Ed Litzenberger
Ed Litzenberger | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Neudorf, SK, CAN | July 15, 1932||
Died |
November 1, 2010 Etobicoke, ON, CAN | (aged 78)||
Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
Position | Right wing | ||
Shot | Right | ||
Played for |
Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
Playing career | 1952–1965 |
Edward C. J. "Eddie" Litzenberger (July 15, 1932 – November 1, 2010) was a Canadian ice hockey right winger from Neudorf, Saskatchewan. Litzenberger was donated to the Chicago Black Hawks by the Montreal Canadiens in his first year in the NHL. At the time the Black Hawks were struggling to survive as a franchise, and the league governors decided to help the team remain viable.[1]
Playing career
Litzenberger began his hockey career with the Regina Pats in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League. In 1950-51, he led the league in scoring with 44 goals in 40 games and led the playoffs in scoring with 14 goals in 12 games. In 1952-53, he made his debut with the Montreal Canadiens, playing 2 games with the team while splitting his time with the Montreal Royals. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in the Quebec Senior Hockey League and was named to the Second All-Star Team.
After playing 29 games with the Canadiens, Litzenberger was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1954-55. He posted 40 points in 44 games with the Black Hawks and was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy.[2] Litzenberger was also selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game that year. After posting 3 consecutive 30-goal seasons and being named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1956-57,[1] Litzenberger was named Captain of the Chicago Black Hawks in 1957-58. He led a Black Hawks team consisting future Hall of Famers Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Pierre Pilote and Glenn Hall to a Stanley Cup championship in 1960-61. This was the first Stanley Cup the Black Hawks had won since 1937-38.
Litzenberger was traded to the Detroit Red Wings after the Black Hawks had won the Stanley Cup. He was traded midway through the season to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Litzenberger helped the Leafs win 3 consecutive Stanley Cups from 1962-1964. After that, he was sent down to the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans. He won the Calder Cup for 2 consecutive seasons with the Americans before retiring.
He has the unusual distinction of having won four consecutive Stanley Cups while playing for two different teams. Litzenberger helped instill a winning attitude as a member of the Black Hawks, having been traded from a first place to a last place team. He noticed a defeatest attitude among the players. Some of his teammates were satisfied with a tie score. He reminded them that a tie was not a win and not worth celebrating.[3]
Litzenberger is the only player in North American hockey history to win six straight pro hockey championships by winning the Stanley Cup in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964, and the Calder Cup in 1965 and 1966.
He spent his final years living in Ontario.
Achievements
- QSHL Top Rookie of the Year Award winner in 1953.
- Selected to the QSHL Second All-Star Team in 1953.
- Selected to the QHL Second All-Star Team in 1954.
- Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1955.
- Played in 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, and 1963 NHL All-Star Games.
- Selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1957.
- Stanley Cup champion in 1961 (Chicago Black Hawks).
- Stanley Cup champion in 1962, 1963 and 1964 (Toronto Maple Leafs).
- Calder Cup champion in 1965, and 1966 (Rochester Americans).
Career statistics
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1949-50 | Regina Pats | WCJHL | 40 | 25 | 19 | 44 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 4 | ||
1949-50 | Regina Pats | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 2 | ||
1950-51 | Regina Pats | WCJHL | 40 | 44 | 35 | 79 | 23 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 6 | ||
1950-51 | Regina Pats | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 14 | ||
1951-52 | Regina Pats | WCJHL | 41 | 42 | 29 | 71 | 75 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 | ||
1951-52 | Regina Pats | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 12 | ||
1952-53 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1952-53 | Montreal Royals | QMHL | 59 | 26 | 24 | 50 | 42 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 15 | ||
1953-54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1953-54 | Montreal Royals | QHL | 67 | 31 | 39 | 70 | 44 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 6 | ||
1954-55 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 29 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1954-55 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 44 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1955-56 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1956-57 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1957-58 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 32 | 30 | 62 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1958-59 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 33 | 44 | 77 | 37 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | ||
1959-60 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 52 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
1960-61 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 62 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
1961-62 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 32 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1961-62 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 37 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
1962-63 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 58 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
1963-64 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 19 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
1963-64 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 33 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
1964-65 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 72 | 25 | 61 | 86 | 34 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
1965-66 | Victoria Maple Leafs | WHL | 23 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1965-66 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 47 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | ||
NHL totals | 618 | 178 | 238 | 416 | 283 | 40 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 34 |
Death
Litzenberger, who died November 1, 2010, was 78.[4]
References
- ^ a b Who's Who in Hockey, Stan Fischler and Shirley Fischler, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2003, pg. 249.
- ^ "Calder Memorial Trophy". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ Glen Hall: The Man They Call Mr. Goalie, Tom Adrahtas, Greystone Books, 2002, pg, 73.
- ^ Orr, Frank (3 November 2010). "Ex-Leaf Litzenberger, 78, passes away". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
External links
- 1932 births
- 2010 deaths
- Calder Trophy winners
- Canadian ice hockey forwards
- Chicago Blackhawks captains
- Chicago Blackhawks players
- Detroit Red Wings players
- Ice hockey people from Saskatchewan
- Montreal Canadiens players
- People from Neudorf, Saskatchewan
- Regina Pats alumni
- Saskatchewan Huskies ice hockey players
- Stanley Cup champions
- Toronto Maple Leafs players