TERRY
RUSKOWSKI
SWIFT CURRENT
BRONCOS (1971 to 1974)
Terry
Ruskowski was born and raised in Prince
Albert, Saskatchewan. He played his
minor hockey there until he was 16 when
he advanced to the Humboldt Broncos of
the Saskatchewan Tier2 Junior Hockey
League in 1970.
Ruskowski
came to the Swift Current Broncos in
1971 when he moved up to the Western
Canada Hockey League, and spent the next
three seasons in Speedy Creek. In his
rookie year he qualified for the WCHL
All-Star game and was named the Broncos'
Most Popular Player. The following
season, Ruskowski was named the Broncos
assistant captain, and once again took
home honours as the Broncos Most Popular
Player. In his final year of junior
eligibility (1973-74) Ruskowski was the
Broncos captain, and lead the team in
scoring with 40 goals and 93 assists for
133 points, a team record at the time.
He was named the Broncos Most Valuable
Player that season for his
accomplishments. When his junior career
in Swift Current came to an end,
Ruskowski's career stats with the
Broncos were 188 games played, 78 goals,
and 195 assists, for 273 points and 556
penalty minutes.
Following
his time in Swift Current, Ruskowski was
drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, but
opted to join the up-start World Hockey
Association with the Houston Aeros.
During his 4-year stay in Houston,
Ruskowski was captain for three years,
and helped lead the Aeros to an Avco Cup
championship in 1977. In 1978 Ruskowski
joined the Winnipeg Jets and was a key
member of the Jets team that captured
the final Avco Cup ever awarded in
1979.
When
the WHA disbanded in 1979, Ruskowski
joined the Chicago Blackhawks; the team
that originally selected him in the 1974
NHL Amateur Draft. While in Chicago he
was captain for most of his four-year
stay. Early in the 1982-83 season,
Ruskowski was traded to the Los Angeles
Kings, where once again he became
captain of the team. In 1985 he signed
as a free agent with the Pittsburgh
Penguins where he played for two seasons
before joining the Minnesota North
Stars, again as a free agent. After two
years with the North Stars, Ruskowski
retired from the NHL in 1989.
Upon
the conclusion of his playing career,
Ruskowski returned to the Western Hockey
League, this time as Head Coach of the
Saskatoon Blades of the WHL beginning in
1989. He remained the coach of the
Blades for two seasons. After his time
behind the Blades bench, Ruskowski
served as Head Coach of the Columbus
Chill of the ECHL, the Houston Aeros of
the IHL, and the Knoxville Speed of the
UHL. Most recently, he has acted as Head
Coach/General Manager of the Laredo
Bucks of the CHL; a position he
continues to hold today.
"Roscoe",
as he was known, has always approached
hockey with a real passion. Able to set
up beautiful goals, or take on the
toughest customers on the opposing
squad; he played every game as though it
were his last. Terry has been a leader
on every team he has played on, as
evidenced by the number of teams that he
has served as captain for. He has always
enjoyed the respect of teammates and
opponents alike for the way he has
approached the game. His skill and
leadership has now carried over into his
coaching career in the junior and the
minor-pro levels, as well. While with
the Broncos, Terry was one of the best
players and best leaders the team has
ever known, and has been one of the most
successful former Broncos in hockey
following his time in Swift Current.
Terry is most deserving of the honour of
being inducted into the Swift Current
Broncos Hall of Fame.
WCHL
STATISTICS
|
Team
|
League
|
GP
|
G
|
A
|
TP
|
PIM
|
|
Swift
Current
|
WCHL
|
67
|
13
|
38
|
51
|
177
|
|
Swift
Current
|
WCHL
|
53
|
25
|
64
|
89
|
136
|
|
Swift
Current
|
WCHL
|
68
|
40
|
93
|
133
|
243
|
|
WCHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
WCHL Playoffs Assists Leader: 1974 (Swift Current) (23 assists)
Miscellaneous: Rated in The
Hockey News draft preview issue as
No. 47 overall prospect in the 1974 NHL
draft. ...
Played for Edmonton (WCHL) in its 1974
series vs. Moscow Selects.
CAREER
NHL STATISTICS |
Years |
Teams |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
1979-1988 |
CHI,
LA, PIT, MIN |
630 |
113 |
313 |
426 |
1,354 |
CAREER
NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
Years |
Teams |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
1980-1985 |
Chicago,
Los Angeles |
21 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
86 |
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Los
Angeles Most Inspirational Player: 1982-83
Pittsburgh
Player's Player Award: 1985-86,
1986-87 (co-winner)
Pittsburgh
Bastien Award (Good Guy, Media Vote): 1985-86
Chicago
Captain: November 1979 to October
23, 1982
Los
Angeles Captain: October 1983 to
June 30, 1985
Pittsburgh
Captain: November 11, 1986, to June
30, 1987
Chicago
Points Leader: 1979-80 (70)
Chicago
Assists Leader: 1979-80 (55)
Chicago
Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1979-80
(252), 1980-81 (225)
Chicago
Playoffs Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1980 (22)
Los
Angeles Playoffs Assists Leader: 1985 (2, tie) |