Wayne Bianchin

Wayne Bianchin
Born	(1953-09-06) September 6, 1953 Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins Edmonton Oilers
National team	Italy
NHL Draft	23rd overall, 1973 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	1973–1982

Wayne Richard Bianchin (born September 6, 1953) is a Canadian-born Italian former professional ice hockey Left winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers between 1973 and 1980. Internationally Bianchin played for the Italian national team at the 1981 World Championship B Pool.

Career

After scoring 60 goals in 68 games with the WCJHL's Flin Flon Bombers in 1972–73, Bianchin was selected 23rd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. He recorded 25 points his rookie year, but suffered a broken neck while body surfing during the offseason. He spent the next season split between the AHL and NHL while recovering. He suffered his 2nd back surgery and was left unprotected on the NHL Intra League Draft. His best season came in 1976-77 when he played 79 games for the Penguins and scored 28 goals; he also appeared in the playoffs for the only time of his career. The Edmonton Oilers acquired Bianchin in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft but he would serve just eleven games with them due to a nagging back. He chose to play a reduced schedule and played two seasons in Italy with HC Asiago and AS Mastini Varese. He was a member of the Italian national team at the Group B World Championships in 1981 and lead the tournament with scoring and was selected to the First Line All-Star Team.

Family

His son, Jordan Bianchin, played professional hockey for three seasons in the Central Hockey League and in Italy's Serie A.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1971–72	Flin Flon Bombers	WCHL		56	20	23	43	72		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Flin Flon Bombers	WCHL		68	60	54	114	90		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Hershey Bears	AHL		4	1	2	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		69	12	13	25	38		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Johnstown Jets	NAHL		8	8	2	10	4		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Hershey Bears	AHL		3	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Syracuse Eagles	AHL		12	5	4	9	26		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Hershey Bears	AHL		54	24	22	46	17		6	1	3	4	4
1975–76	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		14	1	5	6	4		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		79	28	6	34	28		3	0	1	1	6
1977–78	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		61	20	13	33	40		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		40	7	4	11	20		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		11	0	0	0	7		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Houston Apollos	CHL		57	20	19	39	20		6	2	5	7	4
1980–81	HC Asiago	ITA		28	34	24	58	29		14	6	9	15	6
1981–82	AS Mastini Varese	ITA		20	13	14	27	—		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				275	68	41	109	137		3	0	1	1	6

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1981	Italy	WC-B		7	3	9	12	2
Senior totals				7	3	9	12	2

Awards and achievements

• WEC-B All-Star Team (1981)

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database