Lee Blossom
Year Inducted: 2010
Birthday: October 17, 1959
City/Town: Springfield, MA
Twenty-eight years of competitive ice time adds up to a lot of worn skate laces and hundreds of games played on a long list of rinks. For Lee, you also could add in that the pucks from all of the goals he scored over that time might easily fill a dump truck.
Lee came up through the Concord Youth Hockey Association-Mites through Bantams-first stepping onto the ice at age 5. By the time he was a Squirt, he showed his natural knack for puck control and scoring. Always a forward, he enrolled at St. Paul’s School for grade 7, later playing three seasons of varsity hockey, always among the school’s top scorers.
Just prior to his senior year, he transferred to Concord High School (class of 1977) and in that one season led CHS to its first State hockey title, defeating Bishop Guertin, 3-2. In the semi-final round versus Manchester Memorial, Lee scored five goals in the 5-2 win. He ended that season as the State’s top schoolboy scorer: 35G – 32A – 67P. He also, that school year, captained hockey, golf and baseball.
After graduation, he went to the Oshawa Generals’ (Ontario Hockey League) training camp and was assigned to play with the Newmarket Flyers. The lone American on that team, he finished 5th in scoring.
Returning home for the 1978-79 season, he played for the Fitchburg (MA) Wallopers in the New England Junior Hockey League, leading the league in scoring with a record-setting 115 points. He was named MVP. The Wallopers then won the NEJHL title and Lee was named tourney MVP and also a member of the All Tourney 1st team.
Then came Boston College, where for his four varsity seasons (1979-80 through 1982-83), he was a major scoring force. As a freshman, he finished 2nd in the 1980 ECAC Rookie of the Year balloting. As a junior, he led the team in goals scored, finishing 2nd in total points. As a senior, he was team captain and again led the team in goals scored, ranking 2nd in total points. He also played in four Beanpot Tournament finals, winning the championship his senior year. His varsity production of 58G – 60A – 118P in 111 games earned him a place in BC’s prestigious 100-point Club. He graduated in 1983 with a bachelor of arts in economics.
After graduation, he attended the Pittsburgh Penguins’ training camp and was assigned to the Nashville (TN) South Stars of the East Coast Hockey League. Later that season, he was with the Virginia Lancers and by season’s end had played in 69 games, scoring 61G – 47A – 108P.
In 1984, he again attended the Penguins’ training camp and returned to the Virginia Lancers’ lineup. After 46 games, he was moved over to the International Hockey League to play with the Toledo (OH) Goaldiggers. His season’s production in 71 games was 65G – 64A – 129P.
In 1985, he began the season with the Goaldiggers but at the trading deadline in March of ’86 was sent to the IHL’s Fort Wayne (IN) Komets. It was a three-for-one swap, with Lee being the One player in the transaction! Fort Wayne, with him in the lineup, definitely got the best of the deal and eventually won the IHL title, thanks to his sharp scoring skills. The team, though, lost in the Turner Cup finals. In 72 games that season (with both teams), Lee had 33G – 33A – 66P.
At the start of the 1986-87 season, Lee again was on the Fort Wayne roster but later was offered a contract to play in Finland. He decided to retire as a pro and he returned to Concord.
For the next five seasons (1987-88 through 1991-92), he regularly suited-up with the Concord Budmen, continuing to produce game winning goals and assists, fashioning a lot of memories for teammates and for the many who watched him play. He also has filled his hockey time as assistant hockey coach at Plymouth State College (1987-89); as a color broadcaster for Channel 12-Concord H S (1989-94); and currently serves as a member of the BC Hockey Booster Club (Pike’s Peak Club).
Today, he resides in Boston’s North End and is national sales director for Consumers Medical Resource of Pembroke, MA.