Don Nachbaur was a grinding centre who could be creative on offense. He played over 200 NHL Games in the 1980s for three different teams and was also successful in minors and in Europe.
The native of Kitimat, B.C. played junior B with the Merritt Luckies in 1976-77 before joining the Billings Bighorns of the WCJHL. After registering 96 points and 175 penalty minutes in 1978-79 he was selected 60th overall by the Hartford Whalers at the NHL Entry Draft.
Nachbaur played a solid defensive role for the AHL's Springfield Indians in 1979-80 before joining the Whalers the next year.
He played 77 games in his first two NHL seasons for Hartford before he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in August 1982 where he was one of many useful forwards. Nachbaur played mostly with the AHL's Moncton Alpines. After being claimed by the L.A. Kings in the waiver draft, Nachbaur played the 1983-84 with the AHL's New Haven Nighthawks. On October 4, 1984, the versatile forward signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers.
He spent five years suiting up for the AHL's Hershey Bears and filling in when the Flyers ran into injury problems. During one stretch in 1987, from January 11 to February 28, he was recalled five times by the parent club when a rash of nagging ailments occurred on the NHL roster. In 1987 he played seven games when Philly extended the Edmonton Oilers to seven games in the Stanley Cup finals. The next spring he played two post-season matches for the Flyers when they were eliminated in the first round then joined Hershey's drive to the Calder Cup championship.
Following the 1989-90 season, Nachbaur signed on with the EC Graz club of Austria. He scored 106 goals in four years overseas before retiring in 1994.
