George "Punch" Imlach
*A LOT more to come....can't post as many pictures as you could in better times here...will be typing up much more.....
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Monday, February 25, 1952
Great piece by Bill Westwick that highlights Imlach and Jean Beliveau.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Monday, March 03, 1952
Montreal Star piece speaking to Imlach's great handling of Beliveau.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Monday, December 15, 1952
Imlach talking about his young star, Jean Beliveau.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada · Friday, December 26, 1952
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Thursday, February 05, 1953
Imlach won Coach of the Year (QSHL) in 1952, leading the Quebec Aces (and Jean Beliveau) to the Alexander Cup.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, March 13, 1957
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Friday, April 26, 1957
Springfield, Massachusetts · Sunday, August 18, 1957
“During his six years as head of the Aces the club won three league titles and two Dominion championships, the Alexander and the Duke of Edinburgh trophies.”
Springfield, Massachusetts · Friday, August 30, 1957
"Imlach is one of the best executives in hockey. He is probably ahead of most of them in the NHL too."
-Lynn Patrick
Springfield, Massachusetts · Tuesday, September 24, 1957
"Imlach-rated by many hockey men as one of the best executives in the game."
-Garry Brown
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada · Friday, October 25, 1957
Springfield, Massachusetts · Wednesday, November 13, 1957
Springfield, Massachusetts · Friday, April 04, 1958
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Saturday, July 12, 1958
-Harold Atkins of Montreal Star notes Imlach is "highly regarded in hockey ranks as a sage fellow when it comes to talent."
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Thursday, August 28, 1958
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, September 16, 1958
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, December 02, 1958
Numerous players talk about Imlach's abtilies and style
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Monday, December 08, 1958
Brantford, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 10, 1958
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, December 13, 1958
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 31, 1958
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, January 17, 1959
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Monday, March 23, 1959
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, March 24, 1959
Springfield, Massachusetts · Sunday, April 12, 1959
Walter Graham of the Morning Union says Imlach is "the man who rates top consideration as the hockey coach of the year."
Kingston, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, April 18, 1959
Great piece by W.R. Wheatley highlighting Imlach's usage of game tape to study his team's mistakes, which he relayed to players. Also caught a goal that seemingly wasn't counted.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, April 18, 1959
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, February 06, 1960
Sports Editor Bob Hanley sheds light on Imlach's ability to inspire.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, April 12, 1960
Imlach is 2nd Team Coach of the year for The Hockey News
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Thursday, January 12, 1961
Baz O'Meara says that "Toe Blake and Punch Imlach are now acknowledged as the two masters of their profession."
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada · Thursday, February 02, 1961
Minneapolis, Minnesota · Friday, February 17, 1961
One of the better finds so far. NHL's first African American player speaks about the encouragement he got from Imlach w/the Quebec Aces.
"Starting his professional hockey career with Quebec City of Quebec League in 1956-57' O'Ree, who hails from Frederick, New Brunswick, Canada, told of early encouragement he got from the Quebec coach, Punch Imlach.
"Punch Imlach was coaching the team at the time and I'll always remember the advice he gave me. Punch told me that no matter what abuses I had to take, to work hard and I'd make the NHL because I had the ability."
-Willie O'Ree
Springfield, Massachusetts · Sunday, March 05, 1961
Walter Graham cements the bond between Imlach and Clancy. Clancy seemingly had the utmost respect for Punch.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, March 07, 1961
Imlach cited as resting Kelly to keep him fresh as well as giving most of the team off practice late in the year.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Friday, March 10, 1961
Imlach practice report
Springfield, Massachusetts · Thursday, March 16, 1961
Sam Pompei asserts Imlach having a path to the HOF in 1961
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Friday, March 24, 1961
Imlach practices weren't always a boot camp. Another example.
Marion, Indiana · Tuesday, March 28, 1961
Punch Imlach wins The Hockey News Coach of the Year award
Brantford, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, October 31, 1961
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 13, 1961
Imlach highlighting the weakness of the Canadiens.
"It'll help them when Beliveau is back in top condition. But their problem will still be the same. They can't get the puck out of their own zone. Put pressure on them and they'll make a mistake. That never happened when they had Doug Harvey."
Calgary, Alberta, Canada · Saturday, March 17, 1962
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, March 27, 1962
Another instance of a light workout
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 02, 1962
Imlach cited for pulling goalie and also swapping F's around in game.
Kingston, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, April 07, 1962
Billy Harris respects Imlach for being honest w/him about his playing time/possibility of being traded.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 09, 1962
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Wednesday, April 18, 1962
Dink Carroll with a really neat piece featuring Imlach speaking to his ability to find reclamation projects and turning them into productive players. He also highlights training methods and using a certain player in a specific role, in this piece, Eddie Shack.
And finally, it touches on his acquisition and usage of Red Kelly.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Monday, April 23, 1962
Red Fisher with a great piece speaking about Imlach making lineup changes during SCF serires.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 23, 1962
"Meanwhile, this Leafian team was full value for their victory and
a lot of the credit has to go to Imlach. He started almost from scratch, mixing extreme youth with a judicious supply of supposedly castoff veterans. It took four years but for Imlach and Leafs, it was a successful formula."
-Jack Kinsella (Ottawa Citizen writer)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · Monday, April 23, 1962
"It is not slicing the malarkey too thick to sugest that Punch Imlach has been very good for the Leafs. Their revival began the day he assumed command as manager-coach.
-Dick Beddoes (Vancouver Sun)
North Bay, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 23, 1962
Imlach cited as keeping player injuries a secret during the playoffs (as you see today). Will have to investigate when this became standard practice.
Windsor, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 23, 1962
In the Cup winning game, Imlach shifted Nevin (Imlach explains reasoning) to the top line with Kelly and Mahovlich, Nevin scoring 1 of the 2 goals on the night. This was a line combination used the previous season.
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, April 24, 1962
“As far as I’m concerned, the first, and most important thing I had to do was get King back for next year. He’s a remarkable fellow and we’ve got to keep him in this business. We are partners and we’re not going to break up a winning combination.”
-Punch Imlach (on retaining King Clancy as his assistant)
"Clancy took on quite a share of Imlach’s load in the Stanley Cup march, first when Punch was hit by an ulcer and later when he got the flu."
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Tuesday, April 24, 1962
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Tuesday, April 24, 1962
Dink Carroll after Leafs won Cup in 62
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · Thursday, September 27, 1962
"defence is our strength. It's the difference between us and other teams in the NHL."
-Punch Imlach
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada · Tuesday, October 02, 1962
"Punch is a brainy-type hockey coach who doubles in brass as general manager of the Leafs. It is a point of debate as to whether Imlach is a better coach or a better manager. This is an argument I refuse to enjoin, because I think he's fairly shrewd wearing either hat."
-Hal Dawson (Sports Editor Edmonton Journal)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 12, 1962
I continue to find instance of Imlach making lineup changes that led to better output and more winning. Here he adopts a rotating G tandem to keep each of Bower and Simmons rested.
Below you can see players were excused at times. And occasionally players ran practices. Imlach watching from a heated lounge is amusing.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 19, 1962
Jim Proudfoot of the Toronto Star speaks to the abilities of Imlach.
North Bay, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, March 30, 1963
Bruce Stovel piece that highlights Mahovlich getting benched, Imlach and players bonding over a prank. The players stole one of Imlach's shoes and he threatened to fine everyone $10 until it was returned but it was in jest.
"It's just kibbitzing. Great for keeping the spirits up."
-Imlach
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, April 17, 1963
Jack Kinsella of the Ottawa Citizen talking about Imlach's shrewd moves in the SCF.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada · Friday, December 24, 1965
Another citing of Imlach giving his players an off day, this time a double!
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada · Thursday, April 20, 1967
Cam McKenzie of Star Phoenix says Imlach is to be admired for getting his players up for big games.
Springfield, Massachusetts · Wednesday, May 03, 1967
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, February 22, 1969
-Incredible piece is a first person account (King Clancy) of Imlach's history.
Same paper, another feature article.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada · Monday, April 07, 1969
Calgary, Alberta, Canada · Tuesday, April 08, 1969
Bridgeport, Connecticut · Tuesday, April 08, 1969
Imlach had 2 suitors immediately after being fired by Leafs. Bower and Horton praising Imlach.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada · Thursday, April 10, 1969
An incredible piece that shows a much softer and empathetic side of George Imlach.
Cincinnati, Ohio · Friday, July 02, 1971
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Monday, March 19, 1984
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Sunday, March 10, 1985
Buffalo, New York · Tuesday, December 01, 1987
"It was quite an honor to play for him. He was fiery, aggressive, and kindly. In the locker room he could be a dictator, but off the ice he was an extremely kind man."
-Gerry Meehan (former player)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
"He was one of the most astute hockey men I knew in all my career. As a man, and coach, he had the great ability to get the maximum amount out of the players that he had"
-Sam Pollack (GM of archrival Canadiens)
The Province
Vancouver, Canada - Wednesday, December 02, 1987
"He was super to work for in the early years. He inspired us to great heights that we never thought we were capable of."
-Frank Mahovlich
Calgary, Alberta, Canada · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
"Beliveau, now senior vice president for corporate affairs for the Canadiens, said
Imlach played a very important part in my career when I improved my skating. He could see that the game was speeding up, so after practice he had a guy chasing me to make me skate faster. I was a tall, lean guy and at that time tall fellows were often a little slow.
Later on in my career I realized how right he was. He had the ability to foresee changes in the game.”
-
Jean Beliveau
Montreal, Quebec, Canada · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
"He was the best coach I ever played for."
-Don Cherry
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
"During the 10 seasons which began with Imlach’s 1958 arrival at Maples Leaf Gardens, he made no significant mistakes. It was a glorious period for the Leafs and, in a lot of wonderful ways, for this city. Under The Big I, they won the Stanely Cup championship in 1962, 1963, and 1964 and then added an extra one in ’67."
-Jim Proudfoot (Toronto Star writer)
Buffalo, New York · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
“He was the architect of our first decade of (NHL) hockey in Buffalo,” Knox said. “He really is the man totally responsible for bringing in the players that made us a good team, and got us to the finals.”
-Seymour Knox (Chairman of the board for Buffalo Sabres)
“I guess there are three words that pop into my mind when I think about Punch,” Martin said. “The first word is tough. He was very tough. The other two words that immediately follow are fairness and loyalty.”
“If you put out for Punch, he’d put out for you. It was a two-way street. I had run-ins with him, sure. But I was able to go in and talk….and the runs ins weren’t in the papers. And when I left his office maybe I hadn’t won, but I understood his position.”
-Rick Martin
Jim Lorentz, now a member of the Sabres broadcast team, echoes Martin’s sentiments.
“He was very fair,” said Lorentz, who played with the Sabres from 1972-1978. He put up this big, crabby front, so to speak, but he really had a big heart. He’d always listen to you. You could tell he really felt for the player and he was on your side.”
“He was very fair, an enormously fair person. I can’t emphasize that enough. If you gave him 100 percent, he’d do anything for you.”
-Jim Lorentz (former player)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Wednesday, December 02, 1987
Springfield, Massachusetts · Thursday, December 03, 1987
Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada · Friday, December 04, 1987
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada · Saturday, December 05, 1987
“Punch had the knack for forcing players to play a full notch above their natural ability. He was a close friend inside and outside of hockey.”
-Dick Duff
“A shake of the hand with Punch and you had a deal confirmed. He was a strong personality whose word was his bond.”
-Emile Francis
He was crusty, tough, but never wanted people to know how much he cared about his players.
-Don Luce
Buffalo, New York · Saturday, December 05, 1987
“Of all of Punch’s fine qualities, his generous heart and his greatness of spirt stand out the most. Tough guy. That was the side he showed the public. He didn’t mind being pictured as a martinet as long as it helped him achieve what he was after. What he was after was winning.”
-George Gross (sports editor Toronto Sun)
"I remember him as a hard-driving coach and manager with a soft touch and a soft heart for people who were in need.”
-Gerry Meehan (Buffalo GM)
“People thought of him as a real tough, mean guy, and he could be just so good for you. He could turn a player on. People didn’t see that side of him. He wouldn’t let people see that side of him."
"My first game ever playing for Punch was in Buffalo, and he just came into the dressing room with that dynamic personality that he had. Everybody just jumped. You could just feel something every time he would step into the room or stand behind the bench. He had this aura around him that just exuded energy.”
-Craig Ramsay
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada · Saturday, October 31, 1998
Fantastic piece by George Gross in 1998 asking former players, front office people who the best coach was of all time. Imlach was mentioned a few times by Jean Beliveau, Ken Dryden, Red Kelly, Ralph Mellanby (tied Blake and Imlach for 1st).
"I would tie them for first place. Toe had the firepower, Punch was the motivator and innovator."
-Mellanby
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada · Monday, May 10, 1999
Don Cherry speaking about Imlach being the best coached he ever played for plus a funny story about Imlach telling Eddie Shore to essentially f*** off.
A fantastic piece from Sports Illustrated
December 12, 1966:
Every man reacts a little bit differently to the grim routine of a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey practice. The older ones skate evenly, lips pressed tightly together and eyes fixed on the ice. The younger ones may yell at one another or curse quietly at no one in particular as they gather the energy for another rush across the rink. George (Punch) Imlach, the bald, 48-year-old coach, stands near the blue line, in the middle of the action, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a whistle. His crisp voice echoes through the empty Maple Leaf Gardens, goading his players to work longer and harder than any others in the National Hockey League. "That's it," he yells when a few men battle unusually hard for a loose puck. "I want you guys to get mad."
And many of the Maple Leafs do get mad—at each other, at the teams they are preparing to face and, often, at their coach. Few Toronto players will tell you that they like Punch Imlach. They say they "respect him" or "understand him" or "get used to him." Some have even said that they disliked him and thought he was hurting the club—but the ones who said those things in public are no longer playing hockey in Toronto. Those who remain have learned to keep quiet and concentrate on hockey. And in the seven years since the energetic, intense Imlach took over a last-place team in midseason and drove it into the Stanley Cup finals, his players have done well enough to make him one of the most successful men in the game.
That is all Imlach demands. "I don't give a damn if each player likes me personally, as long as he's loyal to the club and does his best," he says. "In fact, I try to avoid getting too close to the players. After all, I'm the general manager, so I've got to talk salary with them, too."
Imlach's history of tough and intransigent salary negotiations has made it very clear that he is not worried about being liked. Bobby Baun played on a broken leg to help the Leafs win the final game of the playoffs two years ago; a year later Imlach refused to grant his salary demands and Baun was a bitter holdout. Eddie Shack, an eight-year major-leaguer, scored 26 goals last season while earning a modest $13,500. This past summer he wheedled a $5,000 increase out of Punch—and Imlach took the first opportunity he found to order Shack to the Leafs' Rochester farm club for the training season.
Each year Imlach stares across his desk at the men whose ability he must depend on for his own livelihood, and calmly denies most of their requests. He guards the club's money as if it were his own. Part of it is, for Punch insists on owning a share in every club he operates, to help preserve his fierce independence from all outside interests, including owners. "But my share is so small that it's unimportant in any negotiations," he says. What is important is Imlach's almost religious concept of the one correct way to run a hockey team. "I decide what's right for each man," he says, "and I stick to it. Sure, I could be on the spot if we lose while a guy like Mahovlich is holding out. But once I start giving in to players, I run all kinds of risks."
The advantages of being a Maple Leaf include playing in a city that supports its local heroes devotedly and cutting up a payroll that is, after all the arguments subside, one of the highest in the National Hockey League. But the main compensation is winning, and Punch Imlach has shown that he is very good at that.
His feats in the 1958-59 season are legendary in Toronto. He came to the floundering club as general manager, and fired its coach within a month. Taking over himself, he immediately began claiming that his last-place team would make the playoffs. With a furious drive in the last two weeks of the season, the Leafs did—and then went on to upset the Boston Bruins in the semifinal round and fight the mighty Montreal Canadiens through five games before losing the finals.
The Leafs won the Stanley Cup in 1962 and repeated for two more years, making Imlach the only combined general manager-coach ever to win three straight cups. The team that finished fifth and sixth in the last two pre-Imlach years hasn't missed the playoffs during his eight-year tenure and certainly doesn't appear likely to miss them this season. When he first made himself coach, Imlach was almost unknown—he had never played or coached in the NHL—and even a little reluctant. "I took over while I was looking for someone else for the job," he says, "but things went so well that I stayed. The players said they wanted me—and I never let them forget that now, by the way." He has survived repeated suggestions that player discontent would force him out of his job, and he now runs his taut regime with the added power that a four-year contract brings.
Imlach spells out what he calls his "formula" as if he were reading from Norman Vincent Peale, whose positive-thinking creed has sometimes been distributed as a textbook to Toronto players. Hard work. Complete control of the club. Positive thinking. Loyalty. "Technical ability," adds Punch, "is only about the fifth most important thing. Good physical and mental shape can make up for a lot of technical deficiencies." It all sounds very simple, but the formula is more complex than it appears—and so is the man who preaches it.
The cold, tough martinet who sometimes alienates his players can also be friendly, entertaining and surprisingly sensitive. He can cajole his men as well as intimidate them. He praises players as often as he criticizes them. "I never knock a man and then leave him down," he says. "I may tell a guy he's a bum during salary talks or when he plays badly. But then I've got to come back and convince him that he's the best bum in all of hockey."
"Every coach may try to use psychology on his players," says George Armstrong, the Toronto captain. "But what Punch does is really amazing. It's almost impossible to sustain a mood or spirit over a 70-game season, but somehow he did it in the 1958-59 season—and he's come pretty close to doing it ever since. Anybody can get a bunch of kids excited for a few games. Look at what Ralph Houk did to the Yankees this year. But they faded back. Punch has never given us a chance to settle back. He knows how to keep us keyed up—and he's always varying his approach."
While Imlach's psychological approach varies, his commitment to hard work remains immutable. Most teams go through four weeks of training camp, practicing once a day, before the NHL season; the Maple Leafs practice twice a day for five weeks. On most clubs an occasional day off during the season is taken for granted; on the Leafs it is a rare gift. "I know some guys find it awfully hard," Imlach says. "Especially ones who come from other teams like Detroit, where Sid Abel doesn't believe in working them too much. I know that some are going to complain, but there's nothing I can do for them. This is the way I believe in doing things."
Goalie Terry Sawchuk, who did come from Detroit, says, "It was very hard at first. But you just have to get used to it. Then you realize that Punch is doing a lot for you."
Center Red Kelly's approval is slightly more qualified. "I agree with him that hard work is important," says Red. "But I also believe that a man can drive himself. And if you drive yourself, you knew just what's good for you and when to stop." If Imlach has sometimes pushed Kelly beyond the point where Red thought he should have stopped, it has apparently brought results. Kelly came to Toronto in 1960 as a once-great defenseman who appeared to be fading. Imlach switched him to center, a position that requires more speed, and Kelly suddenly and incredibly found new life.
The Kelly trade helped to build Imlach's reputation as hockey's shrewdest trader. For Kelly he gave up a defense-man named Marc Reaume, who played 47 games in two years at Detroit, never scored a goal and now labors in the Central Professional Hockey League. He got Allen Stanley for James Morrison, now a minor-leaguer, and added Gerry Ehman and Larry Regan during that same 1958-59 season, to form a trio that led the Leafs in their closing drive into the playoffs.
Imlach permits himself to gloat a little about his best deals, but he always points out that his trades are all dependent on another part of his formula. "Nobody second-guesses me around here," he says. "I make the decisions myself, and I take full responsibility. The owners of this club know that as soon as they want to make the decisions, all they have to do is fire me. I always remember what Conn Smythe once told me: be sure to make your own mistakes."
Actually, Smythe's fatherly advice was given only after Imlach had revised the owner's entire way of thinking about the Toronto team. When Imlach arrived, Smythe was still employing a quaint system of instructing his coach during a game by a special phone to the bench. He told Imlach that he would be happy to offer advice between periods. "Let's do it my way," replied Punch. "I run the whole show, you watch it. As soon as you don't like it, just tell me to get the hell out."
Imlach is still running the whole show, and running it effectively. He gives orders and his team obeys; he tells them they can win and they do. But the element of loyalty, which Imlach claims is essential to his success, is not always apparent. The coach is cold and distant, his players are professionals doing a job. There is no love between them, but Imlach insists that there is another kind of bond. "They have to want to help the team, they have to be willing to give things up. Every winning team needs that feeling."
In order to encourage that feeling, Imlach himself adheres to a rigid code of loyalty. Last year, when the NHL expansion teams began looking for general managers, he received several lucrative offers. The Leafs were not going well and there were widespread rumors that Imlach would be wise to get out while he had a chance at a good job. "Sure, the deals were attractive," he recalls. "The Leaf owners came to me and asked me if I was going to leave. I told them they didn't have to worry about me as long as my contract had a year left on it. I wouldn't break a contract for any amount of money. Once a coach starts doing something like that, what can he expect his players to do?"
Some critics claim that his fervent concept of loyalty has hurt Imlach during the last two years. The aging players who played a dominant role in the Leafs' Stanley Cup triumphs have slowed down considerably, and the Leafs have settled for relatively disappointing seasons. "Maybe I did hurt myself by sticking with the veterans," Punch admits. "But these are the guys who held the club together to win three cups. I feel I've got to show them I appreciate what they've done for me."
When he speaks of Armstrong, Kelly or the ageless Bower ("the most remarkable athlete in the world—he'd practice nine hours a day without complaining if you asked him to"), Imlach abandons the icy attitude he likes to maintain toward his men. But it always returns very quickly. "A player should want to keep training," he claims. "He should feel he owes it to his teammates. There should never be a need for curfew checks." Then he pauses and grins at the sentimental notions he is expressing. "Of course, I check up on them anyway. I believe in discipline as well as loyalty."
If Imlach can't force a man to become an effective part of his club, he simply gets rid of him—even if he is a star. Andy Bathgate, the ninth leading scorer in hockey history, helped Toronto to its most recent Stanley Cup in 1964 with several crucial goals. After one more year with the club, Bathgate told a reporter that Imlach was too hard on the team, that the brutal practice sessions hurt them. "Bathgate is a lazy hockey player," Imlach pronounced. "He doesn't fit in on my club." He traded him to Detroit for the scarred veteran Pronovost, who may be less spectacular but who also says, "The only way I ever stayed in this game was by hard work."
The other major cause cél√®bre of the Imlach regime, Carl Brewer, was far more important to the team than Bathgate. Brewer was one of the best defense-men in hockey when the 1964-65 season ended and, at 27, he was still at the peak of his career. But this tough, sometimes vicious player also happened to be an extremely sensitive, introspective individual—so sensitive that even the astute psychologist Imlach may have made some serious mistakes with him.
Brewer was confused and sullen when he reported to practice for the 1965-66 campaign. His friend Baun was a holdout, and he himself was unhappy that Imlach wasn't treating him like the star he had become. During exhibition games he made a series of terrible passes onto opponents' sticks; several times opposing forwards took advantage of them to aim hard shots at Goalie Bower. Finally Bower reacted; he and Brewer had a loud argument in the locker room.
"I blew my top," Imlach says. "When I saw what was happening because of Brewer's sulking, I knew I had to do something." There was never much doubt about what he would do. Faced with a choice between the steadfast, reliable Bower and the quiet, unpredictable younger man whom he never really understood, Imlach backed up Bower. He assaulted Brewer with one of the colorful, oath-filled tirades for which he is famous—and Brewer broke down. He left the Toronto training camp and announced his retirement.
George Imlach began his own career as a promising center on a junior hockey team, but five years in the army—as a drill sergeant, naturally—took away his chance to make the major leagues. When he was discharged in 1945, the 27-year-old Imlach got a trial with the Red Wings. He arrived at camp at the same time as a 17-year-old prospect named Gordie Howe. "Both of us were assigned to their Omaha farm team," he recalls. "But Howe had his whole career ahead of him. I had just been married and I was broke. I also knew I was no Howe, and I had to be realistic about my chances. I went back to Quebec City and took an accountant's job."
In Quebec he became connected with a team called the Quebec Aces. Within 10 years he had been player, coach, general manager and even part owner of the consistently winning club. In 1956-57 he went to the Bruins' farm club in Springfield and the following year to Toronto.
As he began to remake the Leafs' entire farm system and lead his team to the playoffs, Imlach was alternately exuberant and unapproachable. He would gloat loudly when he won and fly into rages when things went badly. He can still show as much temper as anyone in hockey, but now he has also made an art of expressing his views and answering—or refusing to answer—questions.
Early this season the Leafs appeared to be off to another slow start. Mahovlich was unsigned, Bob Pulford and Baun were hurt and the remaining players had managed to lose and tie their first two games against the New York Rangers. Imlach sat in a small room next to the players' dressing room after a practice and stared menacingly at reporters. A brave soul asked about the three missing stars. "I don't know if they're good enough to make this team," Punch snapped. Someone else asked him why Johnny Bovver had been granted a day off. "Because I'm getting soft and sentimental," he said. Before the session was over, he had insulted and infuriated several of the men who must earn a living asking him questions. Mumbling and cursing, the reporters filed out. Imlach called after them, "Come on downstairs and I'll buy you all a drink."
Two days later Mahovlich signed his contract. The men who had kept the dull vigil over the negotiations were finally rewarded. "How much did he get?" they asked.
"No comment."
"How long is the contract for?"
"No comment."
"Are you satisfied with the compromise you reached?"
"No comment."
There were five more questions, five more quick "no comment" replies. Then Punch looked up from his desk, his eyes wide and his face breaking into an innocent smile. "Is there anything else that you fellows would like to know about it?" he asked.
It has all become a kind of pleasant game for the man who would like everyone to believe that he is grim and uncompromising in everything he does. "I've learned to enjoy life," he once admitted. "I've got a good organization and a solid job. It would be pretty stupid of me if I didn't get some fun out of the whole thing. Sure, things will be tough at times and I'll get mad. But don't worry about us—no matter what goes wrong, I'll be in the playoffs.
"You know," he added, "people tell me I shouldn't keep saying, 'I, I, I,' when I talk about the team. It sounds bad. They say I should say 'we' or 'the club.' But I must admit I can't help it. I get so damn involved with what I'm trying to do, it feels like it's all my own private problem."