Galen Head
Encyclopedia
Galen Russell Head is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
player who spent the majority of his career with the Johnstown Jets
of the Eastern Hockey League
and North American Hockey League. Head played one game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings
during the 1967-68 NHL season
and wore #15.
He would remain with the Athletics until midway through the 1964-65 season, where he would receive an invite from the Edmonton Oil Kings
. Head would remain with the Oil Kings during the 1965-66 season, where he would face off against the Oshawa Generals
, a team led by future hockey Hall Of Fame
member Bobby Orr
. The Oil Kings would go on to defeat the Generals and would win the Memorial Cup. Head would score 16 points in 19 games during the 1965-66 post-season.
Head continued to play with the Oil Kings for one more season, scoring 50 goals and 42 assists and trailing only Garnet "Ace" Bailey in regular season point totals.
to attend training camp in the fall of 1967. In camp, he was assigned #15 and was given $130 for a one-game tryout but was eventually released on September 22.
Head would later be assigned to the Johnstown Jets
, a team in the Eastern Hockey League
. He would score 53 goals in his rookie season. As a result, Head was recalled by Detroit where he would "play six or seven shifts" in his only game with the Red Wings. Head would also see time with the Fort Worth Wings, another Detroit affiliate.
The following season, Head would have his best statistical season. He would score 67 goals and 121 points in 72 games, which would lead all EHL players.
Head would become player-coach of the Jets during the 1973-74 season as a result of a coach walking out prior to the start of the season. Head would later be named official head coach that season and be named captain of the team.
He would play until the 1975-76 season, where he would retire after eight seasons with the Jets.
Despite being retired from hockey since 1976, many of Head's statistics are among the highest in Johnstown history. His 308 goals as a member of the Jets ranks third all time, while his 601 points rank fourth and his 293 assists are sixth highest. His 67 goal season and 69 single season goals (regular and post-season) were a record until former Johnstown Chiefs forward Mark Green
eclipsed the totals with 68 goals in the regular season and 70 single season goals in 1991-92.
Head was one of several people responsible for founding the Bishop McCort
hockey program in 1985. With Head leading the team as head coach, McCort would go to win three Pennsylvania state championships over a period of eleven years.
On October 18, 2003, Head was only the third person to have their number retired by the Johnstown Chiefs. Although he did not play for the Chiefs, as they were founded a year after his retirement, he was recognized for his contributions as a player with the Jets, his tenure with the Chiefs providing game night scouting reports, and for his contributions to hockey to the city of Johnstown. He is also a member of the Cambria County Sports Hall Of Fame, the Johnstown Hockey Hall Of Fame, and the Grande Prairie Hockey Hall Of Fame.
Head currently resides in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
.
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...
player who spent the majority of his career with the Johnstown Jets
Johnstown Jets
The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena...
of the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
and North American Hockey League. Head played one game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
during the 1967-68 NHL season
1967-68 NHL season
The 1967–68 NHL season was the 51st season of the National Hockey League. The league expanded to 12 teams, putting the new six in the West Division, while the original six were all placed in the East Division. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup against the new St...
and wore #15.
Juniors
Head started out playing in the Grande Prairie Minor Hockey Association as a 13 year old. Three years later, Head would make the jump to what is known as "senior hockey" and play in the South Peace Hockey League as a member of the Grande Prairie Athletics, where he would win SPHL Rookie Of The Year honors in 1963-64.He would remain with the Athletics until midway through the 1964-65 season, where he would receive an invite from the Edmonton Oil Kings
Edmonton Oil Kings
This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings...
. Head would remain with the Oil Kings during the 1965-66 season, where he would face off against the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
, a team led by future 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...
member Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
. The Oil Kings would go on to defeat the Generals and would win the Memorial Cup. Head would score 16 points in 19 games during the 1965-66 post-season.
Head continued to play with the Oil Kings for one more season, scoring 50 goals and 42 assists and trailing only Garnet "Ace" Bailey in regular season point totals.
Professional
Head would receive an invitation from the NHL's Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
to attend training camp in the fall of 1967. In camp, he was assigned #15 and was given $130 for a one-game tryout but was eventually released on September 22.
Head would later be assigned to the Johnstown Jets
Johnstown Jets
The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena...
, a team in the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
. He would score 53 goals in his rookie season. As a result, Head was recalled by Detroit where he would "play six or seven shifts" in his only game with the Red Wings. Head would also see time with the Fort Worth Wings, another Detroit affiliate.
The following season, Head would have his best statistical season. He would score 67 goals and 121 points in 72 games, which would lead all EHL players.
Head would become player-coach of the Jets during the 1973-74 season as a result of a coach walking out prior to the start of the season. Head would later be named official head coach that season and be named captain of the team.
He would play until the 1975-76 season, where he would retire after eight seasons with the Jets.
Despite being retired from hockey since 1976, many of Head's statistics are among the highest in Johnstown history. His 308 goals as a member of the Jets ranks third all time, while his 601 points rank fourth and his 293 assists are sixth highest. His 67 goal season and 69 single season goals (regular and post-season) were a record until former Johnstown Chiefs forward Mark Green
Mark Green (ice hockey)
Mark R. Green was an American professional ice hockey player who played 10 seasons in various North American minor leagues. He was chosen in the ninth round by the Winnipeg Jets, 176th overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft....
eclipsed the totals with 68 goals in the regular season and 70 single season goals in 1991-92.
Personal
Head, like several members of the 1975-76 Johnstown Jets, had a part in the movie Slap Shot. He plays one of the uncredited hockey playersHead was one of several people responsible for founding the Bishop McCort
Bishop McCort High School
Bishop McCort High School is a private, Catholic high school located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in Cambria County. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.- History :...
hockey program in 1985. With Head leading the team as head coach, McCort would go to win three Pennsylvania state championships over a period of eleven years.
On October 18, 2003, Head was only the third person to have their number retired by the Johnstown Chiefs. Although he did not play for the Chiefs, as they were founded a year after his retirement, he was recognized for his contributions as a player with the Jets, his tenure with the Chiefs providing game night scouting reports, and for his contributions to hockey to the city of Johnstown. He is also a member of the Cambria County Sports Hall Of Fame, the Johnstown Hockey Hall Of Fame, and the Grande Prairie Hockey Hall Of Fame.
Head currently resides in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
.