devils made the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs with their best ever record to date and faced the first-place New York Rangers in the first round. The series went to seven games, and ultimately the Devils lost to the Rangers. In seven playoff games, Boschman had one goal. He scored his first goal for Ottawa on October 27 against Tom Barrasso in a 7–2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. On April 10, 1993, after going 39 games without a victory away from home, Boschman scored the third and final hat trick of his career against Glenn Healy in a 5–3 win to secure the first Ottawa Senators road victory. In 70 games with Ottawa, Boschman had nine goals and 16 points. In the offseason he was left exposed in the 1993 NHL expansion draft by Ottawa, but was not selected. After only one season with the Senators, the club bought out Boschman's contract.

Fife Flyers Boschman briefly played with the Fife Flyers of the British Hockey League in the 1994–95 season, scoring nine goals and 18 points in seven games with the team. In six playoff games, Boschman had five goals and 13 points.

Awards Named to the WHL First All-Star Team (1979) Named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team (1979). Won Molson Cup (Three-Stars Leader) for the Winnipeg Jets (1983–84).

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1975–76 Brandon Travellers MJHL 2 1 3 4 2 — — — — — 1976–77 Brandon Travellers MJHL 47 17 40 57 139 — — — — — 1976–77 Brandon Wheat Kings WCJHL 3 0 1 1 0 12 1 1 2 17 1977–78 Brandon Wheat Kings WCJHL 72 42 57 99 227 6 2 5 7 45 1978–79 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 65 66 83 149 215 22 11 23 34 56 1979–80 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 80 16 32 48 78 3 1 1 2 18 1980–81 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 53 14 19 33 178 3 0 0 0 7 1980–81 New Brunswick Hawks AHL 4 4 1 5 47 — — — — — 1981–82 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 54 9 19 28 150 — — — — — 1981–82 Edmonton Oilers NHL 11 2 3 5 37 3 0 1 1 4 1982–83 Edmonton Oilers NHL 62 8 12 20 183 — — — — — 1982–83 Winnipeg Jets NHL 12 3 5 8 36 3 0 1 1 12 1983–84 Winnipeg Jets NHL 61 28 46 74 234 3 0 1 1 5 1984–85 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 32 44 76 180 8 2 1 3 21 1985–86 Winnipeg Jets NHL 77 27 42 69 241 3 0 1 1 6 1986–87 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 17 24 41 152 10 2 3 5 32 1987–88 Winnipeg Jets NHL 80 25 23 48 229 5 1 3 4 9 1988–89 Winnipeg Jets NHL 70 10 26 36 163 — — — — — 1989–90 Winnipeg Jets NHL 66 10 17 27 103 2 0 0 0 2 1990–91 New Jersey Devils NHL 78 11 9 20 79 7 1 1 2 16 1991–92 New Jersey Devils NHL 75 8 20 28 121 7 1 0 1 8 1992–93 Ottawa Senators NHL 70 9 7 16 101 — — — — — 1994–95 Fife Flyers BHL 7 9 9 18 6 6 5 8 13 12 NHL totals 1,009 229 348 577 2,265 57 8 13 21 140