Boston Bruins: Top 30 Draft Picks of All Time
23. Stan Jonathan – 1975 – 86th Overall
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Despite his size at 5’8” and 175 lbs, there may not have been a tougher pound-for-pound NHL enforcer than Stan Jonathan in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Jonathan was actually drafted 86th overall in the 5th round by Boston in 1975 for his combination of toughness and offensive skill as he put up 36 goals and 75 points in 70 games with 138 penalty minutes for the Peterborough Petes his draft year. He had another good year in the IHL before making the B’s full time in 1976-77 when he potted 17 goals and 30 points in 69 games and a modest 69 PIMs. He won the 7th Player Award the following year, netting 27 goals, 52 points and a plus-34 as a key part of Boston’s checking attack. But over the next few seasons his skills as a feared fighter began to emerge and overshadow other facets of his game.
Appropriately nicknamed “Bulldog”, Jonathan took on all comers including the toughest and sometimes much bigger heavyweights in a ‘rock ‘em, sock ‘em’ era of the league. He used his shorter height but stocky frame to his advantage, often ducking under opponents’ punches and launching with machine gun-like barrages of his own as well as using positioning and technique to take fighters down. He was vicious and quick, and would sometimes disappear in the shadow of a bigger fighter amid a blur of fists only to emerge the victor atop a bloodied opponent on the ice.
He served his role as fearless protector well in a much nastier time of the NHL, putting up highs of 208 penalty minutes in 1979-80 and 192 the following year while finishing his eight-year Boston career with 738 over 392 games. He still found time to contribute offensively, putting up a second 20-goal season in 1979-80 and finishing his B’s career with 91 goals and 198 points with another eight goals and 137 PIMs in 63 playoff games.
(Contributed by Matt Pueschel of Causeway Crowd)
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