Murray Craven is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 18 seasons. He was born on July 20, 1964, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Craven began his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1980. He played for the Tigers for three seasons and was a key player in their 1984 Memorial Cup championship team.
Craven was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in the 1982-83 season and played for them for two seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1984. Craven played for the Flyers for five seasons and was a key player in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1987.
In 1989, Craven was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, where he played for four seasons. He was a key player for the Canucks in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994. Craven then played for the Chicago Blackhawks for two seasons before being traded to the San Jose Sharks in 1996. He played for the Sharks for one season before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1997. Craven played for the Red Wings for one season before being traded to the San Jose Sharks again in 1998. He played for the Sharks for one more season before retiring from the NHL in 2000.
Craven was known for his versatility and his ability to play multiple positions. He was a skilled forward who could play center or wing and was also a strong penalty killer. Craven was a consistent scorer throughout his career and finished with 266 goals and 493 assists for 759 points in 1,071 NHL games.
After retiring from the NHL, Craven became involved in coaching and player development. He worked as an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks from 2002 to 2006 and then worked as a player development consultant for the Canucks from 2006 to 2010. Craven also worked as a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers from 2010 to 2013.
In addition to his hockey career, Craven is also known for his philanthropic work. He founded the Murray Craven Foundation in 1998, which supports children's charities in the Vancouver area. The foundation has raised over $1 million for various charities over the years.
Overall, Murray Craven had a successful hockey career that spanned 18 seasons in the NHL. He was a skilled and versatile player who was a consistent scorer and a strong penalty killer. After retiring from the NHL, Craven became involved in coaching and player development and also founded a charitable foundation to support children's charities.
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