1978 NHL Draft
Merlin Malinowski in the 1978 NHL Draft
Colorado Rockies selected Merlin Malinowski 27th overall in the 1978 NHL Draft, with the 9th pick of round 2.
It was the second of the 14 picks Colorado Rockies made in the draft. Of the 234 players selected in 1978, 95 have played in the NHL regular season. His 282 games put him 39th in the class.
- Overall pick
- 27
- Round and pick
- Round 2, pick 9
- Drafting team
- CLRColorado Rockies
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 19 years
The picks around it
Picks 24–30 in the 1978 draft
- 24Steve ChristoffC248 GP · 141 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 25Michael MeekerR4 GP · 0 PPITPittsburgh Penguins
- 26Don MaloneyL765 GP · 564 PNYRNew York Rangers
- 27Merlin MalinowskiC282 GP · 165 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 28Glenn HicksL108 GP · 18 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 29Doug LecuyerL126 GP · 42 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
- 30Dale YakiwchukCMTLMontréal Canadiens
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1978 class
27th
of 234 players selected
21st
of 146 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Bobby SmithC1077 GP · 1036 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 3Wayne BabychR519 GP · 438 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 4Bill DerlagoC555 GP · 416 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 5Mike GillisL246 GP · 76 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 6Behn WilsonD601 GP · 359 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 7Ken LinsemanC860 GP · 807 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 8Danny GeoffrionR111 GP · 52 PMTLMontréal Canadiens
- 9Willie HuberD655 GP · 321 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 10Tim HigginsR706 GP · 352 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
+ 224 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Merlin Malinowski made his NHL debut on November 5, 1978, 143 days after the draft.
282
Games
54
Goals
111
Assists
165
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Colorado Rockies picks in the 1978 draft
- 5Mike GillisL246 GP · 76 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 27Merlin MalinowskiC282 GP · 165 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 41Paul MessierC9 GP · 0 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 58David WatsonL18 GP · 1 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 73Tim ThomlinsonGCLRColorado Rockies
- 74Rodney GuimontRCLRColorado Rockies
- 91John HynesGCLRColorado Rockies
- 108Andy ClarkDCLRColorado Rockies
- 125John OlverRCLRColorado Rockies
- 142Kevin KrookD3 GP · 0 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 159Jeff JensenLCLRColorado Rockies
- 174Bo EricssonDCLRColorado Rockies
- 190Jari ViitalaCCLRColorado Rockies
- 204Ulf ZetterstromCCLRColorado Rockies