From Cradle to Cup will be a series running throughout July 2013
looking back at players on the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks roster for their
Stanley Cup-winning campaign. Part 23 looks at all-around strong center Dave Bolland.
Dave "The Rat" Bolland, was born on June 5th, 1986, in Mimico, Ontario. He began his playing career in 2000-2001 with the Toronto Red Wings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, where he scored seventy-nine goals and sixty-seven assists in ninety-five games played. Bolland played a shorter schedule in 2001-2002, recording thirty-five goals and thirty-five assists in thirty-six assists for the Red Wings. During his time, he guided the Red Wings to an OHL Bantam championship. During the Ontario Hockey League selection process, Bolland was picked by the London Knights. Bolland joined the Knights in 2002-2003, scoring only seven goals and ten assists in sixty-four games, followed by two goals and an assist in fourteen playoff games. His role expanded in 2003-2004, when he posted a line of thirty-seven goals and thirty assists in sixty-five regular season games, in addition to three goals and ten assists in fifteen playoff games. In the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Bolland was selected early in the second round as a Chicago Blackhawks pick. Bolland again improved in 2004-2005, to the tune of thirty-four goals and fifty-one assists in only sixty-six games played. The Knights were again in the playoffs, and Bolland supplied another eleven goals and fourteen assists in eighteen games, helping to guide the Knights to an OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup berth. In four games during the Memorial Cup, he added one goal and two assists, which helped the Knights secure the Memorial Cup. Other players of note on the Knights team include Marc Methot, Dan Girardi, Brandon Prust, Rob Schremp, and Corey Perry, as well as coach Dale Hunter. In addition, Bolland was an OHL all-star for the season. Bolland continued to show growth in his fourth and final season in London, potting fifty-seven goals and seventy-three assists in fifty-nine games, a nutty 130 points altogether. In the playoffs, he kept a high points pace with fifteen goals and nine assists in fifteen games. For his efforts, he was named a First Team All-Star and received the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the right winger with the highest point total. In 2006-2007, Bolland turned professional, being assigned to the Norfolk Admirals, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Blackhawks. In sixty-five games, Bolland had a respectable seventeen goals and thirty-two assists, as well as four assists in six playoff games. He played in one NHL game, against the Vancouver Canucks, but went without a point. Bolland followed the change in AHL affiliates to begin the 2007-2008 season playing for the Rockford IceHogs. In sixteen games, Bolland notched six goals and four assists, but was pointless in seven postseason games. He joined the Blackhawks in thirty-nine games during the year as well, and had four goals and thirteen assists. His pesky playing style earned him the nickname of the Rat, with his ability to get under opponents' skins being a primary reason for the moniker. Bolland stuck in the NHL for 2008-2009, appearing in eighty-one games with a line of nineteen goals and twenty-eight assists. He also had four goals and twelve assists in seventeen playoff games. Bolland was limited in playing time with injuries during the 2009-2010 season, scoring just six goals and ten assists in thirty-nine games, but blossomed in the playoffs with eight goals and eight assists during all twenty-two games of the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup run. Bolland survived the salary purge after the 2010 Cup victory and remained with Chicago for 2010-2011, where he showed up to score fifteen goals and twenty-two assists in only sixty-one games, another low total for the oft-injured Bolland. In the playoffs, he supplied another two goals and four assists in six games. He showed improved durability in 2011-2012, playing seventy-six games while scoring nineteen goals and eighteen assists, followed by a postseason with three assists in six games. Bolland chose not to play during the 2012 lockout, and appeared in thirty-three of forty-eight games in the truncated 2013 season, with a line of seven goals and seven assists. In the playoffs, his contributions continued to be modest through the first twenty-two games, with only two goals and three assists. With only fifty-nine seconds left in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and just seventeen seconds after teammate Bryan Bickell tied the game, Bolland made a big contribution. Bolland snuck the second of two quick goals past Tuukka Rask to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, and as the final minute ticked down, the goal not only clinched the Stanley Cup but also etched itself into the record books. This was the latest in regulation time a Stanley Cup winning goal had ever been scored. While having been a vital part of both Blackhawks' Stanley Cup championships in 2010 and 2013, Bolland was unable to survive this salary purge, as his slightly declining statistics and questionable durability were traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second and fourth round pick in 2013 as well as an additional fourth round pick in 2014 at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Dave "The Rat" Bolland, was born on June 5th, 1986, in Mimico, Ontario. He began his playing career in 2000-2001 with the Toronto Red Wings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, where he scored seventy-nine goals and sixty-seven assists in ninety-five games played. Bolland played a shorter schedule in 2001-2002, recording thirty-five goals and thirty-five assists in thirty-six assists for the Red Wings. During his time, he guided the Red Wings to an OHL Bantam championship. During the Ontario Hockey League selection process, Bolland was picked by the London Knights. Bolland joined the Knights in 2002-2003, scoring only seven goals and ten assists in sixty-four games, followed by two goals and an assist in fourteen playoff games. His role expanded in 2003-2004, when he posted a line of thirty-seven goals and thirty assists in sixty-five regular season games, in addition to three goals and ten assists in fifteen playoff games. In the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Bolland was selected early in the second round as a Chicago Blackhawks pick. Bolland again improved in 2004-2005, to the tune of thirty-four goals and fifty-one assists in only sixty-six games played. The Knights were again in the playoffs, and Bolland supplied another eleven goals and fourteen assists in eighteen games, helping to guide the Knights to an OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup berth. In four games during the Memorial Cup, he added one goal and two assists, which helped the Knights secure the Memorial Cup. Other players of note on the Knights team include Marc Methot, Dan Girardi, Brandon Prust, Rob Schremp, and Corey Perry, as well as coach Dale Hunter. In addition, Bolland was an OHL all-star for the season. Bolland continued to show growth in his fourth and final season in London, potting fifty-seven goals and seventy-three assists in fifty-nine games, a nutty 130 points altogether. In the playoffs, he kept a high points pace with fifteen goals and nine assists in fifteen games. For his efforts, he was named a First Team All-Star and received the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the right winger with the highest point total. In 2006-2007, Bolland turned professional, being assigned to the Norfolk Admirals, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Blackhawks. In sixty-five games, Bolland had a respectable seventeen goals and thirty-two assists, as well as four assists in six playoff games. He played in one NHL game, against the Vancouver Canucks, but went without a point. Bolland followed the change in AHL affiliates to begin the 2007-2008 season playing for the Rockford IceHogs. In sixteen games, Bolland notched six goals and four assists, but was pointless in seven postseason games. He joined the Blackhawks in thirty-nine games during the year as well, and had four goals and thirteen assists. His pesky playing style earned him the nickname of the Rat, with his ability to get under opponents' skins being a primary reason for the moniker. Bolland stuck in the NHL for 2008-2009, appearing in eighty-one games with a line of nineteen goals and twenty-eight assists. He also had four goals and twelve assists in seventeen playoff games. Bolland was limited in playing time with injuries during the 2009-2010 season, scoring just six goals and ten assists in thirty-nine games, but blossomed in the playoffs with eight goals and eight assists during all twenty-two games of the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup run. Bolland survived the salary purge after the 2010 Cup victory and remained with Chicago for 2010-2011, where he showed up to score fifteen goals and twenty-two assists in only sixty-one games, another low total for the oft-injured Bolland. In the playoffs, he supplied another two goals and four assists in six games. He showed improved durability in 2011-2012, playing seventy-six games while scoring nineteen goals and eighteen assists, followed by a postseason with three assists in six games. Bolland chose not to play during the 2012 lockout, and appeared in thirty-three of forty-eight games in the truncated 2013 season, with a line of seven goals and seven assists. In the playoffs, his contributions continued to be modest through the first twenty-two games, with only two goals and three assists. With only fifty-nine seconds left in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and just seventeen seconds after teammate Bryan Bickell tied the game, Bolland made a big contribution. Bolland snuck the second of two quick goals past Tuukka Rask to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, and as the final minute ticked down, the goal not only clinched the Stanley Cup but also etched itself into the record books. This was the latest in regulation time a Stanley Cup winning goal had ever been scored. While having been a vital part of both Blackhawks' Stanley Cup championships in 2010 and 2013, Bolland was unable to survive this salary purge, as his slightly declining statistics and questionable durability were traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second and fourth round pick in 2013 as well as an additional fourth round pick in 2014 at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
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