Ivan Boldirev

Ivan Boldirev, born August 15, 1949, was a Serbia-born Canadian professional ice hockey player. Born in Zrenjanin, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), he emigrated to Canada with his family when he was two and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He began his junior career with his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League before moving to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1967-68. Boston selected him with the first pick, 11th overall, in the 1969 NHL amateur draft. Boldirev went on to play 15 seasons and over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League from 1970 through 1985. He reached the 1982 Stanley Cup Final with the Vancouver Canucks. During his career he was regarded as one of the sport's best stickhandlers.