PHOTO CREDITS: (goaliearchives.com)
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
Happy 61st Birthday to Former Boston Bruins Goalie Marco Baron!!
Marco Baron was born on April 8th, 1959 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He started his junior career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) at the age of sixteen with the Montreal Juniors. Baron played four seasons with the Juniors up until the 1978-79 season. He can be considered to be one of the best goalies to play on the Montreal Juniors, holding the all-time record in franchise wins (92), franchise shutouts (6), and franchise games played (192).
During his time in the QMJHL, Baron had a 92-62-21 record, with his best season coming in his last where he finished with a 37-17-13 record along with a .877 save percentage and a 3.80 goals-against-average to pair with his three shutouts. Additionally, Baron was named to the QMJHL All-Star Second Team in 1977-78.
Being from Montreal, Baron wanted to be drafted by his hometown Canadiens, but instead, was drafted 99th Overall (5th Round) in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. Baron did not join the Bruins immediately, instead of playing with the Grand Rapids Owls in the IHL (International Hockey League).
Marco Baron’s NHL debut has a place in NHL history as well. On January 10th, 1980, both Gerry Cheevers (knee) and Gilles Gilbert (flu) were injured so rookie goalies Jim Stewart and Marco Baron played the game for Boston against the St. Louis Blues. Stewart struggled in net, so Baron replaced him following the first period, allowing two goals on thirteen shots in a 7-4 loss. As of March 29th, 2018, that duo is one of three NHL teams where two goalies each made their NHL debut in the same game (NJD in ’86/’87 and CHI in ’17/’18).
Throughout the next three seasons, Baron played a combined 64 games for the Boston Bruins, amassing 31 wins, 23 losses, and five ties/overtime losses to add onto his .866 save percentage and 3.41 goals-against-average and one shutout that came in the 1981-82 campaign. On January 3rd, 1984, the Boston Bruins traded Baron to the Los Angeles Kings for right-wing Bob LaForest who failed to play a single game with the Bruins.
In Los Angeles, Baron had a measly 3-14-4 record with a 4.31 GAA and a .863 SV%. Following his only season with the Kings in 1983-84, he was signed as a free agent by the Edmonton Oilers where he only played only part of a single game, allowing two goals on nine shots. After his NHL career ended in 1985, Baron played a few seasons in Switzerland, but never put up stellar numbers.
Since his retirement from professional hockey, the now 61-year-old spent time as a head coach for a Swiss team as well as becoming a commentator and a hockey analysis on Swiss Italian-language broadcasting. Happy Birthday, Marco Baron!
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