Howie Morenz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Howie Morenz
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1945
Morenz, c. 1936–1937
Born	(1902-09-21)September 21, 1902 Mitchell, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 8, 1937(1937-03-08) (aged 34) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers
Playing career	1923–1937

Howard William Morenz (born September 21, 1902 – died March 8, 1937) was a famous Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre for the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1923 until his death in 1937. Morenz played for the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers.

Before joining the NHL, Howie Morenz was a star in junior hockey. He was known for his incredible speed on the ice. People called him the "Stratford Streak" and "Mitchell Meteor" because of how fast he could skate. He is considered one of the very first superstars in the NHL.

Morenz played 14 seasons in the league. He won the Stanley Cup three times, all with the Canadiens. He often ranked among the top 10 scorers in the league. For seven seasons in a row, he led the Canadiens in both goals and points. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy three times as the league's most valuable player. After the NHL started naming All-Star teams in 1931, he was chosen for the first All-Star team twice.

Sadly, Morenz died from problems after breaking his leg during a game. After his death, the Canadiens retired his jersey number, which was the first time they had done this for any player. When the Hockey Hall of Fame opened in 1945, Morenz was one of the first nine players to be inducted. In 2017, the NHL included him on their list of the 100 greatest players in league history.

Personal Life

Howie Morenz was born in Mitchell, Ontario. His parents were William Frederick Morenz and Rosena Pauli. He had three sisters and two brothers. Howie learned to play hockey by playing on the frozen Thames River.

When he was eight, he played his first organized game as a goaltender. He let in 21 goals! After that, his coach moved him to a different position. By the 1916–17 season, he became a forward. His speed was perfect for scoring goals. He helped his Mitchell team win the Western Ontario junior championship.

In May 1917, his family moved to Stratford. At 15, Morenz tried to join the Canadian military, but he was too young. At 18, he started working as an apprentice at the Canadian National Railways (CNR) factory in Stratford. When he wasn't playing hockey, Morenz loved to bet on horse races and play the ukulele.

In 1926, he married Mary McKay. They had three children: Howie Jr., Donald, and Marlene. Marlene later married Bernie Geoffrion, another famous hockey player for the Canadiens and Rangers. Their son, Dan Geoffrion, also played for the Canadiens. Dan's son, Blake Geoffrion, played for the Nashville Predators and later the Canadiens. This means four generations of the Morenz-Geoffrion family have played for the Canadiens organization!

Playing Career

Early Hockey Days

In 1920, Morenz joined the Stratford Midgets junior team. He quickly became a top scorer in the Ontario Hockey League (OHA). In the 1920–21 season, he led the league in assists and points. His team won the league title and played for the Memorial Cup. This is the championship for junior hockey in Canada. Even though Morenz scored three goals in one game, his team lost the series.

Morenz while playing junior ice hockey

His great performance in the Memorial Cup led to an invitation to play for the Stratford Indians, a senior league team. He played for both junior and senior teams for a while. In the 1922–23 season, he played only in the senior league. He led the league in assists, playoff goals, and points.

In December 1922, Morenz scored nine goals in one game during a tournament in Montreal. A friend of Léo Dandurand, who owned the Montreal Canadiens, saw him play. Dandurand was so impressed that he wanted to sign Morenz for the Canadiens. In July 1923, Morenz signed a three-year contract with the Canadiens. He earned $3,500 per year, plus a $1,000 bonus. This was a lot of money for a new professional player!

Montreal Canadiens (1923–1934)

Morenz joined his first Canadiens training camp on December 3, 1923. He quickly impressed his new teammates. His NHL debut was on December 26, 1923, where he scored a goal. In his first NHL season (1923–24), he scored 13 goals and 3 assists in 24 games.

The Canadiens won the league championship that year. They then played two teams from Western Canada for the Stanley Cup. Morenz scored three goals in the first game against the Calgary Tigers. Montreal won the series and the Stanley Cup, which was Morenz's first.

Morenz posing for a photo after the Canadiens won the 1930 Stanley Cup

In the 1924–25 season, Morenz scored 28 goals and 11 assists. He was second on the Canadiens in scoring. The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals but lost. He continued to lead the Canadiens in scoring for several years.

The 1927–28 season was one of Morenz's best. He became the first player to reach 50 points in a season, finishing with 51. He led the league in goals, assists, and points. For this amazing season, Morenz won the Hart Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the league's most valuable player.

In 1929–30, Morenz scored 40 goals for the first time. He also scored five goals in one game against the New York Americans. In the playoffs, he helped the Canadiens win their third Stanley Cup. In the 1930–31 season, Morenz won his second NHL scoring title and his second Hart Trophy. He was also named to the first-ever NHL All-Star team. The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup Final again, giving Morenz his third championship.

The 1931–32 season was another great one for Morenz. He won his third Hart Trophy, becoming the first player in NHL history to do so. He also became the NHL's all-time leading scorer with 334 points. In the 1933–34 season, Morenz reached another milestone. He scored his 249th career goal, becoming the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.

On January 2, 1934, Morenz twisted his ankle. It was his first serious injury. He couldn't play for a month. When he returned, he wasn't playing as well as before, and some fans started to boo him. In October 1934, Morenz was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks.

Chicago, New York, and Montreal (1934–1937)

Morenz with the Chicago Black Hawks during the 1934–35 season.

In his first season with the Black Hawks (1934–35), Morenz played in all 48 games. He scored 8 goals and 34 points, which was an improvement. However, he didn't feel comfortable in Chicago. In January 1936, he was traded again, this time to the New York Rangers. He played 19 games for the Rangers.

In the summer of 1936, the Canadiens' coach, Cecil Hart, wanted Morenz back. On September 1, 1936, Morenz rejoined the Montreal Canadiens. The team had a great start to the 1936–37 season. Morenz was playing well, sometimes showing his famous speed. By mid-January, he had 4 goals and 20 points.

Final Game and Death

On January 28, 1937, the Canadiens played the Chicago Black Hawks in Montreal. In the first period, Morenz fell and crashed into the boards. His left skate got caught, and a Black Hawks player landed on him. This caused Morenz's left leg to break in four places. The sound of the break was heard throughout the rink.

After breaking his leg, Morenz was unable to move from his hospital bed.

Morenz was taken to the hospital. He received many get-well cards and visits from teammates. However, he was often alone and couldn't move from his bed. He worried that he would never play hockey again.

On March 8, 1937, Morenz began to have chest pains. Doctors thought it was a heart attack. Later that night, Morenz tried to get out of bed but collapsed and died. He was 34 years old. The cause was a blood clot from his injured leg.

The NHL offered to cancel the Canadiens' next game, but Morenz's wife insisted it be played. She said Morenz would have wanted the game to continue. Players wore black armbands, and two minutes of silence were held before the game.

Morenz's funeral was held at the Montreal Forum, where the Canadiens played. His casket was placed at center ice, and 50,000 fans came to pay their respects. The service was broadcast on the radio. He was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.

Legacy

The city of Montreal was very sad about Morenz's death. To honor him, the Canadiens retired his jersey number, 7, on November 2, 1937. This was the first time the team had ever retired a player's number. A special all-star game was held to raise money for Morenz's family.

Morenz at the first NHL All-Star Game in 1934 in benefit of Ace Bailey. The second All-Star Game was held in his honour.

Howie Morenz was one of the most skilled players in the early NHL. He led the Canadiens in goals and points for many years. When he died, he held the NHL record for most career points with 472.

When the Hockey Hall of Fame opened in 1945, Morenz was one of the first nine players inducted. In 1950, a poll named him the best ice hockey player of the first half of the 20th century. In 1998, The Hockey News ranked him 15th on their list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. In 2017, the NHL also included him on their list of the 100 greatest players.

Morenz's exciting play helped the NHL grow. Charles Adams, who owned grocery stores, saw Morenz play in 1924. He was so impressed that he wanted a hockey team in Boston. The NHL then created the Boston Bruins. Another owner, Tex Rickard, also saw Morenz play and decided to add an NHL team to Madison Square Garden. This team became the New York Americans. Morenz and the Canadiens played the first game against the Americans in 1925.

Morenz's daughter, Marlene, married Bernie Geoffrion, who also played for the Canadiens and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. When the Canadiens retired Geoffrion's number, they honored the connection between the two players. Geoffrion's banner was raised to meet Morenz's banner, and then they were raised together.

Career Statistics

Awards

NHL

See also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career
• List of National Hockey League retired numbers
• List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game