Max Bentley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Max Bentley
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1966
Born	(1920-03-01)March 1, 1920 Delisle, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died	January 18, 1984(1984-01-18) (aged 63) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	158 lb (72 kg; 11 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Chicago Black Hawks Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers
Playing career	1940–1954

Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley (born March 1, 1920 – died January 18, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). His hockey career lasted 20 years, including time in professional and senior leagues.

Max Bentley was a top scorer in the NHL twice in a row. In 1946, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's most valuable player. He also played in four All-Star Games and was named to the post-season NHL All-Star team twice.

Bentley came from a family of six hockey-playing brothers. At one point, he played with four of his brothers for the Drumheller Miners. In the 1942–43 NHL season, he made NHL history. He played on the league's first ever all-brother line with his brothers Doug and Reg.

He played five seasons in Chicago with Doug. Then, in 1947, he was traded to the Maple Leafs. This was one of the biggest trades in NHL history at the time. Bentley won three Stanley Cup championships with the Maple Leafs. He played his last NHL season with the Rangers in 1953–54 NHL season. After that, he went back to his home in Saskatoon to finish his playing career. Many people thought Bentley was one of the best players of his time. He was put into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. In 2017, the NHL named him one of the 100 greatest players of all-time.

Early Life and Hockey Beginnings

Max Bentley was born on March 1, 1920, in Delisle, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was the youngest of six boys and one of thirteen children in his family. His father, Bill, was from England. He moved to the United States as a child and became a speed skating champion. Later, he settled in Delisle, where he became mayor. He even helped build the town's indoor skating rink.

All of the Bentley children were good at sports, and all six brothers played hockey. Their father believed all six boys could have played in the NHL. However, the older boys had to help a lot on the family farm. This meant they spent most of their careers playing senior hockey in Canada.

Max's father taught him to play hockey on their farm. He believed that daily farm work would make his children's shots strong. His father also taught Max to use his speed to get past bigger players. Max was only about 155 pounds when he was fully grown.

He played hockey in Rosetown, Saskatchewan for two years, from 1935 to 1937. As a 16-year-old, he led the Saskatchewan Intermediate league in scoring. In 1937, he joined the Drumheller Miners in the Alberta Senior Hockey League (ASHL). He led that league in scoring while playing with his brothers Roy and Wyatt. For the 1938–39 season, his brothers Doug and Reg also joined the Drumheller team. When they weren't playing hockey, the family ran a gas station in Drumheller.

Professional Hockey Career

Starting with the Chicago Black Hawks

When Max Bentley was playing for Rosetown, he tried out for the Boston Bruins. The Bruins thought he was too small for the NHL and sent him home. Then he went to Montreal to try out for the Montreal Canadiens. The team told him to see a doctor. The doctor said he had a heart problem and should quit hockey. Max decided to keep playing. However, after this, he often worried a lot about his health. He would complain about aches and pains and carried many medicines. People even called him a "walking drug store."

After playing senior hockey for a few years, Max played his first professional games in the 1940–41 AHL season for the Providence Reds. The Chicago Black Hawks noticed him. They wanted him to start with their minor league team in Kansas City. Max didn't want to go at first and thought about quitting hockey. But the Kansas City coach, Johnny Gottselig, convinced him. Max played only five games there before injuries in Chicago led the Black Hawks to call him up. He joined his brother Doug, who had been with Chicago since 1939. Max played his first NHL game on November 21, 1940. He scored his first goal on December 1 against the New York Rangers.

In his third NHL season, 1942–43 NHL season, Bentley scored 70 points. He finished third in the league for scoring, just three points behind his brother Doug. On January 28, 1943, Max tied an NHL record by scoring four goals in one period. This happened in a 10–1 win over the Rangers. He also had three assists in that game, tying the league record at the time for seven points in one game. He only got one penalty all season. Because of this, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for being the most sportsmanlike player.

During World War II, many NHL players joined the military. Max and Doug convinced the Black Hawks to sign their brother Reg. On January 1, 1943, the three brothers made history. They became the first all-brother line in NHL history. Two nights later, Max and Doug helped Reg score his first and only NHL goal. This was the only time in league history that three family members were involved in a single scoring play. While Max and Doug were NHL stars, Reg only played 11 games in the NHL.

Max Bentley's career was paused in 1943 when he joined the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. He played for military teams in Victoria, British Columbia, and Calgary for two years. He led the Alberta military league in goals and points in 1943–44.

After the war, Bentley returned to the Black Hawks. He played again with his brother Doug and Bill Mosienko. These three players were small and very fast. They were called the "Pony Line" and became one of the best scoring lines in the league. Max led the league in scoring with 61 points. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player. He was the first Black Hawk player to ever win this award.

Bentley led the league in scoring again in the 1946–47 NHL season, with 72 points in 60 games. He won the title on the very last night of the season. He was only the third player in NHL history to win two scoring titles in a row. He then played in the 1st National Hockey League All-Star Game on October 13, 1947.

Winning Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Three weeks later, the Maple Leafs made a big trade to get Bentley. He was sent to Toronto with Cy Thomas. In return, Chicago received five players: Gus Bodnar, Bud Poile, Gaye Stewart, Ernie Dickens, and Bob Goldham. This trade, on November 2, 1947, shocked the league. NHL President Clarence Campbell said it was one of the most important trades ever. Bentley was sad to leave his brother in Chicago, but he quickly became popular in Toronto.

With the Leafs, Bentley tried for his third scoring title in a row. He finished fifth with 54 points. The Leafs finished first in the regular season. Then, they won the Stanley Cup by beating the Detroit Red Wings in four games in the 1948 Stanley Cup Finals. Bentley was very happy, saying he had waited a long time for a Stanley Cup championship.

Bentley and the Leafs had a tougher regular season in 1948–49 NHL season. Bentley's points dropped to 41. The Leafs finished fourth, but they played well in the playoffs. They beat the Red Wings again in four games, winning their third Stanley Cup in a row. Bentley scored a goal in the final game.

The Leafs' championship streak ended in 1949–50 NHL season. However, Bentley played better offensively, leading the team with 23 goals. He thought about retiring and going back to Saskatchewan. But he decided to play for Toronto again in the 1950–51 NHL season. He had a much better season, finishing third in the league with 62 points. The Leafs played the Canadiens in the 1951 Stanley Cup Finals and won in five games. Bentley had 13 points in the playoffs, tying for the league lead.

After the 1951–52 NHL season, Bentley thought about his future. He considered coaching the Calgary Stampeders and wanted to play with his brother Doug again. But he returned to Toronto. He only played 36 games in 1952–53 NHL season because of a back injury. However, he reached 500 career points on November 5, 1952, with two goals against the Rangers.

Later Career in New York and Saskatoon

After the season, the New York Rangers offered Max and Doug Bentley a chance to play together again. The Rangers got both players in separate deals. Max had 32 points in 54 games that season. Doug played only 20 games. In the fall of 1954, Bentley's rights went back to the Maple Leafs because he refused to play for the Rangers. He asked the Leafs for a large contract, more than they wanted to pay. He was put on a suspended list when he refused to go to training camp. Bentley wanted to leave the NHL and play for the Saskatoon Quakers in the WHL, where Doug was coaching. The Maple Leafs finally let him go. At that time, he was second among all active players with 245 goals.

He joined the Quakers in November 1954, which was very exciting for Saskatoon fans. Bentley finished the season with 41 points in 40 games. He started the 1955–56 season with Saskatoon but retired on November 15, 1955. This was due to ongoing back problems. He played his last game that night, scoring his final goal in an 8–3 win.

In 1956, Bentley and his brother Doug started a new Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) team in Saskatoon. Max tried to get into coaching. He offered to coach the Vancouver Canucks in 1961. Then, in 1962, he coached the Burbank Stars in California. His nephew Bev and son Lynn played for him in Burbank. His brother Doug was the player-coach for a rival team, the Long Beach Gulls.

Playing Style and Legacy

Max Bentley was known for his amazing speed, great passing, and excellent puck handling skills. He learned these skills by constantly playing street hockey in the summers and on the ice in the winters with his brothers. Their father made a narrow sheet of ice on the farm. This forced the boys to learn how to control the puck while making fast, sharp turns to get to the net.

He was nicknamed the "Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle." This name came from his ability to skate around opponents who often had to play rough to stop him. Bentley could score from almost any angle, which even surprised his brother Doug. A long-time hockey promoter named Bill Hunter said Bentley was "a phenomenal hockey player, an absolute artist with the puck." Sometimes, opponents would try to distract him by saying he looked sick, knowing he worried about his health.

Bentley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. His brother Doug had been inducted two years earlier. One year later, Max and Doug were both put into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. The Hockey News ranked him 48th on its 1998 list of the top 100 players of all time.

Personal Life

Besides hockey, Max Bentley and his brothers also played baseball in the summers. They played for their hometown of Delisle and often won regional tournaments. Bentley played summer baseball throughout the 1950s. He was also a member of the Saskatoon Gems. He was a long-time curler, often playing with his brothers, son, and nephews.

Most of Bentley's time away from hockey was spent on the family farm near Delisle. The Bentleys had a large farm where they raised cattle and grew wheat. Max often returned to the farm to rest during hockey seasons when he felt he needed a break. He and his wife Betty had two sons, Lynn and Gary. Lynn also played hockey. Max Bentley passed away at his home in Saskatoon on January 18, 1984, at the age of 63.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

See also

• List of family relations in the NHL