gold star for USAHOF
Site Admin

Site Admin

Ken Reardon

Ken Reardon was out of the National Hockey League before the age of thirty due to injuries catching up to him. It is actually surprising that it did not happen sooner based on Reardon’s fearless style of play that was as punishing to his opponents as it was to himself. 

Frank Brimsek

With the very cool nickname of “Mr. Zero” Frank Brimsek was a two time Vezina Trophy winner and is one of the greatest American Goalies of all time. Brimsek was consistently named to Post Season All Star teams and was a two time Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins. Fittingly, Brimsek was inducted into the first class of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame which is located in his hometown of Eveleth, Minnesota.

Elmer Lach

When Elmer Lach retired from professional hockey in 1954, he was the leading scorer in NHL history. This feat was especially impressive considered how injury prone Lach was. The career long Montreal Canadian may have been known for getting injured, but he was revered in the league for his tenacious will to recover quickly from those trips to the hospital. Lach centered the Habs famed “Punch Line” with fellow Hall of Famers, Rocket Richard and Toe Blake and this trio was easily the most feared line in Hockey. In addition to three Stanley Cups, Elmer won the Hart Trophy in 1945, was a three time First Team All Star and was the recipient of the first ever Art Ross trophy awarded to the player with the highest points total. Had the award been in play before, he would have won it also in 1945.

Clarence Campbell

Initially a referee in the National Hockey League (who was assigned to referee some very important games), Clarence Campbell was moved to the office and was groomed to be the heir apparent to take over the Presidency of the NHL. The plan was temporarily derailed as Campbell joined the Canadian military to serve in World War II (in which he rose from Private to Lt. Colonel) but he returned in 1946 to serve under Red Dutton as the Vice President. Dutton (who never really wanted to be the President) swiftly resigned, and Campbell took over the job.