Player bios courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame

Perseverance alone got Adams to the NHL. Growing up on Vancouver Island, he had only one hockey rink to skate on, and that was nine miles away in Chemainus. He begged every coach at the rink to let him practice with that team, even if it wasn't his age group, to get extra ice time.

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.

CAPITALS STATS