He was part of a contingent of young players who were nicknamed the "Baby Bulls", a group which also included Michel Goulet, Craig Hartsburg, Keith Crowder, Gaston Gingras and Pat Riggin.

Following the NHL-WHA merger at the end of the season, these youngsters were declared eligible for the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, and Vaive was selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks.

In 1980, the Canucks traded Vaive, along with Bill Derlago, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dave "Tiger" Williams and Jerry Butler.

[10][11] In 1987 Vaive was traded, along with Steve Thomas and Bob McGill, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk, one of several lamentable deals by team owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s.

[13][14] In 1993, immediately after his retirement as a player, Vaive became coach of the expansion South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League.