“Murder”
Right wing Don Murdoch made the Rangers in 1976 as a 20-year-old after tearing up Canadian juniors with 170 goals, 306 points and 285 penalty minutes in just two seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers.
Chosen sixth overall by New York in the 1976 Amateur Draft, the British Columbia native made a spectacular debut on Broadway, scoring twice in his first NHL match to fuel a 6-5 win over the Minnesota North Stars on October 6, 1976 at Madison Square Garden.
Less than a week later in Minnesota, he recorded a team-record five goals in a 10-4 win over the North Stars. (Only two other Blueshirts have scored five times in one game: Mika Zibanejad last March in a 6-5 overtime conquest of the Washington Capitals and Mark Pavelich in 1983 in an 11-4 victory over the Hartford Whalers.)
An all-star in his first NHL season, Murdoch used his speed to dust flatfooted defensemen and sneaky shot to beat goalies. He scored a franchise rookie record 32 goals, and that total almost certainly would’ve been higher if he wasn’t limited to just 59 games due to a season-ending injury suffered in February.
Murdoch was killing opponents with his skating and scoring, and thus earned the nickname “Murder”. However, with the benefit of hindsight, “Flash” might’ve been a more appropriate moniker, for his NHL career would last only five years beyond his rookie season.
Some believe his downward spiral started on Valentine’s Day of his rookie campaign, when he tore an ankle tendon in practice and required multiple surgeries to correct. Others say his penchant for partying and enjoying the nightlife of New York City was his downfall.
There’s probably truth in both.
Murdoch was arrested in August 1977 at Pearson Airport in Toronto when customs agents found more than four grams of cocaine in his sock. The case was tied up in courts for about a year, so Murdoch played in 1977-78, scoring 27 goals.
However, after receiving a suspended sentence and fine from a Brantford, Ontario court, Murdoch was suspended by NHL President John Ziegler suspended for the entire 1978-79 season for substance abuse (which Murdoch later admitted included a drinking problem).
On January 3, 1979, the ban was lifted on appeal after 40 games, allowing Murdoch to play in the Rangers’ final 40 matches and all playoff contests.
The right winger put up 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in the Rangers’ final 40 matches, then notched seven markers and five helpers in 18 playoff contests that spring.
The following season, Murdoch scored 23 goals in 56 games for the Rangers before getting traded to Edmonton in March 1980 for right wing Cam Connor and the Oilers’ third-round choice in the 1981 entry draft.
After scoring 15 goals in 50 games for Edmonton (including 40 contests in 1980-81), Murdoch’s rights were traded to Detroit for the 1981-82 season. He scored nine times in 49 matches for the Red Wings and never played another NHL game.
Nobody knows how long or productive Murdoch’s career might’ve been without interference from injuries and his personal demons. What is certain is that a talented young player’s career was over before his 26th birthday. Gone in a flash.