Derek Michael Sanderson, nicknamed “Turk”, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey center and two-time Stanley Cup champion who helped transform the culture of the professional athlete in the 1970s era.
In the 1975-76 season, Sanderson scored his 32nd career short-handed goal to surpass Toronto Maple Leaf’s center Dave Keon as the all-time league leader. He owned the record for eight seasons. Nearly half a century after his last appearance with Boston, Sanderson still owns the Bruins team record for most career shorthanded goals (six) in the playoffs, a mark that he shares with Ed Westfall, his longtime linemate.
Who was the highest-paid athlete in 1972?
Derek Derek Sanderson is at the top of the list of cautionary tales when it comes to athletes and their spending habits. Sanderson departed the Boston Bruins in 1972 to become the world’s highest-paid athlete, signing a $2.65 million contract with the now-defunct Philadelphia Blazers. Within two years, he was bankrupt.
