Don Raleigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Raleigh |
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| Born | June 27, 1926 Kenora, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | August 21, 2012 (aged 86) Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1943–1958 | ||
James Donald Raleigh (born June 27, 1926 – died August 21, 2012) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played as a centre for the New York Rangers. He was part of the NHL from 1943 to 1956.
Don Raleigh's Hockey Journey
Don Raleigh spent most of his hockey career with the New York Rangers. He played in 535 regular season games for them. He joined the Rangers when he was just 17 years old. This was during the 1943-44 NHL season. People called him 'Bones' because he was quite light. He weighed about 150 pounds.
On February 25, 1948, Don made history! He scored four goals in one game. This was against the Chicago Blackhawks. He was the first Rangers player ever to do that.
In the 1950 Stanley Cup Finals, Don Raleigh did something amazing. He scored the winning goal in overtime in two games in a row! This was against the Detroit Red Wings. No other player had ever scored back-to-back overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Finals before. The Rangers almost won the championship that year. In the final game, Don hit the crossbar with a shot. If it had gone in, it would have been his third overtime goal. It would have also won the Stanley Cup for the Rangers! The Rangers did not win another Stanley Cup until 1994. Don retired from hockey in 1958.
Life After Hockey
Don Raleigh lived most of his life in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was honored for his hockey achievements. He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. He also joined the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. After a period of poor health, Don Raleigh passed away on August 21, 2012.
Awards and Special Moments
Don Raleigh achieved many great things in his hockey career:
- He was the top scorer in the MJHL in 1946.
- He played in the NHL All-Star Game twice. These were in 1951 and 1954.
- He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1998.
- He is an Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.
- In a 2009 book called 100 Ranger Greats, he was ranked No. 32. This was out of 901 New York Rangers players.
