Barry Beck?

[reckoning]

Does anybody remember this player. He was the #2 draft pick overall in `77 and would`ve won rookie of the year if not for Mike Bossy`s record-setting season. Despite being stuck on the hapless Colorado Rockies he quickly gained a reputation around the NHL as the most promising defenseman in the game over his first two seasons. In fact in `78-`79, Scotty Bowman said he played better against Montreal than any other blueliner in the league that year and chose him as one of defencemen to play for Team NHL in the Challenge Cup.

He looked like the ultimate package. Size, speed, strength, toughness. Impossible to get past in his own zone, yet also had the offensive talent to quarterback a power play; his slapshot was incredible. Then in his trird season, Don Cherry, in an effort to give the Rockies some depth, traded him to New York for five players. Now he was on a contender in a high-profile city. In the book A Season In Hell which chronicles that Ranger season, it mentions how the Ranger management and players all saw Beck as the saviour of the franchise. Everybody assumed he would be the dominant defenceman of the 1980s.

So what happened? I remember him always playing well whenever I saw them but he was never a Norris candidate and couldn`t help New Yorks playoff woes. Why did retire so early? I don`t recall hearing of any career-ending injury, but his physical style of play may have taken its toll.

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[BM67]

I can't recall why he retired in 86, but he was often injured for several years before then. He hurt his neck, then his wrist, then his shoulder twice.

 

[Trottier]

He actually made a short comeback with the Gretzky Kings in the late 80s:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/players/data01/00000281.html

Beck was a case of unrealistic expectations. He was suppose to be Manhattan's version of Denis Potvin, and he clearly was not. Likewise, his teams in the early 80s were solid, but they came up repeatedly every spring against a dynasty.

Pat Flatley went a long way to ending Beck's career prematurely with a clean but vicious hit that undid BB's shoulder, as I recall. He played afterward, but was never the same.

 

[Hasbro]

And the Rockies sucked why?

 

[brianscot]

Barry Beck was a great mystery.

It's as if his individual components (which were considerable) never meshed together into a consistently great player.

He had a huge shot, was incredibly strong on his skates, and was one of the most fearsome body crunchers of the early 80s. I saw him literally knock Keith Crowder into the air on consective shifts with clean shoulder hits.

Beck in some ways, reminds me of Scott Stevens. (No, not in results, but in pure physical skills.)

He never played with Steven's fire, however, nor did he possess the superior lateral movement that the great defenseman own.

Perhaps, injuries aside, he was one of those players whose hockey sense didnt match up with his physical tools.

 

[Rumblick]

I'm not sure he had the temperament to play in New York, especially carrying the "Savior" tag.

Also, he couldn't play the physical game he wanted to due to his injury problems.

 

[Rumblick]

And the Rockies sucked why?

Not sure if you're trying to say the Rockies sucked simply because they had Barry Beck (which would be delusional) or if you're asking why someone would say the Rockies sucked, which is explained below.

1976 - 77:: 20-46-14

1977 - 78:: 19-40-21

1978 - 79:: 15-53-12

1979 - 80:: 19-48-13

1980 - 81:: 22-45-13

 

[Little Wing]

Barry Beck Drafted 2nd overall in 1977

scored 22 goals and 38 assists his first year in colorado
NHL all star '78, '79, '80, '81, '82

traded for Pat hickey, Lucien Deblois, Mike McEwen, Dean Turner, And future considerations ( which turned out to be ) Bobby Crawford.

Hasbro is correct, that is one of the worse deals the ROCKIES ever made. It crippled the franchise, brought us closer to looking for a new home on the eastern sea board, and in a nut shell- even though we sucked prior to the trade- we really sucked afterwards

It was a very dark day in Colorado for those of us who were there to experience it.

 

[Rumblick]

traded for Pat hickey, Lucien Deblois, Mike McEwen, Dean Turner, And future considerations ( which turned out to be ) Bobby Crawford.

Hasbro is correct, that is one of the worse deals the ROCKIES ever made. It crippled the franchise, brought us closer to looking for a new home on the eastern sea board, and in a nut shell- even though we sucked prior to the trade- we really sucked afterwards.

Hmm . . . they won more games the year after he left than during any season before that. Maybe you have that "sucked - really sucked" thing backwards.

 

[Little Wing]

3 wins in the standings, 6 pts total improvement for the year and a move to N.J. the next season. Yeah you can argue the amount of suck all you want, Fact remains they sucked enough to be gone
It was a 5 for 1 deal, you think they would have made up more than 3 wins

 

[Lowetide]

I remember him, we was a big man. HUGE body checker, monster hits. He also had a terrific shot and although he wasn't healthy long enough to be an impact player he was on the way.

btw, Rangers gave up a very nice package to get him. McEwen had some very good seasons and went back to NY to win with the Islanders. Hickey wasn't a bad player, and then Deblois hung around for a long time and contributed.

Who can know if he would have been the bridge from Park to Leetch had he remained healthy, but there's little doubt he had top end talent and that injuries had a major impact on his career.

 

[Little Wing]

I remember him, we was a big man. HUGE body checker, monster hits. He also had a terrific shot and although he wasn't healthy long enough to be an impact player he was on the way.

btw, Rangers gave up a very nice package to get him. McEwen had some very good seasons and went back to NY to win with the Islanders. Hickey wasn't a bad player, and then Deblois hung around for a long time and contributed.

Who can know if he would have been the bridge from Park to Leetch had he remained healthy, but there's little doubt he had top end talent and that injuries had a major impact on his career.

What you say is true,
Deblois played 144 games with the Rockies 50 goals and 35 assists
Hickey was traded with Paiment to Toronto for lanny Mcdonald and Joel Quinneville So that was huge.
Mcewen won 3 cups with the isles.
Turner fell into obscurity
Bobby Crawford played 16 games in his entire career

 

[Hasbro]

Hasbro is correct, that is one of the worse deals the ROCKIES ever made. It crippled the franchise, brought us closer to looking for a new home on the eastern sea board, and in a nut shell- even though we sucked prior to the trade- we really sucked afterwards

It was a very dark day in Colorado for those of us who were there to experience it.

And the compitition can hardly be stiffer. Arguably the only good deal they ever made was was getting Lanny McDonald from Toronto and taking advantage of Ballard is like winning in the special olympics.

Beck was indicative of the horrible asset management of the Rockies. The team managed to trade Two #1 overall picks, a #2 and #3 Overall in their tenure in Colorado.

Hard to believe this team had a hard time drawing, but it's not like the signed Messier or anything (well Mark Messier anyway).

 

[Hasbro]

It's also worth noting at the time it was a huge pr catastophy for the Rockies. He was a fan favorite and I still heard grumbling for years from our old timers about trading Beck.

 

[Little Wing]

good point hasbro
that is how i remember it, granted it was 24 to 26 years ago and i was 10 to 13

We were so bad that if you were a 1st or 2nd round pick in Colorado, Management was allready looking for the next package deal to put them in.

We were so bad always in need of an overhaul

 

[Lou is God]

He actually made a short comeback with the Gretzky Kings in the late 80s:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/players/data01/00000281.html

Beck was a case of unrealistic expectations. He was suppose to be Manhattan's version of Denis Potvin, and he clearly was not. Likewise, his teams in the early 80s were solid, but they came up repeatedly every spring against a dynasty.

Pat Flatley went a long way to ending Beck's career prematurely with a clean but vicious hit that undid BB's shoulder, as I recall. He played afterward, but was never the same.

You hit it right on the head Trotts.

 

[Hasbro]

good point hasbro
that is how i remember it, granted it was 24 to 26 years ago and i was 10 to 13

We were so bad that if you were a 1st or 2nd round pick in Colorado, Management was allready looking for the next package deal to put them in.

We were so bad always in need of an overhaul

If Ray Moron weren't in charge the team might have survived.

 

[Lady Rhian]

It's also worth noting at the time it was a huge pr catastophy for the Rockies. He was a fan favorite and I still heard grumbling for years from our old timers about trading Beck.

Beck is one of my all time favorite players. I do think the injuries caused him to second guess himself, especially after his shoulder injury. He hesitated taking shots and was a bit slower to react when passes were made to him. Truly a shame, as I've often wondered, if not for that shoulder injury, if he wouldn't have won the Norris. He'll always be one of my favorites, regardless- lots of heart and courage night after night, played through a lot of pain.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Beck had a terrific shot, but it was not always on net.

 

[RangerBoy]

The media reported Herb Brooks called Bubba Beck a "coward" which both men denied.He liked the New York nightlife a little too much That Rangers team was coming off the O-LA-LA Sasson TV commercials and they liked to have a good time off the ice including Spoon Murdoch and Ronnie Duguay

 

[sk84fun_dc]

wow, brings back the memory of sitting in the stands at MSG and my dad telling me that the Rangers had traded a bunch of guys for this young kid who was one to watch...

and I thought some of you might be interested in this recent interview with Beck

Link to article

and darn you RangerBoy for mentioning those ads, now I will have those stuck in my mind tonight, Duguay, Hedberg, Maloney, yikes

 

[Lady Rhian]

Beck is involved in the Osoyoos Storm. Here is a picture of him as a coach for the game opener in 2001.http://www.osoyoosstorm.com/pictures/sept_14.htm He no longer coaches or does GM duties, but still works with the team. I read some article that he was part owner of the Storm.

He also runs a summer hockey camp. http://www.osoyoosstorm.com/school/school.htm