Gus Bodnar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gus Bodnar |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
NHL president Red Dutton shown presenting the Calder Memorial Trophy to Bodnar in 1944.
|
|||
| Born | April 24, 1923 Fort William, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Died | July 1, 2005 (aged 82) Oshawa, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins |
||
| Playing career | 1943–1955 | ||
August "Gus" Bodnar (April 24, 1923 – July 1, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He was a talented centre who played in the NHL for 12 seasons. Gus won a special award called the Calder Memorial Trophy in his first year. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins.
Playing Career
Gus Bodnar grew up in Fort William, Ontario. He started playing hockey for his local team, the Fort William Rangers. He played junior hockey there for three seasons. His team even played for the Memorial Cup twice, which is a big championship for junior hockey teams.
After being a top scorer in his junior league, Gus joined the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his very first NHL game on October 30, 1943, he scored a goal in just 15 seconds! This set a record for the fastest first goal by a player in their first NHL game. Gus had a great first season, scoring 62 points. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie of the year. He played four more seasons with the Maple Leafs. During this time, he helped them win two Stanley Cup championships in 1945 and 1947. Gus also set a record for assists by a Maple Leafs rookie with 40 assists. This record stood for a long time until Mitch Marner broke it in 2017.
In 1947, Gus and some of his teammates were traded to the Chicago Black Hawks. He played for Chicago for seven seasons. While with the Black Hawks, he played in the 1951 NHL All-Star Game. On March 23, 1952, Gus set another NHL record. He made three assists in just 21 seconds! This amazing play also helped his teammate Bill Mosienko score the fastest hat-trick in NHL history. In 1954, Gus was traded to the Boston Bruins. He played one more season with the Bruins before he stopped playing hockey in 1955.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player in 1955, Gus Bodnar later became a coach. He coached junior teams in the Boston farm system. His team, the Lakeshore Bruins, won their league championship in 1958. From 1967 to 1968, he coached the Toronto Marlboros. He led the Marlboros to a Memorial Cup championship in 1967. In 1970, Gus became the head coach of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the WHL. He then coached the Oshawa Generals in the OHA from 1971 to 1976. He was named the OHA Coach of the Year in 1972.
Legacy
Gus Bodnar was recognized for his contributions to hockey. He was elected to the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. Later, in 1995, he was also inducted into the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame. Gus Bodnar passed away on July 1, 2005, in Oshawa, Ontario.
Awards and Achievements
- Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1944.
- Stanley Cup champion in 1945 and 1947.
- Played in 1951 NHL All-Star Game.
- Memorial Cup champion in 1967 (as head coach).
- OHA Coach of the Year award winner in 1972.
- Inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 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. This set the record for fastest goal by a player in their first NHL game.
- On March 23, 1952, Bodnar set an NHL record by getting 3 assists in 21 seconds.
- He set a rookie assists record in the 1943–44 season with 40 assists. This was later surpassed by Mitch Marner in 2017.
Images for kids
-
NHL president Red Dutton presenting the Calder Memorial Trophy to Bodnar in 1944.
