Murray Oliver was a success throughout his hockey career when it came to the regular season. However, he never found himself on a legitimate playoff team and never won a championship through the juniors, minor pro and NHL, a span of more than 20 years.
Murray Oliver – Junior and Minor Pro
Oliver played parts of five years for his hometown Hamilton Tiger Cubs in the OHA Junior ‘A’. The Tiger Cubs are the ancestors of the present day Erie Otters. Over his time with Hamilton, Murray played 150 regular season games, scoring 57 goals and assisting on 114 for 171 points.
1957-58 was Oliver’s breakout season in the OHA. He scored 34 and assisted on 56 for 90 points over 52 games. He was the team leader in each category. In the league, he placed seventh in goal scoring and second for assists. In the race for the Eddie Powers Trophy for most points, Murray placed third, nine behind leader John McKenzie of the St. Catherine’s Teepees and 12 ahead of Stan Mikita, also of the Teepees. For his efforts, Oliver was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s MVP.
The following year was Oliver’s only full year in the minors. He played 64 games in 1958-59 for the Edmonton Flyers of the WHL. Murray scored 33 and assisted on 34 for 67 points as a rookie, leading the team in goals and points. He placed tenth in the WHL for points. It was not a star-studded team but in net was future NHL mainstay goaltender Ed Johnston.
In 1959-60, Oliver played 16 more games with the Flyers before being called up to the National Hockey League to play for the Detroit Red Wings. He would never play another game in the minors.
Murray Oliver – NHL Career
Murray saw his first NHL action in 1957-58 while still a junior with the Tiger Cubs. He appeared a single game with the Red Wings, assisting on one goal.
Murray Oliver Collection
Over his NHL career, Oliver played 1,127 regular season games, scoring 274 and assisting on 454 for 728 points. After the 2013-14 NHL season, Murray remains tied for 151st for most all-time games played with Bernie Nicholls. They were passed by Ed Jovanovski this year and Saku Koivu ended the season just three games behind. Hal Gill, Derek Morris and Vincent Lecavalier are each around 20 games from overtaking the two hockey legends.
Oliver played in the NHL between 1957-58 and 1974-75 with the Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Minnesota North Stars. Despite the lengthy career, Murray played in just 35 Stanley Cup playoff games, adding 25 points. 25 of those 35 playoff games came near the end of his career with the North Stars. Between 1960-61 and 1967-68, Oliver played on teams that did not qualify for the post season.
Despite playing on less than stellar teams in Boston during the 1960’s, Oliver was a shining light that put up great numbers. Over his career, Murray was a five time 20 goal scorer. In 1962-63 with the Bruins, his 40 assists tied him for eighth in the NHL with Red Kelly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. His 62 points tied him for ninth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks.
The following year, 1963-64, Oliver cracked the top ten with his 24 goals, tying for ninth with Dave Balon of the Canadiens, along with Rod Gilbert and Phil Goyette of the Rangers. He once again tied with Bobby Hull, this time for sixth with 44 assists. His 68 points were good for seventh in the league.
1965-66, the numbers were diminishing and his days in Boston were numbered. Still, Murray finished sixth in the league with 42 assists and tenth in the NHL with 60 points.
On May 15, 1967, Oliver was dealt straight up from the Bruins to the Maple Leafs for Eddie Shack. Toronto had just won the Stanley Cup for the last time in franchise history and would not reach the post season in Murray’s first year with the club.
Oliver ended his career with the Minnesota North Stars. In 1970-71, he came as close to a Stanley Cup championship as it would get. Murray played 12 games in the playoffs as the North Stars reached the semi-finals before falling in six games to the Montreal Canadiens.
Later, after his retirement as a player, Oliver would rejoin the North Stars in a coaching capacity. He was the assistant coach from 1978-79 to 1985-86. In 1982-83, he replaced Glen Sonmor as head coach mid-season and coached Minnesota to a 17-12-7 finish to the year. The North Stars lost in the quarter-finals to the Blackhawks.
Murray Oliver – Rookie Card
The Murray Oliver rookie card appears as number 22 in the 1960-61 Parkhurst set. The card is valued at 33% more than a common card and Oliver is shown with the Detroit Red Wings. He would be sent midseason 1960-61 from the Red Wings to the Boston Bruins.
The 1960-61 Parkhurst set consists of 61 hockey cards, highlighted by Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard and Jacques Plante. The top rookie cards belong to Oliver and John McKenzie.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1953-54 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | OHA | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1954-55 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | OHA | 39 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 19 |
| 1955-56 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | OHA | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1956-57 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | OHA | 52 | 17 | 42 | 59 | 20 |
| 1957-58 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs | OHA | 52 | 34 | 56 | 90 | 37 |
| 1957-58 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958-59 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 64 | 33 | 34 | 67 | 35 |
| 1959-60 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 16 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 6 |
| 1959-60 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 54 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 16 |
| 1960-61 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 46 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 12 |
| 1960-61 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 24 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 4 |
| 1961-62 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 17 | 29 | 46 | 20 |
| 1962-63 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 22 | 40 | 62 | 38 |
| 1963-64 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 24 | 44 | 68 | 41 |
| 1964-65 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 30 |
| 1965-66 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 18 | 42 | 60 | 30 |
| 1966-67 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 16 |
| 1967-68 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 74 | 16 | 21 | 37 | 18 |
| 1968-69 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 14 | 36 | 50 | 16 |
| 1969-70 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 14 | 33 | 47 | 16 |
| 1970-71 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 61 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 8 |
| 1971-72 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 77 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 16 |
| 1972-73 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 75 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 10 |
| 1973-74 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 78 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 4 |
| 1974-75 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 80 | 19 | 15 | 34 | 24 |
| NHL Totals | 1127 | 274 | 454 | 728 | 319 |