Bruce Driver

Bruce Douglas Driver (born April 29, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1983–84 until 1997–98.

Bruce Driver
Driver, #23 to the left, moments after the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup in 1995.
Born (1962-04-29) April 29, 1962
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
National team  Canada
NHL Draft 108th overall, 1981
Colorado Rockies
Playing career 1983–1998

Playing career

As a youth, Driver played in the 1975 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Shopsy's minor ice hockey team.[1]

Driver was drafted in the sixth round (108th overall) by the then Colorado Rockies (who became the Devils in 1982) in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He spent the first 11 years of his NHL career with the Devils, winning a Stanley Cup with them in 1995. He was traded to the New York Rangers after the 1995 season.

Driver possessed a strong point shot, heady offensive instincts, smart positional defensive play, and a good stick with which he was adept at poke checking. A natural leader, Driver served as the Devils' captain and also became a power-play quarterback as his career blossomed, registering many of his goals and points with the man advantage.

Personal life

Driver is a resident of Montville, New Jersey.[2] He plays hockey as a goalie in an adult recreational league in New Jersey and coaches a girls' high-school hockey team at Morristown-Beard School[3] that won a state championship in the 2006–07 season. He was also the girls' high-school Hockey Coach of the Year in New Jersey in 2006–07.[3]

Awards and honors
Award Year
All-WCHA First Team 1981–82 [4]
AHCA West All-American 1981–82 [5]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 1982 [6]
All-WCHA Second Team 1982–83 [4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1978–79 Royal York Royals OPJHL 49 10 32 42 — — — — —
1979–80 Royal York Royals OPJHL 43 13 57 70 102 — — — — —
1980–81 University of Wisconsin WCHA 42 5 15 20 42 — — — — —
1981–82 University of Wisconsin WCHA 46 7 37 44 84 — — — — —
1982–83 University of Wisconsin WCHA 39 16 34 50 50 — — — — —
1983–84 Canada Intl 68 14 18 32 54 — — — — —
1983–84 New Jersey Devils NHL 4 0 2 2 0 — — — — —
1983–84 Maine Mariners AHL 12 2 6 8 15 16 0 10 10 8
1984–85 New Jersey Devils NHL 67 9 23 32 36 — — — — —
1985–86 New Jersey Devils NHL 40 3 15 18 32 — — — — —
1985–86 Maine Mariners AHL 15 4 7 11 16 — — — — —
1986–87 New Jersey Devils NHL 74 6 28 34 36 — — — — —
1987–88 New Jersey Devils NHL 74 15 40 55 68 20 3 7 10 14
1988–89 New Jersey Devils NHL 27 1 15 16 24 — — — — —
1989–90 New Jersey Devils NHL 75 7 46 53 63 6 1 5 6 6
1990–91 New Jersey Devils NHL 73 9 36 45 62 7 1 2 3 12
1991–92 New Jersey Devils NHL 78 7 35 42 66 7 0 4 4 2
1992–93 New Jersey Devils NHL 83 14 40 54 66 5 1 3 4 4
1993–94 New Jersey Devils NHL 66 8 24 32 63 20 3 5 8 12
1994–95 New Jersey Devils NHL 41 4 12 16 18 17 1 6 7 8
1995–96 New York Rangers NHL 66 3 34 37 42 11 0 7 7 4
1996–97 New York Rangers NHL 79 5 25 30 48 15 0 1 1 2
1997–98 New York Rangers NHL 75 5 15 20 46 — — — — —
NHL totals 922 96 390 486 670 108 10 40 50 64

International
Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1984 Canada OG 7 3 1 4 10
1987 Canada WC 8 0 0 0 4
Senior totals 15 3 1 4 14

References
  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  2. Capuzzo, Jill P. "Living in Montville Township, N.J.", The New York Times, July 2, 2010. Accessed February 23, 2011. "IF you moved to Montville Township, it wouldn't be out of the question to find yourself neighbor to a current or former New Jersey Devil (Bruce Driver is one example), or a member emeritus of the paparazzi (Ron Galella), or a Real Housewife of New Jersey (Teresa Giudice)."
  3. "Ruff always at home on the ice". Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  4. "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  5. "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  6. "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Kirk Muller		 New Jersey Devils captain
1991–92		 Succeeded by
Scott Stevens
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