Tom Fergus adored hockey from near birth; born in Chicago and raised in Montreal, Quebec, his love of hockey grew alongside him.
After playing minor hockey in the Montreal area, Fergus moved to Ontario, where he played in the Ontario Major Junior league with the Peterborough Petes. There, he recorded a fabulous 102 points over two seasons. In 1980, as a result of his undeniable skill, the Boston Bruins made Fergus the 60th player selected in the NHL draft. Amazingly, he made the team at just 19 years old.
Steady play enabled Fergus to enjoy a solid rookie pro season, as he contributed 15 goals and 39 points in his first 61 games. He had accomplished a great deal in his first season, and now faced every second year player’s worst fear: the sophomore jinx. Fergus responded by producing big numbers, with 28 goals coupled with 35 assists for 63 points, and a season-long plus rating of 26.
Fergus also took pleasure in scoring his first NHL hat trick in Montreal. In 1984-85, Fergus spent most of the season as Boston’s top centre, and set career highs with 30 goals and 43 assists for a total of 73 points.
In 1985, Fergus made his international debut with the United States National Team in the World Hockey Championships. The same year, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he became the Leafs’ top centre. He continued with his fine play, with 31 goals and 42 assists, matching his career high of 73 points. He played a total of seven seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, recording 118 goals and 179 assists for a total of 297 points.
In 1992 and 1993, Fergus finished his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks. In his 13 years, he amassed a total of 816 points (235 goals and 581 assists). After two more professional hockey seasons in Switzerland, Fergus retired, returned to Oakville, and took over the coaching duties of the Oakville Blades.
Today, he operates Blue Leaf Limited, a promotions company. Fergus also remains active in the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni Association.
