Brad Maxwell, a strong presence on the Minnesota North Stars blue line and arguably the team's most creative signing, died on Sunday following a battle with lung cancer that had spread through his body. He was 66.
"We want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to us during this difficult time," Maxwell's family announced Sunday on his GoFundMe page. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Brad 'Maxy' Maxwell on Sept. 3, 2023. Those who knew him were truly lucky, and he will be deeply missed. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers."
The defenseman's family had established the fundraising page to cover costs of new treatment that he was undergoing.
Maxwell played 613 regular-season games between 1977-87 with the North Stars, Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, finishing his career back in Minnesota with 17 games in 1986-87. He played another 79 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a key cog for the North Stars in their run to the 1981 Final, when they lost the best-of-7 series in five games to the New York Islanders.
The native of Brandon, Manitoba had 368 points (98 goals, 270 assists) in the NHL, amassing 1,292 penalty minutes. He added 61 points (12 goals, 49 assists) and 178 penalty minutes in the postseason.
Maxwell played for Canada three times in the IIHF World Championship, in 1978, 1979 and 1982.
Like his father, Maxwell was an excellent golfer but found his calling in hockey, playing three seasons for the major-junior New Westminster Bruins from 1974-77. He won the Memorial Cup in 1977 with New Westminster before being selected by the North Stars in the first round (No. 7) of the 1977 NHL Draft.
Before Maxwell could sign with Minnesota, the Birmingham Bulls of the rival World Hockey Association came calling, offering him an attractive contract for 1977-78 and booking him on a flight to Birmingham for a gala signing.
Maxwell's June flight took him through Chicago and it was there that executives of the North Stars pretty much ambushed him as he got off the plane and headed to his connection, sweetening the Bulls offer and taking him to Minnesota to join the NHL.
In Birmingham, Bulls owner John Bassett, a brass band, civic leaders and even Miss Alabama watched every passenger disembark the plane which arrived from Chicago, Maxwell not among them.
As it turned out, the Bulls folded later that month with the NHL-WHA merger.
Maxwell was introduced to the media at the Metropolitan Sports Center on June 24, happy to speak of his return to the arena.
"I played here once in a peewee tournament when I was 11," he told reporters. "I lived in Brandon, and we came down here to play. We lost but I remember how nice the people were. Five of us stayed with a family in Bloomington and they were great to us."
North Stars coach Ted Harris, a former captain and excellent defenseman previously with the team, was working to assemble a stronger blue line and he liked Maxwell's 194 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame.
Harris had been a rugged defenseman himself, a four-time Stanley Cup champion in the 1960s with the Montreal Canadiens, who added one more with the 1975 Philadelphia Flyers.
"I know defensemen have to play defense and I think I can help the North Stars in front of the goal," Maxwell said upon signing. "I'll be there. But I also like to make rushes.
"All I want is a chance to play. I'll be there if anyone challenges me or goes after anybody else on the team."
Maxwell's most productive NHL season offensively was in 1983-84, when he had 73 points (19 goals, 54 assists) and an NHL career-high 225 minutes in penalties during his lone All-Star season.
