Rick Vaive

Background

Vaive was born in Ottawa, Ontario, but grew up in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Career

He played in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1992, and is best remembered as the first 50-goal scorer in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history. Vaive was selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1979 National Hockey League 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 manitoba 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 1981-1982, 51 goals in 1982-1983, and 52 goals in 1983-1984. He also served as captain of the Maple Leafs from 1982 to 1986.

Vaive was stripped of his captaincy during the 1985-1986 National Hockey League 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 First Rate (at Lloyd's) Secord and Editor 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 was found not guilty of impaired driving despite a positive breathanalyzer test given by police July 14, 2009

He served one season with the Mississauga Ice Dogs before Don Cherry took over as head coach.

Vaive currently hosts various shows on Leafs television, an MLSE-run property focusing on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Achievements

• Vaive had a career as a professional hockey coach in the East Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League after his retirement from the National Hockey League, serving as a head coach in 1993 with the expansion South Carolina Stingrays, winning two division titles (1995 and 1997), a conference championship (1997), and under his watch became the first ECHL coach in history to win both the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup in the same season, in the 1996-1997 season.

Membership

He spent 4 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring as a member of the AHL"s Hamilton Canucks in 1993.