Details:

One of Nova Scotia’s all-time greatest hockey players, Glen Murray was raised in the Bridgewater, Nova Scotia area and played junior hockey for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Murray was a first-round draft pick, 18th overall by the Bruins in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Murray went on to have a stellar 16-year career, playing in 1,009 regular season games and 94 playoff games with Boston, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.

Murray enjoyed his greatest offensive season in 2002–03, scoring 92 points (44 goals and 48 assists) for the Bruins and earning a spot in the 2003 NHL All-Star Game. He accumulated 651 regular season points, putting him in sixth place for points scored by a Nova Scotian in the history of the NHL. The two-time all-star also played in two World Championships (1998 and 2004), winning gold in 2004.

 

Annual Program Induction Article

By Katherine Wooler

What got Glen Murray into hockey?

“Growing up in Canada,” he says.

Glen grew to be one of our province’s all-time hockey greats, spending 16 vears in the NHL after being a first-round draft pick, and achieving the second-highest-ever points record for a Nova Scotian.

He started out in minor hockey with the Bridgewater Hawks, scoring 50 goals and 56 assists during his final season with the midget team. Glen was then recruited to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) when he was 15 vears old.

He admits that he had little to no

previous knowledge of the OHL and says that it was challenging to move to Sudbury, be away from home, and compete against players who were four-to-five years older.

Three seasons later, in 1991, Glen was drafted 18th overall by the Boston Bruins. He still feels a great sense of accomplishment just from being drafted to the NHI after coming from a small town like Bridgewater.

“It was a surreal moment, graduating that year and getting drafted,” he says.

Despite having come to Canada from Scotland without any background in the sport, Glen’s parents were very supportive of his hockey career. He credits them for teaching him the value of hard work.

“You have to have the work ethic.” he advises young NHL hopefuls. “A lot of players have the talent, but if you don’t have the work ethic and dedication you won’t make it.”

Glen’s dedication earned him a place as a right-winger in the NHL from 1992 to 2008, playing for Boston, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings. During his impressive career, he played in 1,009 regular-season games and 94 playoff games, amassing 651 and 42 points respectively.

Glen’s game did not slow down as his career progressed. In fact, his best offensive season was his 12th, one year after he left the Kings to rejoin the Bruins in 2001. That season he had 44 goals and 48 assists for a total of 92 points.

He says he owes his highest scoring season to the chemistry between him and his fellow players.

“You can’t do anything like that without great teammates.”

A fan favourite and a mentor to other players, Glen played in two NHL All-Star games one in

Florida in 2003 and one the next year in Minnesota.

Also a member of Team Canada for the 1998 and 2004 World Championships, he recalls the energetic atmosphere and the excitement of the fans when he helped bring home gold in 2004 with two goals and two assists.

Plagued by nagging injuries, Glen retired in 2008 at age 36 and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Katie, and their three children. He currently coaches the Los Angeles Jr. Kings hockey team, which includes his eight-year-old son.

“I love to teach what I feel is the right way to learn the game and respect the game,” he says.