Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Shoot: R
Born: 16 Aug 1943, Drohiczyn POL (d. 2011)
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Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
| year | team | |||||||||||
| 1974-75 | Indianapolis | |||||||||||
| 1975-76 | Indianapolis | |||||||||||
| 1976-77 | Indianapolis | |||||||||||
| Totals: |
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Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1975-76 (by Dan Proudfoot)
Twenty goals, the number Harbaruk shot in his first year as a Racer, represented a major league peak for the 32-year-old forward. Racer management wasn't satisfied, and coach Gerry Moore removed the "C" from Harbaruk's jersey at mid-season, deciding he wasn't asserting the kind of leadership expected from a team captain. Harbaruk's mood brightened near the end of the season, when he scored seven goals and nine assists in 15 games. "We're hoping for the same rate of production from Nick in 1975-76," says Moore, "And, of course, the kind of checking he's known for." |
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Excerpts from Zander Hollander's Guide to Pro Hockey, 1975-76 (by Reyn Davis)
Checking specialist usually assigned to the tough ones, such as Bobby Hull, Mark Howe and Marc Tardif ... Coming off a disappointing season, though it can be said for him that perhaps the Racers expected too much ... Only Nick and teammate Bob Fitchner dressed for all 78 games ... Born in Drohiczyn, Poland; family emigrated to Toronto when he was a child ... Has not always seen eye-to-eye with Racers' coach Gerry Moore, who stripped him of his title as captain ... Became a 20-goal scorer for the first time in his career |
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Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1976-77 (by Dan Proudfoot)
Among the many disappointments in Indianapolis's first year of major league hockey, Nick Harbaruk was perhaps the biggest letdown. And it wasn't his fault. But everyone knew Harbaruk had signed a big contract after leaving the NHL St. Louis Blues. And everyone expected him to produce accordingly. What the fans didn't realize was that Harbaruk had never been a goal scorer. The most he ever shot in an NHL season was 13. Defense was his forte. In 1975-76, however, Harbaruk surprised everyone by scoring 23 goals, while continuing his strong defensive play. "In our four games against the Winnipeg Jets, Bobby Hull never scored a goal," says Jacques Demers, who does appreciate Harbaruk's efforts. "That's because Nick was always picking up Hull on his wing." |
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