Danny Lewicki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danny Lewicki |
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| Born | March 12, 1931 Fort William, ON, CAN |
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| Died | September 25, 2018 (aged 87) Toronto, ON, CAN |
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| Height | 5 ft 09 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | NHL Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers AHL Pittsburgh Hornets Buffalo Bisons Quebec Aces |
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| Playing career | 1950–1963 | ||
Daniel Vladimir Lewicki (born March 12, 1931 – died September 25, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a left winger for teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Danny Lewicki was special because he was the only player to win three major hockey trophies—the Allan Cup, Memorial Cup, and Stanley Cup—all while he was still a junior player!
Contents
Danny Lewicki: Hockey Star
Growing Up and Learning Hockey
Danny Lewicki was one of eight children. His parents, Michael and Anastasia, were born in Ukraine and moved to Canada. They met in Fort William, Ontario. Danny's family lived in a busy area near the docks. When Danny was two years old, his mother left his father. Danny, his mother, a sister, a brother, and a boarder lived in a small, two-room house.
Danny started skating when he was five years old. First, he used "bob skates," which are like training skates. Then he got a used pair that were three sizes too big! Until he was twelve, Danny played hockey on outdoor rinks. This kind of informal hockey is called "shinny."
When he was twelve, Danny secretly joined an organized team called the Bantam Elks. He had to hide his hockey gear under the stairs because his mother didn't want him to play. The next year, he played for the North Star Bantams. By age fourteen, he was playing with older boys, sixteen and up!
Junior Hockey Adventures
At fifteen, Danny got his first chance to play junior hockey. He joined the Columbus Juniors for their playoffs. The next season, he led his league in scoring and caught the eye of professional scouts. Teams from Toronto, New York, and Detroit were interested in him.
A coach named Leo Barbini, who also scouted for the Providence Reds, put Danny on the Reds' negotiating list. This happened even though other teams tried to sign him right after his sixteenth birthday.
Later, Danny joined the Port Arthur West End Bruins for their playoff run. They won the Western title and then faced the Barrie Flyers in the 1948 Memorial Cup final. Danny scored the winning goal, and the Bruins won the Cup! Eight players from that team later played in the NHL. Danny was the top scorer in those playoffs, with 40 points.
After this big win, the Toronto Maple Leafs bought Danny's rights for a record $35,000 and another player. Danny was told to join the Toronto Marlboros, a team connected to the Maple Leafs. It turned out that his old coach, Barbini, had signed Danny to a special "C" Form. This form meant Danny was tied to the Maple Leafs when he turned eighteen.
Danny didn't want to play for the Marlboros. He was told he had to play for them or not at all. The NHL President, Clarence Campbell, even suspended him. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association tried to help Danny, but they stopped short of legal action. Danny decided to join the Marlboros. The "C" Form caused a big stir and was later removed from hockey rules.
Even though the Marlboros lost their playoffs that year, Danny was invited to join their senior team. This team was competing for the Allan Cup. The Marlboros won the Allan Cup in 1950, and Danny was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the series! He scored 42 points in 17 playoff games.
Playing in the NHL
In 1950, Danny Lewicki started his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was only nineteen years old but made the team right away. He signed a three-year contract for $10,000 a year, plus a $3,000 bonus.
Danny's first NHL game was on October 14, 1950, against the Chicago Black Hawks. In his seventh game, he scored his first NHL goal! It was a lucky bounce off the glass that went past the Boston Bruins' goalie. Danny was a strong candidate for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie player. He scored 16 goals and 31 assists before an injury ended his season early. He finished third in the Calder Trophy voting.
The Maple Leafs made it to the playoffs that year. Even though Danny was still injured, the team's manager, Conn Smythe, wanted him to play. Danny had to have his groin muscle frozen and taped before each game. He couldn't score much, but he helped the team by playing a strong defensive role. The Leafs won the 1951 Stanley Cup Final by beating the Montreal Canadiens 4–1! This meant Danny had won the Allan Cup, Memorial Cup, and Stanley Cup all by the age of 20!
For the next three seasons, Danny mostly played for the Leafs' minor league team, the Pittsburgh Hornets. It's believed that Smythe was upset with Danny for getting married during the off-season, which might have been why he was sent to the minors. Even though Danny had a great season in Pittsburgh in 1954, scoring 36 goals and 81 points, the Maple Leafs sold him to the New York Rangers.
Back in the NHL with the Rangers, Danny had the best season of his career. He scored 29 goals and 24 assists in 70 games. He was even named to the NHL Second All-Star team!
After the 1957–58 season, the Rangers didn't protect Danny in the annual draft, so the Montreal Canadiens picked him. However, the Canadiens didn't plan to play him; they just picked him to hurt the Rangers. Danny was then traded to the Chicago Black Hawks.
Danny played one season for the Black Hawks. They made the playoffs but lost in the first round. In the final game, the referee, Red Storey, missed a tripping penalty, which led to the Canadiens scoring the winning goal. Fans were very angry. Danny, who was unhappy about sitting on the bench, gave Storey his stick, saying, "you need it more than me." Storey used the stick to protect himself as he left the arena.
This was the last NHL game for both Storey and Lewicki. Storey resigned after being criticized, and the Black Hawks sent Danny to the minor leagues. Danny believed this incident caused him to be "black-balled" from the league, meaning he never got another chance to play in the NHL. He played a few more seasons in the American Hockey League before retiring in 1963.
Later Life
Danny Lewicki passed away on September 25, 2018, in Toronto, at the age of 87.
Awards and Records
- 1955 - NHL Second All-Star Team
