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Golden Boys: The Top 50 Manitoba Hockey Players Of All Time
Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the NHL, Golden Boys looks at fifty players that have shaped the history of hockey in Manitoba. Featuring detailed biographies, rare photographs and plenty of never-been-told before stories, Golden Boys is sure to delight, surprise and cause arguments amongst hockey fans young and old.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2018
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About the author
Ty Dilello
7 books5 followersTy Dilello is an accredited writer with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). His work has also appeared in many major hockey outlets including The Hockey News, as well as various newspapers across North America. He has been a hockey fan since Peter Bondra led the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998. Ty plays extensively on the World Curling Tour in the winter and can probably be found on a tennis court during the summer months.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. At first I thought how could you decide on players to make this list or not because there were many players I thought that could be included. I ended up liking it more as I went along because many of the players I had never heard of before. There was so much interesting stuff that Manitoban hockey players have been involved in. I liked the anecdotes and that people that personally knew the player were interviewed too. Some parts you had to take with a grain of salt but overall it was a great read. The book included 24 forwards, 20 defenceman and six goaltenders.
Some things I found really interesting:
- The Winnipeg Falcons were the first team to ever win an Olympic gold medal in hockey (in 1920).
- Bill Juzda did not start skating until highschool when he was 18. Two years later he made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers. He was involved in one of the most famous hockey fights. In 1947, there was a bench clearing brawl where Maurice Richard broke his stick over Juzda's head and Juzda broke the jaw of another player during the fight. Richard and Juzda feuded for several years. After winning two Stanley cups, he played hockey in Europe where in Chezoslavakia players refer to a hard check as a "Juzda".
-"Sudden Death" Mel Hill scored three OT winners in the 1939 playoffs where the team went on to win the Stanley Cup. Gordie Howe looked up to Hill as a mentor.
- Mud Bruneteau was the first player to win the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons (won three altogether). He scored the OT winner during the NHL's longest ever game (in 1936). The game started at 8:30 and ended after 2am. Ice conditions were bad due to no zamboni at the time and players were exhausted. He also scored the first ever hatrick in Red Wings history. He was the first professional coach of Terry Sawhchuk.
-Glen Harmon was one of the first masters of the slapshot.
-James Patrick has played in the most NHL games, 1280 over 20 seasons, of any Manitoban.
- Blaine Stoughton scored 196 goals over a four season period that ranks fourth behind Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Marcel Dionne.
-Ab McDonald won four Stanley cups in his first four seasons. He was the first captain in Penguins history. He is one of Manitoba's biggest ambassadors of hockey.
-Tom Johnson is the only true Manitoban to win the Norris trophy (for leagues top defenceman). He also won seven Stanley cups.
- Art Coulter was the second captain in the history of the New York Rangers.
- Herb Gardiner didn't start playing hockey until 35 years old. He had such a good rookie year that he won the Hart trophy (most valuable player in the NHL). He was the first defenceman and one of only two rookies to win in their rookie year (the other being Gretzky). He didn't think hockey would work out for him so he quit at 19 to work for CPR. A few years later, he enlisted in the war. Three years later, he was severely wounded and was medically discharged from the army. He decided to get back into hockey after not playing for nine years. He ended up playing for Montreal and said if they paid him two salaries he would play the position of two defenceman. He didn't leave the ice for the entire season.
-The invention of the modern hockey skate was partly done in Brandon, MB. Joe Hall asked his neighbor to make him a better pair of hockey skates. George Tackaberry created a more durable pair that used the strength of kangaroo leather and a reinforced toe. Everyone loved Tack skates. The business took off and was the top brand for years. When Tackaberry died in 1937, the patent was sold to CCM where it was still used until the mid 2000's.
- The 1919 Stanley Cup finals between Montreal and Seattle was cancelled in April due to the Spanish Flu epidemic. Four days later, Joe Hall passed away at 38. He was the only player from the two teams not to recover. It was the only time in history that the Stanley Cup has not been awarded (until perhaps 2020??).
- Reggie (and Jamie) Leach are one of the few father/son duo's to both win Stanley Cups.
-Ron Hextall was the first grandson of a former player to play in the NHL.
- Red Dutton is the only NHL president from Manitoba. He was injured in the war and was supposed to have his leg amputated but he pleaded with doctors not to as he was a hockey player (19 at the time, had lied about his age earlier to be allowed to enlist). He thought the best way to recover was to play as much hockey as he could. So he played in eight leagues and sometimes three of four games a night. He 'put a curse' on the Rangers when the NHL betrayed him and his Brooklyn Americans team. He declared that the Rangers would never win a Stanley Cup as long as he lived. They did not win a Stanley Cup for 48 years (seven years after Dutton passed away).
- Jack Stewart was a physical player and one of the best defensive defencman. Once played a whole season with a broken hand.
- Bill Mosienko scored the fastest hattrick in NHL history. Three natural goals in twenty one seconds.
- Eddie Belfour is one of only two people to win an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup.
-Dick Irvin was forced to stop playing hockey after Red Dutton checked him so hard he suffered a fractured skull. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player not coach. He was one of the most prolific goal scorers. He won the Allan cup with the Winnipeg Monarchs in 1915.
- Chuck Gardiner was an amazing goalie that pretty much willed his mediocre team to a Stanley Cup. He is the only goalie to win a Stanley cup as the team captain. He played through really bad health, fevers of 102, times when he was losing his vision and seeing spots and nearly blacking out but being held up by the crossbar. He would pass out during stoppages in play. It was Chicago's first Stanley cup. A few short weeks later, he had died from a tumour at 30 years old.
-Andy Bathgate is one of the greatest New York Rangers. He shot the puck at Jacques Plante in 1959 where Plante returned to play with the goalie mask.
-Frank Fredrickson was one of the players to win the first Olympic gold medal. He was good friends with Albert Einstein.
- Turk Broda is the best goalie the Maple Leafs have had. He won a Stanley Cup in 1942, missed two years in his prime due to serving in the war and won four more when he returned.
- Jonathan Toews is the leader of the Blackhawks when the team won three Stanley Cups in six years. He's the youngest player to be in the triple gold club (players who have won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and a world championship).
- Terry Sawchuk is considered one of the greatest goalies of all time. He won four Stanley cups and four Vezina's. He had many severe injuries including when he almost lost his vision after being hit in the eye with a slapshot. His record of most shutouts at 103 was a record for 45 years until Martin Brodeur passed him.
Some things I found really interesting:
- The Winnipeg Falcons were the first team to ever win an Olympic gold medal in hockey (in 1920).
- Bill Juzda did not start skating until highschool when he was 18. Two years later he made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers. He was involved in one of the most famous hockey fights. In 1947, there was a bench clearing brawl where Maurice Richard broke his stick over Juzda's head and Juzda broke the jaw of another player during the fight. Richard and Juzda feuded for several years. After winning two Stanley cups, he played hockey in Europe where in Chezoslavakia players refer to a hard check as a "Juzda".
-"Sudden Death" Mel Hill scored three OT winners in the 1939 playoffs where the team went on to win the Stanley Cup. Gordie Howe looked up to Hill as a mentor.
- Mud Bruneteau was the first player to win the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons (won three altogether). He scored the OT winner during the NHL's longest ever game (in 1936). The game started at 8:30 and ended after 2am. Ice conditions were bad due to no zamboni at the time and players were exhausted. He also scored the first ever hatrick in Red Wings history. He was the first professional coach of Terry Sawhchuk.
-Glen Harmon was one of the first masters of the slapshot.
-James Patrick has played in the most NHL games, 1280 over 20 seasons, of any Manitoban.
- Blaine Stoughton scored 196 goals over a four season period that ranks fourth behind Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Marcel Dionne.
-Ab McDonald won four Stanley cups in his first four seasons. He was the first captain in Penguins history. He is one of Manitoba's biggest ambassadors of hockey.
-Tom Johnson is the only true Manitoban to win the Norris trophy (for leagues top defenceman). He also won seven Stanley cups.
- Art Coulter was the second captain in the history of the New York Rangers.
- Herb Gardiner didn't start playing hockey until 35 years old. He had such a good rookie year that he won the Hart trophy (most valuable player in the NHL). He was the first defenceman and one of only two rookies to win in their rookie year (the other being Gretzky). He didn't think hockey would work out for him so he quit at 19 to work for CPR. A few years later, he enlisted in the war. Three years later, he was severely wounded and was medically discharged from the army. He decided to get back into hockey after not playing for nine years. He ended up playing for Montreal and said if they paid him two salaries he would play the position of two defenceman. He didn't leave the ice for the entire season.
-The invention of the modern hockey skate was partly done in Brandon, MB. Joe Hall asked his neighbor to make him a better pair of hockey skates. George Tackaberry created a more durable pair that used the strength of kangaroo leather and a reinforced toe. Everyone loved Tack skates. The business took off and was the top brand for years. When Tackaberry died in 1937, the patent was sold to CCM where it was still used until the mid 2000's.
- The 1919 Stanley Cup finals between Montreal and Seattle was cancelled in April due to the Spanish Flu epidemic. Four days later, Joe Hall passed away at 38. He was the only player from the two teams not to recover. It was the only time in history that the Stanley Cup has not been awarded (until perhaps 2020??).
- Reggie (and Jamie) Leach are one of the few father/son duo's to both win Stanley Cups.
-Ron Hextall was the first grandson of a former player to play in the NHL.
- Red Dutton is the only NHL president from Manitoba. He was injured in the war and was supposed to have his leg amputated but he pleaded with doctors not to as he was a hockey player (19 at the time, had lied about his age earlier to be allowed to enlist). He thought the best way to recover was to play as much hockey as he could. So he played in eight leagues and sometimes three of four games a night. He 'put a curse' on the Rangers when the NHL betrayed him and his Brooklyn Americans team. He declared that the Rangers would never win a Stanley Cup as long as he lived. They did not win a Stanley Cup for 48 years (seven years after Dutton passed away).
- Jack Stewart was a physical player and one of the best defensive defencman. Once played a whole season with a broken hand.
- Bill Mosienko scored the fastest hattrick in NHL history. Three natural goals in twenty one seconds.
- Eddie Belfour is one of only two people to win an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup.
-Dick Irvin was forced to stop playing hockey after Red Dutton checked him so hard he suffered a fractured skull. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player not coach. He was one of the most prolific goal scorers. He won the Allan cup with the Winnipeg Monarchs in 1915.
- Chuck Gardiner was an amazing goalie that pretty much willed his mediocre team to a Stanley Cup. He is the only goalie to win a Stanley cup as the team captain. He played through really bad health, fevers of 102, times when he was losing his vision and seeing spots and nearly blacking out but being held up by the crossbar. He would pass out during stoppages in play. It was Chicago's first Stanley cup. A few short weeks later, he had died from a tumour at 30 years old.
-Andy Bathgate is one of the greatest New York Rangers. He shot the puck at Jacques Plante in 1959 where Plante returned to play with the goalie mask.
-Frank Fredrickson was one of the players to win the first Olympic gold medal. He was good friends with Albert Einstein.
- Turk Broda is the best goalie the Maple Leafs have had. He won a Stanley Cup in 1942, missed two years in his prime due to serving in the war and won four more when he returned.
- Jonathan Toews is the leader of the Blackhawks when the team won three Stanley Cups in six years. He's the youngest player to be in the triple gold club (players who have won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and a world championship).
- Terry Sawchuk is considered one of the greatest goalies of all time. He won four Stanley cups and four Vezina's. He had many severe injuries including when he almost lost his vision after being hit in the eye with a slapshot. His record of most shutouts at 103 was a record for 45 years until Martin Brodeur passed him.
Displaying 1 of 1 review