Bobby Schmautz Explained

Played For:Chicago Black Hawks
Vancouver Canucks
Boston Bruins
Edmonton Oilers
Colorado Rockies
League:NHL
Position:Right Wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:9
Weight Lb:155
Birth Date:28 March 1945
Birth Place:Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Death Place:Peoria, Arizona, United States
Career Start:1967
Career End:1981

Robert James Schmautz (March 28, 1945March 28, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Rockies from 1967 to 1981. He featured in three Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins.

Early life

Schmautz was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on March 28, 1945. He played junior hockey in his hometown with the junior Quakers and the Blades, before signing his first professional contract in 1964 with the Los Angeles Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL).[1]

Career

Schmautz played with the Blades until 1967 when he was signed by the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). His NHL rights were transferred to the St. Louis Blues in the 1969 intraleague draft; he ultimately never played for the Blues, instead being traded to the Montreal Canadiens three weeks later, and subsequently sold to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the WHL. Salt Lake would also trade him, to the Seattle Totems.[2]

Schmautz was signed as a free agent in 1970 by the Vancouver Canucks, an expansion team starting their first season in the NHL. Though he started the season in the WHL, he joined the Canucks in February 1971. He led the team in scoring during the 1972–73 season with 38 goals and 33 assists,[2] and had the second-most hat-tricks in the NHL with three. He was named to the 1973 and 1974 NHL All-Star Games.

Schmautz was subsequently traded to the Boston Bruins midway through the 1974 season. Playing under Bruin coach Don Cherry, Schmautz developed into an accomplished forechecker and backchecker, usually playing right wing on a line with future Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bucyk and versatile center Gregg Sheppard.[3] He spent five seasons with Boston in all, finishing ninth in the NHL in game-winning goals in 1976 and 1978. Schmautz scored the overtime goal for Boston in Game Four of the 1978 Stanley Cup Finals versus Montreal to level the series at two games apiece.[4] A photograph of Schmautz celebrating his goal was used as the cover photo for the Bruins' 1978–1979 media guide.[5] Overall, Schmautz scored 26 playoff goals for Boston – the same total as Bobby Orr.[4] [6] At the time of Schmautz's death, he ranked 20th in Boston history with 56 playoff points. Schmautz was known for having perhaps the greatest snapshot in the game.

He then briefly played for the Colorado Rockies and Edmonton Oilers, before signing back with Vancouver in 1980. After the 1980–81 season, Schmautz was not offered a new contract by the Canucks, so he opted to retire. He subsequently moved to Portland, Oregon and worked in roofing.[7]

Personal life

Two of Schmautz's brothers also played hockey. Cliff Schmautz played one season in the NHL at the same position as Bobby, appearing in 57 games for the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers and scoring 32 points in 1970–71.[8] Arnie Schmautz played 13 seasons in the WHL with the New Westminster Royals, Victoria Cougars, and Portland Buckaroos.[9] Both his brothers predeceased him.[8] [9]

Schmautz died on March 28, 2021, his 76th birthday, at his home in Peoria, Arizona.[10] [4] [3]

Career statistics

Source:[11]

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1962–63Saskatoon QuakersSJHL54 28 31 59 42
1962–63Saskatoon QuakersSSHL7 1 1 2 0
1963–64Saskatoon QuakersSJHL60 55 43 98 11412 12 12 24 20
1964–65Saskatoon BladesSJHL44 45 34 79 1135 4 4 8 10
1964–65Los Angeles BladesWHL5 0 1 1 0
1965–66Los Angeles BladesWHL70 7 16 23 27
1966–67Los Angeles BladesWHL37 3 7 10 19
1967–68Chicago Black HawksNHL13 3 2 5 611 2 3 5 2
1967–68Dallas Black HawksCPHL54 23 23 46 83
1968–69Chicago Black HawksNHL63 9 7 16 37
1969–70WHL12 5 7 12 17
1969–70Seattle TotemsWHL66 32 27 59 893 0 2 2 5
1970–71Vancouver CanucksNHL26 5 5 10 14
1971–72Vancouver CanucksNHL60 12 13 25 82
1971–72Rochester AmericansAHL7 7 8 15 8
1972–73Vancouver CanucksNHL77 38 33 71 137
1973–74Vancouver CanucksNHL49 26 19 45 58
1973–74Boston BruinsNHL27 7 13 20 3116 3 6 9 44
1974–75Boston BruinsNHL56 21 30 51 633 1 5 6 6
1975–76Boston BruinsNHL75 28 34 62 11611 2 8 10 13
1976–77Boston BruinsNHL57 23 29 52 6214 11 1 12 10
1977–78Boston BruinsNHL54 27 27 54 8715 7 8 15 11
1978–79Boston BruinsNHL65 20 22 42 7711 2 2 4 6
1979–80Boston BruinsNHL20 8 6 14 8
1979–80Edmonton OilersNHL29 8 8 16 20
1979–80Colorado RockiesNHL20 9 4 13 53
1980–81Vancouver CanucksNHL73 27 34 61 1373 0 0 0 0
NHL totals764 271 286 557 98884 28 33 61 92

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bobby Schmautz Hockey Stats and Profile. HockeyDB. The Internet Hockey Database. March 29, 2021.
  2. Book: Rud, Jeff. Canucks Legends: Vancouver's Hockey Heroes. 2006. Raincoast Books. Vancouver. 978-1-55192-809-8. 54.
  3. News: Schmautz dies at 76, scored OT goal for Bruins in 1978 Stanley Cup Final. March 29, 2021. March 29, 2021. National Hockey League.
  4. News: Former Bruin Bobby Schmautz Passes Away at 76. Eric. Russo. March 29, 2021. March 29, 2021. Boston Bruins.
  5. Book: Robertson, John G.. Too Many Men on the Ice: The 1978–1979 Boston Bruins and the Most Famous Penalty in Hockey History. July 26, 2018. McFarland. 9781476632889. 34.
  6. Web site: Bobby Orr Stats. March 29, 2021. Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC.
  7. Book: Rud. Canucks Legends. 55.
  8. Web site: Cliff Schmautz Stats. Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. March 29, 2021.
  9. Web site: Arnie Schmautz Hockey Stats and Profile. HockeyDB. The Internet Hockey Database. March 29, 2021.
  10. Web site: Remembering the life of Robert.
  11. Web site: Bobby Schmautz Stats. Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. March 29, 2021.