Ed Litzenberger
Litzenberger in the 1950s
Born (1932-07-15)July 15, 1932
Neudorf, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died November 1, 2010(2010-11-01) (aged 78)
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Centre/Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Black Hawks
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1952–1965

Edward Charles John "Eddie" Litzenberger (July 15, 1932 – November 1, 2010) was a Canadian ice hockey right winger from Neudorf, Saskatchewan. Litzenberger was "donated" to the Chicago Black Hawks by the Montreal Canadiens in his first year in the National Hockey League (NHL). At the time the Black Hawks were struggling to survive as a franchise, and the league governors decided to help the team remain viable.[1]

Playing career

Litzenberger began his hockey career with the Regina Pats in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League. In 1950–51, he led the league in scoring with 44 goals in 40 games and led the playoffs in scoring with 14 goals in 12 games. In 1952–53, he made his debut with the Montreal Canadiens, playing two games with the Canadiens while splitting his time with the Montreal Royals. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in the Quebec Senior Hockey League, and was chosen for the Second All-Star Team.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs

After playing 29 games with the Canadiens, Litzenberger was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1954–55. He posted 40 points in 44 games with the Black Hawks and was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy.[2] He also played in the NHL All-Star Game that year. After posting three consecutive 30-goal seasons and being named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1956–57,[1] he was named Captain of the Chicago Black Hawks in 1957–58. He led a Black Hawks team that included future Hall of Famers Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Pierre Pilote and Glenn Hall to a Stanley Cup championship in 1960–61, Chicago's first Stanley Cup since 1937–38.

Litzenberger was traded to the Detroit Red Wings after the Black Hawks had won the Stanley Cup, and traded again midway through the season to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He helped the Leafs win three consecutive Stanley Cups from 1962 to 1964. After that, he was sent down to the American Hockey League with the Rochester Americans and won the Calder Cup for two consecutive seasons with the Americans before retiring.

Litz was unique for having won four consecutive Stanley Cups while playing for two different teams. He helped instill a winning attitude as a member of the Black Hawks after having been traded from a first-place to a last-place team after noting a defeatist attitude among the players. Some of his teammates were satisfied with a tie. He reminded them that a tie was not a win and not worth celebrating.[3]

He is also the only player in North American hockey history to win six straight pro hockey championships by winning the Stanley Cup in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964, and the Calder Cup in 1965 and 1966.

He spent his final years living in Ontario.

Achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1949–50 Regina Pats WCJHL 40 25 19 44 16 9 11 4 15 4
1949–50 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 14 12 10 22 2
1950–51 Regina Pats WCJHL 40 44 35 79 23 12 14 16 30 6
1950–51 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 17 12 10 22 14
1951–52 Regina Pats WCJHL 41 42 29 71 75 8 8 5 13 8
1951–52 Regina Pats M-Cup — — — — — 14 14 12 26 12
1952–53 Montreal Canadiens NHL 2 1 0 1 2 — — — — —
1952–53 Montreal Royals QMHL 59 26 24 50 42 16 8 4 12 15
1953–54 Montreal Canadiens NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1953–54 Montreal Royals QHL 67 31 39 70 44 11 4 5 9 6
1954–55 Montreal Canadiens NHL 29 7 4 11 12 — — — — —
1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 44 16 24 40 28 — — — — —
1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 10 29 39 36 — — — — —
1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 32 32 64 48 — — — — —
1957–58 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 32 30 62 63 — — — — —
1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 33 44 77 37 6 3 5 8 8
1959–60 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 52 12 18 30 15 4 0 1 1 4
1960–61 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 62 10 22 32 14 10 1 3 4 2
1961–62 Detroit Red Wings NHL 32 8 12 20 4 — — — — —
1961–62 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 37 10 10 20 14 10 0 2 2 4
1962–63 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 58 5 13 18 10 9 1 2 3 6
1963–64 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 19 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 10
1963–64 Rochester Americans AHL 33 15 14 29 26 2 1 1 2 2
1964–65 Rochester Americans AHL 72 25 61 86 34 10 1 3 4 6
1965–66 Victoria Maple Leafs WHL 23 7 17 24 26 — — — — —
1965–66 Rochester Americans AHL 47 7 15 22 10 12 1 5 6 8
NHL totals 618 178 238 416 283 40 5 13 18 34

Death

Litzenberger, died on November 1, 2010, age 78.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Who's Who in Hockey, Stan Fischler and Shirley Fischler, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2003, pg. 249.
  2. ^ "Calder Memorial Trophy". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  3. ^ Glenn Hall: The Man They Call Mr. Goalie, by Tom Adrahtas, Greystone Books, 2002, pg, 73.
  4. ^ Orr, Frank (3 November 2010). "Ex-Leaf Litzenberger, 78, passes away". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 4 November 2010.

External links

Preceded byCamille Henry Winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy 1955 Succeeded byGlenn Hall Preceded byGus Mortson Chicago Black Hawks captain 1958–61 Succeeded byPierre Pilote
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