Douglas Bradford Park (born July 6, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A defenceman, Park played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Considered to be one of the best defencemen of his era, he was named to an All-Star team seven times. The most productive years of Park's career were overshadowed by superstars Bobby Orr -- with whom he played for a brief time -- and Denis Potvin, so Park never won the Norris Trophy as the season's top defenceman. Park was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2017, he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Born on July 6, 1948, to his dad Bob and his mother Betty, Park grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, with his 4 siblings Ron, Betty Anne, Lori and Shelley. His father was a Scottish immigrant who had served as a sergeant in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, then later became a youth hockey referee and coach. Growing up, Park and his dad would place the salt and pepper shakers on the kitchen table like chessmen in analyzing defensive play.
As a teenager, Park worked as a laborer at a golf course in the Thornhill district of Toronto.
As a youth, Park played against older kids, leading to him developing into a strong player. In 1960, he played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Scarbororough Lions, winning the tournament. Later, he was a member of the Junior B Toronto Westclairs (1964–1965) and then the Junior A Toronto Marlboros (1965–1968), helping the Marlboros win the 1967 Memorial Cup. He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round (second overall) in the 1966 NHL amateur draft and, after a brief stint with the minor-league Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, began playing for the Rangers in 1968.
Park developed into the Rangers best defenceman, whose offensive skill, stickhandling and pugnacity made him popular with local fans and media. He drew occasional comparisons with the Boston Bruins superstar Bobby Orr, universally acclaimed to be the greatest at his position in hockey history. Years afterward, Park remarked, "I saw no reason to be upset because I was rated second to Bobby Orr. After all, Orr not only was the top defenceman in the game but he was considered the best player ever to put on a pair of skates. There was nothing insulting about being rated No. 2 to such a super superstar."
Park made an immediate impact for the Rangers after being called up from the Bisons, making his debut during the 1968-69 season. During a game on February 2, 1969 vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, Park had a record setting night when he became the first Rangers defenseman to get four assists in one game. At the time of the game he was only 20 years, 211 days old, which set a NHL record for youngest defenseman to get four assists in a game. Park finished the year with 3 goals and 23 assists in 54 appearances, and finished third in voting for the Calder Trophy. However, Park and the Rangers were defeated 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens.
Park began to show his full potential the following year, as he quickly rose as one of the top defensemen in the league. Appearing in 60 games, he scored 11 goals and 26 assists, leading to him playing in his first All-Star Game, while also being named to the NHL First All-Star Team. He also finished runner-up for the Norris Trophy as the league's top defensemen, losing out to Orr. Park and the Rangers were then defeated by the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Park would continue his strong play the following year in 1970-71, scoring 7 goals and 37 assists. He was selected to the Second All-Star Team and once again finished runner-up to Orr for the Norris Trophy. Park and the Rangers defeated Toronto in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Chicago Black Hawks in the semifinals 4-2.
At the start of the 1971-72 season, Park was named an alternate captain. When the team's top scorer, Jean Ratelle, was lost for the season due to a broken ankle, Park picked up the slack, being nearly a point-per-game player with 73 points in 75 games. His 24 goals tied him with Carol Vadnais for the then-fourth-highest total by a defenseman in NHL history. During a game on December 12, 1971, he became the first defenseman in Rangers history to score a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh. He scored his second hat trick on February 12, 1972, in another 8-3 victory over Pittsburgh, becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to score two hat tricks in the same season. During the postseason, he led the Rangers past the defending Stanley Cup-champion Montreal Canadiens in the first round and the West Division champion Chicago Black Hawks in the semifinals of the playoffs. The Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup finals, where they fell to the Boston Bruins in six games. Park finished a distant second to Orr in the Norris Trophy vote for a third consecutive season, and was named to the First All-Star Team for a second time. During the offseason, when the upstart World Hockey Association tried to lure Park away, he briefly became the league's highest-paid player when he signed a contract extension with the Rangers for $200,000 per season.
The following year in 1972-73 Park continued to be a star for the Rangers. Although he only appeared in 52 games due to an injured left knee, he still averaged a point a game in his 52 appearances scoring 10 goals and 43 assists being named to the Second All-Star team. The Rangers defeated Boston in the first round of the postseason but were defeated by Chicago in the semifinals. In the 1972 Summit Series, with Orr unable to play due to injury, Park emerged as a key contributor to Team Canada's series over the Soviets, being named Best Defenceman of the series.
The following year in 1973-74 Park would have his best statistical season, scoring 82 points (25 goals and 57 assists, both Rangers records for a defensemen at the time) in 78 games. This led to him becoming the first defenseman in Rangers history to lead the team in scoring. During the postseason he set another record (since broken) for most points by a Rangers defenseman during the postseason with 12. However the Rangers were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the semifinals. Park was named to the First All-Star Team for a third time and finished as runner up for the Norris a fourth time. During the offseason Park, at the age of 26, was named the youngest Rangers captain ever.
Park once again missed some time during the 1974-75 season with a strained left knee, In 65 appearances he scored 13 goals and 44 assists. He and the Rangers were then eliminated by the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. After opening the following year during the 1975–76 season with their worst start in ten years, the Rangers unloaded several high-priced veterans. Park, Jean Ratelle, and Joe Zanussi were traded to the Boston Bruins in a November 7 blockbuster deal that also sent Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais to the Rangers. The New York press and public had felt that Park, 27 at the time, was overweight, overpaid, and over the hill, as he was facing unfavorable comparisons to Denis Potvin. Park left the Rangers as their all-time leading scorer among defensemen with 95 goals, 283 assists, and 378 points. Despite his accomplishments, the Rangers have not retired Park's #2 jersey as of 2026, a fact reflected on by New York media.
While Esposito and Vadnais were effective players for the Rangers, the team remained mired at the bottom of the division after the trade, and Rangers general manager Emile Francis was eventually fired. Contrary to expectations that the Rangers had gotten the better end of the trade, the struggling Bruins were instantly rejuvenated and soon again became one of the NHL's best teams, despite the departures of Esposito and Orr.
Taking over the mantle of leadership from Orr, whose career was threatened by injury and who would soon leave the team, Park continued his success under coach Don Cherry. Park had previously been an end-to-end puck carrier, but with the Bruins, he was told by Cherry to concentrate on defense. Getting over his unpopularity in Boston from when he was a member of the arch-rival Rangers, Park made a relatively smooth transition to his new team, even hitch-hiking a ride from two teenagers at 1 am after his car ran out of gas; Park later rewarded them with free tickets to the next Boston home game. Park's exceptional play made it easy for him to win over the fans. The two most dominant defensemen of their era, Park and Orr only shared the ice together for ten games due to Orr's injuries. They played together strictly on the power play and the penalty kill units, with the Bruins going 6-1-3 during that stretch.