Dwight Foster (ice hockey)

Dwight Foster
Dwight Foster
Born	2 April 1957 (age 69); Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	6 January 2025 (aged 67)
Occupation	Professional ice hockey player
Years active	1977–1987
Known for	NHL forward for Boston Bruins, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings

Dwight Alexander Foster (April 2, 1957 – January 6, 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey athlete. Selected 16th overall in the first round of the 1977 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, he later played for the Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, and Detroit Red Wings before ending his career in 1987 due to knee injuries.

Amateur career

Originating from Toronto, Ontario, Foster participated in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in both 1968 and 1969 while representing local Toronto minor teams.

During his tenure with the Kitchener Rangers, Foster led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring and was regarded as a top prospect for the 1977 NHL Draft. The New York Islanders considered drafting him at 15th overall but ultimately selected future Hall of Famer Mike Bossy instead. Despite Foster’s OHL scoring achievements, he was viewed primarily as a defensively responsible forward with modest offensive capabilities. In contrast, Bossy was known for his scoring prowess but less so for physical play. Islanders coach Al Arbour persuaded general manager Bill Torrey to choose Bossy, reasoning that teaching offensive skills was easier than developing defensive acumen.

Following this, Boston drafted Foster, who also contributed to Team Canada’s silver medal performance at that year’s IIHF World U20 Championship.

Boston Bruins

Foster’s NHL journey started promisingly with a goal in his debut game; however, it was abruptly halted after only 14 games due to a left knee cartilage injury that ended his season. The subsequent year saw him split time between the Bruins (44 games) and their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans (22 games). Although coach Don Cherry showed limited confidence in him, Foster took part in all 11 playoff matches that season, mostly in a limited role, including a brief appearance during the Game 7 semifinal defeat against Montreal. After fluctuating between NHL and AHL rosters for three seasons, Foster established himself as a regular player in 1980–81, tallying 24 goals and 52 points while centering top scorer Rick Middleton and winger Stan Jonathan. He departed Boston the following summer by signing as a free agent with the Colorado Rockies.

Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils

As part of the compensation for acquiring Foster, Colorado traded their second-round pick in 1982 and an option to exchange first-round picks to Boston. This arrangement proved costly when Colorado finished last in the standings, allowing Boston to claim the first overall pick used to draft Gord Kluzak. Foster’s output declined during his time with Colorado due to shoulder and groin injuries; his goal total dropped by half compared to the previous season, and his 31 points ranked eighth on the team. After the franchise relocated and became the New Jersey Devils, Foster appeared in only four games before being traded to Detroit for one US dollar.

Detroit Red Wings

Injuries continued to hamper Foster during his stint with Detroit; nevertheless, he scored 17 goals in his initial season despite appearing in just 58 games—the highest number of games he played with the Red Wings—while battling shoulder and knee issues. Late in his fourth season there, Foster was traded back to Boston in exchange for Dave Donnelly.

Second stint with Boston

Foster participated in 13 contests for the Bruins during the 1985–86 campaign, concluding the season without registering a goal but adding two points over three playoff appearances. In the subsequent 1986–87 season, he netted four goals across 47 games before undergoing surgery due to another knee injury. After the Bruins chose not to extend a contract offer for the 1987–88 season, Foster decided to retire, having accumulated a total of 274 points in 541 NHL matches.

Personal life

Foster was a father to four children: Dwayne, Peter, Alex, and Genevieve. Among them, Alex followed a path into professional ice hockey, while Peter secured a scholarship to the United States Air Force Academy and served as a goaltender for the Air Force Falcons over four seasons. Foster passed away on 6 January 2025 at the age of 67.

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1973–74	Kitchener Rangers	OHA	67	23	32	55	61	—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Kitchener Rangers	OMJHL	70	39	51	90	88	—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Kitchener Rangers	OMJHL	61	36	58	94	110	8	4	6	10	28
1976–77	Kitchener Rangers	OMJHL	64	60	83	143	88	3	2	4	6	2
1977–78	Boston Bruins	NHL	14	2	1	3	6	—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Rochester Americans	AHL	3	0	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Boston Bruins	NHL	44	11	13	24	14	11	1	3	4	0
1978–79	Rochester Americans	AHL	21	11	18	29	8	—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Boston Bruins	NHL	57	10	28	38	42	9	3	5	8	2
1979–80	Binghamton Dusters	AHL	7	1	3	4	2
1980–81	Boston Bruins	NHL	77	24	28	52	62	3	1	1	2	0
1981–82	Colorado Rockies	NHL	70	12	19	31	41	—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Wichita Wind	CHL	2	0	1	1	2	—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	New Jersey Devils	NHL	4	0	0	0	2	—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	58	17	22	39	58	—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	52	9	12	21	50	3	0	1	1	0
1984–85	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	50	16	16	32	56	3	0	0	0	0
1985–86	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	55	6	12	18	48	—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Boston Bruins	NHL	13	0	0	0	4	3	0	2	2	2
1986–87	Boston Bruins	NHL	47	4	12	16	37	3	0	0	0	0
NHL totals			541	111	163	274	420	35	5	12	17	4

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1977	Canada	WJC		7	2	5	7	4
Junior totals				7	2	5	7	4

Team records

1976–77: Highest points total – Kitchener Rangers (143)
1976–77: Leading assists – Kitchener Rangers (83)
Career points leader – Kitchener Rangers (382)
Single-game highest goals – Kitchener Rangers 1976–77 (5)

External links