In Memoriam Former pro hockey players/management/others deaths

[kaiser matias]

Andy Bathgate, 83:

https://www.nhl.com/news/andy-bathgate-rangers-great-dies-at-83/c-279171946

Though whoever wrote that article confused the WHL Canucks with the NHL version, as Bathgate only played for the WHL version (and the WHA's Blazers).

 

[Voight]

Really sad to here. Its a shame it took the NYR so long to retire his jersey.

 

[ICM1970]

One of my favourites from that era (even though before I was born). Andy seemed to be such a complete player, with the playmaking skills and durability.

 

[seventieslord]

RIP Andy Bathgate

 

[BenchBrawl]

Really sad to hear that Andy Bathgate passed away.

May you rest in peace, Mr. Bathgate.

 

[Killion]

... ya. time flies... 83..... I remember him well as a Leaf (and Ranger) & sad when he left Toronto. One of my favorites.

 

[Captain Bowie]

RIP Andy.

But I had to laugh and shake my head the other day when SNET annouced his passing as "Former Maple Leaf Andy Bathgate..... He also had stints with the Rangers, Red Wings and Penguins"

He played a DECADE with the Rangers, and less than a full season with the Leafs (well, parts of 2 seasons, but still). Goddam Toronto Media.

 

[iamjs]

RIP Ted McCaskill, who passed away yesterday at the age of 79.

http://sihrhockey.org/__a/members/deaths_by_year.cfm?year=2016&month=3

Ted had a cup of coffee with the inaugural Minnesota North Stars, playing in four games and scoring two assists.

In the final year of his career, McCaskill would end up in Broome County and make his way into the movie Slap Shot as an uncredited extra. (#18)

Side note: his son Kirk was a Hobey Baker finalist and a former Winnipeg Jets draft pick (1981 Draft, 64th overall) who played one season in the AHL and dressed one game for the Jets.
After one season of hockey, Kirk went on to pitch 11 seasons in MLB.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

... ya. time flies... 83..... I remember him well as a Leaf (and Ranger) & sad when he left Toronto. One of my favorites.

Bathgate was my first favorite player.

When they showed a picture of him on HNIC last week, my wife said he looked like a movie star.

 

[Fenway]

Bill Gadsby dies at 88

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2016/03/10/detroit-red-wings-bill-gadsby/81583842/

The Detroit Red Wings are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Gadsby, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 88. Gadsby was a veteran of 1,248 NHL games between the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Red Wings, spending the final five seasons of his legendary career in Detroit from 1961-66. Gadsby also served as head coach of the Red Wings from 1968-70, compiling a 35-31-12 record.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970, Gadsby spent 20 seasons in the NHL, totaling 568 points (130-438-568) and 1,539 penalty minutes. In 323 games with the Red Wings, he recorded 112 points (18-94-112) and 478 penalty minutes. The Calgary, Alberta, native was a three-time NHL First-Team All-Star (1956, 1958 and 1959) and a four-time NHL Second-Team All-Star (1953, 1954, 1957 and 1965).

 

[Killion]

RIP Bill Gadsby

^^^ Oh gosh... one of my all~time favorites... knew he was getting up there... 88... good innings.

 

[ICM1970]

^^^ Oh gosh... one of my all~time favorites... knew he was getting up there... 88... good innings.

Didn't he and Tim Horton collide and it put poor Timmy out for the rest of the season? I can remember reading somewhere that one of Timmy's contact lenses shifted, so he had his head down momentarily and that's when Gadsby really connected with him.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Rest in Peace

Bill Gadsby. An all time great as a player and a gentleman.

 

[Killion]

Didn't he and Tim Horton collide and it put poor Timmy out for the rest of the season? I can remember reading somewhere that one of Timmy's contact lenses shifted, so he had his head down momentarily and that's when Gadsby really connected with him.

Oh yeah. Laid him right out. Broken jaw & leg. Clean check. Horton had been a real Force, real Speed Merchant, Rushing Defenceman. Its interesting to contemplate as good as he was after recovering how good he might have been as he lost a considerable amount of lateral speed as a result..... Story goes that on the night of that game as Bill Gadsby was leaving the building Conn Smythe spotted him and absolutely livid preceded to call Gadsby every name in the book, "reporting you to the league, game film, life-time ban" blah blah blah. Bill replying with the basic "go procreate with yourself" though of course he didnt use the word "procreate", slamming the door behind him..... like The Rock... it doesnt matter what you think... ya, I loved Gadsby. Real smart hockey player, steady, calm, one of the greatest checkers, heaviest hitters All~Time. And clean. His features as well, those massive cauliflower ears, the grin.. loved the guy.... As a sort of footnote if unaware, he was very lucky to even be alive as the ship he was traveling on as a boy with his Mom from the UK to Canada was torpedoed by a U-Boat early in the war. The passengers & crew barely making it into lifeboats and the very cold & choppy waters of the North Atlantic, floating for hours before rescue arrived.

 

[pappyline]

RIP Bill. One of my favorites. Was captain of the blackhawks when I first started following hockey as a young kid.

I was really disappointed on him falling a bit in the HOH best defenseman list due to some guys slandering him to push a couple of modern players ahead.

 

[ICM1970]

Always thought it a shame he did not win a Stanley Cup, played all of those years with the 'Hawks, Rangers, and Red Wings. Looks like his last season in 1965-66 was the only time he got to compete in the Finals.

 

[Nunymare]

SIHR and Twitter reports coming in of the death of Ken Broderick, 74 yesterday (March 13)

 

[Nunymare]

March 29, Frank "Red" Kane, 93. Played a few games for Detroit in 1943-44 and otherwise carved out a pretty respectable minor-pro league career in the US for himself.

 

[Nunymare]

Dennis Riggin, 79

http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1300376/Riggin-Dennis.php

 

[Doctor No]

Dennis Riggin, 79

http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1300376/Riggin-Dennis.php

One of those players who likely would have found more prestige had the NHL expanded a decade earlier.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Organizational Goalies

Dennis Riggin, 79

http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1300376/Riggin-Dennis.php

One of the classic organizational goalies. 1961 eye injury cut short his career.

 

[Killion]

One of the classic organizational goalies. 1961 eye injury cut short his career.

Yes, actually 2 eye injuries... The first in 59/60 that detached the retina in one eye, made a comeback, then in a cruel twist of fate in 62/63 (I think, mightve been 63/64) suffered an identical injury to the other eye... Was for a time heir apparent to Sawchuk in Detroit, standout in the OHA & WHL with Edmonton....Middle of 3 generations of Goalies, his father Mel a great goalie who played in the OHA way back in the day but never turned pro; his son Pat who started his career with the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA before going on to play about 400 games in the NHL.

 

[mbhhofr]

Dennis was a friend of mine. We met back in the 1950's when I was reffing in the Goderich, Ontario Young Canada Week Pee Wee Tournament. I refereed a charity game to honor those that were killed and injured in the Listowel Arena roof collapse. He and Jack McIntyre were my Linesmen. Dennis was playing for the Edmonton Flyers when I was a Linesman in the Western Hockey League.

Edmonton was in Winnipeg to play a game and I went to see him at their morning skate. I was driving him, Bruce MacGregor, Eddie Joyal and Len Haley back to their hotel. We were coming on a traffic signal that turned yellow and I gunned the car through the intersection before the light turned red. Dennis's comment to me was, "Careful Morley, there's a million dollars of talent in the car. I reminded him of that the last time I saw him back in 1999 at the 50th anniversary of the Goderich Tournament and asked him what he thought that the talent would be worth today.

I was also at the game when he was in goal for Detroit and he suffered the eye injury that pretty well ended his career.

Rest In Peace my friend.

 

[Killion]

.... Rest In Peace my friend.

I kinda figured your paths wouldve crossed mbh & my condolences... that tragedy in Listowel, ya, roof collapsed under
a heavy snow pack back in 59 just 4yrs after the place had opened killing 7 Pee Wee hockey players and a Referee.

 

[ICM1970]

I remember first reading about Dennis back in the mid 1980s when the Globe and Mail sports section did a "Where are they now" type feature on former NHL players (and probably names from other sports). Since I grew up knowing about Pat quite well, it was interesting to read about his father Dennis and the unfortunate premature end to his playing days.