VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Bert Marshall (defense)
198 points in 868 NHL games (26 points in 72 NHL playoff games). NHL captain of Seals (1972-73).
198 points in 868 NHL games (26 points in 72 NHL playoff games). NHL captain of Seals (1972-73).
http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13542... a rugged stay-at-home defenceman who could also provide crisp outlet passes to his forwards. He played nearly 900 games for four different teams in the 1960s and '70s when his consistency was a useful part of the team.
The young blueliner played 61 games as a rookie in 1965-66 and helped the Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals. He played the last year of the Original Six Era in Motown and joined the expansion Oakland Seals halfway through the next season.
Marshall did his best to stabilize the shaky blueline of the Seals for nearly six seasons before he was traded to the vastly superior New Rangers in March 1973. The steady rearguard lasted only a few regular season and playoff games before the New York Islanders in the Intra-League Draft claimed him.
The reliable defensive play and leadership provided by Marshall helped the Islanders develop into a competitive squad by the mid-'70s. He was a member of the team when it reached the semi-finals in 1975 and 1976. He helped the younger players like Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, and Mike Bossy learn to win and be professional.