Draft Memories: Tabobondung's Awkward Debut

Now they didn't have live television coverage or intense media scrutiny or sold out crowds for the NHL draft in 1981 like they do nowadays. That's a good thing for Barry Tabobondung, who certainly made an unforgetable entrance into the National Hockey League.

The left winger was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round. He was in such a hurry to get down to the Flyers' table that he thought he would just climb over some of the folding seats rather than walk all the way around.

Bad idea. Somehow Tabobondung got his foot stuck in one of the seats. Several people tried to help him set his foot free, but it took a carpenter to saw the chair apart.

"Hawk" Tabobondung was a full blooded Ojibway Indian from Bobby Orr's hometown in Parry Sound, Ontario.  He played defense most of his youth, but after not getting drafted in 1980 he converted to left wing. He never played in the National Hockey League.

Sadly Tabobondung died in in 2000, though he was a hero in doing so.He was driving a road grader with his 8 year old son when the son somehow fell out of the cab. Tabobondung jumped out to prevent the heavy machine from running over his son. In doing so he himself was killed. His son suffered a broken leg but survived.

Tabobondung was a well respected member of the Wasauksing First Nation, where he served as a councilor and minor hockey coach.