Brian Lawton

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size=
played_for = Minnesota North Stars
New York Rangers
Hartford Whalers
Quebec Nordiques
Boston Bruins
San Jose Sharks
position = Left Wing
shot = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 180
nickname =
nationality = USA
birth_date = Birth date and age|1965|1|29|mf=y
birth_place = New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
draft = 1st overall
draft_year = 1983
draft_team = Minnesota North Stars
career_start = 1983
career_end = 1993

Brian R. Lawton (born June 29, 1965 in New Brunswick, New Jersey and raised in Cumberland, Rhode Island) is the current director of hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was also a former professional ice hockey player and player agent who played 483 games in the NHL between 1983 and 1992. During his career, Lawton played for the North Stars, New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks.

Playing career

He was drafted number one overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. A graduate of Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, RI, Lawton is noted for being the first US-born hockey player drafted first overall in the NHL draft. He was also the first and, as of 2007, only US high school hockey player to be drafted first overall.

Lawton was ranked by NHL Central Scouting Bureau as No. 1 overall prospect for the 1983 NHL draft, and despite a reasonable NHL career that included 266 career points in 483 games, he is considered to be one of the biggest draft busts in NHL history. This is mainly in part because he was drafted ahead of players such as Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely, Tom Barrasso and Pat LaFontaine. Being the first U.S. born player to be drafted first overall was a curse that followed Lawton throughout his NHL career. Canadian born players regularly targeted him for abuse, hampering his ability to develop his skills in the league. Even his own teammates would take runs at him during practice. Lawton developed a reputation as a player afraid to fight for the puck in the corners, presumably avoiding the physical abuse that awaited him.

In international hockey, Lawton played for the United States national team in the 1983 and 1987 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments as well as the 1984 Canada Cup.

After retiring in 1993, Lawton went on to become a highly successful player agent representing NHL talent such as Mike Modano and R.J. Umberger. ^{[http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/292233]}

Career statistics

ee also

*List of NHL players
*List of AHL seasons
*List of NHL seasons

References

* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1983/83001.html Brian Lawton's hockeydraftcentral.com bio]
* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10911 Brian Lawton's legendsofhockey bio]
*hockeydb|3021