Fan favorite Derek Sanderson spent the majority of his distinguished National Hockey League career as a member of the Boston Bruins. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, “Turk”, as he was known to his teammates, was among the most popular players in the game and a national sports icon.
Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Sanderson debuted for the Bruins in 1967 and immediately made an impact. The winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year, with 24 goals and 25 assists. As an imperative member of the 1970 team, Sanderson’s pass led to Bobby Orr’s Stanley Cup-winning shot, which is infamously known as “The Goal”. Sanderson won another championship with the Bruins in 1972 cementing his place in Boston sports history. Known as an elite face-off man as well as one of the top penalty killers in the game, he also spent time with the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and the Pittsburgh Penguins in his career.
Sanderson retired from playing in 1978, but has continued to have a successful career. He spent 10 years as a hockey broadcaster for New England Sports Network, before taking a job with State Street Global Advisors. There he was the Director of the Sports Investment Group, providing professional financial advice to athletes. Sanderson is also involved in various charities and makes appearances to support their causes.
Sanderson retired in 1978 and wrote an autobiography, Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of a Hockey Original, in 2012. The book is a compelling read. A story that goes from a spur-of-the-moment cash purchase of a Rolls-Royce to sleeping under a bridge and stealing bottles of booze is hard to put down, chronicling the good, bad and the ugly of his personal life.