Harold Snepsts
| Harold Snepsts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
October 24, 1954 Edmonton, AB, CAN |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Vancouver Canucks Minnesota North Stars Detroit Red Wings St. Louis Blues |
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| NHL Draft | 59th overall, 1974 Vancouver Canucks |
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| WHA Draft | 105th overall, 1974 Indianapolis Racers |
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| Playing career | 1974–1991 | ||
Harold John Snepsts (born October 24, 1954 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player of Latvian descent who spent 17 seasons in the National Hockey League. He is one of the most popular players in the history of the Vancouver Canucks, the club where he spent the majority of his career, and currently serves on the team's scouting staff.
Both parents of Snepsts came from Latvia.
A "stay-at-home defender," Snepsts played his junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings and was selected 59th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft. He made a strong impression during his first training camp, and appeared in 27 games for the Canucks in 1974–75, recording his first NHL goal.
In 1975–76, he became a regular for the Canucks, appearing in 78 games and recording three goals and 18 points. He would quickly become a fan favourite for his hard-working, effective, blue-collar defensive game as well as his likeable personality and large moustache.
Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, Snepsts was Vancouver's most effective defender. His physical, error-free brand of hockey saw him selected to the NHL All-Star Game in 1977 and 1982, and he was named the club's top defender four times in five years between 1977 and 1982. He also showed improvement offensively, scoring a career-high 31 points in 1978–79, and on February 2, 1980 became the first defender in club history to score on a penalty shot.
Throughout this period, however, the Canucks were one of the weaker franchises in the NHL. However, they caught fire late in the 1981–82 season and went on an extended playoff run, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. Snepsts, along with goalie Richard Brodeur, was the heart-and-soul of the team defensively and was a tower of strength during the playoff run. However, he would commit a terrible turnover in overtime of the first game of the finals against the New York Islanders which led to the winning goal by Mike Bossy, and the club was swept in four games.
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