Bobby Schmautz

Athlete (1993)

Hockey

Bobby Schmautz was born in Saskatoon on March 28, 1945, grew up on the west side with four brothers and two sisters, attending Princess Alexandra School and Tech.

He played junior hockey for the Saskatoon Quakers. He won the Saskatchewan Junior League rookie-of-the-year honors in his first season, scored 55 goals in his second season and 45 goals in 42 games in his third season.

Bobby turned professional with Los Angeles of the Western Hockey League in 1965 and was acquired by Chicago Blackhawks in the fall of 1967. He divided one season between Chicago and its Dallas farm team and then played a full season with the Hawks. After a couple of trades, he wound up in Seattle of the Western League and was then acquired by Vancouver Canucks of the NHL.

Traded to Boston in February 1974, he would become an impact player with the Bruins. Five times during his seven years with the Bruins, the team would lose to the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Twice they were beaten in the cup finals, once by Philadelphia and once by Montreal.

Bobby later played with Edmonton, Colorado and Vancouver before retiring at 36.

In 13 years in the NHL, he played 764 games, scored 271 goals and 286 assists for 557 points and took 988 minutes in penalties. In Stanley Cup play, he had another 61 points. He scored an overtime goal, which forced a sixth game in the dramatic 1978-79 final against Montreal. Bobby also scored a game-winner in a 5-4 victory for the East in the 1972-73 NHL all-star game.

At 172 pounds, he was often told he was too small to play but was a tough jack-of-all-trades.

** Deceased