Defenceman Paul Terbenche played nearly 200 NHL games in the 1960s and '70s. He played solid positional hockey but was not considered rugged enough by management to fend off forwards during the brawling early '70s. He ended up playing more in the WHA and the minors.
Born in Port Hope, Ontario, Terbenche played junior with the St. Catharines Black Hawks. The Chicago Black Hawks prospect turned pro with the CHL's St. Louis Braves in 1966-67. The young blueliner was solid as a rookie in 1967-68 but was relegated to the minors the next season because of the defensive depth in the organization.
Terbenche was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1970 Expansion Draft and played most of two years with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the Western League. Beginning in 1972-73, he was a regular on the Sabres' blueline for two seasons before jumping to the WHA. The steady rearguard played four years in the league with five different franchises, including the 1979 Avco Cup champion Winnipeg Jets. He retired in 1981 after playing two years in the CHL with the Birmingham Bulls.
