Peter McNab
During his remarkable NHL playing career, which spanned parts of 14 seasons (1973-87) with four teams, Peter McNab (Parker, Colo.) had seven straight seasons with 70 or more points and six straight with 35-plus goals and helped his teams to Stanley Cup Playoff appearances 10 times, including a trip to the 1975 Stanley Cup Final with Buffalo. He ranks 19th among Americans in NHL history with 813 points in 995 regular-season games, including 363 goals and 450 assists.
Drafted 85th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1972 NHL Entry Draft, McNab played three seasons (1970-73) of college hockey at the University of Denver and helped the Pioneers to three top-four NCAA finishes. His final season, McNab led the Pioneers to an NCAA runner-up finish and was not only named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team, but also earned First-Team All-WCHA honors after a team-leading 72-point season which included 32 goals and 40 assists. All total, McNab averaged 1.61 points per game in 105 total games and his 170 (78G, 92A) career points rank 10th best in program history.
Following his collegiate career, McNab led the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL with 73 points (34G, 39A), despite playing in just 49 of the team’s 76 games. He also debuted with the Buffalo Sabres that season, competing in 22 contests.
McNab solidified a spot on the Sabres roster for the next two years where he tallied 99 points in 132 regular-season games. He helped Buffalo to the Stanley Cup Final in 1974-75 and also to regular-season titles in both the Adams Division and Prince of Wales Conference.
The center spent the next eight years (1976-84) of his NHL career with the Boston Bruins where he helped the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven of his eight campaigns. He recorded at least 70 points in seven-straight seasons (including four years with 80-plus points) and 35-plus goals in six-straight. McNab earned a spot in the 1997 NHL All-Star Game and tallied a career-high 86 points that season. The next year he recorded a career-high 41 goals. McNab ranks 11th in Bruins history in goals (263), 13th in points (587) and is eighth in playoff goals (38).
McNab concluded his NHL career playing 78 games over two seasons in Vancouver and 117 contests in two seasons with New Jersey.
On the international stage, McNab played for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 1986 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
McNab transitioned to a career in broadcasting following his playing days, including eight years as a color analyst for the New Jersey Devils. He was hired by the Colorado Avalanche in a similar role in their inaugural season in 1995 and will enter his 26th campaign with the Avs in 2021-22.
