Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A farewell to NHL players in 2014

By Tom Hawthorn

From the brightest star in Jean Béliveau to a one-game goalie like Joe Junkin, several former Canadian-born NHL players were among the fallen in 2014. Here are their obituaries, originally published on my Benched blog:


Don Ward
Journeyman defenceman enjoyed a long career in the Western Hockey League after having cups of coffee in the NHL with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/don-ward/


Joe Junkin
Goalie's NHL career lasted seven minutes, 56 seconds:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/joe-junkin/


Danny McLeod
Decorated wartime hero, driving force behind the creation of what is now Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS), McLeod later worked as the NHL's supervisor of officials:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/danny-mcleod/


Keith Allen
Never scored a goal as a player, but built the expansion Philadelphia Flyers into Stanley Cup winners:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/keith-allen/


Doug Mohns
Diesel spent 22 seasons in the NHL on five different clubs, yet never had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/doug-mohns/


Jack Stoddard
Tall player known as The Octopus for his reach, Stoddard was first NHLer to defy superstition by wearing sweater No. 13 for an entire season:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/jack-stoddard/


Doug Jarrett
Hard-hitting defenceman was known as the Chairman of the Boards:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/doug-jarrett/


Joe Bell
He lost three years of his career fighting Nazis instead of NHL rivals:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/joe-bell/


Ron Murphy
Stalwart left-winger got his name on the Stanley Cup after he retired:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/ron-murphy/


Chuck Scherza
Rugged bruiser scored six goals in 36 wartime games:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/chuck-scherza/



Lionel Heinrich
Defenceman scored one goal in 35 games with Boston Bruins:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/lionel-heinrich/


Jim Mikol
Lantern-jawed forward played briefly for Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers in the 1960s:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/jim-mikol/


Edgar Laprade
Stylish New York Rangers forward was a hockey Gandhi:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/edgar-laprade/


Ross Lonsberry
Checking forward won two Stanley Cups with Philadelphia Flyers:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/ross-lonsberry/


Ralph Nattrass
Bruising defenceman played good defence on bad Chicago Black Hawks teams:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/ralph-nattrass/


Brian Marchinko
An original member of the expansion New York Islanders:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/brian-marchinko/


Larry Zeidel
Tough player known as The Rock endured anti-Semitic barbs on ice:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/larry-zeidel/


Guy Trottier
Tiny forward nicknamed The Mouse:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/06/29/guy-trottier/


Carol Vadnais
Defenceman twice got his name on the Stanley Cup, played in six All-Star Games in 17-season career:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/carol-vadnais/


Milan Marcetta
Journeyman minor leaguer was playoff call-up on 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/milan-marcetta/


Wally Hergesheimer
New York Rangers sniper slowed by broken leg:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/09/30/wally-hergesheimer/


Len Ronson
Forward whose wrist shot earned him nickname The Rifleman played in 18 NHL games with New York Rangers and Oakland Seals:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/len-ronson/


Pat Quinn
Big Irishman played nine seasons on blue-line for Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Flames, later had success as coach and general manager, winning Olympic gold in 2002:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/pat-quinn/


Murray Oliver
Stylish playmaker scored 274 goals over 16 NHL seasons:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/murray-oliver/

Gilles Tremblay
Two-way player won four Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/11/26/gilles-tremblay/


Jean Béliveau
Le Gros Bill. Ten Stanley Cups as a player, another seven as an executive, all with the Montreal Canadiens. Five hundred and seven career goals. Grace personified:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/jean-beliveau/


Connie Dion
Winning goalie in most lopsided NHL game ever played — a 15-0 victory for Detroit over Rangers:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/05/connie-dion/


Bob Solinger
Scored 10 goals in 99 NHL games:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/bob-solinger/


Eddie Kachur
A stocky forward with the Chicago Black Hawks:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/20/eddie-kachur/


André Gill
Québec goalie recorded a shutout for Boston Bruins in his NHL debut, but was soon back in the minors:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/andre-gill/



Germain Gagnon
Québec forward slogged through minors for a decade before playing for Montreal Canadiens, New York islanders, Chicago Black Hawks and Kansas City Scouts:
https://benchedathletes.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/germain-gagnon/







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