Playing career

Steve "The Sarge" Vickers was drafted 10th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft after playing junior hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), for whom he was named a First Team league All-Star, Vickers spent a single season in the minor leagues with the Omaha Knights of the Central Hockey League before coming up to the Rangers in 1972.

Teamed on a line with centre Walt Tkaczuk and winger Bill Fairbairn that would be one of the 1970s' best two-way forward trios, Vickers finished with 30 goals and 23 assists for a total of 53 points and was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. He played the whole of his ten-year career for the Rangers, scoring thirty or more goals on four occasions and just missing on a fifth. He was later moved to the Rangers first line with Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle. Vickers' best season was 1975, when he scored 41 goals and was named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team. He remained effective until his final season, in which his effectiveness dropped sharply and finished the year in the minor leagues with the Springfield Indians, after which he retired.

Vickers finished his career with 246 goals and 340 assists for 586 points in 698 games, adding 330 penalty minutes. He was named to play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1975 and 1976. He made NHL history in 1972 when he became the first rookie, as well as the first New York Ranger, to ever to record hat tricks in consecutive games (November 12 versus the Los Angeles Kings and November 15 versus the Philadelphia Flyers). In February 1976, Vickers set the Rangers team record for most points in a game, with 7, against the Washington Capitals.

Legacy

• Ranked No. 18 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1968-69	Markham Waxers	MetJHL		36	43	40	83	—		—	—	—	—	—
1969-70	Toronto Marlboros	OHA-Jr.		52	28	38	66	23		11	5	5	10	5
1970-71	Toronto Marlboros	OHA-Jr.		62	43	64	107	51		13	8	12	20	5
1971-72	Omaha Knights	CHL		70	26	33	59	45		—	—	—	—	—
1972-73	New York Rangers	NHL		61	30	23	53	37		10	5	4	9	4
1973-74	New York Rangers	NHL		75	34	24	58	18		13	4	4	8	17
1974-75	New York Rangers	NHL		80	41	48	89	64		3	2	4	6	6
1975-76	New York Rangers	NHL		80	30	53	83	40		—	—	—	—	—
1976-77	New York Rangers	NHL		75	22	31	53	26		—	—	—	—	—
1977-78	New York Rangers	NHL		79	19	44	63	30		3	2	1	3	0
1978-79	New York Rangers	NHL		66	13	34	47	24		18	5	3	8	13
1979-80	New York Rangers	NHL		75	29	33	62	38		9	2	2	4	4
1980-81	New York Rangers	NHL		73	19	39	58	40		12	4	7	11	14
1981-82	New York Rangers	NHL		34	9	11	20	13		—	—	—	—	—
1981-82	Springfield Indians	AHL		20	4	6	10	14		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				698	246	340	586	330		68	24	25	49	58

[ Source: Wikipedia ]