1979 NHL Draft
Rick Vaive in the 1979 NHL Draft
Vancouver Canucks selected Rick Vaive 5th overall in the 1979 NHL Draft.
It was the first of the 6 picks Vancouver Canucks made in the draft. Of the 126 players selected in 1979, 103 have played in the NHL regular season. His 876 games put him 24th in the class, but only 10 have scored more points than his 788.
- Overall pick
- 5
- Round and pick
- Round 1, pick 5
- Drafting team
- VANVancouver Canucks
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 20 years
The picks around it
Picks 2–8 in the 1979 draft
- 2Perry TurnbullC608 GP · 351 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 3Mike FolignoR1018 GP · 727 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 4Mike GartnerR1432 GP · 1335 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 5Rick VaiveR876 GP · 788 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 6Craig HartsburgD570 GP · 413 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 7Keith BrownD876 GP · 342 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 8Ray BourqueD1612 GP · 1579 PBOSBoston Bruins
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1979 class
5th
of 126 players selected
4th
of 75 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Rob RamageD1044 GP · 564 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 2Perry TurnbullC608 GP · 351 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 3Mike FolignoR1018 GP · 727 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 4Mike GartnerR1432 GP · 1335 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 5Rick VaiveR876 GP · 788 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 6Craig HartsburgD570 GP · 413 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 7Keith BrownD876 GP · 342 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 8Ray BourqueD1612 GP · 1579 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Laurie BoschmanC1009 GP · 577 PTORToronto Maple Leafs
- 10Tom McCarthyL460 GP · 399 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
+ 116 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Rick Vaive made his NHL debut on October 9, 1979, 61 days after the draft.
876
Games
441
Goals
347
Assists
788
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Vancouver Canucks picks in the 1979 draft
- 5Rick VaiveR876 GP · 788 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 26Brent AshtonL998 GP · 629 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 47Ken EllacottG12 GP · 2 WVANVancouver Canucks
- 68Arthur RutlandCVANVancouver Canucks
- 89Dirk GrahamR772 GP · 489 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 110Shane SwanDVANVancouver Canucks