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Murray Oliver: Boston’s Best In The Terrible 1960’s

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murray oliver detroit red wings 1960-61 parkhurst rookie cardMurray Oliver was a success throughout his hockey career when it came to the regular season. However, he never found himself on a legitimate playoff team and never won a championship through the juniors, minor pro and NHL, a span of more than 20 years.

Murray Oliver – Junior and Minor Pro

Oliver played parts of five years for his hometown Hamilton Tiger Cubs in the OHA Junior ‘A’. The Tiger Cubs are the ancestors of the present day Erie Otters. Over his time with Hamilton, Murray played 150 regular season games, scoring 57 goals and assisting on 114 for 171 points.


1957-58 was Oliver’s breakout season in the OHA. He scored 34 and assisted on 56 for 90 points over 52 games. He was the team leader in each category. In the league, he placed seventh in goal scoring and second for assists. In the race for the Eddie Powers Trophy for most points, Murray placed third, nine behind leader John McKenzie of the St. Catherine’s Teepees and 12 ahead of Stan Mikita, also of the Teepees. For his efforts, Oliver was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s MVP.

The following year was Oliver’s only full year in the minors. He played 64 games in 1958-59 for the Edmonton Flyers of the WHL. Murray scored 33 and assisted on 34 for 67 points as a rookie, leading the team in goals and points. He placed tenth in the WHL for points. It was not a star-studded team but in net was future NHL mainstay goaltender Ed Johnston.

In 1959-60, Oliver played 16 more games with the Flyers before being called up to the National Hockey League to play for the Detroit Red Wings. He would never play another game in the minors.

Murray Oliver – NHL Career

Murray saw his first NHL action in 1957-58 while still a junior with the Tiger Cubs. He appeared a single game with the Red Wings, assisting on one goal.


Murray Oliver Collection

parkhurst 1960-61 button

topps 1961-62 button

1962-63 topps button

 

1963-64 topps button

1964-65 topps button

1965-66 topps button

 

1966-67 topps button

opc 1968-69 button

opc 1969-70 button

dads cookies 1970-71 button

1971-72 o-pee-chee button

 


Over his NHL career, Oliver played 1,127 regular season games, scoring 274 and assisting on 454 for 728 points. After the 2013-14 NHL season, Murray remains tied for 151st for most all-time games played with Bernie Nicholls. They were passed by Ed Jovanovski this year and Saku Koivu ended the season just three games behind. Hal Gill, Derek Morris and Vincent Lecavalier are each around 20 games from overtaking the two hockey legends.

Oliver played in the NHL between 1957-58 and 1974-75 with the Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Minnesota North Stars. Despite the lengthy career, Murray played in just 35 Stanley Cup playoff games, adding 25 points. 25 of those 35 playoff games came near the end of his career with the North Stars. Between 1960-61 and 1967-68, Oliver played on teams that did not qualify for the post season.

Despite playing on less than stellar teams in Boston during the 1960’s, Oliver was a shining light that put up great numbers. Over his career, Murray was a five time 20 goal scorer. In 1962-63 with the Bruins, his 40 assists tied him for eighth in the NHL with Red Kelly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. His 62 points tied him for ninth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The following year, 1963-64, Oliver cracked the top ten with his 24 goals, tying for ninth with Dave Balon of the Canadiens, along with Rod Gilbert and Phil Goyette of the Rangers. He once again tied with Bobby Hull, this time for sixth with 44 assists. His 68 points were good for seventh in the league.

1965-66, the numbers were diminishing and his days in Boston were numbered. Still, Murray finished sixth in the league with 42 assists and tenth in the NHL with 60 points.

On May 15, 1967, Oliver was dealt straight up from the Bruins to the Maple Leafs for Eddie Shack. Toronto had just won the Stanley Cup for the last time in franchise history and would not reach the post season in Murray’s first year with the club.

Oliver ended his career with the Minnesota North Stars. In 1970-71, he came as close to a Stanley Cup championship as it would get. Murray played 12 games in the playoffs as the North Stars reached the semi-finals before falling in six games to the Montreal Canadiens.

Later, after his retirement as a player, Oliver would rejoin the North Stars in a coaching capacity. He was the assistant coach from 1978-79 to 1985-86. In 1982-83, he replaced Glen Sonmor as head coach mid-season and coached Minnesota to a 17-12-7 finish to the year. The North Stars lost in the quarter-finals to the Blackhawks.

Murray Oliver – Rookie Card

The Murray Oliver rookie card appears as number 22 in the 1960-61 Parkhurst set. The card is valued at 33% more than a common card and Oliver is shown with the Detroit Red Wings. He would be sent midseason 1960-61 from the Red Wings to the Boston Bruins.

The 1960-61 Parkhurst set consists of 61 hockey cards, highlighted by Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard and Jacques Plante. The top rookie cards belong to Oliver and John McKenzie.

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
1953-54 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA 2 0 2 2 0
1954-55 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA 39 5 13 18 19
1955-56 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA 5 1 1 2 2
1956-57 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA 52 17 42 59 20
1957-58 Hamilton Tiger Cubs OHA 52 34 56 90 37
1957-58 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 1 1 0
1958-59 Edmonton Flyers WHL 64 33 34 67 35
1959-60 Edmonton Flyers WHL 16 8 12 20 6
1959-60 Detroit Red Wings NHL 54 20 19 39 16
1960-61 Detroit Red Wings NHL 46 11 10 21 12
1960-61 Boston Bruins NHL 24 6 12 18 4
1961-62 Boston Bruins NHL 70 17 29 46 20
1962-63 Boston Bruins NHL 65 22 40 62 38
1963-64 Boston Bruins NHL 70 24 44 68 41
1964-65 Boston Bruins NHL 65 20 23 43 30
1965-66 Boston Bruins NHL 70 18 42 60 30
1966-67 Boston Bruins NHL 65 9 26 35 16
1967-68 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 74 16 21 37 18
1968-69 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 14 36 50 16
1969-70 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 14 33 47 16
1970-71 Minnesota North Stars NHL 61 9 23 32 8
1971-72 Minnesota North Stars NHL 77 27 29 56 16
1972-73 Minnesota North Stars NHL 75 11 31 42 10
1973-74 Minnesota North Stars NHL 78 17 20 37 4
1974-75 Minnesota North Stars NHL 80 19 15 34 24
NHL Totals 1127 274 454 728 319

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