In 1981 Sports Illustrated put 17 year old Bobby Carpenter on it's cover. Labelling him as "The Can't Miss Kid," Carpenter was being billed as the best American born hockey player ever.Although he had a 50 goal season, Carpenter never really emerged as a superstar. But he became a very serviceable player over nearly 1200 games, reinventing himself as a defensive specialist later in his career.
You can read the original SI article here.
1 comment:
Bobby Carpenter was the greatest high school hockey player ever to lace up the skates in Massachusetts.
Evidently so he was the first to go straight from High School to the NHL. Only two months past his 18th Birthday he was playing in the best and toughest league in the world in 1981. When most kids his age were still in high school or doing a post grad year at prep school.
He Excelled, and became the first American to score 50 goals in 1984-1985.
Bobby opened the door for so many Americans to play in the NHL and also for them to go from HS to the Pros and for them to Earn Millions of dollars when Money began to be Doled out ! Bobby never earned those 10 million dollar contracts but should have.
Bobby also was a great defensive player. Winning two Stanley Cups with New Jersey.
Bobby accomplished it all , from such a young age and was the first to do so.
For all that Bobby Carpenter has accomplished he should be awarded his Rightful Spot in the NHL Hall of Fame. Sooner than Later.
I had the pleasure to see him play his senior year , it was awesome !
Billy Statkiewicz
Stoughton, Massachusetts.
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