Greg's determination paid off. Although undrafted, he was signed by the Flyers as a free agent in 1980, and bounced between the NHL and minors during his first five years of pro. Likely his earliest career highlight was when he was with Hartford and fought Gord Kluzak, one of the tough, new players in the league, three times in a game.
In 1985-86, now with Washington, he played on a line with Alan Haworth and Craig Laughlin and scoring a career-high 56 points. In the summer of 1988 he was involved in a motorcycle accident that required a metal plate and screws to be inserted into his left shoulder, though he made a full recovery and returned to the NHL. His first agent was Brian Burke, and when Burke became GM in Vancouver he acquired Adams from the Caps.
In all, Adams played for seven teams and retired in 1990.
Player bios courtesy of the
Hockey Hall of Fame
