Ken Hodge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Hodge |
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Hodge in 2011
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| Born | 25 June 1944 Birmingham, England, UK |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins New York Rangers |
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| Playing career | 1964–1980 | ||
Kenneth Raymond Hodge, Sr. (born 25 June 1944) is a former professional hockey player. He was born in Birmingham, England, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ken Hodge played as a right wing in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers.
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Playing Career: A Hockey Star
Ken Hodge was one of the few players born in Britain to play in the NHL. He started his career with the St. Catharines Black Hawks in junior league hockey. In 1965, he was a top scorer in the league. The next year, he joined the Chicago Black Hawks.
Hodge was a big player for his time, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 215 pounds. After two seasons with the Black Hawks, he was part of a huge trade. He moved to the Boston Bruins along with teammates Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield. This trade made the Bruins a very strong team.
In the 1968 season, Hodge played on a line with Esposito and Ron Murphy. This line set a new NHL record for points scored by a forward line. Hodge himself scored an impressive 45 goals and 45 assists. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in the 1970 season.
The 1970 season was amazing for the Bruins. They became one of the best offensive teams in hockey history. Hodge played on a powerful line with Esposito and Wayne Cashman. He set a new league record for points by a right winger with 105 points. He finished fourth in NHL scoring that year. Amazingly, the top four scorers in the league all played for the Bruins: Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, and Ken Hodge.
In the 1971 season, injuries slowed Hodge down. However, he played well in the playoffs. He helped the Bruins win their second Stanley Cup in three years. In 1973, he had another fantastic season. He scored 50 goals and 105 points, placing third in league scoring. Again, the top four scorers in the NHL were all Bruins players. Hodge was also the first player born outside of Canada to score 50 goals in a single season.
In 1975, his teammate Phil Esposito was traded to the New York Rangers. This affected Hodge's scoring. In May 1976, Hodge was also traded to the Rangers. The Rangers hoped he would find his old success playing with Esposito again.
Retirement and Later Life
Ken Hodge had limited success with the New York Rangers. He later played in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the New Haven Nighthawks. He retired after that season. However, he returned to play one final professional season in 1979-80 for the Binghamton Dusters in the AHL.
Hodge played 881 games in his NHL career. He scored 328 goals and made 472 assists, totaling 800 points. Today, Ken Hodge still lives in the Boston area. He stays involved with the Bruins' former players' team and other alumni events. He has also worked as a hockey broadcaster in Boston.
Personal Life and Family
During his time with the Bruins, Ken Hodge lived in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. His home was famous for its large swimming pool. The pool was shaped like his Bruins uniform number, which was 8.
Ken Hodge's son, Ken Hodge, Jr., also became a professional hockey player. He played from 1987 to 1998. Another son, Dan Hodge, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1991. He also played professional hockey in the American Hockey League and other leagues.
Achievements
- Named a First Team All-Star in 1971 and 1974.
- Played in the All-Star Game in 1971, 1973 and 1974.
- Two time Stanley Cup champion (1970 and 1972)
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1961–62 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA-Jr. | 31 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1962–63 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA-Jr. | 50 | 23 | 23 | 46 | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1963–64 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA-Jr. | 56 | 37 | 51 | 88 | 110 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 28 | ||
| 1964–65 | St. Catharines Black Hawks | OHA-Jr. | 55 | 63 | 60 | 123 | 107 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1964–65 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964–65 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1965–66 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 63 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1966–67 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 69 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 59 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1967–68 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 74 | 25 | 31 | 56 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 75 | 45 | 45 | 90 | 75 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 4 | ||
| 1969–70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 25 | 29 | 54 | 87 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 7 | ||
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 43 | 62 | 105 | 113 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 60 | 16 | 40 | 56 | 81 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 62 | ||
| 1972–73 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 73 | 37 | 44 | 81 | 58 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 1973–74 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 50 | 55 | 105 | 43 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 16 | ||
| 1974–75 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 23 | 43 | 66 | 90 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1975–76 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 25 | 36 | 61 | 42 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1976–77 | New York Rangers | NHL | 78 | 21 | 41 | 62 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | New York Rangers | NHL | 18 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 52 | 17 | 29 | 46 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 20 | ||
| 1979–80 | Binghamton Dusters | AHL | 37 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 881 | 328 | 472 | 800 | 779 | 97 | 34 | 47 | 81 | 120 | ||||
See also
- List of National Hockey League players from the United Kingdom
- List of NHL players with 100-point seasons
