August "Gus" Bodnar (April 24, 1923 – July 1, 2005) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
who was the
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
winner as the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
's rookie of the year for the 1943-44 season. He played 12 seasons in the NHL from 1943 to 1955, for the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
,
Chicago Black Hawks
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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and
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
.
Playing career
A native of
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Since th ...
, Bodnar started his career with the local Fort William Rangers of the
Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League (TBJHL) was a Canadian junior ice hockey league that existed from c. 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region.
The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League wa ...
. He played for the Rangers for three seasons from 1941–43 and competed for the
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
twice in
1941–42 and
1942–43.
After leading the TBJHL in points in 1942–43, Bodnar joined the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. On October 30, 1943, Bodnar scored his first ever NHL goal 15 seconds in his first NHL game, setting the record for fastest goal by a player in his first NHL game. Bodnar scored 62 points during the regular season, a career best, and he beat
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
rookie goaltender
Bill Durnan
William Ronald Durnan (January 22, 1916 – October 31, 1972) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played seven seasons with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). During his career he was one of the most domin ...
in voting for the
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
in
1943–44. He spent four more seasons with the Maple Leafs and won two
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
s in
1944–45 and
1946–47. Bodnar had 40 assists in his rookie season in
1943–44, which would set a record for assists by a Maple Leafs rookie until surpassed by
Mitch Marner
Mitchell Marner (born May 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry ...
in
2016–17.
In
1947–48, Bodnar and fellow linemates
Gaye Stewart
James Gaye Stewart (June 28, 1923 – November 18, 2010) was a professional ice hockey forward. He played nine seasons as a left winger in the National Hockey League.
Playing career
Born in Fort William, Ontario, Stewart was called from the min ...
,
Ernie Dickens
Ernest Leslie Dickens (June 25, 1921 – September 27, 1985) was a Canadian two-sport athlete from Manitoba. He played soccer for Winnipeg United Weston and then enjoyed a career as an ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL) , p ...
,
Bud Poile
Norman Robert "Bud" Poile (February 10, 1924 – January 4, 2005) was a professional ice hockey player, coach, general manager, and league executive. Bud is the brother of Don Poile, and the father of David Poile.
Overview
Poile was born in Fo ...
and
Bob Goldham
Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham (May 12, 1922 – September 6, 1991) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and broadcaster. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy". He was later called the "Second Goalie" be ...
were traded to the
Chicago Black Hawks
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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in exchange for
Max Bentley
Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley (March 1, 1920 – January 19, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of a pr ...
and
Cy Thomas
Cyril James Thomas (August 5, 1926 — January 2, 2009) was a Welsh-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1947–48 season. T ...
. Bodnar remained in Chicago for seven seasons from 1947 to 1954. He also played in the
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
in
1950–51. On March 23, 1952, Bodnar set another NHL record by recording three assists in 21 seconds. With that record, he also helped teammate
Bill Mosienko
William Mosienko (November 2, 1921 – July 9, 1994) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks. He is best noted for recording the fastest hat trick in ...
set the record for fastest
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...
in NHL history In
1953–54, Bodnar was traded to the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
midway through the season. He would remain with the Bruins for one more season in
1954–55, before retiring.
Coaching career
Bodnar retired from playing hockey in 1955, but later came back to
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. Bodnar coached in the Boston farm system with the Lakeshore Bruins in the Metro Jr.B league, they won the League Championship in 57/58 and went to the OHA Jr.B Championship round. He was the coach and manager of the
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The Marlboros ...
from 1967 to 1968. He coached the Marlboros to a
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
championship in
1966–67. In 1970, Bodnar was named head coach of the
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City from 1969 to 1994.
History
They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International H ...
in the
WHL. He remained there for one season before signing on as head coach of the
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor (commercial), sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. ...
in the
OHA from 1971 to 1976. He was the recipient of the OHA Coach of the Year Award in
1971–72.
Legacy
Bodnar was elected to the
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
The Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, established in 1978 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to the people of Northwestern Ontario who have achieved greatness in sport. It is located on 219 South May Street in Downtown Fort W ...
in 1983, and the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. On July 1, 2005, Bodnar died at the Lakeridge Health Unit in
Oshawa
Oshawa ( , also ; 2021 population 175,383; CMA 415,311) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of Downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the G ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.
Awards and achievements
*
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
winner in
1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
.
*
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
champion in
1945
1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
Januar ...
and
1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...
.
*Played in
1951 NHL All-Star Game.
*
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
champion in
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
(as head coach).
*
OHA Coach of the Year award winner in
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
.
*Inducted into the
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
The Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, established in 1978 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to the people of Northwestern Ontario who have achieved greatness in sport. It is located on 219 South May Street in Downtown Fort W ...
in 1983.
*Inducted into the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
Records
* On October 30, 1943, in his first game, Bodnar scored a goal 15 seconds into the game, setting the record for fastest goal by a player in his first NHL game.
* On March 23, 1952, Bodnar set a NHL record for recording 3 assists in 21 seconds.
* Record rookie assists 1943–44 season (surpassed in 2017 by
Mitch Marner
Mitchell Marner (born May 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry ...
with 42 assists)
Career statistics
Transactions
* November 2, 1947 - Traded to the
Chicago Black Hawks
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
by the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
with
Bud Poile
Norman Robert "Bud" Poile (February 10, 1924 – January 4, 2005) was a professional ice hockey player, coach, general manager, and league executive. Bud is the brother of Don Poile, and the father of David Poile.
Overview
Poile was born in Fo ...
,
Gaye Stewart
James Gaye Stewart (June 28, 1923 – November 18, 2010) was a professional ice hockey forward. He played nine seasons as a left winger in the National Hockey League.
Playing career
Born in Fort William, Ontario, Stewart was called from the min ...
,
Ernie Dickens
Ernest Leslie Dickens (June 25, 1921 – September 27, 1985) was a Canadian two-sport athlete from Manitoba. He played soccer for Winnipeg United Weston and then enjoyed a career as an ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL) , p ...
and
Bob Goldham
Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham (May 12, 1922 – September 6, 1991) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and broadcaster. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy". He was later called the "Second Goalie" be ...
for
Max Bentley
Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley (March 1, 1920 – January 19, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of a pr ...
and
Cy Thomas
Cyril James Thomas (August 5, 1926 — January 2, 2009) was a Welsh-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1947–48 season. T ...
.
* February 16, 1954 - Traded to the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
by the Chicago Black Hawks for
Jerry Toppazzini
Jerry "Topper" Toppazzini (July 29, 1931 — April 21, 2012) was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Boston Bruins, between 1952 and 1964. A skilled defensive specialist and ...
.
References
External links
*
Picture of Gus Bodnar's Name on the 1945 Stanley Cup plaque
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bodnar, Gus
1923 births
2005 deaths
Boston Bruins players
Calder Trophy winners
Canadian ice hockey centres
Chicago Blackhawks players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Sportspeople from Thunder Bay
Oshawa Generals coaches
Stanley Cup champions
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Toronto Marlboros coaches
Canadian ice hockey coaches