Bruins Fans Will Love How Fierce Nevin Markwart Was His Rookie Season

BOSTON — There is something to be said about the toughness of National Hockey League players — especially old-timers from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

When Nevin Markwart was selected by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, he wasn’t at full strength.

“In January of my draft year, I hurt my left shoulder and missed the rest of the season,” Markwart told reporters before the Bruins-Canadiens game on Saturday. “I was rated eighth overall in the draft, and I ended up being picked 21st overall by the Bruins.”

Markwart remembered his first trip to Boston after the draft came with a tour of the old Boston Garden with then-Bruins general manager Harry Sinden.

“He takes me down the spiral staircase into what they called the workout room,” Markwart explained. “Harry was incredibly proud of it. (…) He goes, ‘Why don’t you jump over there and jump into that machine, try it out.’ I put my arms up, and I go to lift the machine and (…) I couldn’t budge (my left) arm. Harry looked at me, he goes, ‘Machine must be screwed up. Come on let’s keep going,'”

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His shoulder was not the only ailment Markwart suffered during his rookie year. The then-18-year-old rookie missed the last two games of the regular, season with an injury that landed him on crutches.

“In game 78, we were playing at home, and I was right near the other team’s net,” Markwart said. “Somebody pushed me, and I fell and caught my ankle on the post. And in our day, the posts didn’t move. They were anchored right down to the ground, and I hyper-extended my right knee. I tore my ACL ligament like 50%.”

The Bruins finished the season first overall that year and began the playoffs with home-ice advantage. Boston’s first-round opponent of the postseason was none other than the Montreal Canadiens.

“Back in those days, the first round was best out of five, not seven and we were first in the Adams Division,” Markwart explained. “So, one played eight, and guess who was eighth? Montreal.”

The Bruins hosted the Canadiens at the Boston Garden for the first two games and dropped both games. Markwart missed the games due to his ACL, but Sinden had other plans for Game 3.

“We’re out at Logan airport, and I’m basically walking across the tarmac into our plane with my crutches,” Markwart said. “And Harry Sinden comes up behind me and kind of taps me on the shoulder, ‘Nevi, you’re in the game tomorrow.’ I looked at him. I got crutches. I can’t walk, and I said, ‘Harry, I can’t even walk.’

“He looks at me and goes, ‘We’re playing Montreal, and you’re playing.’ So, after a few needles in the knee, I went out and played that game. Unfortunately, we lost.”

Markwart and the Bruins would defeat the Canadiens for the first time in 45 years in the 1988 playoffs en route to a matchup with the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.

“During my career, we had two chances to win the Stanley Cup,” Markwart said. “Both times against Edmonton and unfortunately, they had a dynasty back in those days.”

The retired left wing suited up in 299 games for the Black and Gold, lighting the lamp 39 times and adding 67 helpers. He retired following the 1991-92 season after eight years in the NHL.