Guyle Fielder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|||
| Born | November 21, 1930 Potlatch, Idaho, U.S. |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Died | February 21, 2026 Arizona , U.S. |
||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins |
||
| Playing career | 1951–1973 | ||
Guyle Abner Fielder (November 21, 1930 – February 21, 2026) was an amazing American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre. Guyle Fielder is famous for his incredible career in the minor Western Hockey League (WHL). He played there for many years, from 1952 to 1973. He also played a few games in the top National Hockey League (NHL) between 1951 and 1958. Guyle Fielder holds several impressive records in minor-league ice hockey. He scored more points and assists than anyone else. He also played the most games in minor league history. He is even the fourth-highest scorer in all of North American professional ice hockey history! Only legends like Wayne Gretzky, Jaromír Jágr, and Gordie Howe scored more.
Contents
Guyle Fielder's Hockey Journey
Early Life and Junior Hockey
Guyle Fielder was born in Idaho, USA. When he was young, he moved to Nipawin, Saskatchewan in Canada with his parents. He started playing junior hockey there. He played for teams in Prince Albert and Lethbridge. This was before he became a professional player.
Professional Career Highlights
Guyle Fielder had a long and successful professional hockey career. He played a few games in the National Hockey League (NHL). These were with famous teams like the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins. But he spent most of his career in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He played an amazing 22 seasons in the WHL!
He played for several WHL teams. His main team was the Seattle Totems. He also played for the New Westminster Royals, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, and the Portland Buckaroos. He even played one season in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the St. Louis Flyers. He also had short times with the Quebec Aces and the Edmonton Flyers.
Awards and Achievements
Guyle Fielder earned many awards during his career. He was named Rookie of the Year with the New Westminster Royals in 1952. He also won the Rookie of the Year award in the AHL in 1953. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the WHL six times! Four of these MVP awards were won in a row, from 1957 to 1960.
He was also the top scorer in the WHL nine times. This shows how skilled he was at getting points. He was also recognized as the most gentlemanly player three times. This means he played fairly and with good sportsmanship. Guyle Fielder retired from hockey in 1973 after playing his final season with the Portland Buckaroos.
Amazing Scoring Records
Guyle Fielder was an incredible scorer. He had four seasons where he scored over 100 points! He also had ten seasons where he made 70 or more assists. In 1957, he set a professional record by scoring 122 points in one season.
When he retired, Guyle Fielder had scored 438 goals and made 1,491 assists. This gave him a total of 1,929 points. This point total was a professional record at the time. It was even more than what Gordie Howe, another hockey legend, had scored up to that point! Guyle Fielder's total points and assists are still the highest ever in minor league hockey. His assist total is double that of the next closest player. He also played in 1,487 games, which is another all-time minor league record.
The Guyle Fielder Award
To honor his legacy, the Seattle Kraken hockey team created a special award. It is called the Guyle Fielder Award. This award recognizes a player who shows "perseverance, hustle, and dedication." These are all qualities Guyle Fielder was known for. Yanni Gourde was the first player to win this award on April 29, 2022.
Guyle Fielder's Major Awards
Guyle Fielder received many honors throughout his hockey career:
- Ed Bruchet Trophy (MVP of the WCJHL) – 1950
- WHL Rookie of the Year – 1952
- Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (AHL Rookie of the Year) – 1953
- WHL Leading Scorer – 9 times (1954, 1957–1960, 1963–1965, 1967)
- George Leader Cup (WHL MVP) – 6 times (1957–1960, 1964, 1967)
- Fred J. Hume Cup (WHL Most Gentlemanly Player) – 3 times (1966, 1967, 1969)
- AHL First All-Star Team – 1953
- WHL First All-Star Team – 8 times (1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1967)
- WHL Second All-Star Team – 4 times (1961, 1965, 1966, 1968)