He was an All-Star Rookie?...Bruce Bell



Bruce Bell made the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1984-85, along with Mario Lemieux, Chris Chelios, Tomas Sandstrom, Warren Young and Steve Penney. My most prominent memory of Bruce Bell, was when Wendel Clark absolutely destroyed him with a clean body check in the 1986-87 season. Clark caught Bell with his head down coming around his own net...pretty much ending the career of the promising defenseman.
Bell was drafted in the 3rd round by Quebec in 1983. In his rookie year, Bell tallied 37 points and a plus 32 rating for the Nordiques before being traded to the Blues. After the 86-87 season, and Clark's hit, Bell would play only 14 more NHL games. He would end up playing five different years in the AHL, as well as the IHL,CHL, Colonial League, British and Austrian Leagues and finished in the WCHL with the powerhouse Phoneix Mustangs.
His career totals of 76 points in 209 games tell of a promise unfullfilled. Currently he runs the Bruce Bell Hockey School out of Lethbridge, Alberta.

Comments

Bidnall said…
Thank goodness for the British Hockey League!!
February 10, 2009 at 11:20 PM
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