Bryan Hextall
Encyclopedia
Bryan Aldwyn Hextall was a Canadian
professional ice hockey
forward
who played for the New York Rangers
in the National Hockey League
(NHL). Considered one of the top wingers
of the 1940s, he led the NHL in goal scoring twice and in points once. Additionally, he was named a first-team All-Star
three times, and a second-team All-Star once.
Hextall scored the overtime winning goal that clinched the 1940
Stanley Cup
for the Rangers. He was the father of one of hockey's greatest families, as his sons Brian Jr. and Dennis
, and grandson Ron
all had lengthy NHL careers. Bryan Sr. was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1969.
in 1913, Hextall grew up in Poplar Point, Manitoba. He played his first hockey there, winning the Manitoba juvenile championship in 1929–30. He played junior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs
in 1931–32 before switching to the Portage Terriers
with whom he won the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
scoring title in 1932–33.
Hextall began his professional career in 1933–34 with the Vancouver Lions of the North West Hockey League
(NWHL). He played three seasons in Vancouver, leading the NWHL in scoring with 27 goals in 1935–36. He moved onto the Philadelphia Ramblers
of the International-American Hockey League the following year, again leading the league with 27 goals.
The New York Rangers
brought Hextall up for three games in 1937, and he made the team full time in 1937–38
. A left-handed shooter, Hextall played his "off wing" – right wing
– at a time before it was common practice. He scored at least 20 goals seven times in his career, mainly while playing on the Rangers' top line with Phil Watson
and Lynn Patrick
.
Hextall led the NHL in goal scoring and was named a first-team All-Star
for the first time in 1939–40. He was one of the Rangers' top players during the 1940 Stanley Cup Final against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Hextall scored a hat trick
against the Leafs and added an assist to lead the Rangers to a come from behind victory in game two of the series, and scored the overtime winning goal in the sixth game that clinched the third Stanley Cup
championship in Rangers history. The Rangers would not win another for 54 years.
A second All-Star selection followed in 1940–41 as Hextall again led the NHL in goal scoring and finished in a tie for second in overall points. He led the league in points in 1941–42; his total of 56 standing seven better than second place. Additionally, he was named to the first All-Star team for the third consecutive season.
Hextall scored career highs in goals, 27 and points, 59, in 1942–43
and was again named a post-season All-Star, this time on the second team. In addition to being a top scorer, Hextall was also durable. He appeared in 340 consecutive games for the Rangers between 1937 and 1944. His streak came to an end in 1944 when Canadian war authorities denied him a permit to cross into the United States. The Rangers' attempts to regain his services were unsuccessful, Unable to play in the NHL, Hextall regained his amateur status and played senior hockey briefly with the St. Catharines Saints
in the Ontario Hockey Association
's senior division.
The conclusion of World War II
allowed Hextall to return to the Rangers in 1945–46, however his return was short-lived. He was hospitalized with a liver ailment, an illness that ruled him out of the season after just three games, and led to fears it would end his career. Hextall overcame doctors expectations, appearing in all 60 games for the Rangers in 1946–47. After a final season in the NHL in 1947–48, Hextall split the 1948–49
American Hockey League
season between the Cleveland Barons and Washington Lions
before announcing his retirement.
Hextall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1969, and is an honoured member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
. Additionally, the Manitoba hall named him to its all-century second All-Star team.
both had long careers, and his grandson Ron
was a longtime goaltender in the league.
Hextall battled circulation problems in his lower legs following his retirement, an ailment that ultimately led to the amputation of both legs below the knee in 1978. Artificial legs allowed him to maintain his hobby of hunting. He died of a heart attack at his home of Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
in 1984.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played for the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Considered one of the top wingers
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
of the 1940s, he led the NHL in goal scoring twice and in points once. Additionally, he was named a first-team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
three times, and a second-team All-Star once.
Hextall scored the overtime winning goal that clinched the 1940
1940 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1940 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. New York would win the series 4–2 to win their third Stanley Cup. The Rangers would not win another for 54 years.-Paths to the Final:...
Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
for the Rangers. He was the father of one of hockey's greatest families, as his sons Brian Jr. and Dennis
Dennis Hextall
Dennis Hextall is a former professional hockey forward who spent most of his career with the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings...
, and grandson Ron
Ron Hextall
Ronald Jeffrey Hextall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders...
all had lengthy NHL careers. Bryan Sr. was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1969.
Playing career
Born in Grenfell, SaskatchewanGrenfell, Saskatchewan
Grenfell is a town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. European settlement began in 1882 before the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the site of the town; the post office was established in 1883. It is situated at the junction of Highway 47 and the Trans Canada Highway east of Regina, the...
in 1913, Hextall grew up in Poplar Point, Manitoba. He played his first hockey there, winning the Manitoba juvenile championship in 1929–30. He played junior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs
Winnipeg Monarchs
The Winnipeg Monarchs were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1967 to 1977 under three names. The team played as the Winnipeg Jets from 1967 to 1973; the Winnipeg Clubs from 1973 to 1976, and the Winnipeg Monarchs from 1976 to 1977. The Monarchs franchise...
in 1931–32 before switching to the Portage Terriers
Portage Terriers
The Portage Terriers are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League and Hockey Canada.-History:...
with whom he won the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
scoring title in 1932–33.
Hextall began his professional career in 1933–34 with the Vancouver Lions of the North West Hockey League
North West Hockey League
The North West Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed from 1933 to 1936...
(NWHL). He played three seasons in Vancouver, leading the NWHL in scoring with 27 goals in 1935–36. He moved onto the Philadelphia Ramblers
Philadelphia Ramblers
The Philadelphia Ramblers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in the Philadelphia Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Ramblers played for six seasons during the infancy of the American Hockey League from 1935 to 1941.-History:...
of the International-American Hockey League the following year, again leading the league with 27 goals.
The New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
brought Hextall up for three games in 1937, and he made the team full time in 1937–38
1937–38 NHL season
-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
. A left-handed shooter, Hextall played his "off wing" – right wing
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
– at a time before it was common practice. He scored at least 20 goals seven times in his career, mainly while playing on the Rangers' top line with Phil Watson
Phil Watson
Henri Phillip Watson was a professional ice hockey player and coach in the NHL.-Coaching career:Soon after retiring as a player Phil Watson became a coach...
and Lynn Patrick
Lynn Patrick
Joseph Lynn Patrick was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. As a player, Patrick played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. Lynn was an important member of one Stanley Cup title the Rangers won in 1940. After his playing career, he went on to be the general...
.
Hextall led the NHL in goal scoring and was named a first-team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
for the first time in 1939–40. He was one of the Rangers' top players during the 1940 Stanley Cup Final against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Hextall scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
against the Leafs and added an assist to lead the Rangers to a come from behind victory in game two of the series, and scored the overtime winning goal in the sixth game that clinched the third Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship in Rangers history. The Rangers would not win another for 54 years.
A second All-Star selection followed in 1940–41 as Hextall again led the NHL in goal scoring and finished in a tie for second in overall points. He led the league in points in 1941–42; his total of 56 standing seven better than second place. Additionally, he was named to the first All-Star team for the third consecutive season.
Hextall scored career highs in goals, 27 and points, 59, in 1942–43
1942–43 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
and was again named a post-season All-Star, this time on the second team. In addition to being a top scorer, Hextall was also durable. He appeared in 340 consecutive games for the Rangers between 1937 and 1944. His streak came to an end in 1944 when Canadian war authorities denied him a permit to cross into the United States. The Rangers' attempts to regain his services were unsuccessful, Unable to play in the NHL, Hextall regained his amateur status and played senior hockey briefly with the St. Catharines Saints
St. Catharines Saints
The St. Catharines Saints was a minor league ice hockey team in St. Catharines, Ontario. It played in the American Hockey League from 1982–1986 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs....
in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's senior division.
The conclusion of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
allowed Hextall to return to the Rangers in 1945–46, however his return was short-lived. He was hospitalized with a liver ailment, an illness that ruled him out of the season after just three games, and led to fears it would end his career. Hextall overcame doctors expectations, appearing in all 60 games for the Rangers in 1946–47. After a final season in the NHL in 1947–48, Hextall split the 1948–49
1948–49 AHL season
The 1948–49 AHL season was the 13th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Wally Kilrea Trophy for the league's "top point scorer," is renamed the Carl Liscombe Trophy. The St. Louis Flyers won their first F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West...
American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
season between the Cleveland Barons and Washington Lions
Washington Lions
The Washington Lions were a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They were founded as a member of the American Hockey League in the 1941–42 season. The Lions played for two seasons, disbanded during World War II. Another Washington Lions team played in the Eastern Hockey League...
before announcing his retirement.
Hextall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1969, and is an honoured member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...
. Additionally, the Manitoba hall named him to its all-century second All-Star team.
Off the ice
He was the first of three generations of Hextalls in the NHL. His sons Bryan Jr. and DennisDennis Hextall
Dennis Hextall is a former professional hockey forward who spent most of his career with the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings...
both had long careers, and his grandson Ron
Ron Hextall
Ronald Jeffrey Hextall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders...
was a longtime goaltender in the league.
Hextall battled circulation problems in his lower legs following his retirement, an ailment that ultimately led to the amputation of both legs below the knee in 1978. Artificial legs allowed him to maintain his hobby of hunting. He died of a heart attack at his home of Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
-Transportation:Portage la Prairie railway station is served by Via Rail with both The Canadian and Winnipeg – Churchill trains calling at the station....
in 1984.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1933–34 | Vancouver Lions | NWHL North West Hockey League The North West Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed from 1933 to 1936... |
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 Philadelphia Ramblers The Philadelphia Ramblers were a minor professional ice hockey team based in the Philadelphia Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Ramblers played for six seasons during the infancy of the American Hockey League from 1935 to 1941.-History:... |
IAHL | 48 | 29 | 23 | 52 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1936–37 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1937–38 1937–38 NHL season -European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France... |
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 1942–43 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:... |
New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 21 | 33 | 54 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1947–48 1947–48 AHL season The 1947–48 AHL season was the 12th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Cleveland Barons won their sixth F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West Division champions, and won their fourth Calder Cup as league champions.It was the first season, the AHL... |
Cleveland Barons | AHL | 32 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Washington Lions Washington Lions The Washington Lions were a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They were founded as a member of the American Hockey League in the 1941–42 season. The Lions played for two seasons, disbanded during World War II. Another Washington Lions team played in the Eastern Hockey League... |
AHL | 25 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 449 | 187 | 175 | 362 | 227 | 37 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 9 | ||||