Meeker’s biggest problem was with Conn’s son Stafford, who was gradually taking control of the team. Meeker was moved to GM the next year and had big plans to improve his club, such as signing young Frank Mahovlich, though team patriarch Conn Smythe thought Meeker overpaid for the big winger and future star. But his Leafs had only five wins by the start of December and missed the playoffs. ‘Rock and Roll with Howie Meeker and the Crew Cuts’ was a team advert at the time, a humorous take on the pop group of the same name. Toronto had failed to get beyond the semi-finals following its ‘51 Cup win. Article content Hall of Famer and former Leafs great Howie Meeker served his country, like many other NHL stars, during the Second World War.Īfter a few seasons coaching senior and AHL hockey, the latter with Toronto’s farm team in Pittsburgh, Meeker was lured behind the Leaf bench in 1956 to replace King Clancy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In 1951, he ran successfully for the Progressive Conservatives in a Federal by-election in Waterloo South, serving two years. Injuries slowed Meeker in later years and he did not play after November of 1953, ending his Leaf career with 185 points in 346 games and three appearances in the NHL all-star game. As a right winger, he often went up against ‘Terrible’ Ted Lindsay of the Red Wings and the two often fought outright when not battling each other for pucks. Meeker nonetheless said he spent his early years wondering if he could hold on to his job in a competitive six-team NHL. Most of his success came with the ‘Tricky Trio’ line of himself, Ted Kennedy and Vic Lynn. More importantly, Meeker would go on to a role in Toronto’s three straight Cups between ‘47-49 and get a fourth in ‘51.
In that ‘46-47 campaign, Meeker was the fastest in franchise history to 25 goals, a record held until Auston Matthews’ own Calder season in 2016-17. Stanowski’s passing in 2016 made Meeker the oldest Leaf. He and Stanowski sniped at each other in the press well into their 90s about what happened on those two goals. When Meeker came off the ice, wife Grace greeted him with the news he’d been credited with five. Meeker initially thought he’d only scored three, but when Day overheard him on the bench casually say that two Wally Stanowski goals likely hit him on the way in, the coach went to the official scorer. In a 10-4 romp over Chicago at the Gardens, Meeker was credited with five goals, tying Mickey Roach’s franchise record. Meeker, not Howe, won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, with events of Jan.
At 21, Meeker debuted at the Detroit Olympia in the same 3-3 tie that Gordie Howe scored his first NHL goal. He came home to play senior hockey in Stratford and find out the Leafs were still very interested in him despite their many stars returning from the war at the same time. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team.
0 kommentar(er)
