Stanley Cup winners in first AND last seasons

[vikash1987]

I was at the HHoF yesterday, and I read the following bit of trivia in the bio of Ralph “Cooney” Weiland (photo attached):

“Weiland is one of only three players to spend at least 10 years in the NHL and win a Stanley Cup title in their first and last NHL seasons.”

Naturally, the question I had in mind was who were the other players who fit this criteria, and have there really been only three?

I know Jacques Lemaire was one, but I’m drawing a blank on the other(s)

 

[Fenway]

Ken Dryden didn't play 10 years, but he did it.

 

[solidmotion]

could be a reference to maurice richard? he played 16 games in 42-43 before getting injured so if you count 43-44 as his rookie season then he fits the bill.

 

[The Panther]

There are guys who did this in their first playoff and their last playoff -- for example Martin Gélinas and Mark Recchi -- but they don't quite fit per their actual first and last seasons.

I think Maurice Richard should 'count' as a rookie in 1942-43, so there should be someone else....

 

[MS]

There are guys who did this in their first playoff and their last playoff -- for example Martin Gélinas and Mark Recchi -- but they don't quite fit per their actual first and last seasons.

I think Maurice Richard should 'count' as a rookie in 1942-43, so there should be someone else....

Oilers fan awarding the 2004 Stanley Cup to the Flames?

 

[Michael Farkas]

I don't know if this is going to count or not, but Eddie Litzenberger played (sparingly) for the '53 Canadiens and (legitimately) for the '64 Leafs...I doubt his name is on the Cup in '53 though...

 

[Summer Rose]

could be a reference to maurice richard? he played 16 games in 42-43 before getting injured so if you count 43-44 as his rookie season then he fits the bill.

Reasonable enough to me... under the current Calder eligibility rules he would have been eligible for the Calder in 43-44... although the current cutoff of 25 games in the previous season is 30.4% of the modern 82-game schedule. The regular season schedule back then was 50 games, 30.4% of which is 15.24 games. I'll round that up to 16 (despite that not being mathematically proper) just to let Maurice Richard qualify, because I said so.

On the other hand, when the Calder was first established, I can't find much on what the eligibility requirements were in Maurice Richard's time other than the vague statement that "there were no requirements beyond that the winner be in his first year of competition in the NHL." If you interpret that strictly, that rules out Maurice Richard because of his 16 games in 42-43, although at first the Calder winner was chosen solely by Frank Calder himself. He could have decided to make an exception for Richard on his own, but didn't.

 

[Moose Head]

I think it’s Yvan Cournoyer.

 

[connellc]

Darren Helm is super close had he not played 11 games (zero points) and 1 playoff in his final season...

 

[The Panther]

Oilers fan awarding the 2004 Stanley Cup to the Flames?

Not sure what I was thinking here. My brain has been going lately...

So, did we figure out who the third guy is?

 

[MS]

Ted Harris is really close. Played 4 games in 63-64 but won the Cup as a rookie with Montreal in 64-65 and then again with Philly in his last year in 74-75.

 

[vikash1987]

I don't know if this is going to count or not, but Eddie Litzenberger played (sparingly) for the '53 Canadiens and (legitimately) for the '64 Leafs...I doubt his name is on the Cup in '53 though...

Interestingly, Litzenberger’s name isn’t on the Cup (i.e. now-retired Cup band) for the ‘64 Leafs either. Looks like he was in the minors in Rochester for a good part of that final NHL season of his.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Montreal won 16 Cups in 27 seasons at one point, so a bit surprising there aren't more to be honest.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Tiny Thompson came close.

won it in his rookie year. then in his 2nd to last year was traded off the Cup winning Bruins.

1929 - rookie, cup
1939 - Bruins win cup, Thompson traded mid season
1940 - Thompson's last season

 

[vikash1987]

Reasonable enough to me... under the current Calder eligibility rules he would have been eligible for the Calder in 43-44... although the current cutoff of 25 games in the previous season is 30.4% of the modern 82-game schedule. The regular season schedule back then was 50 games, 30.4% of which is 15.24 games. I'll round that up to 16 (despite that not being mathematically proper) just to let Maurice Richard qualify, because I said so.

On the other hand, when the Calder was first established, I can't find much on what the eligibility requirements were in Maurice Richard's time other than the vague statement that "there were no requirements beyond that the winner be in his first year of competition in the NHL." If you interpret that strictly, that rules out Maurice Richard because of his 16 games in 42-43, although at first the Calder winner was chosen solely by Frank Calder himself. He could have decided to make an exception for Richard on his own, but didn't.

Rookie Status | Hockey-Reference.com

Explanation of the NHL's Rookie Status through the years

www.hockey-reference.com

Based on this reference, Richard would have comfortably been classified as a rookie for the 1942-43 season (despite breaking his ankle and missing significant time), and the year in which he first won the Cup would have been considered Year 2.

I’ve also never seen him being credited with winning the Cup in his rookie season, FWIW.

So I don’t think he would fit the bill.

 

[MS]

Interestingly, Litzenberger’s name isn’t on the Cup (i.e. now-retired Cup band) for the ‘64 Leafs either. Looks like he was in the minors in Rochester for a good part of that final NHL season of his.

That's interesting because Litzenberger's one playoff game in 1964 was in the Finals against Detroit which per the current regulations would 100% get his name on the Cup.

Not sure if those rules have changed over time, though.