Not many fifth-round draft choices taken 100th overall in the NHL Entry Draft reach the level of success attained by defenseman Garry Galley during what turned out to be a 1,149-game career, spanning 17 years.
Galley was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 Draft while starring for Bowling Green University in the NCAA. He received many accolades during his collegiate career including being named to the 1984 NCAA East First All-Star Team as well as the 1984 NCAA Championship All Tournament Team after leading Bowling Green to the NCAA title.
In 1984-85 he turned pro with the Kings and earned a roster spot after a strong training camp. He played in 78 games for L.A., scoring eight goals and 38 points in his rookie season. Midway through the 1986-87 season Galley was traded to the Washington Capitals where he played until signing with the Boston Bruins as a free agent in the summer of 1988. He remained in a Bruins' uniform for close to three years and helped the team reach the 1990 Stanley Cup finals where they were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers for the second time in three years.
Midway through the 1992-93 season Galley found himself playing for his fourth NHL team when the Bruins sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers. In his two full seasons with the club, Galley posted his best offensive numbers, scoring 62 and 70 points, respectively. However, he was traded again in April 1995 to the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Petr Svoboda. He stayed with the Sabres through the 1996-97 season and then returned to the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent in the fall of 1997. During his second go-round with the Kings Galley stayed for three years before signing with the New York Islanders in 2000. He played one season on Long Island before announcing his retirement, finishing his career with 125 goals and 600 points.
