Big credits to seventieslord, whose bio provided a great foundation to work with, and Rob Scuderi, who helped out a lot with determining the scoring numbers for Walsh and his teammates.
Marty Walsh, C
Height: 5-7 (170 cm)
Weight: 155 lbs. (70 kg)
Shoots: Left
Stanley Cup Champion
(1909, 1910*, 1911)
Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
(1963)
*played and won a challenge against Galt during the CHA season, before Ottawa joined the NHA, then won another Cup challenge against Edmonton, for this reason Ottawa was considered co-champions of the Cup since the Wanderers won it during the NHA season,
source
Awards
ECAHA/ECHA First All-Star Team
(1908, 1909)
ECHA MVP
(1909)
Overall Scoring
1903-1904 (CIAU):
1st (
128.6% of 2nd place Wallace Gilbert) (included Billy Gilmour who played for a different team and scored 5 points to Walsh's 9)
1904-1905 (CIAU):
7th (
38.5% of 1st place Alexander McCallum) (included Billy Gilmour who played for a different team and scored 6 points to Walsh's 5)
1905-1906 (CIAU):
1st (
136.4% of 2nd place George Richardson) (included Billy Gilmour and Frank Patrick, who played on the same team together (different one then Walsh) and scored 5 and 6 points, respectively, to Walsh's 15)
*1906-1907 (IHL):
not relevant (14.1% of 1st place Billy Taylor)
1907-1908 (ECHA):
2nd (
90.3% of 1st place Russell Bowie)
1908-1909 (ECHA):
1st (
131% of 2nd place Herb Jordan)
**1909-1910 (CHA):
T-1st (
128.6% of 3rd place Jack Marks)
***1909-1910 (NHA):
8th (
50% of 1st place Newsy Lalonde)
1910-1911 (NHA):
1st (
106% of 2nd place Dubbie Kerr)
****1911-1912 (NHA):
not relevant (
25.7% of 1st place Skene Ronan)
*Walsh only played 7 games, missing just over 2/3rds of the season due to injury. That being said, he still only had 48.2% of Taylor's points per game. Interestingly, however, looking at assists per game, Walsh would have placed 3rd, 95.2% of Taylor in 2nd place. Lorne Campbell ran away with assists that year, scoring 138.9% of Taylor. Much too small a sample to draw any meaningful conclusions, but it does corroborate well with the anecdotes about Walsh being effective in combination plays and passing the puck.
**This was a semi-top level league at the time that only lasted 4 games maximum for the teams. The NHA then absorbed some of the teams and the league ceased operations.
***Walsh was playing hurt for a good portion of this season, likely hurting his scoring.
****Ronan actually replaced Walsh for the vast majority of this year as the Senators' starting centerman. I am still not sure why, but Walsh was relegated to a utility forward/spare. In my research, I was unable to come up with anything about his play deteriorating at all. Read more in the
So what happened in the 1911-1912 season? section.
Overall Playoff Scoring
*1905-1906 (CAHL):
5th (
50% of 1st place Harry Smith)
1909-1910 (CHA):
1st (
200% of 2nd place Bruce Stuart)
**1909-1910 (NHA):
2nd (
80% of 1st place Bruce Stuart)
***1910-1911 (NHA):
1st (
185.7% of 2nd place Tommy Smith)
*This is for the Ottawa-Queen's U series ONLY. Ottawa went on to play Smith's Falls and the Wanderers, where McGee padded his lead to 17 goals, which would have put Walsh at
23.5% of McGee. Walsh finished 5th place in scoring either way. McGee scored 6 goals against Queen's U and went on to score 9 against Smith's Falls. Seems Walsh really made a difference defensively against McGee.
**This includes all of the games Ottawa played, which flatters Walsh slightly, as Whitcroft had a higher points per game (2.5), and Gordon Roberts also had a higher points per game (3.5), compared to Walsh (2.0).
***This includes only all Ottawa games, which actually hurts Walsh, as he played only 2 games compared to 2nd place Tommy Smith, who played 3.
Team Scoring
1903-1904 (CIAU):
1st (
150% of George Richardson)
1904-1905 (CIAU):
2nd (
83.3% of George Richardson)
1905-1906 (CIAU):
1st (
136.4% of George Richardson)
1907-1908 (ECHA):
1st (
107.7% of Tommy Phillips)
1908-1909 (ECHA):
1st (
172.2% of Bruce Stuart)
1909-1910 (CHA):
1st (
225% of Bruce Stuart)
1909-1910 (NHA):
1st (
118.8% of Bruce Ridpath)
1910-1911 (NHA):
1st (
106% of Dubbie Kerr)
1911-1912 (NHA):
not relevant (
25.7% of Skene Ronan)
Team Playoff Scoring
1905-1906 (CAHL):
1st (
150% of George Richardson)
1909-1910 (CHA):
1st (
200% of Bruce Stuart)
*1909-1910 (NHA):
2nd (
80% of Bruce Stuart)
1910-1911 (NHA):
1st (
325% of Bruce Stuart)
*Gordon Roberts would have beaten both Stuart and Walsh if he played 4 games like they did, and maintained his scoring pace.
Legends of Hockey
Marty Walsh was one of the few players on the roster of the great Ottawa Senators teams of 1909 to 1911 who was not born in that city. He was born in Kingston, and played his early hockey with Queen's University where the team won the Intercollegiate Union title in 1906 and mounted an unsuccessful challenge against the Ottawa Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup. He turned pro with the Canadian Soo of the IHL in 1906-07 but broke his leg during the year and appeared in only seven games of the 24-game schedule before joining the Senators the following year. In his first year with Ottawa, he led the league with 27 goals in nine games, including a seven-goal outburst against Montreal on March 7, 1908.
He added to his records the following season by scoring 42 goals in just 12 games as the Senators went on to capture the Stanley Cup as champions of the ECHA with a 10-2-0 record. Walsh scored six goals in a 12-3 opening game victory against Galt in the Cup challenge of January 5 and 7, 1910 as Ottawa went on to a two-game, total-goals victory by a margin of 15-4. The Senators made another successful Cup defense later in the same month, this time against Edmonton, but lost the sacred bowl to the Montreal Wanderers because Montreal won the 1909-10 NHA title.
The Senators were back as Cup holders the following season after having won the NHA crown and assuming the title from the Wanderers. Ottawa defended its title against a challenge from Port Arthur in March 1911 by a two-game score of 21-8. In the second game of the series, played on March 16, 1911 in Ottawa, Walsh scored an amazing ten goals in the Senators 14-4 victory.
Marty Walsh was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.
Wikipedia
In 1912, Walsh left for Winnipeg with Dubby Kerr to start a cattle ranch. Their plans changed when Kerr was lured out of retirement to play in the new Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). There were reports that the PCHA had signed Walsh as well, but he remained retired. In 1913, Walsh moved west to the Edmonton area, where he worked as a paymaster for the Grand Trunk Railway. While in Edmonton, he coached the Edmonton Eskimos team for two seasons. He guided the Eskimos to the 1913 Inter-City Hockey League title and a Allan Cup challenge.
In 1914, Walsh fell ill with tuberculosis. In February 1915, Walsh entered the Gravenhurst Sanitorium for treatment, but when admitted, the doctors estimated he had only a short time left to live. Walsh died on March 27, 1915. His remains were transported to Kingston for burial in St. Mary's Cemetery after a funeral at St. Mary's Cathedral. At his death, Walsh's only relative was his sister Loretta Keaney of Sudbury.
The Cup challenge against Ottawa
There are some anecdotes from the 1906 challenge when Walsh's Queen's U played against Ottawa.
Originally Posted by Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1
The match was described as a sorry show with the college boys hopelessly outclassed...One player stood out for Queens however and that was Marty Walsh who displayed some of the form he was to show when he joined Ottawa two years later.
Originally Posted by The Trail Of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1
When the Ottawa Silver Seven turned back the challenge of Queens University in decisive fashion in 1906, Frank McGee found the opposing centre Marty Walsh a worthy opponent. Consequently after McGee's retirement the Senators tried to get the college star... Walsh was the star center for Ottawa, and flanked by Ridpath, Kerr and Darragh the Senators won the Stanley Cup twice... Marty was a very nimble and tricky skater with the knack for always being in a position for a shot, as his great scoring record shows.
Originally Posted by Montreal Gazette, 1906-02-28 (regarding failed Cup Challenge by Queens University)
Marty Walsh at rover for the Queens seven was not surpassed in brilliancy by any member of the Ottawas. The little fellow did good work for his team, but it counted for very little, owing to the fact that he received poor assistance...
Lead up to his first season
Marty Walsh's coming was met with great enthusiasm from the Ottawa faithful. He was very highly sought after by a number of clubs and starred in both the CIAU and IHL, as well as in the Cup challenge by Queen's in 1906 before he came over to the ECAHA. In the practices leading up to Ottawa's first game, he impressed those that watched him with his speed, stick-handling and physicality. He would also prove to be adept at back checking, something that he rapidly got better at over his years in Ottawa.
Ottawa Citizen - Nov. 30, 1907
Marty Walsh, the crack hockey player, hailing from Kingston, may play with the Ottawas this season. Walsh is expected in Ottawa today, when the deal to have him wear a red, white, and black uniform may be closed.
Walsh has been at Montreal, where he is employed, and Wanderers, Shamrocks, and Montreals have been claiming his services. ... Marty appeared in Ottawa two years ago, playing on the forward line of the Queen's hockey club when it challenged for the Stanley cup. He was easily the star of the Queen's aggregation, and last season he figured in the American Soo team. Walsh soon proved his mettle in the International, but had a bone in his ankle broken in one of the strenuous games at the Soo.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 3, 1907 (scroll down a bit to "Marty Walsh Here")
Walsh is in the finest condition and would like to play with the Senators. He was badly injured in an International match last year, but shows no effects of the injury. Walsh is rather small, but sturdy, and was one of the fastest men in the International.
The Senators brass wanted the fastest possible team. That Marty figured into the equation speaks well of his skating ability, especially when it is considered that Fred Taylor, and eventually Tommy Phillips joined the team.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 5, 1907
The committee reported the signing of Fred Taylor and that they had practically closed with Marty Walsh. They were instructed to proceed with their arrangements and gather the fastest possible team for the season.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 7, 1907 (scroll up and to the right slightly)
Several Ottawa players, who figured in the International league last year, and who played against Walsh, state that, before he was injured, the little Kingston player was the "whole tip" on the Soo team. Walsh, while small of stature, is very fast, an excellent stick-handler and has plenty of sand - something that he is apt to find handy in the Eastern Canada league.
The following 5 passages describe play in practices leading up to their first game. Note that practices appeared to be closer to exhibitions of play rather than actual practices. Many fans turned out to watch the players go at it, so the players would often play in game form to put on a good show.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 17, 1907
Marty Walsh had a poor pair of skates and was unable to do himself justice, but he has the ear marks of a winner and will probably make good all right.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 18, 1907
Monday night Marty Walsh was not in condition to play, having traveled all day. Last evening he had a pair of boots that fitted him too soon, but he did much better than in his first appearance. Walsh is very fast, and some of the rushes which he and Alf Smith, Westwick, and Taylor effected were as pretty as one would wish to witness. Walsh is not in shape yet, and he did not follow back with as much consistency as did the others, but he evidently has the goods, and should deliver them in large, tidy parcels when he gets down to fighting trim. Marty is aggressive, and willing to take chances.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 20, 1907
Marty Walsh is still somewhat slow for the other forwards, but in each practice he has shown remarkable improvement. He is rapidly learning the style of Westwick and Smith, and is evidently all to the good for the center position.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 23, 1907 (scroll to page 5)
Marty Walsh is looking better every practice. He was again at center and figured in some great combination with Alf Smith and Westwick. Marty followed back very effectively and the manner in which he frequently darted in on the goal and (couple words can't read) or batted the rubber past Lesueur reminded many of Russell Bowie of the Montreal Vics. The general opinion is that Walsh will make good.
The Senators brass decided to take Walsh along and give him a shot to see what he could do. It took exactly 1 game before he was made the full-time center, over Fred Taylor, who was certain to play the position. A mighty fine compliment indeed, especially considering the form Taylor was in for this season.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 3, 1908
It is practically certain that Fred Taylor will be in the center position, but the executive decided to take Walsh along also, and there is a possibility that the fast little Kingston boy will be given a chance to prove his mettle before the end of the match.
The above was just to give everyone an idea of what the Senators were to expect with Walsh going into the season. Before I go into the detailed in game reports of Walsh's work,
I want to post a wonderful summary of his play style from the 1910-1911 season, when he was at the very top of his game. This should give everyone a good idea of the type of player Walsh is, and what he brought to the Senators as a player.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 26, 1911
"If you don't keep away from these nets, I will give you something that will send you to the dressing room."
"I'll stick right here just as long as I see fit to do so."
Such was the dialogue which, during the overtime period of the Ottawa-Canadien game on Saturday last, passed between Jack Laviolette, the famous point man of the visitors, and Marty Walsh, the dashing center forward of the Ottawas. Two minutes later Walsh was again wedged within two feet of Vezina, batting and slashing at everything that came his way. Suddenly the puck slid out from Darragh's stick, caromed against Walsh and plunked in the twine behind the French goalkeeper, thus winning for Ottawa the hardest match fought in ottawa for many seasons.
That's how the Kingston "phenom" gets most of his goals. As a rule Marty isn't a showy player. He cannot skate like Taylor and hasn't been blessed with the beautiful foot work of the lightning-like Kerr. He isn't as spectacular as Ridpath and at times he looks as though he were going to drop. Many, in fact, have been foolish enough to insinuate that Walsh isn't worthy of the position, which for four seasons he has occupied. But on Saturday last Marty slashed Poulin and was banished for five minutes. The Ottawa defence was demoralized, their attack seemed to melt to pieces, and before the Kingstonian's penalty had expired Canadiens had tied the score. "Oh for Marty," sighed Manager Pete Green in despair. Then another figure darted out from behind the penalty box; Walsh got back into action and Canadiens were repulsed. In the overtime Walsh was in a class by himself. His activity eventually had its reward the goa' that settled the fate of the tricolor team really coming as the result of his tactics in close quarters.
Russell Bowie calls him "Stick-around" Walsh, a name which his recent work has earned him. Marty now leads the N.H.A. in goalgetting, showing his true form in Tuesday's match when he sidestepped through the Renfrew defense for six of the most beautiful goals ever scored. To Walsh they came like taking candy from a baby. Marty's checking back has rescued the Ottawa defence from many a perilous position this winter. He is always there with the poke and jab when the rubber is dangerously near the peerless Lesueur. Walsh, owing to illness, was not in his best form in 1910. He has "come back" in earnest, however, and will probably be the unanimous choice for the center position on the All-Canadian seven. Marty gets many a nasty jar for the chances which he takes in loafing around the opposing net, Glass, Lalonde, Mallen and others often warning their defence men to watch him. He has never yet been forced to leave the ice for good, however, the most serious hockey injury sustained by the former football star being a fractured ankle which he received when "Doc" Scott fell on top of him in an International League match at Sault Ste. Marie five seasons since. Marty is one of the few Kingstonians who has made good in the "big show".
The following will be detailed in game reports of Walsh's work, in generally chronological order, sorted by specific trait.
General Accounts
This is just a few quotes from various papers and people about what they thought about Walsh, and some general descriptions of Ottawa's play.
A nice description of the type of game Ottawa played. It was all about the team.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 31, 1910
They were lighter than their opponents, and there was not an individual star in the septet. But they had the combination, the speed to flow one another with unfaltering steadiness, the knowledge on each other's weak and strong points and the stamina to come back after the puck just as quickly and determinedly as they had gone down with it in their possession. Team work was apparently their aim; it mattered not who scored, how he scored, or how often he scored, so long as the rubber reached the Hallerbury net.
Seems Ottawa was a fantastic third period team.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 20, 1911
The third and last session was a repetition of the many preceeding "last periods" of this saeson's game. Have you seen the Ottawa line tearing up the ice four abreast? Have you seen Kerr hurdling sticks as he worked the boards to perfection, dodging there and there with the speed of a cannon ball and the gracefulness of an acrobat? Have you seen Walsh cutting a zig-zag course from goal to goal, shooting and passing with tantalizing effectiveness? You have seen Darragh and Ridpath trailing their team-mates, going by men as though they were muellaged(?) to the ice, using their bodies with telling effect and ripping to smithereens the best of defences? Well that's what happened on Saturday. "An Ottawa finish," remarked Paddy Moran, as the teams trailed off the ice.
Another description of Ottawa's all around game in general.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 21, 1911
The Ottawas showed all the finer points of a great septet, their passing, shooting, back checking and skating being the prettiest seen here this season.
In this one, someone named Chaucer Elliot believes Walsh to have already distinguished himself as one of the best forwards in the ECHA after this first season there.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 17, 1908
Chaucer Elliot considers Bruce Stuart and Marty Walsh the two most effective forwards in the E.C.H.A.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 1, 1909
The proposition to play Patrick at rover, Bruce Stuart at center and switch Marty Walsh to one of the wings was also made, but the Kingston boy shook his head. Walsh is too valuable a man in mid-ice and will be kept there.
An example of how important he was to the team.
Originally Posted by Ottawa Citizen, January 26, 1910
Les Canadiens gave Ottawas a hard run last Saturday but the Ottawas were not by any means up to form on that occasion, and with Marty Walsh in condition and back at center, they will be a vastly improved aggregation tonight.
Originally Posted by Ottawa Free Trader, January 7, 1910
Marty Walsh, who is conceded to be one of the best forwards in the Dominion, has received an offer of $2500 for ten weeks' play, a bonus of $200 if he plays the complete season and a guarantee of a position at $1200 per annum, good the year round.
Renfrew knew who the keys to Ottawa's success were.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 12, 1910
Renfrew will pay attention to all the Ottawa forwards and particularly to Walsh and Stuart, whom they believe hold the key to the Ottawa success.
A cool little poem about the importance of each member of the team. I have included just a short excerpt.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 22, 1910
They are not all included,
But the W is left out,
For without Walsh in center
The Cup is in doubt.
After Ottawa's defeat of Port Arthur for the Stanley Cup, the Port Arthur coach said that he has never seen Walsh's equal.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 17, 1911
After the game Gordon walked out on the ice, patted Walsh on the back and told him he had never seen his equal.
The great Lester Patrick felt Walsh was one of the best players on Ottawa.
Ottawa Citizen - Apr. 4, 1911
Lester takes plans for the proposed new rinks along with him and is also said to have options on the services of several Eastern players, including Percy Lesueur and Marty Walsh, the two greatest assets of the Ottawa club.
Penalties/Physicality/Aggressiveness/Driving to the Net
Walsh's bread and butter when scoring goals was standing in front of the net, wreaking havoc, and either poking or shooting loose pucks into the net. He was also very feisty and aggressive, occasionally dirty and took bad penalties at times.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 7, 1908
Of the forwards Walsh and Westwick were the most conspicuous, Walsh doing very neat work in close quarters.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1908 (scroll to page 16)
The first half, in fact, was all Ottawa, Westwick, Taylor, Walsh, Phillips, and Smith boring in on the Wanderer nets persistently. ... No one expected great things of Marty Walsh, but the Kingston boy also covered himself with glory, scoring five of the Ottawa goals. His work around the nets was remarkable, he batting the puck into the cage on no less than three occasions when Hern had blocked shots from the other forwards.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1908
As exponents of administering the ungentle art, known colloquially as the "gaff," Ottawa excels, and two of the new comers to the team showed themselves to be true adepts. Walsh and Taylor displayed an unpleasant readiness to poke, hammer and bump.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 27, 1908
Marty Walsh tallied four times through pretty work close in on the nets, and Westwick was also very effective throughout.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 5, 1908
The ninth Ottawa goal was tallied after one of the biggest scrimmages ever seen in a hockey match. Taylor shot it in and Lindsay blocked the rubber. Phillips, Westwick, Smith, Walsh, Gilmour, Gaul and Litllton piled in on the goal, most of the players sprawling all voer the nets before Westwick finally poked it in.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 11, 1909
Stuart transferred it to Lake and Lake passed it out in front, Marty Walsh batting the rubber in for Ottawa's first score in thirty seconds.
Walsh's drive to the net was consistent, but his shooting wasn't always accurate. I didn't find too many reports of this, however.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 14, 1909
In centre Walsh and Stuart, while willing to go in on the nets, are away off in their shooting. Walsh scored four last night and Stuart two, but both missed a large percentage of their shots, some of them easy chances at that. ... It was all Shamrock for a time and Lesueur was kept busy, Laviolette was ruled off for cross checking Taylor, and was followed to the side by Walsh for mixing it up with Marshall.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 1, 1909
Taylor, Walsh and Stuart carried the disc back, and Hern had to block a close-range shot from Walsh.
He seemed to have it out for the Wanderers in this game.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 8, 1909
Johnston was hurt by Walsh, and had to leave the ice after he was able to rise, Kerr going off to even up. ... Ottawa then had the advantage of the odd man and soon realized something from the opportunity, Walsh getting a game on a rebound shot. ... Gardner went off for tripping Walsh, and the latter followed for charging behind Johnston.
Montreal Gazette - Mar. 4, 1909
Then Johnston went off for a mix-up in the corner and Glass and Walsh for scrapping in front of the Wanderer cage. Walsh was trying to bore in on Hern and Glass was trying to keep him out.
One of the games where Walsh may have hurt his team more than help because of taking too many penalties. It wasn't very frequent that this happened, but he definitely was prone to bad penalties from time to time. In this particular game, however, he still remained useful and was dangerous offensively with his stick handling.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 10, 1910
Although their total penalties were only 26 minutes, against 12 minutes for the Nationals, there was seldom a time that one or more of the visiting seven was not occuypying a seat on the penalty bench. Marty Walsh was the worst offender, being ruled off no fewer than five times. Walsh gave an otherwise brilliant exposition of stick-handling, as, barring his strenuous tactics, he was the finest individual performer on the ice, and scored four of the goals registered.
Taking a penalty hurt his team again, but they still won the game.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 14, 1910
Marty Walsh and Bruce Stuart worked their way right to the mouth of the Montreal net on every rush and Bruce Ridpath and Gordon Roberts kept the center men well supplied with opportunities to score. Walsh stood the usual amount of punishment in boring in, but his effectiveness is shown by five goals to his credit, while Stuart, Roberts and Ridpath each got three. ... Walsh was banished for swiping viciously with his stick at Kane and, while he was on the side lines, Price gave the local team its first goal.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 19, 1910
Ridpath went off for a second time and after Shore had inaugrated a great rush Roberts took a shot, the puck striking Winchester on the pads and bounding out to the ever-watchful Walsh, who batted it in. ... Whitcroft was injured, but continued and both Walsh and Ridpath were penalized for roughing it
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 27, 1910
Three minutes later Roberts carried the puck behind the nets of the Canucks and passed it back to Walsh, who batted it past Cattaranich for Ottawa's second goal. ... Play was not by any means rough, although the checking, particularly on the parts of Lalonde, Walsh, Pitre and Laviolette, was fierce at times.
One of the few examples where Walsh taking bad penalties probably cost the team the game.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 21, 1910
Then followed Walsh's penalty, and while Walsh and Lake, the mainstay of the Ottawa team, were hugging the fence, Glass either kicked, batted or poked one in from a scrimmage. Russell got the next on an easy shot, and thus by the time Lake and Walsh resumed, the chances of victory perching on the banners of the red, white and black had gone.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 28, 1910
Kerr on a brilliant lone rush, made it 10 to 5, the last goal of the match falling to Walsh after another scuffle at Jones' feet.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 16, 1910
Walsh is just as aggressive and scrappy as ever. He bagged a hatful of goals and missed as many more, being from beginning to end right in the thick of the fray.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 23, 1911
Walsh was penalized for whacking the acrobatic Poulin and Ottawa, for the first time, played one man shy. ... The teams were then complete, excitement surging to a boiling point when Walsh was penalized for again jabbing Poulin.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 30, 1911
After a few minutes' play, during which the close checking of both teams prevented any long run and seemed to ruffle the tempers of several of the men, Russell and Walsh came together with a rush and each took a crack at the other.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 25, 1911
Walsh scored on a rebound, Gilmour then being with the timers.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 3, 1911
Baird was exiled for his second offense, and it was while he was off that Walsh cornered the rebound off his own shot and banged it in.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 23, 1911
Ottawa picked up a point when from a scrappy scrimmage in front of the cage Walsh found an opening for a shot.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It seems that the goalies may have simply been at a loss for what to do once Walsh got in on top of them.
Ottawa Citizen - Apr. 4, 1911
To Marty Walsh again go the scoring honors. Marty started his terrible shooting early in the fracas and continued to right to the finish, getting seven goals in all. Marty got four in quick succession, thus establishing a record. He continued to loaf around the Galt nets throughout and was a puzzle that neither Lehman nor Charlton could solve. He is going faster than ever and, like Shore and Ridpath promises to be very useful. The Ottawa forwards on two or three occasions swept down the ice at a beautiful pace, the puck going from man to man until it reached the nets. Had they wished to rub it in they could probably have made their total twenty. In the last part of the second half Walsh, Stuart, Shore and Ridpath actually threw away beautiful openings.
Rushing/Skating/Shooting/Teamwork
Although Walsh made a name for himself in front of the net, I found reports of him scoring from just about everywhere on the ice. He apparently had a pretty hard shot, as it was noted a couple of times. Not only was he also adept at rushing the puck up ice himself, but he was apparently very capable of using his teammates to create scoring chances. In the Ottawa system, this was a big deal, and Marty figured into many combination plays with his teammates. I do realize that stuff about combinations are generally a dime a dozen but I do feel like it demonstrates a player's ability to work with teammates on offense.
Kerr and Taylor were far more prominent in skating than Walsh, but evidently he was very fast himself. I am not really sure where that puts him, however.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 18, 1908
Marty Walsh has the same old swagger on the ice that he had last year, generally standing when the puck is not near him with his stick hooked up under his arm and leaning on one leg, looking like a man who has been shovelling coal all day and who is in need of a rest. The next moment, however, Marty is apt to pull himself together and shoot down the ice with the speed of an express train.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 30, 1908
Bruce Stuart showed good form and Gilmour and Walsh were travelling like cyclones, the work of Taylor and Lake also being good.
So, about that shot.. it is not likely this is a significant part of Walsh's repertoire but I wanted to include it for completeness.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 10, 1908
Moran hurt a couple of his fingers in turning aside the rifle-ball shots of Smith, Phillips, Westwick and Walsh, but he was not forced to retire.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 1, 1909
Hern was given a stiff one to handle from Walsh, and Smaill carried to the other end.
Walsh was very effective at working combination plays with his teammates. The style did apparently lend to a lot of offsides as they seemed to rely on quick passes to move the puck up ice.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 14, 1908
Alf Smith and Marty Walsh did some exceedingly pretty work in the way of combination and Westwick and Phillips tore off a few neat end to end rushes.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 26, 1908 (scroll to page 5)
The Ottawas lined out against the Victorias and the work of the team was entire satisfactory to the big crown of rail-birds. It was the first appearance of the Senators since their victory over the Shamrocks and although several of the players were a little stiff and sore as the result of their game against the Irishmen, they did not show signs of it. The forwards played some exceedingly pretty combination, Smith, Westwick, Walsh and Phillips working in beatiful fashion.
Montreal Gazette - Mar. 4, 1909
Strict ruling, particularly by Bowie, on off-sides, caused a gnashing of teeth in the Ottawa crowd, for Walsh and Stuart are inclined to a quick passing game that naturally is followed by many off-sides.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 14, 1909
The Gold Dust Twins, Bruce Stuart and Marty Walsh, tore off many brilliant stunts in mid-ice, often going through the opposing side for goals after magnificent combination.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 31, 1910
Walsh and Ridpath replied with a combination rush that resulted in another score by Marty, bringing down the house.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 10, 1910
Marty Walsh scored two in the first five minutes of play after neat combination attacks with Stuart and Ridpath, that apparently settling Halleybury's fate. ... Shore finally broke away and scored again for Ottawa after a pretty piece of play with Walsh and Roberts.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 4, 1910
Kerr and Walsh worked many pretty combination rushes for scores, both shooting in deadly fashion.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 18, 1910
Kerr and Walsh were all over the ice and worked together beautifully.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 16, 1910
Dubbie Kerr and Marty Walsh really surprised the railbirds by their fast work. They figured in some pretty combination plays, showed occasional bursts of speed that astonished Manager Green and bored in on the New Edinburgh defence for many well-earned goals.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 16, 1910
Fitting perfectly with Bruce Ridpath, Marty Walsh and Albert Kerr, the former Halleybury boy travelled with the speed of a Kansas cyclone. ... Shore showed all his old time cleverness on the defence, while Walsh and Kerr figured in some magnificent combination plays.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 5, 1911
Kerr's presence also means much to Walsh for he and Marty have developed a system of attack, which Canadians found utterly impossible to break up.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 9, 1911
The sides, however, were even when Walsh scored for Ottawa, making it 2 to 2. The score followed a pretty combination effort by Darragh, Ridpath and Walsh.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 30, 1911
Kerr made it 7 to 2 on Marty's pass after the two on the prettiest combination of the night had rushed from goal to goal
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 6, 1911
In the overtime Quebec slacked off a good deal, and Ottawa were the aggressors most of the time. After four minutes' play Marty Walsh nursed it up, and passed to Kerr, who notted the rubber, breaking the tie.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 13, 1911
Walsh made it 7 to 3 on a pretty combination run with Ridpath.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 6, 1911
In the first period, the Ottawa attack shaped up splendidly, Darragh, Kerr, Walsh and Ridpath figuring in several great combination plays.
He also occasionally did some nice work on individual rushes. Individualism like this was generally not the way the team wanted to play, as teamwork was stressed, and there are quite a few accounts of individualism of the players causing turnovers. Walsh, to his credit, seemed to be quite good at this particular part of the game.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 17, 1908
Once when Marty Walsh went down, and, dodging here and there, outplayed the whole Victoria team, and scoring, he was given a rousing ovation from the Montreal fans.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 16, 1911
Shore made it 12-4 on a lone rush and Mallen on Holden's pass negotiated Quebec's fifth and last, the irrepresible Walsh scoring the eighteenth for Ottawa after the prettiest piece of play of the night. Marty seized the rubber near his own goal and went the length of the ice, sidestepping Moran and connecting with the top of the nets.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 23, 1911
Marty Walsh gave his finest display of the season. He rushed, dodged, recovered and shot in his finest form, being in the thick of play throughout and outpacing Dollaire, Bernier and Payer, all of whom were at one time in turn pitted against him. Marty was, in the overtime, probably the fastest man on the ice.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1911
Taylor went to the side in the second period for warding Lake and Shore off with his hand and while he was on the fence little Marty Walsh went by the whole Renfrew team, scoring as pretty a goal as one could wish to see. ... On a team of stars Marty Walsh stood out conspicuously in the one-sided battle. The great little forward who made Kingston famous on the hockey map played one of the finest games of his carer, scoring six goals and assisting in the bagging of two or three others. At times he waltzed through the Renfrew defense with such speed and neatness that McNamara, Taylor and Lindsay looked dazed.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 30, 1911
Walsh opened the period with a beautiful rush and shot, which Hern sidetracked
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 6, 1911
Marty Walsh rushed alone and after fooling both Taylor and Cleghorn, he shot from about twenty feet out. Lindsay failed to stop it and the net sagged behind him.
Work Ethic/Competitiveness/Toughness/Leadership/Consistency/Clutchness
This was a big one with Walsh, references to him as the "hardest worker" were relatively easy to find. Rarely did he ever have an off game, for when he did, it usually spelled trouble for Ottawa. Even when his shooting, rushing, or combination was off, he was always able to somehow contribute, whether it be through his back checking, physicality or what have you. He was also an excellent teammate and leader, sticking up for his mates when they got bodied around. Finally, he was happy to play through pain and injuries for the good of the team. He always put the team first.
In his first game, Walsh already demonstrated his courage, competitiveness and care for his team, by playing through pain and potentially a rather serious injury.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1908 (scroll to page 16)
In going into the game against Wanderers and playing throughout, Marty Walsh, the Ottawa center man, gave one of the pluckiest exhibitions on record. All day Saturday Walsh was troubled with pains in his side. In the afternoon he consulted Dr. Caskey, Ottawa, and Dr. Hanley, Kingston. Both physicians feared appendicitis and Walsh was told that he must not play. He refused to listen to the pleadings of the doctors, however, and suffered with pains all through the match, but refused to retire. He was ill after the game, but nothing serious he anticipated. Walsh thought that the other Ottawa players might lose courage if they knew he was not in the "pink", and made Drs. Caskey and Hanley promise not to tell his teammates of his illness until the finish of the battle.
Walsh was a model of consistency and work ethic, rarely having an off game. Whenever credit was given to the Ottawa players in post game writeups, Walsh was usually prominent. In this particular passage, it was the Montreal newspaper giving him credit.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1908
Among the Ottawa forwards honors were about even, or at the best, slightly in favor of Marty Walsh.
Originally Posted by Toronto Star, January 4, 1909
Walsh was the best man on the team, and worked ceaselessly for the good of his team.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 1, 1911
Marty Walsh was the hardest and most effective worker in the line, two of his goals bringing down the house.
Originally Posted by Toronto Star, March 21, 1911
Marty Walsh, centre, is the champion scorer of the National Hockey Association. Walsh is a graduate of Queen's University, and was as an amateur one of the greatest outside wings in the Inter-Collegiate Football Union. He is 28 years old, and has been playing with the Ottawas for four seasons. Walsh, while not brilliant, is perhaps the hardest and most effective worker on the Ottawa team. He weighs 164."
In this particular passage, the paper laments about Walsh's inability to score for Ottawa in the previous, Stanley Cup deciding game. It is mentioned that if Walsh was given the chances he got in this game, they probably would have won the Cup.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 9, 1908
Marty Walsh also proved a great goer on the soft surface, scoring no less than seven of the Ottawa goals. Marty was the hardest worker of the night and his shooting was a feature. Had Marty been given such chances in the Wanderer match, the Stanley Cup would probably have been in Ottawa today.
Even when his team wasn't going the way they had hoped, Marty often stood out as a quality performer.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 13, 1909
The Ottawa correspondent of the Toronto Star includes the following knock in the report of the Quebec-Ottawa game. But it was lucky for the local bunch that it was Quebec they were up against. The forward division played punk hockey as a whole - all but Walsh, who was right on the job all evening, scoring five goals, and Stuart, who, especially in the second half, cut out a pace that surprised the crowd.
Montreal Gazette - Mar. 10, 1909
Marty Walsh, centre of the champion Ottawa seven, was an easy leader as a scorer in the E.C.H.A. series, which was brought to a close with the match in Quebec last Saturday. Walsh achieved the fine record of leading the scorers in both halves of the schedule and coming out top for the season with a total of 42 goals. As Walsh played in the full twelve matches, his average is exactly 3.5 goals a match. Walsh, of course, benefited by the fact that he was playing with the winning team and in a position that gives a player more chances to score than any position on the ice. For all that it is a fine record and Walsh was a considerable factor in the success of his team. He kept in good condition throughout the season, and even in the last match in Quebec he was one of only a couple of players on his side to show championship form.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 21, 1911
Of the forwards Walsh and Kerr were the most conspicuous
Ottawa's forwards were not to be blamed for the loss against Renfrew, though the paper felt the checking on Cleghorn wasn't tight enough.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 25, 1911
Every man on the line was in fine form and but for the unexpected fall down of the defence, they would probably have sustained the Ottawa record of wins. In no way, in fact should the defeat be attributed to the forwards, although many were of the opinion that Odie Cleghorn should not have been allowed so much freedom.
Walsh showed great determination and unwillingness to give up on a play.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 1, 1909
Thirty seconds later, with Gardner still off, Walsh and Stuart pierced through the Ottawa defence and Walsh batted the disc over the nets. The Ottawa centre dashed behind after it and passed out to Stuart, who scored the first goal of the match in 7.16.
A fantastic feat of determination that impressed even the great Joe Hall.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 1, 1911
Quebec's brace was only a spasmodic one, however, and in a minute Marty Walsh and Kerr engineered a rush which gave Ottawa stock another boost. Walsh took the pass and after pulling Moran out to meet him missed the open net. The great groan, which the millionaire end sent up had hardly subsided when Walsh recovered, did a contortionist stunt around Moran and slipped it into the nets. It was a clever piece of work and Marty was applauded to the echo. The play appealed to "Bad Joe" Hall in such an extent that the woolly Westerner skated up and patted the Ottawa center on the back. "That's what makes Ottawa such a great team" Joe afterwards said. "Any other player would have let the puck get away from him." ... Kerr and Walsh were also responsible for the eighth goal. They, with Darragh, nursed the rubber from end to end. Walsh passed it to Kerr after he had been tripped and the Brockville citizen did the rest.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 17, 1911
Walsh rushed alone and batted one in as he fell - a grand piece of work that brought down the house
He was more than willing to play through abuse, pain and close checking to help his team win.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 10, 1908
Marty Walsh was also a tower of strength. Marty's work was very effective if not always conspicuous and although battered and bodied by the heavy Quebec defence, the little Kingstonian managed to get in his usual goal tallying, three.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 21, 1910 (scroll to page 8)
The Edmonton defence gave Walsh particular attention, but the Kingston boy worked like a beaver, and the goal that he sought came his way just a minute or two before the call of time.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 24, 1910
Although the champions have been winning right along, scoring at a great clip, there has been in evidence an element of misfortunate which again asserted itself on Saturday when Marty Walsh, champion goal getter of the East took ill. Marty was feeling sick all week, in fact, he was so bad in the second match against Edmonton that he felt like dropping. Saturday it was intended to play him, but Walsh took ill after he had donned his uniform, it being decided at the eleventh hour not to use him. ... His physician believes Marty has been over-working himself.
Despite not playing the previous game (see above), he quickly recovered enough to be able to go the next game.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1910
From Ottawa headquarters it was announced last evening that Marty Walsh would be able to play. Marty is not by any means himself as yet, but will be well enough to go into the game.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 27, 1910
Marty Walsh was quite himself again at center and Roberts and Ridpath, after settling down, gave very creditable accounts of themselves.
This one is a little more general but it is consistent with the other accounts of Marty's toughness.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 3, 1909
With Ridpath, Kerr, Stuart and Walsh on the forward line that Ottawa hockey team will stand a lot of beating.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 10, 1910
Dubbie Kerr has a painful eye as the result of the blow from Dubeau, while Marty Walsh, Hamby Shore and Bruce Ridpath also bear facial souvenirs of their "friendly" with the French Canadians.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 16, 1911 (scroll to page 8)
Walsh, Kerr, Ridpath and Darragh were all scratched and marked from the sticks of Holden, Hall, Power and Mallen.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 24, 1911
The Ottawa team was pretty well used up in Saturday's match against the Canadiens, but all will be in uniform against the Creamery Kings. Albert Kerr had one of his toes painfully torn, and Marty Walsh was also batted up.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1911
Walsh hurt his right leg in a scramble and Taylor also got a nasty tumble. All, however, finished out the match.
Walsh was important enough to his team that they felt they would be taking a chance if they didn't play him against Quebec, who they even thought were a weak team. With the Cup on the line, they were to take no chances.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 23, 1910
Marty Walsh has also been on the sick list. Marty has been unable to do himself justice owing to a severe cold and pains in his side, and should he not be able to take his place tonight Ken Mallen will go on at center, the position he occupied last winter as a member of the Renfrew team. The chances are, however, that Walsh will play, as he is the mainspring of the attack, and the Ottawas despite the reported weakness of the Shamrocks, do not intend to risk any chances.
To Marty, the Stanley Cup was everything, especially since Ottawa had failed to clinch it in the previous year in the NHA. He was also very committed to Ottawa, rebuffing offers from other clubs to play for his mates in Ottawa.
Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 16, 1908
Marty Walsh, who arrived yesterday from Kingston to play with the Ottawas, was a much sought man. Walsh had offers from Pittsburgh and from many points in the West. Edmonton wanted him, also the Maple Leafs of Winnipeg, but Walsh stood firm, keeping his promise to play with the locals. Marty says there will be no trouble over his contract, providing some arrangement is made to protect his interests in the event of an accident. Marty is also enthusiastic over the outlook of the Ottawa team. "It's the Stanley Cup or nothing this year" was his comment after the practice.
In a game against the Wanderers that ended on a very peculiar play, Walsh was particularly distressed about the loss and had wept about it afterwards.
Montreal Gazette, Jan. 7, 1909
Walsh was greatly cut up by his team's defeat and wept in the dressing room after the match.
The end came unexpectedly after a face on Ottawa's side of centre ice. Smaill secured the rubber, swung around in a circle from the side of the centre about quarter ice and then let fly a long one, outside the whole Ottawa defence. It passed Taylor and Lake. Lesueur made a grab to stop it with his hand. Just the edge of his glove touched it and the umpire's hand went up signalling that Wanderers had won the match.
Walsh would do whatever it took to win, even trying to cheat by loafing at the opposition's net if he thought the puck would come to him. I found two instances of this, one of which actually worked! This was termed the "inside home" play and was actually a penalizable offense.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 1, 1909
Two minutes later Ottawa, with what proved to be the final score of the match, again took the lead. It was a peculiar play, more of the lacrosse than the hockey variety, that gave Ottawa the winning goal. Lake shot from far out on the side. The disc, it was claimed, caromed off Smaill, Walsh, loafing in on top of Ross and twenty-five feet directly in front of Lake, batted it into the Wanderers' cage.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 13, 1911
Hyland was sent to the bench for tripping Kerr, and while he was on the side Walsh tried to put one over on the referee, but Percival caught him. Loafing right up on the Wanderer nets, he poked a shot through from a pass, but the referee would not stand for the "inside-home" method and benched the foxy Ottawa centre just as the whistle blew for the recess.
A fantastic account during the famous Renfrew game and Taylor's return to Ottawa for the first time. Bruce Stuart went down, and was not to return. Walsh took it upon himself to "general" the team in his absence, this being Stuart's usual role. In the same game, he also demonstrated his clutchness, scoring what would eventually be the winning goal.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 14, 1910
Millar's penalty was fatal to Renfrew, for the Ottawa team, taking advantage of exactly what Renfrew had failed to profit by - an odd man advantage went in with a rush and broke the tie, Ridpath carrying the rubber from the face and slapping it over to Walsh, who took the puck and coolly shot it into the Renfrew cage, Marty's shot being the one that really won the game. ... Walsh generalled the team in faultless fashion and when they switched around for the last five, Renfrew were one goal behind.
When his team badly needed a goal, he delivered.
Originally Posted by Montreal Gazette, January 18, 1909
just when things looked blackest, the brace that saved the day and which incidentally prevented a big slump in hockey interest in Ottawa came, two clever goals by Marty Walsh within as many minutes. From that on, Ottawas were masters of the situation...
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 20, 1911
Then came a rude awakening for the joval followers of the home team; likewise a rush of happiness for the few in the packed rink who were in the interests of the Ottawa club, shouting themselves black in the face. The score up to this time was one all, Ottawa having drawn the first through Marty Walsh and Quebec the second via Tommy Dunderdale. The teams were even up at the close of the first period and for twelve minutes of the second there was no further scoring. Suddenly, the Quebec line, apparently discouraged by their failure to penetrate the strongest defence in the N.H.A. appeared to show signs of distress. Simultaneously, answering to the pleading of Pete Green, to wit "Come on boys; pull together" every man on the Ottawa line showed an astonishing revival. Talk about comebacks? Why this was a genuine reunion. Thirty seconds of fast play in which Ottawa swarmed like so many bees around the Quebec nets, gave Ridpath the rubber behind Quebec's nets. Riddy flipped it out and Walsh hoisted it in, giving Ottawa a lead that was never overtaken.
Walsh was a great teammate, sticking up for his mates when he felt liberties were being taken on them, even if it would hurt his team's chances.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 30, 1911
Big Johnston bodied Freddie Lake into the boards with such force that the side squeaked and Lake lay prone on the ice. He, too, continued after a breathing spell, but just as Ottawas' chances looked best, Walsh struck Johnston and was promptly banished, leaving the teams with six men each.
Montreal's account of the same play.
Montreal Gazette - Jan. 30, 1911
The play, which has been unusually clean during the first two periods resolved itself into a "rough house" affair before the final stage had gone far. A body check from Johnston which laid Lake out on the ice seemed to make the players thirst for blood. After he revived, Lake, who had received a great deal of rough usage and showed gameness, continued in the play.
Soon after play was resumed Walsh looked for vengeance and checked Johnston across the neck with his stick. Johnston was not hurt, but Walsh went off for five minutes.
Back Checking
This was probably the part of his game that Walsh was most proud of, and he got better at it as time went on, becoming an absolute stalwart in his 4th season in Ottawa. I only ever found one reference to the Senators failing to check back consistently, and it was directed more at the entire team than Walsh himself. I assume a good deal of their great work had to do with Green and his system, but Walsh bought in 100% and made sure to help his defense out as often as he could.
There wasn't a whole lot of mention to begin with about the back checking of the team in general for the first two seasons, but the few times that it was mentioned, Walsh featured reasonably well, only Westwick and Smith having more individual acclaim for this work in the first two seasons. Westwick and Smith only played in the first season.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1908 (scroll to page 16)
Ross, however, found Taylor and Pulford an impregnable combination, and to make his case all the harder Westwick, Walsh, Phillips, and Smith were always checking back with the speed of locomotives. Once the Ottawas delivered the puck at the Wanderer end they would shoot back to their own stronghold, and Wanderers, as a result, were unable to penetrate the defense.
In a game vs. the Shamrocks where they were heavily penalized, whenever Walsh and Phillips were on the ice together, they had little difficulty in controlling the puck. This speaks more to possession than defensive play I guess.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 20, 1908
Westwick worked like a beaver and while Walsh and Phillips were in the game Ottawa had little difficulty in keeping the puck.
This is a wonderful account of Walsh and Westwick killing off what was essentially a 5 on 2 for 3 minutes, against Bowie's Vics of all teams!
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 17, 1908
At one period in the second half Tom Phillips, Alf Smith, Harvey Pulford, and Fred Taylor were on the fence, leaving Percy Lesueur, Marty Walsh, and Harry Westwick to play against six Victoria men, Gilmour being off also. For three minutes Walsh, Lesueur, and Westwick held the Vics off, and on two occasions, even with three men against six, Walsh and Westwick darted down the ice in a brave effort to score. Walsh shot within a foot of the bars on one occasion, and Victorias got their last goal on the return rush, Lesueur, Westwick, and Walsh playing brilliantly while their team mates were on the bench. ... Bowie's stick-handling was a feature, but Walsh and Westwick watched him closely, and the great rover had little chance to shine.
This a critical game against the Wanderers that would decide who got the 1908 Stanley Cup. Walsh was checked very closely, and he returned it in kind.
Montreal Gazette - Mar. 2, 1908
Walsh was effectively tied up in centre ice, and Westwick was never very prominent. Both he and Walsh, however, did a lot of telling work in breaking up plays.
Montreal Gazette - Mar. 1, 1909
The combination of the Ottawa line, the ability of the forwards to check back and break up whatever combination the visitors attempted, and the rushes of the Ottawa defence man, coupled with Lesueur's perfect work in the nets, proved a combination that Shamrocks were unable to solve; the Ottawas played one of their best games of the season and completely smothered the green and great aggregation from the Metropolis.
Edmonton challenged for the Stanley Cup but were unsuccessful. A great deal of the credit went to the defensive work of the Senators. Game 1:
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 19, 1910
Edmonton's defeat may be attributed to the great checking of the entire Ottawa team, the magnificent work of Lesueur, Lake and Shore on the defence, and the consistent, heady play of Stuart, Walsh, Ridpath and Roberts on the Ottawa line. ... Edmonton continued to check back for fifteen minutes only, while Ottawa kept it up from beginning to end. Every time the Westerners broke away they found either Walsh and Ridpath or Roberts and Stuart skating between them to intercept the pass or take the puck away. ... It was really the Ottawa checking, following back, blocking and shooting, and, to make it short, their team work that turned the tide. ... Bruce Stuart and Marty Walsh were not as brilliant as usual, owing to the soft ice, but the "inside hockey" that they pulled off furnished one of the features of the match, they giving their defence great assistance. ... Walsh and Stuart did magnificent work through their consistent following back and checking, repeatedly robbing Deeton and Whitcroft of the puck when their chances looked bright.
The following also gives credit to the system and team work, which suggests Pete Green really did some nice work in getting his boys to play winning hockey. Game 2:
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 21, 1910 (scroll to page 8)
Once in a while the visitors made an attempt at combination and at least two of their goals were scored on two or three man rushes. Their passing, stick handling and shooting was not to be compared to that of the Ottawas, however, and besides Stuart, Walsh and Roberts were back after every rush to help out their defence. ... Bruce Stuart and Marty Walsh on the Ottawa line played an important part in the retention of the silverware, but the main factor in the success of the Ottawas was their system and team work. ... Marty Walsh at center did some wonderful checking back and breaking up of rushes, but in shooting Marty seemed to be in wrong.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 27, 1910
On the forward line, the Ottawas had their opponents played to a standstill. Their team work was perhaps the outstanding feature of the performance of the Ottawa line, the combination rushes of Stuart, Walsh, Roberts and Ridpath bewildering Laviolette and Pitre. Their checking back was another very effective part of their play, and in shooting and checking they also scintillated. ... The great Lalonde was seldom conspicuous for Stuart and Walsh took his measure early in the fray and he was seldom allowed to ramble loose.
Pete Green may have been the first coach to use his forwards to cover the rushes of the defensemen.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 31, 1910
At the other end of the rink Lesueur, Lake and Shore were in magnificent form. Lesueur stopped in miraculous fashion time and again, while Lake never dashed down the ice without leaving Walsh and Stuart to look after his position. Stuart and Shore acted in a like manner, and when either of the Ottawa wings left his side of the ring, either Walsh, Stuart, Lake or Shore dashed up to fill the breach and take the pass. Such is the modern exemplification of team work, the secret of the Ottawa club's success. ... ... At times in the second half, the Halleybury line worked fairly well, but two of the players have followed an old-fashioned style, of dodging from side to side instead of going straight ahead, this having the effect of throwing the line out of position and causing them to overskate the puck. Their passing was slow and the checking back of Walsh, Stuart, Ridpath and Roberts coupled with the remarkable steadiness of Lesueur, Lake and Shore doing the rest.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 10, 1910
Throop scored a goal for Halleybury from a scrimmage three minutes later, and with a short time to go all the Halleybury players with the exception of Moran dashed down on the offensive, raining shot after shot at Lesueur. The wonderful back checking of the Ottawa forwards, however, kept the home team from doing any serious damage, Lesueur showing his eagle eye on three or four occasions when scores by Halleybury appeared inevitable.
Walsh was willing to take a penalty, or a beating to potentially save a goal.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 14, 1910
Following this Ridpath and Walsh went to the bench, Ridpath for tripping and Walsh for cracking Frank Patrick as the latter dodged in alone. ... The Ottawa players paid particular attention to Fred Taylor, also keeping their watchful eyes on Lester and Frank Patrick and Renfrew returned the compliment by chopping-back at Shore, Lake and Walsh. ... Taken all round, the match was brilliant exhibition, but the checking was so close and hard and the covering, particularly on the part of the center men, that there was little combination on either side. Ottawa displayed more team play than their opponents, but neither Bruce Stuart nor Marty Walsh showed up as conspicuously as usual. Neither was Lester Patrick nor Fred Whitcroft prominent. The reason for this was quite apparent to students of inside hockey, the center men watching each other like hawks. Stuart and Walsh had been "tipped off" as the real dangerous men on the Ottawa team, while Ottawa had been told not to give either Patrick or Whitcroft an inch. Consequently it was a battle royal between the mid-ice performers from start to finish all four nevertheless being very effective, particularly in checking back. Whitcroft and Patrick lagged considerably, while the Ottawa pair were always on the job.
Russell compared to Walsh in terms of their defensive play. Walsh was the more consistent man, but Bruce Stuart was missed, having had his collarbone broken in the Renfrew game.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 21, 1910
Russell perhaps got better support than Marty Walsh, but he certainly had something on the Kingston phenom Saturday, despite the fact that he loafed oftener than Walsh and did not check back with the same degree of consistency. ... There was little combination to the Ottawa line. Walsh, on account of the absence of Bruce Stuart, being unable to show up as well as usual.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 30, 1911
Marty Walsh was always effective on the forward line. He outplayed both Glass and Russell time and time again and checked back with tireless speed and great success. Walsh also took a lot of abuse, particularly in close quarters.
Walsh also demonstrated the ability to cause turnovers and turn them into goals.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 24, 1910
Dunderdale tried to carry the disc out in front of his own goals. He was checked by Walsh and in the scramble that followed Ridpath poked one past Droughton.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 16, 1911 (scroll to page 8)
With Oatman back on Kerr, Walsh (something) the rubber from Holden and went at Moran with a great burst of speed, dodging by the goalkeeper and slipping in (something) one.
The Montreal paper had much the same to say:
Johnston, Gardner and Russell got away but couldn't beat the Ottawa defence, Ridpath and Walsh checking back, got away with a run with only Marshall and Hern in front of them.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1911
Donald Smith then attempted the hazardous feat of carrying the puck around the front of his nets and Marty Walsh deftly poking it from the stick of the Cornwall boy, turned and slapped it into the nets, leaving Lindsay and Smith starting at each other in amazement. ... ... Walsh plucked it away from Smith and dodged both Taylor and McNamara, making it 10 to 1 and after Currie had replaced Lake, Darragh made it 11-1.
Montreal Gazette - Feb. 13, 1911
Then Wanderer, determined to force things, went up, leaving only Ross and Hern back, but Walsh intercepted a pass and swooped down on Hern and, evading Ross, made it 6 to 1.
I'm not too sure what this passage represents, but it sounds like Walsh was even happy to give up offense to play better defense if he had to.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 23, 1911
Up to the beginning of the third, the home team had much the better of play. True they had not been performing up to their customary form, but Canadiens, with all their surprising speed, had found it impossible to penetrate the Ottawa defence. Walsh and Kerr were checking back like lightning, breaking up rush after rush, while Ridpath and Darragh were doing most of the shooting. ... Newsy Lalonde was the best man on the line, but good as he was, the Cornwall boy wasn't quite up to expectations. Darragh and Walsh watched him like hawks and Kerr also kept an eye on the Canadian captain. ... Nevertheless, Newsy worked hard and Ottawa, had Kerr and Walsh not been obliged to cover him so closely, would have been much further ahead.
Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1911
The Ottawas, as was to have been expected, gave Taylor particular attention, Shore and Lake often sandwiching him, while Walsh and Kerr were dogging him from start to finish.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 6, 1911
Dunderdale and Walsh had a merry battle at center with honors about even. Dunderdale faded, while Walsh was right there at the finish. Marty did a heap of useful defensive work.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 20, 1911
Oatman was weak on the other side and Dunderdale at center was held too tightly by Walsh and Darragh.
Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 25, 1911
Marty Walsh was at his best throughout the game. Walsh checked back with telling speed and was instrumental in breaking up twenty or thirty rushes by the Renfrew line.
In a very rare case nearing the end of the 1910-1911 season, Ottawa had virtually already clinched the cup and was perhaps getting complacent. Their defensive work suffered because of it.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 2, 1911
Ottawa had had more shots than the Wanderers, but their passing was terrible and they did not seem to exert themselves in checking back, usually one of their strongest points.
This was such an unusual thing to happen to the Ottawa team that people began wondering what was wrong with them.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 2, 1911
They did recover in time to ensure that they would be in top form to defend the Stanley Cup. They lost this game, but not due to a lack of effort.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 6, 1911
Walsh was a consistent performer, both he and Darragh checking back from beginning to end. Both kept boring in until the bell rung, but performances which were otherwise brilliant were spoiled by ragged shooting. ... Wonderful speed, staying power, stickhandling and strength were all at Fred's command. He again scored against his old teammates and only the determination with which Darragh and Walsh dogged his trail prevented Taylor from getting several others.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 10, 1911
Marty Walsh sustained his long reputation at center, carrying the puck oftener than any man of the fourteen, breaking up attack after attack with surprising consistency and netting three of the Ottawa goals. By his work last night Marty wins out in the race for NHA scoring honours ... Walsh was repeatedly applauded for his clever work ... Every time Lalonde grabbed the puck Pete Green would shout, "Get him Marty... get his body, he won't pass it" and Green's tip proved the correct one for Lalonde invariably retained the rubber until the Ottawa forward robbed him of it when Newsy would slap his stick on the ice in disgust.
Originally Posted by Toronto Star, March 14, 1911 (Ottawa-Galt Cup Game)
It was all Ottawa in the opening period. Walsh scoring the first in fourteen minutes on a shot whose rebound he received. Marty also registered the next after Ridpath had nursed it from end to end ... In the third period Walsh made it 5 to 2 on Darragh's pass ... Mallen was smothered by Walsh ...
The very last game Walsh would ever play for the Stanley Cup turned out to be one of his most magnificent performances at both ends of the ice.
Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 17, 1911
It was to Marty Walsh, however, that the bells were attached in last night's struggle, the Kingstonian scoring no fewer than 10 goals. This is a decidedly great performance, for Walsh not only tallied at will, but he did a great deal of checking and was on top of the rubber from beginning to end. ... The shooting of the entire Ottawa's line was brilliant throughout; they never forgot the necessity of checking back and when either Lake or Shore went up with the attack Darragh or Walsh was back to protect Lesueur.
Statistical breakdown of the team while Walsh played
For this I will only do the ECHA/NHA teams (due to it being the highest level of hockey). I will not do playoffs, as the competition Walsh played against in the Stanley Cup challenges is arguably questionable.
The purpose of this analysis is to show how much offense Walsh contributed to his team, as well as to show the defensive excellence of the Senators during his time there in his prime.
1907-1908
Team|Games Played|Goals For|Goals Against
Montreal Wanderers|10|63|52
Ottawa Hockey Club|10|86|51
Quebec Hockey Club|10|81|74
Montreal Shamrocks|10|53|49
Montreal Victorias|10|73|78
Montreal Hockey Club|10|53|105
Walsh scored 28 goals this season, accounting for
32.6% of his team's offense. Phillips was second at
30.2%. Defensively, Ottawa allowed just 51 goals against, only
104% of what the 1st place Shamrocks allowed.
1908-1909
This year saw 2 of the teams removed from the league, the Montreal Hockey Club and Montreal Victorias.
Team|Games Played|Goals For|Goals Against
Ottawa Hockey Club|12|117|63
Montreal Wanderers|12|82|61
Quebec Hockey Club|12|78|106
Montreal Shamrocks|12|56|103
Walsh scored 38 goals this year, accounting for
32.5% of his team's offense. Bruce Stuart was second at
18.8%. Defensively, Ottawa was once again quite stingy, allowing just 63 goals against,
103.3% of what the 1st place Wanderers allowed.
1909-1910
This year saw the Quebec Hockey Club removed, replaced with the Renfrew Creamery Kings, Cobalt Silver Kings, Halleybury Hockey Club and Les Canadiens.
Team|Games Played|Goals For|Goals Against
Montreal Wanderers|12|91|41
Ottawa Hockey Club|12|89|66
Renfrew Creamery Kings|12|96|54
Cobalt Silver Kings|12|79|104
Halleybury Hockey Club|12|77|83
Montreal Shamrocks|12|52|95
Les Canadiens|12|59|100
Walsh scored 19 goals this year, accounting for
21.3% of his team's scoring. Bruce Ridpath was 2nd at
18%. Additionally, this year saw Ottawa put in a good but not great defensive performance, allowing 66 goals against to the Wanderers' 41,
161% as many. The Wanderers this year were miles ahead of everyone else defensively, but even if you look at 2nd place Renfrew, Ottawa still allowed
122% as many goals.
1910-1911
Once again, a shift in the number of teams. The Cobalt, Halleybury, Canadiens and Shamrocks clubs were removed, with the Quebec Bulldogs and Montreal Canadiens coming in to replace them.
Team|Games Played|Goals For|Goals Against
Ottawa Hockey Club|16|122|69
Montreal Canadiens|16|66|62
Renfrew Creamery Kings|16|91|101
Montreal Wanderers|16|73|88
Quebec Bulldogs|16|65|97
Marty Walsh goes back to his high scoring ways, recording 35 goals, accounting for
28.7% of his team's offense. Dubbie Kerr was second at
27%. Defensively, Ottawa returns to form, allowing only 69 goals,
111.3% of 1st place Canadiens.
The running totals here are:
Team|Games Played|Goals For|Goals Against
Ottawa Hockey Club|50|414|249
Montreal Wanderers|50|309|242
Renfrew Creamery Kings|28|187|155
Montreal Shamrocks|34|161|247
Quebec Hockey Club|22|159|180
Cobalt Silver Kings|12|79|104
Halleybury Hockey Club|12|77|83
Montreal Victorias|10|73|78
Montreal Canadiens|16|66|62
Quebec Bulldogs|16|65|97
Les Canadiens|12|59|100
Montreal Hockey Club|10|53|105
Just looking at absolute values, Ottawa and the Wanderers were the class of the league when it came to both offense and defense, Ottawa especially dominant offensively, with Walsh leading the way for his team, accounting for on average
28.8% of his team's offense. Now, it is very unfair to suggest that there was a rotating cast of characters who were 2nd in scoring for the team, as Phillips only played once and anyone else would have only been there for 3 seasons, at most. However, even if the best of the rest is taken, they account for
23.5% of the team's offense over those 4 years.. in other words, it could be said that Walsh, on average, accounted for
122% as much as anyone else on the team when it came to contributing offense over those 4 years. Walsh flat out drove the scoring for his team.
Now, looking at absolute values does not do justice to any other team on that list, given that many of them did not play in the league for all 4 years. Let's look at what the per game values are like:
Team|Games Played|Goals For Per Game|Goals Against Per Game
Ottawa Hockey Club|50|8.28|4.98
Montreal Victorias|10|7.3|7.8
Quebec Hockey Club|22|7.23|8.18
Renfrew Creamery Kings|28|6.68|5.54
Cobalt Silver Kings|12|6.58|8.67
Halleybury Hockey Club|12|6.42|6.92
Montreal Wanderers|50|6.18|4.84
Montreal Hockey Club|10|5.3|10.5
Les Canadiens|12|4.92|8.33
Montreal Shamrocks|34|4.74|7.26
Montreal Canadiens|16|4.13|3.88
Quebec Bulldogs|16|4.06|6.06
Over these 4 years, Ottawa outscored anyone else by
113.4%, an impressive record when you consider a team like Renfrew consisted of both Patricks and Taylor, the Vics had Russell Bowie, the Wanderers had Lalonde and Laviolette, etc. Even more impressive is that they combined this offensive dominance with defensive excellence, allowing more goals per game than only the Wanderers and Canadiens, and neither of those teams were able to come close to Ottawa when it came to offense.
It is difficult to say what Walsh's true impact on the defensive side of the game for Ottawa was, but given their stellar defensive record, combined with him being one of the most prominent forwards when it came to back checking, I believe he must have been quite the stalwart. When you consider that he was also the driving force for his team's offense,
this paints the picture of a player that may have been the very best player in the world over these 4 years.
So what happened in the 1911-1912 season?
Truthfully? I don't know. What few newspaper accounts I could find for those games suggested that Walsh was no longer the starting centerman, in favour of Skene Ronan. However, none of the papers suggested that Walsh's play had deteriorated, and these papers
were not shy about calling out Fred Taylor for his brutal play. The only time Walsh's play was ever mentioned, albeit very indirectly,
is in the last game of the season, when Ottawa subbed out a few guys (Walsh being one of the subs) and the paper mentioned that the subs did better than the starters.. sort of. It said that they played better than they had played at the beginning of the game, when the starting lineup was still playing.
This article also suggests that Walsh had plans with Kerr to move out west and start a cattle farm, perhaps even before that last season even began. Additionally, if
the prevailing theory is true, that Walsh needed the rover in order to be effective, why would he not join the PCHA when he had the chance when he went out west? Especially since it would have been a chance for him to play again with Taylor, surely he would have jumped at this opportunity to play if he had wanted to, especially to redeem himself?
My best guess is that after the 1910-1911 season, injuries and worry about his future may have driven him to request to be used as a spare forward for the following season.
One other thing I'd like to point out is that
the paper that claimed Walsh struggled with the 6 man game was the Saskatoon Phoenix,
a city that the NHA never had any involvement with, at all, nor is that city anywhere near any city the NHA had a team in. Additionally, the article was written nearly 10 years after Walsh was done his playing career.
Conclusion
For the 4 seasons that Walsh starred with the Senators, he proved to be the complete package. He could skate, he could score, was a hard worker, he could work well with his teammates in combination, he was a fantastic teammate, leader, and was a very gritty guy. While they cannot be counted at face value due to concerns about competition, he additionally starred at Queen's U., adding a little bit to his longevity, and proved in the Cup challenge against Ottawa that he could play with them, and then went on and did that. For 4 years, his team was the class of the league, winning the cup twice, fending off every challenge that came their way, and coming very close to winning the cup an additional 2 times, and he was a huge part of that. It could be argued that only Percy Lesueur was as valuable to those teams as Walsh. I truly believe that he was the best player in the world for those 4 years he starred with Ottawa, and it is a crime that history seems to have forgotten him as it did. Had he played and starred for another 10 years, as I have no doubts he could have, we may be talking about him today in the same breath as Nighbor and Taylor. That notwithstanding, his career was short but very spectacular, and Ottawa's hockey history is all the better for him being involved in it.
