| John Van Boxmeer |
| John Martin Van Boxmmer Defense Right-Handed Shot Height: 6' 0", Weight: 190 pounds Born: 11.20.52 Petrolia, Ontario |
| How he arrived: Traded by the Montreal Canadiens for Rockies' 3rd round pick in the 1979 E.D. and cash, 11.24.76 How he left: Traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Rene Robert, 10.5.79 |
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| Regular Season Statistics with the Franchise Stats in bold signifies team leader. |
With the Canadiens, it was a constant fight for Van Boxmeer to get playing time. He had made plenty of requests to Scotty
Bowman to be trade, and finally, that would happen when the Rockies acquired him.
That first season in Denver was a tough one, having to deal with a knee injury that required surgery. However, he would come
to form the season after, becoming one of the Rockies' go-to guys on the backline behind Barry Beck.
By what would prove to be the end of his time with the Rockies, the Buffalo Sabres took notice. No surprise; Bowman moved
on to their head coaching job at that point. So they made the move to bring Van Boxmeer to the Sabres. He would play 4
excellent seasons there, including a selection to the 1982 Wales Conference All-Star team, even though he couldn't play due to
injury.
He would be claimed by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1983 waiver draft when it was clear that Phil Housley would be making
the Sabres' team that year. Van Boxmeer would play 18 games with the Nordiques before retiring.
He returned to the Sabres' organization in a coaching fashion, almost all of those years being with the Rochester Americans. He
started off as the Amerks' assistant, but became the interim coach in the middle of the 84-85 season when Jim Schoenfeld left
the team. For the following season, "interim" was dropped from his title and served as the head coach until 1990, then had
another term from 92 to 95. In between, he had two years as an assistant with the parent club.
He joined the Los Angeles/Long Beach Ice Dogs of the IHL as their coach and GM for 95-96 and stayed with them until 2001.
He had a couple jobs in the WCHL (which is actually where the Ice Dogs shifted to after the 2000 season) until the Los
Angeles Kings hired him as an assistant in 2002.
The last team he coached was SC Bern in the Swiss League. He had been there a few seasons, but left them in March of 2009.
Probably for health reasons; I noticed that he suffered a heart attack just prior to the start of the 08-09 season.
Bowman to be trade, and finally, that would happen when the Rockies acquired him.
That first season in Denver was a tough one, having to deal with a knee injury that required surgery. However, he would come
to form the season after, becoming one of the Rockies' go-to guys on the backline behind Barry Beck.
By what would prove to be the end of his time with the Rockies, the Buffalo Sabres took notice. No surprise; Bowman moved
on to their head coaching job at that point. So they made the move to bring Van Boxmeer to the Sabres. He would play 4
excellent seasons there, including a selection to the 1982 Wales Conference All-Star team, even though he couldn't play due to
injury.
He would be claimed by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1983 waiver draft when it was clear that Phil Housley would be making
the Sabres' team that year. Van Boxmeer would play 18 games with the Nordiques before retiring.
He returned to the Sabres' organization in a coaching fashion, almost all of those years being with the Rochester Americans. He
started off as the Amerks' assistant, but became the interim coach in the middle of the 84-85 season when Jim Schoenfeld left
the team. For the following season, "interim" was dropped from his title and served as the head coach until 1990, then had
another term from 92 to 95. In between, he had two years as an assistant with the parent club.
He joined the Los Angeles/Long Beach Ice Dogs of the IHL as their coach and GM for 95-96 and stayed with them until 2001.
He had a couple jobs in the WCHL (which is actually where the Ice Dogs shifted to after the 2000 season) until the Los
Angeles Kings hired him as an assistant in 2002.
The last team he coached was SC Bern in the Swiss League. He had been there a few seasons, but left them in March of 2009.
Probably for health reasons; I noticed that he suffered a heart attack just prior to the start of the 08-09 season.
| Entry Draft: 1972 First Round Pick (14th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playoff Statistics with the Franchise |
