Russ Bartlett
Induction Year: 2015
Birthday: February 10, 1978
City/Town: Windham, NH
The all-time leading scorer in Phillips Exeter Academy history, Russ Bartlett used his success at the school as a springboard to Division I college success at Boston University and St. Lawrence, and was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A native of Windham, Bartlett played 116 games over four years at Exeter, finishing with 102 goals and 173 assists for 275 points. The program’s second all-time leading scorer – Geoff Koch, a three-year linemate of Bartlett’s who went on to play at Michigan – finished with 177 points.
After managing 44 points as a freshman, Bartlett led the Big Red in scoring as a sophomore (70 points), junior (71 points) and senior (90 points). His teams combined for a record of 80-23-3 in those years and went to the New England tournament three times.
Said Dana Barbin, Bartlett’s coach at Exeter and (Legends Hall of Famer ’10) “Not known for his blinding speed, he still managed to set every offensive record at P.E.A. with his Gretzky-like game. I said it then and I’ll say it now, I’ll never again coach such a prolific point producer!” His signature game came during his junior year, when he scored five goals against the No. 1 team in the region, Cushing Academy, and future NHL great Tom Poti.
“The recruiters said, ‘Whoa,’ and that’s when things really started breaking,” said Barbin.
Bartlett played two seasons at BU, scoring 20 goals and 51 points, beating Boston College with an overtime goal in the Beanpot as a sophomore.
He transferred to St. Lawrence for his final two years, managing 22 goals and 65 points. Serving as an Alternate Captain as a senior, he helped the Saints win the ECAC Hockey title and play in the NCAA tournament.
Bartlett finished his college career with 42 goals and 116 points in 144 games.
An eighth-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs (194th overall) in the 1997 NHL draft, Bartlett played one season of professional hockey with the ECHL’s Richmond Renegades in 2002-03, managing seven goals and 24 points in 62 games.