Bobby Crawford
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bobby" Crawford (born May 27, 1960 in Long Island
, New York
) is a retired ice hockey
right winger
. He played in 16 National Hockey League
games for the Colorado Rockies
and the Detroit Red Wings
.
. In ten games during the 1977–78 season, Crawford scored 17 points and showed he could control the tempo of a game. He was selected to play for the U.S.A. in the World Junior Championships and scored 13 points in the six games in which the U.S.A. appeared. After the WJC, Crawford decided to head to Canada to compete at higher levels and joined the Oshawa Generals
of the Ontario Hockey Association
. He remained with the Generals for three seasons, posting huge numbers. In 144 games over three seasons, Crawford scored 123 goals and 142 assists for 265 total points. His last season with the Generals was his best, as Crawford had been signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers
of the NHL on November 16, 1979, right before the start of the season. His confidence high, Crawford led the team in scoring during the 1979–80 season with 129 points, placing him seventh in the league in both total points and goals scored. He was named to the OHA Second All-star team and led the Generals into the playoffs, losing in seven games to the Ottawa 67's
. On January 15, 1980, Crawford was traded from the Rangers to the Colorado Rockies
to complete a transaction that sent Barry Beck
to New York. Crawford would join the Rockies for the 1980–81 season.
of the Central Hockey League
. There he finished out the 1980–81 season, leading the team with 37 points. Crawford scored two goals in the Texans' short playoff series against the Salt Lake Golden Eagles
. He remained on the Texans for the 1981–82 season scoring 54 points, but failing to help his team make the playoffs. After that season, Crawford was released from his contract and he quickly signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings
in June 1982.
Crawford started out the season
with the Adirondack Red Wings
of the American Hockey League
where he regained his scoring touch. He ended up second on the team in scoring behind Ted Nolan
with 61 total points. He was also called up for a single NHL game during the 1982–83 season in which he failed to record a point for the Red Wings. Back in the minors, Crawford increased his scoring during the six game playoff series against the Fredericton Express
, but despite his seven points, Adirondack failed to make it out of the first round. Crawford retired from North American hockey after that season and decided to try his luck overseas.
. He again found his scoring touch, albeit in a weaker league, scoring 78 points in only 38 games. He later joined EHC Olten
for the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons before moving on to Germany, playing for EC Bad Tölz
where he scored 137 points in 50 games. He again led his team in scoring and again was seventh in the league for total points. Crawford also added 41 points in 17 playoff games for a grand total of 178 points in 67 games, ending in a 2.7 point-per-game total for the entire 1986–87 season. Crawford then headed to Italy, where he joined HC Merano
of the Serie A
. He scored 38 points for them before moving to Britain
, to join the Southampton Vikings
of the British Hockey League
. After scoring 102 points for the 1987–88 season, Crawford again moved, this time back to Germany. He would play for three more German teams, Star Bulls Rosenheim, Bayreuth SV, and Regensburg EV before retiring after the 1991–92 season.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is a retired ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
. He played in 16 National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
games for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
and the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
.
Minor league hockey
Crawford joined the Austin Mavericks of the Midwest Junior Hockey League when he was only 14. He played hard and was promised a spot on the roster if he were to return after high school. He graduated and returned to the Mavericks, now a member of the United States Hockey LeagueUnited States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
. In ten games during the 1977–78 season, Crawford scored 17 points and showed he could control the tempo of a game. He was selected to play for the U.S.A. in the World Junior Championships and scored 13 points in the six games in which the U.S.A. appeared. After the WJC, Crawford decided to head to Canada to compete at higher levels and joined the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
of the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
. He remained with the Generals for three seasons, posting huge numbers. In 144 games over three seasons, Crawford scored 123 goals and 142 assists for 265 total points. His last season with the Generals was his best, as Crawford had been signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
of the NHL on November 16, 1979, right before the start of the season. His confidence high, Crawford led the team in scoring during the 1979–80 season with 129 points, placing him seventh in the league in both total points and goals scored. He was named to the OHA Second All-star team and led the Generals into the playoffs, losing in seven games to the Ottawa 67's
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They have played in the Ontario Hockey League since 1967, Canada's centennial year. The current coach is Chris Byrne.-History:...
. On January 15, 1980, Crawford was traded from the Rangers to the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
to complete a transaction that sent Barry Beck
Barry Beck
Barry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
to New York. Crawford would join the Rockies for the 1980–81 season.
Playing in the NHL
Crawford started out the season scoring three point sin his first five games, but slowly tapered off after that. He only scored one assist in his next ten games and was sent back down to the Rockies' affiliate the Fort Worth TexansFort Worth Texans
The Fort Worth Texans were a professional ice hockey team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They started play in 1967 as the Fort Worth Wings, a minor league affiliate for the Detroit Red Wings. They were part of the Central Hockey League and played their home games at Will Rogers Coliseum...
of the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. There he finished out the 1980–81 season, leading the team with 37 points. Crawford scored two goals in the Texans' short playoff series against the Salt Lake Golden Eagles
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994...
. He remained on the Texans for the 1981–82 season scoring 54 points, but failing to help his team make the playoffs. After that season, Crawford was released from his contract and he quickly signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in June 1982.
Crawford started out the season
1982–83 AHL season
The 1982–83 AHL season was the 47th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season, and won their fourth Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:...
with the Adirondack Red Wings
Adirondack Red Wings
The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
where he regained his scoring touch. He ended up second on the team in scoring behind Ted Nolan
Ted Nolan
Theodore John Nolan is currently the Head Coach of Latvia men's national ice hockey team...
with 61 total points. He was also called up for a single NHL game during the 1982–83 season in which he failed to record a point for the Red Wings. Back in the minors, Crawford increased his scoring during the six game playoff series against the Fredericton Express
Fredericton Express
The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
, but despite his seven points, Adirondack failed to make it out of the first round. Crawford retired from North American hockey after that season and decided to try his luck overseas.
International play
Crawford started out in the Swiss league for HC La Chaux-de-FondsHC La Chaux-de-Fonds
HC La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss professional ice hockey team.-External links:*...
. He again found his scoring touch, albeit in a weaker league, scoring 78 points in only 38 games. He later joined EHC Olten
EHC Olten
EHC Olten is a Swiss professional ice hockey team based in Olten, Switzerland.-External links:*...
for the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons before moving on to Germany, playing for EC Bad Tölz
EC Bad Tölz
EC Bad Tolz is an ice hockey team in Bad Tolz, Germany. They play in the Oberliga, the third level of German ice hockey.-History:The club was founded as EHC 98 Munchen in 1928. They won the Ice hockey Bundesliga twice in the 1960s...
where he scored 137 points in 50 games. He again led his team in scoring and again was seventh in the league for total points. Crawford also added 41 points in 17 playoff games for a grand total of 178 points in 67 games, ending in a 2.7 point-per-game total for the entire 1986–87 season. Crawford then headed to Italy, where he joined HC Merano
HC Merano
HC Merano is an ice hockey team in Merano, Italy. They play in the Serie A2.-History:Merano was founded in 1968. They won the Serie A twice, in 1986 and 1999. In 2004, they were relegated to the Serie A2....
of the Serie A
Serie A (hockey)
Serie A is the name of the top tier of professional ice hockey in Italy, which first began play in 1924. They are conducted under the authority of the Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio...
. He scored 38 points for them before moving to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, to join the Southampton Vikings
Southampton Vikings
The Southampton Vikings were an ice hockey team from Southampton, England. Their home venue was Southampton Ice Rink.The Vikings were established following the collapse of French side Club Francais Volants. The name 'Vikings' was adopted due to the new team using the shirts of the old French club...
of the British Hockey League
British Hockey League
The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League...
. After scoring 102 points for the 1987–88 season, Crawford again moved, this time back to Germany. He would play for three more German teams, Star Bulls Rosenheim, Bayreuth SV, and Regensburg EV before retiring after the 1991–92 season.