The professional hockey career of Gordie Drillon was relatively short, considering that he would eventually become a Hockey Hall of Famer, but he created an offensive strategy that would become a staple in the NHL.
Called up in 1936, Drillon was a Right Wing who used his size to position himself in front of the opponent’s net. Drillon redirected shots and tipped them into light the lamp. It worked, as Drillon led the NHL in Goals (26) and Points (52) in his second season (1937-38) and was a First Team All-Star. Drillon would also win the Lady Byng that year with only four Penalty Minutes accrued.
Drillon continued to dazzle offensively, earning First Team honors in 1938-39, and was a Second Team All-Star selection in 1941-42. With the Leafs he had four 20-Goal seasons, which was excellent in an era where they played less than 50 Games.
What Drillon failed at was defense, as he was not very committed to the back end. Drillon was a member of the Toronto team that won the 1942 Stanley Cup, but he saw less action in the second half of the series, where Toronto overcame a 3-0 deficit to Detroit. Drillon was shipped off to Montreal after the Cup win.
After one year with the Habs, Drillon joined the Canadian military to serve in World War II. While he returned to play hockey after the war was over, his skills were no longer good enough to play in the NHL.
Drillon entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975, on the strength of his play in Toronto, which saw him average .93 Points per Game. His attention to defense may have been lacking, but his offensive innovation still resonates in hockey today.
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