Don Murdoch
Donald Walter Murdoch is a Canadian retired former professional ice hockey player. After a standout junior career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Murdoch made the New York Rangers as a 20-year-old and had an impressive rookie season, scoring 56 points in 59 games his rookie season, including a Rangers rookie record of 32 goals. On October 12, 1976, Murdoch tied Howie Meeker's record for most goals in one game by a rookie with 5, against the Minnesota North Stars. A torn Achilles tendon ended his season in February.
In the offseason in 1977 after his first season, Murdoch was caught by customs agents in Toronto with 4.5 grams of cocaine stashed in his socks. He was suspended by the league for the entire 197879 season and later admitted to having a drinking and drug problem.
He played 320 career games in the National Hockey League but never regained the form of his first season, and retired after stops with the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings.
After his playing career, Murdoch worked as a scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning, under general manager Phil Esposito.
Don is the brother of Bob Murdoch.Legacy
In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Murdoch at No. 99 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.
