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| 1976 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Bill Baker
Selected in third round
No.
54 overall by
Montreal Canadiens
Born November 29, 1956
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Minnesota (WCHA)
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Minnesota (USA)
Hometown:
Grand Rapids, Minnesota |
 |
 |
|
| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1972-73 |
Grand Rapids | Minn. HS |
-- |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
| 1973-74 |
Grand Rapids | Minn. HS |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
-- | | 1974-75 |
Grand Rapids | Minn. HS |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
-- | | 1975-76 |
Minnesota | WCHA |
44 | 8 |
15 | 23 |
28 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
NCAA Championship: 1976 (Minnesota)
Minnesota High School
Championship: 1975 (Grand Rapids)
Minnesota High School Tourney MVP: 1975 (Grand Rapids)
Minn. High
School All-State First Team: 1973-74, 1974-75 (G.R.)
Miscellaneous: Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as
U.S. college hockey's No. 6 prospect for the 1976 NHL draft. ... Scored goal
in Minnesota's 6-4 NCAA title-game victory over Michigan Tech on March 27,
1976. ... Also played football and baseball in high school, winning a total of
nine varsity letters. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 28, 1980 (Montreal at N.Y.
Islanders)
Numbers: 26 (Montreal); 4 (Colorado); 25 (St.
Louis); 6 (NYR)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired 1984 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years | Teams | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | | 1980-1983 |
MTL, COL, STL, NYR | 143 |
7 | 25 | 32 |
175 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years | Teams | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | | 1982-1983 |
St. Louis, N.Y. Rangers | 6 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Paired on defense with Rod
Langway for Montreal in 1980-81. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with broken
nose, an injury suffered fighting in Montreal's Nov. 22, 1980, game vs.
Philadelphia. ... Missed one game in 1982-83 season with bruised right
shoulder. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Minnesota (WCHA); Team USA;
Nova Scotia (AHL); Fort Worth (CHL); Tulsa (CHL)
Olympics: 1980
(gold medal)
Canada Cup: 1981 (fourth place)
World Championships: 1979
(seventh place), 1981 (fifth place)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
NCAA Championship: 1979 (Minnesota)
United States Hockey Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2003 as member of 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team
U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1983
as member of 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.
Sports Illustrated Sportsman
of Year: 1980 (as member of 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team)
NCAA West All-America First Team:
1978-79 (Minnesota)
WCHA All-Star First Team: 1978-79 (Minnesota)
WCHA All-Star
Honorable Mention: 1977-78 (Minnesota)
Minnesota
Romnes Award (Leadership/Sportsmanship): 1977-78 (co-winner), 1978-79
Minnesota Mayasich
Award (Top Student-Athlete): 1978-79
Minnesota
Captain: 1978-79
WHA Draft Pick: 1976 (by New
England, No. 49 overall in Round 5)
1983-84: Played 59 games for Tulsa team that went on to win CHL playoff
title, but was not with team during postseason.
Education: Was Pre-Dental major and Williams Scholar at University of Minnesota.
Attended Washington University dental school. Completed dental residency at
University of Minnesota in 1993.
Miscellaneous:
Served as Minnesota (WCHA) alternate captain in 1977-78. ... Set Minnesota
single-season records (since broken) for points (54) and assists (42) by a
defenseman in 1978-79. ... Scored goal in
Minnesota's NCAA title-game victory over North Dakota on March 23, 1979. ...
Was second member of 1980 USA "Miracle on Ice" team to be drafted by an NHL
team. ... Scored Team USA's tying goal in 1980 Olympic opener against Sweden
with just 27 second remaining in game. The 2-2 tie would prove crucial in helping the
Americans win a gold medal. ... Signed tryout contract with Nova Scotia (AHL)
on March 6, 1980, after completion of Olympics, enabling him to finish 1979-80
season in pro hockey. ... Was accepted to New York University Dental School
during his playing days, but turned down the admission offer to continue
playing hockey. ... Became oral and maxillofacial surgeon after retirement,
practicing in Brainerd, Minn. ... Named one of the 50 greatest players in
University of Minnesota hockey history as part of "Legends on Ice" tribute in
2001.
Personal: Full name is William Robert
Baker. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Montreal traded Baker to Colorado in
exchange for 1983 third-round pick (Daniel Letendre) and option to exchange
fourth-round picks in 1984 (Montreal exercised option and selected Lee Brodeur;
New Jersey selected Paul Ysebaert) on March 10, 1981. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '76 | | Total Selected: |
135 | | Forwards: |
83 | | Defense: |
39 | | Goaltenders: |
13 | | Major Junior: |
97 | | College Players: |
26 |
| Canadian: |
103 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
1 | | USA Citizens: |
23 | | U.S.-Born: |
23 |
| European: |
8 |
| Reached NHL: |
73 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
8 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
12 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
2 |
| Olympians: |
6 |
| Picks Traded: |
15 |
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