From Hockey Star to Homeless - Derek Sanderson's Unbelievable Story!

[@GaryGaisunas-ub7xt]

I met Derek in spring of 1989 when he was representing or just telling his story around at various venues… Like high schools and junior high schools… I met him in the parking lot after I heard And I was a basket case trying to stay sober… And he stopped what he was doing and talk to me for an hour and it changed my life forever. I’ve been sober ever since and I just wanted to thank him for what he did for me his story one night

[@joanneogley4874]

I remember he was featured in a Canadian movie called face off, he was so handsome. I’m sure he just got caught up in the fame and fortune. Nice to know Bobby Orr helped him

[@richardgeorge3136]

He once said after signing that huge contract " I had enough money to buy the world a drink, and unfortunately they all showed up".😮

[@MtHockey]

My first NHL game was in St Louis, Bruins vs the Blues in 69-70. Sanderson got a penalty, and while he was in the box, a crazy fan had a rubber chicken on the end of a fishing pole line and started dangling it in the penalty box in front of Sanderson. Needless to say, Sanderson and the Bruins went into the stands after the guy with the rubber chicken. It was total mayhem. It was the greatest thing that I have ever seen, and I have been a fervent fan ever since.

[@iblockpuncheswithmyface1490]

Did Sanderson hit the guy with a shoe?

[@MtHockey]

@@iblockpuncheswithmyface1490 No shoes invovled (ala Mike Milbury), just a bunch of Bruins legends clambering up into the stands trying to get at some clown with a rubber chicken on the end of a fishing pole

[@jamesanthony5681]

Did they get the chicken?

[@MtHockey]

I honestly don't remember the fate of the chicken. I was sitting in the upper section on the opposite side of the penalty box at the old St. Louis Arena.@@jamesanthony5681

[@davidhill-fe5qq]

One of the first absolutley dominant defensive forwards.

[@jamesanthony5681]

That'd be Bob Gainey. Sanderson was good defensively, as were Keon and Lemaire, but let's not go overboard.

[@Spitnchicklets]

His time in Boston was a great one

[@karlschneider9479]

He was hilarious when he did color commentary. Loved him when he played here in Boston. He was the best face off man in the league.

[@snydedon9636]

He was also one of the best at winning face offs.

[@abntemplar82]

when i was a kid growing up about an hour out of Boston, i was and still am a huge Bruins fan. back then, if i wasn't trying to figure out how Bobby was skating, i was trying to figure out how Dereck won so many face offs. of course then i would find myself and started to watching Cheevers and Gilbert.

[@canucks4961]

lucky to have seen Orr play, as per myself he was better then Gretzky, and so was Mario L. So sick and tired of hearing about Gretzky.

[@loilt5091]

The Bruins were my team, before the Oilers joined the NHL; Espo was my favourite…Johnny Bucyk was from Edmonton, his brother lived in our neighborhood.

[@loilt5091]

@@canucks4961 I agree & having had a Dynasty season ticket, in Edmonton…Orr literally revolutionized his position, dominating the game from the blueline. Far more rounded than Wayne, too…Jari Kurri was easily, the most complete Oiler. Could you imagine the points a healthy Mario would’ve had, especially swapping teams with Gretzky⁉️

[@lazski5138]

1st player to sign a million dollar contract

[@jamesanthony5681]

Not sure about the timing, but Bobby Hull might have preceded him. Once Hull signed in 1972 with the Jets, a spate of NHL players jumped to the WHA.

[@seveglider8406]

Sanderson was a terrific 2 way player who could have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Sadly, he was his own worst enemy.

[@jamesanthony5681]

A bit of a stretch. He was talented and played both ways.

[@seveglider8406]

@@jamesanthony5681 Sanderson put up impressive numbers. He rarely played on the power and scored more than 200 goals in only 500 career games. ion he would have taken better c are of himself and played and played a longer career he may well have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Check out his career stats.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@seveglider8406 I know his numbers. He scored 80 NHL goals after turning 26. He was a good player on a great team (Bruins) , but not a superstar. A sportswriter wrote that Sanderson played his last good game when the Bruins won the Cup in '72. Some truth in that.

[@seveglider8406]

@@jamesanthony5681 Sanderson was no longer a Bruin after he turned 28. Sanderson had a 25 goal season for the Rangers and a 24 goal season for the Blues. He was one of the greatest penalty killers and face off artists ever and would have excelled in any era on any team. He averaged a goal for every 3 games he played and those are great numbers in any era, especially for a player who rarely played on the power play. His problem was he didn't take care of himself which led to his downfall and a shortened career.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@seveglider8406 He lacked discipline and got into a couple of fights with Terry O'Reilly while still on the Bruins. Not many coaches would have sanctioned his behavior, even with his talent. Harry Sinden was an exception, up to a certain point.

[@christopherhopkins949]

Best face off man in history.

[@loilt5091]

Read his actual bio, rather than using sensationalistic, click bait headlines 👎🏻 Bad photoshop editing, too… Sanderson owned a home, but was too proud to go there, while struggling with addiction, choosing to sleep on the streets. Both Bobby Orr & Derek Sanderson, were back-to-back Calder Trophy, rookie of the year winners with the Boston Bruins. In his prime, Derek was the most complete, 2-way player in the NHL; tough as nails, a faceoff monster, great defensive center & all kinds of offensive talent…on a team stacked with offence. He used to play the press, saying his pregame meal was a steak & a blonde. Derek was the highest paid athlete in the WORLD, for about a week, before the legendary Pele, topped him, signing with the NY Cosmos. Hungry for publicity, these were owners of the Philadelphia Blazers, during the maverick, WHA’s inaugural season.

[@jamesanthony5681]

The most complete 2-way player in the NHL??Not quite. Sanderson was good, but Dave Keon and Jacques Lemaire were better.

[@williamlacombe8958]

Sanderson for several yrs could have been a 1st line center on half the league.

[@jamesanthony5681]

When the league expanded to 12 teams in 1967 - Sanderson's rookie year when he won the Calder - that could've been true

[@austinnicholl8891]

Get an editor and proofreader to improve your content. Good luck with your future videos!

[@IcyPuck]

Thanx. Changed

[@goofygus6855]

Pummeling Gary Unger in Detroit on a NHL GOTW.

[@johnburns9634]

Joe Murphy was Rookie of the year, and won a ring with Edmonton. Today he’s homeless in Regina, Saskatchewan.

[@peterwarner5306]

Joe liv s in Kenora not. With his sister. If you need more info just ask

[@johnburns9634]

@@peterwarner5306 Dang! I trusted Wikipedia. And maybe Joe prefers it that way. Everyone’s trying to find him in Regina.

[@alicedee5540]

Derek was an original. Along with Joe Namath he practically invented the "cool factor" in pro sports.

[@eliotvishnevsky5019]

Poor guy!

[@patvandurme1227]

Homeless? Does he have his discussions about financial matters with Bobby Orr and other former players at his park bench covered by a tent? These sites are disgusting. No responsibility to have content match the headline! I’m a Habs fan and wasn’t keen on any Bruins player but No one deserves a headline like this, especially when you just make up crap. I got to think Donald Trump is the Editor-in-chief of a lot of these sites!!!!!

[@patvandurme1227]

Oh, one other thing. You guys use the term superstar like it means a guy can tie up his own skates. Currently, every team seems to have 10 superstars. I think they are called stars!

[@Frog-wq9pk]

His white skates

[@GassersGhost]

I was named after him. I just don't remember it. We are also both Derek Michael.

[@jln55]

Love the fake 'homeless' photo!

[@asher8261]

💦 Promo`SM

[@canucks4961]

You don't wish anybody bad luck and he turned it all around, but he was the worst broadcaster in NHL history, just a complete homer and a liar , to be honest he was a joke at his job.

[@tonypacheco2318]

I disagree , he was bias when it came to the fighting part , but as a commentator regarding the game Sanderson was spot on......

[@canucks4961]

@@tonypacheco2318 Give me a break, he was bias in every minute of the game, even would insult the opposing team, not calling what was really happening on the ice , that make him a complete idiot and a the two clowns they have there now are just as bad

[@tonypacheco2318]

@@canucks4961 The two clowns they have there now are the worst of the worst.....

[@Bruins-vq5ey]

Dick Irvin Ric jannaret Mickey Redmond Harry Neale Joe Bowen The list goes on and on

[@jamesanthony5681]

The worst broadcaster in NHL history?? That takes in quite a few people. I'd say it was Bill Mazur.

[@TedSmith-m4k]

The guy jumped to the wha inexusable to me. I have no respect for any nhler who did that for money.

[@patvandurme1227]

My other concern is that most of the other comments accept what your headline says and don’t challenge the crap!

[@millardhale85]

WOW!

[@DB-gr7ch]

The guy had lots of issues, but the fateful ones were his ego and greed. He left the Boston Bruins for the WHA for the much bigger payday. Then kharma stepped in, and changed his career to that of a journeyman playing in pain for rent money.

[@williamcavanagh8982]

I agree with your assessment but I'll say it in layman's terms...he had/has the look of a real creep.

[@DB-gr7ch]

​@@williamcavanagh8982 Great insight. And layman's terms is such a nice touch.

[@jamesanthony5681]

Greed? Philadelphia Blazers CAME to him and gave him that $2.5 million contract. Were Gerry Cheevers and Bobby Hull greedy as well? They jumped and who could blame them?

[@DB-gr7ch]

@@jamesanthony5681 Yes, greedy. All of them. Look it up....it's very clearly defined.