Bruins Sweaters of the Past #11: Peter McNab

PETER McNAB

CENTER

BOSTON BRUINS 1976-77-1983-84

6'3", 210

Born: May 8, 1952 in Vancouver, British Columbia

Games Played: 595 Goals: 263 Assists: 324 Points: 587 PIM: 111

Peter McNab, a Denver University standout, came to Boston via the Buffalo Sabres on June 11, 1976 when his rights transferred as compensation for the Sabres signing Andre Savard away from the B's.

The son of former NHL player and GM Max McNab, he made an immediate impact with the B's in his first season, scoring 38 goals and 86 points in 80 games, finishing second to Jean Ratelle for the team lead in 1976-77.

He inherited Ken R. Hodge's No. 8 after Hodge was sent to the NY Rangers for Rick Middleton, and wore it with honor, becoming one of Boston's most consistent and productive goal scorers in seven full seasons during the Big, Bad Bruins era. McNab would go on to post 41 and and 40 goal seasons in 1978 and 1980, while hitting the 30-goal plateau in every full season with the B's except for 1982-83, when he scored 22 times. In 1983-84, he was dealt to the team of his birthplace, the Vancouver Canucks, in exchange for Jim Nill.

McNab was an outstanding postseason scorer for the B's, tallying 38 goals in 74 career playoff contests.

Nill and then John Carter would briefly wear No. 8 after McNab departed, but in June, 1986, Cam Neely came to town and the digit now hangs from the rafters in Neely's honor.

This sweater is a Stall & Dean size 54 home model worn by McNab between 1978 and 1980. It has heavy wear and use, with multiple team repairs, red dasher paint transfer and holes. The nameplate was removed at some point and not restored, but given the sweater's era, there is no doubt that McNab wore it. The Stall & Dean era from 1977-80, produced some of the finest Bruins sweaters available in the game-worn hobby.

Although McNab did not rack up a lot of penalty minutes in his Boston career, the abuse this sweater shows is a testament to the fact that he played the game tough and honest, spending a lot of time fighting for pucks along the boards and in front of the net.