Jimmy Watson (ice hockey player)

Jimmy Watson
Date of birth	19th August 1952
place of birth	Smithers , British Columbia , Canada
size	183 cm
Weight	86 kg
position	defender
Shot hand	Left
Draft
NHL Amateur Draft	1972 , 3rd lap, 39th position Philadelphia Flyers
Career stations
1968-1972	Calgary Centennials
1972-1982	Philadelphia Flyers

James Charles "Jimmy" Watson (born August 19, 1952 in Smithers , British Columbia ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player (defender) who played for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League from 1972 to 1982 . His older brother Joe was also a professional ice hockey player.

Career

During his junior years, Watson played with Mike Rogers , Danny Gare and Bob Nystrom for the Calgary Centennials in the WCHL . In the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft , the Philadelphia Flyers took him in the third round as 39.

After a year with the Richmond Robins in the American Hockey League , he made the leap to the Flyers at the end of the 1972/73 season . In the beginning his brother Joe, who was nine years his senior, helped him there . With his extraordinary will and his physical, intimidating style of play, he fit in very well with the "Broad Street Bullies" , as the Flyers called the rough legs. He and his team won the Stanley Cup twice in the mid-1970s . In the following years he was a regular participant in the NHL All-Star Game . Also at the Canada Cup 1976 he was in the selection of NHL players who represented Canada here and won the title.

In the 1978/79 season he went for the first time without his brother Joe, who had left the team. A year later he led the league in the plus / minus rating. In the 1980/81 season he suffered a back injury that prevented him from playing ice hockey for a long time. He returned to the Flyers squad for the following season and ended his career in the summer of 1982.

NHL statistics

	Seasons	Games	Gates	Assists	Points	Penalty minutes
Regular season	10	613	38	148	186	492
Playoffs	9	101	5	34	39	89

Sporting successes

• Stanley Cup : 1974 and 1975
• Canada Cup : 1976

Personal awards

• WCJHL First All-Star Team: 1972
• Leader of the plus / minus rating: 1980 together with Jim Schoenfeld (the NHL Plus / Minus Award has been given for this since 1983 )
• Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy : 1972
• Participation in the NHL All-Star Game : 1975 , 1976 , 1977 , 1978 and 1980

Web links

• Jimmy Watson at hockeydb.com (English)
• Jimmy Watson at legendsofhockey.net (English)