Ice Hockey Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame


Bryan Hextall

Bryan Aldwyn Hextall


Hextall is considered the dominant right winger of his day,
leading the National Hockey League in goal scoring twice (1939-40 & 1940-41) and in points once (1941-42). Selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in each of those 3 seasons and the Second All-Star Team in 1942-43.

Started his career as a goalie at the age of 9, because he could not skate. … his uncle Jack Bend, hockey guru of Poplar Point, moulded him into a outstanding defenseman. … in 1929-30 Poplar Point went to the provincial midget final. … and in 1930-31 won the provincial juvenile championship. … in 1932-33 led the WJrHL "B" Division in scoring. … half way thru 1933-34, was suspended by the CAHA, one year, for a tampered birth certificate. … turned pro, joining the Vancouver Lions of the North West Hockey League. … Lions converted him into a left winger. … in 1934-35 the Lions won the league championship. … in 1935-36 led the league in goals. … promoted to IAHL the following year and again led the league in goals. … earned a 3 game call up to the NHL Rangers. … in 1937-38 stuck with the Rangers. … Lester Patrick put the left-handed shooter on right wing. … the move paid off, Hextall led the NHL in goals in 1939-40 and 1940-41 and in points in 1941-42. … selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in each of those 3 seasons and the Second All-Star Team in 1942-43. … mainly played on the Rangers' top line with Phil Watson and Lynn Patrick. ... scored perhaps the biggest goal in New York Rangers history on April 13, 1940, in overtime, in game six of the Stanley Cup finals in Toronto. ... at the 2:07 mark of the fourth period, Hextall beat legendary goaltender Turk Broda to give New York a 3-2 victory in the game and a 4-2 series win to claim the Stanley Cup. ... also durable, appeared in 340 consecutive games for the Rangers. ... missed entire 1944-45 season after being refused permission to enter USA by War Mobilization Command. ... 3 games into the 1945-46 season was hospitalized due to a liver ailment. … his doctors said he'd never play hockey again and even had some doubt he'd live. … overcame doctors expectations, appearing in all 60 games for the Rangers in 1946-47. ... his comeback was the hockey news of the year. ... retired professionally after the 1948-49 season. ... coached the St. Boniface Canadiens to the Memorial Cup final. ... was on four Manitoba Intermediate Championship teams. ... inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. ... battled circulation problems in his lower legs following his retirement, an ailment that ultimately led to the amputation of both legs below the knees in the fall of 1978. … just over a year later, the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League honoured Manitoba’s Hockey Hall of Famers. … and before the largest crowd in Manitoba hockey history and a national television audience, Hextall stubbornly refused to be taken out to center ice in a wheelchair and walked out proudly on crutches as thousands stood, cheered, and some wept openly with admiration for this magnificent old warrior. … inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1984. ... inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985. ... selected to Manitoba's all-century Second All-Star Team in 2000. ...

Career Statistics[]

Playing[]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1931-32 Winnipeg Monarchs WJrHL 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0
1932-33 Portage Terriers WJrHL 12 10 8 18 6 2 0 0 0 4
1933-34 Portage Terriers MJHL 7 6 4 10 8 -- -- -- -- --
Vancouver Lions NWHL 5 2 0 2 0 -- -- -- -- --
1934-35 Vancouver Lions NWHL 32 14 10 24 27 8 0 0 0 10
1935-36 Vancouver Lions NWHL 40 27 9 36 65 7 1 2 3 15
1936-37 Philadelphia Ramblers IAHL 48 29 23 59 34 6 2 4 6 6
New York Rangers NHL 3 0 1 1 0 -- -- -- -- --
1937-38 New York Rangers NHL 48 17 4 21 6 3 2 0 2 0
1938-39 New York Rangers NHL 48 20 15 35 18 7 0 1 1 4
1939-40 New York Rangers NHL 48 24 15 39 52 12 4 3 7 11
1940-41 New York Rangers NHL 48 26 18 44 16 3 0 1 1 0
1941-42 New York Rangers NHL 48 24 32 56 30 6 1 1 2 4
1942-43 New York Rangers NHL 50 27 32 59 28 -- -- -- -- --
1943-44 New York Rangers NHL 50 21 33 54 41 -- -- -- -- --
1944-45 St Catharines Saints OHA Sr. 1 0 1 1 0 -- -- -- -- --
1945-46 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 1 1 0 -- -- -- -- --
1946-47 New York Rangers NHL 60 20 10 30 18 -- -- -- -- --
1947-48 New York Rangers NHL 43 8 14 22 18 6 1 3 4 0
1948-49 Cleveland Barons AHL 32 12 17 29 14 -- -- -- -- --
Washington Lions AHL 25 6 6 12 2 -- -- -- -- --
1949-50 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
1950-51 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
1951-52 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
1952-53 Poplar Point Memorials MSHL Statistics Unavailable
1953-54 Portage la Prairie Memorials MSHL Statistics Unavailable
1954-55 Minnedosa Jets BSIHL Statistics Unavailable -- -- -- -- --
1955-56 Minnedosa Jets BSIHL Statistics Unavailable
MAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
CAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
1957-58 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA-Intermediate -- -- -- -- --
NHL Totals 449 187 175 362 227 37 8 9 17 19

Coaching[]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T Pts Finish GP W L T Results
1950-51 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA - - - - - -
1951-52 Poplar Point Memorials Statistics Unavailable
MAHA - - - - - - Won Manitoba B
1952-53 St. Boniface Canadiens MJHL 36 22 13 1 45 2nd 8 8 0 0 Won League
M-Cup - - - - - - 12 8 3 1 Won Abbott Cup
- - - - - - 5 1 4 0 Lost Memorial Cup
1953-54 St. Boniface Canadiens MJHL 8 6 1 1 13 - -
1954-55 Minnedosa Jets BSIHL 24 7 16 1 15 5th DNQ
1955-56 Minnedosa Jets BSIHL 30 18 10 2 38 1st 5 4 1 0 Won League
MAHA - - - - - - 6 4 1 1 Won Manitoba
CAHA - - - - - - 10 5 4 1 Lost Semi Final
1956-57 Minnedosa Jets BSIHL 18 11 6 1 23 1st no league playoffs
MAHA - - - - - - 5 1 4 0 Lost AA Semi Final
1959-60 Portage Terriers (Juvenile) Statistics Unavailable
1968-69 Portage Terriers MJHL 34 3 28 3 9 4th North DNQ

Awards & Achievements[]

  • Manitoba Juvenile Championship (1931)
  • North West Hockey League Championship (1935)
  • NWHL Goal Scoring Leader (1936)
  • IAHL Goal Scoring Leader (1937)
  • NHL Goal Scoring Leader (1940 & 1941)
  • NHL First All-Star Team (1940, 1941, & 1942)
  • Stanley Cup National Hockey League Championship (1940)
  • Art Ross Trophy NHL Scoring Champion (1942)
  • NHL Second All-Star Team (1943)
  • Manitoba Intermediate B Hockey Championship (1950, 1952, & 1958)
  • Turnbull Cup Manitoba Junior Hockey League Championship (1953)
  • Abbott Cup Western Canada Junior A Hockey Championship (1953)
  • BSIHL First All-Star Team (1955)
  • BSIHL First All-Star Team Coach (1955 & 1957)
  • BSIHL co-First All-Star Team Coach (1956)
  • McKenzie Trophy Big Six Intermediate Hockey League Championship (1956)
  • McDiarmid Shield Manitoba Intermediate A Hockey Championship (1956)

Gallery[]

Advertisement