Rick Vaive

Rick Vaive (born Richard Claude Vaive on May 14, 1959) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.

He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to 1992 and is best remembered as the first 50-goal scorer in the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.

Playing Career
Rick was selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft after a stellar junior hockey career with the Sherbrooke Castors.

His professional career (which began in the WHA with the Birmingham Bulls) lasted from 1978 until 1992.

In 1980, the Canucks traded Rick (along with Bill Derlago) to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dave "Tiger" Williams and Jerry Butler.

In Toronto, Rick and Derlago were teamed with Pat Hickey and Derlago became Vaive's setup man.

He scored prolifically with the Leafs, becoming the first 50-goal scorer in franchise history, surpassing that threshold three times.

He recorded 54 goals in 1981–82, 51 goals in 1982–83 and 52 goals in 1983–84. He also served as captain of the Maple Leafs from 1982 to 1986.

Rick was stripped of his captaincy during the 1985-86 NHL season for missing a morning practice. He was a late cut from the 1984 Canada Cup team.

Rick's trade from Toronto along with Steve Thomas & Bob McGill to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Al Secord & Ed Olczyk before the 1987 season was one of several lamentable trades arranged by team owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s.

He netted 43 goals in his first season in Chicago, but would never manage more than 31 in a season after that.

Rick spent 4 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring as a member of the AHL's Hamilton Canucks in 1993.

Coaching Career
Rick had a career as a professional hockey coach in the East Coast Hockey League and the American Hockey League after his retirement from the NHL, serving as a head coach in 1993 with the expansion South Carolina Stingrays, winning two division titles (1995 and 1997), a conference championship (1997).

Under his watch, he became the first ECHL coach in history to win both the Brabham Cup and Kelly Cup in the same season in the 1996–97 season.

He served one season with the Mississauga Ice Dogs before Don Cherry took over as head coach.

Personal Life
Rick was born in Ottawa, Ontario, but grew up in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

He currently hosts various shows on Leafs TV (an MLSE-run property focusing on the Toronto Maple Leafs).

His son, Justin Vaive was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

On July 14, 2009, Rick was found not guilty of impaired driving despite a positive breathanalyzer test given by police.