Howie Meeker
Encyclopedia
Howard William Meeker, C.M.
(born November 4, 1923) is a former right winger
in the National Hockey League
, youth coach and educator in ice hockey
and television sports announcer
as well as a former Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament. He was born in Kitchener
, Ontario.
in the Ontario Hockey Association
. In 1941–42, Meeker joined the Stratford Kist. In only 13 games, he scored 29 goals and had 45 points to lead all players in points. He played one more year of junior hockey before joining the Canadian Army. Meeker was badly injured during the war, but he made a full recovery. In 1945–46, after World War II had ended, Meeker returned to the OHA and played one season with the Stratford Indians
.
In 1946–47
, Meeker joined the Toronto Maple Leafs
in the National Hockey League
. He scored 45 points during his NHL debut and he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy
. Meeker also played in the 1947 NHL All-Star Game and he also tied an NHL record for most goals by a rookie in one game with five goals against the Chicago Black Hawks. Meeker also won his first Stanley Cup
with the Leafs that season, the first of three consecutive Stanley Cups. In 1948–49
, Meeker scored 34 points in 58 games and played in the 1948 NHL All-Star Game. He also helped the Leafs win their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Next season
, Meeker sustained a collarbone injury that limited him to only 30 games and he did not play a single game in the playoffs as the Leafs took their third consecutive Stanley Cup. In 1950–51
, Meeker won his fourth Stanley Cup with the Leafs as they beat the Montreal Canadiens
in five games. Meeker would play three more seasons with the Leafs before retiring from the NHL. He continued to play hockey for 15 more years with different senior clubs.
He also coached the Maple Leafs, replacing King Clancy
on April 11, 1956, leading the Leafs to a 21–34–15 record. He was promoted to general manager in 1957, but was fired before the start of the 1957–58 season.
MP while playing for the Leafs. In June 1951, Meeker won the federal by-election in the Ontario riding of Waterloo South
. He did not seek re-election in the 1953 election
.
s in Canada and the United States. His weekly telecasts based on these camps, Howie Meeker's Hockey School
, ran from 1973 to 1977 on CBC Television
. The series was produced in St. John's, Newfoundland. It featured boys learning the basic skills about the game: skating, puck control and passing. Meeker's encouragement and delivery were all based on his premise that the game was suffering from poor instruction at the junior levels. He felt the game was not being taught properly so his message was directed at coaches across Canada. He also made vocal and detailed complaints about poor quality hockey equipment for child players, especially concerning protective gear. The television series had 107 fifteen-minute episodes. It was produced and directed by Ron Harrison and/or John Spaulding and aired weekly during the hockey season.
. He began analyzing plays in greater depth than previous colour commentators, using the telestrator
to demonstrate his points. He also worked on Vancouver Canucks telecasts on BCTV
. When TSN
gained NHL cable rights in 1987, Meeker joined their broadcast team, where he stayed until retiring in 1998.
for four years, and is now held annually in the Metro Vancouver area. From this beginning, Meeker and his wife, Leah, became the Patrons for BC Guide Dog Services, and through their involvement have already helped raise over $350,000 as of December 31, 2010.
. He was raised in New Hamburg, Ontario
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born November 4, 1923) is a former right winger
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...
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...
, youth coach and educator in 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...
and television sports announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
as well as a former Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament. He was born in Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, Ontario.
Playing, coaching and general managing career
Meeker played his junior hockey with the Kitchener GreenshirtsKitchener Greenshirts
The Kitchener Greenshirts name has been used by five separate ice hockey teams playing in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. These include one 'Senior A' level hockey team, two 'Junior A' level teams, and two 'Junior B' level teams...
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...
. In 1941–42, Meeker joined the Stratford Kist. In only 13 games, he scored 29 goals and had 45 points to lead all players in points. He played one more year of junior hockey before joining the Canadian Army. Meeker was badly injured during the war, but he made a full recovery. In 1945–46, after World War II had ended, Meeker returned to the OHA and played one season with the Stratford Indians
Stratford Indians
The Stratford Indians were a senior men's hockey team located in Stratford, Ontario. They played their games at the Classic City Arena , in Stratford. The team played in the OHA Senior A League in the 1960s....
.
In 1946–47
1946-47 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:...
, Meeker joined 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...
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...
. He scored 45 points during his NHL debut and he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
. Meeker also played in the 1947 NHL All-Star Game and he also tied an NHL record for most goals by a rookie in one game with five goals against the Chicago Black Hawks. Meeker also won his first 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...
with the Leafs that season, the first of three consecutive Stanley Cups. In 1948–49
1948-49 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:...
, Meeker scored 34 points in 58 games and played in the 1948 NHL All-Star Game. He also helped the Leafs win their second consecutive Stanley Cup. Next season
1948-49 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:...
, Meeker sustained a collarbone injury that limited him to only 30 games and he did not play a single game in the playoffs as the Leafs took their third consecutive Stanley Cup. In 1950–51
1950-51 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts-Debuts:The following is a list...
, Meeker won his fourth Stanley Cup with the Leafs as they beat the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in five games. Meeker would play three more seasons with the Leafs before retiring from the NHL. He continued to play hockey for 15 more years with different senior clubs.
He also coached the Maple Leafs, replacing King Clancy
King Clancy
Francis Michael "King" Clancy was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, referee, coach and executive. Clancy played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams and won All-Star honours...
on April 11, 1956, leading the Leafs to a 21–34–15 record. He was promoted to general manager in 1957, but was fired before the start of the 1957–58 season.
Political career
Meeker spent two years as a Progressive ConservativeProgressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
MP while playing for the Leafs. In June 1951, Meeker won the federal by-election in the Ontario riding of Waterloo South
Waterloo South
Waterloo South was a federal electoral district and a provincial electoral district.Federally, it was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario...
. He did not seek re-election in the 1953 election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
.
Hockey camps
He later ran hockey schools as summer campSummer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
s in Canada and the United States. His weekly telecasts based on these camps, Howie Meeker's Hockey School
Howie Meeker's Hockey School
Howie Meeker's Hockey School was a Canadian television series that was broadcast for 107 fifteen-minute episodes from 1973 to 1977 on CBC Television. Host Howie Meeker's experience as an ice hockey player and coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs was featured in this instructional series on the sport....
, ran from 1973 to 1977 on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. The series was produced in St. John's, Newfoundland. It featured boys learning the basic skills about the game: skating, puck control and passing. Meeker's encouragement and delivery were all based on his premise that the game was suffering from poor instruction at the junior levels. He felt the game was not being taught properly so his message was directed at coaches across Canada. He also made vocal and detailed complaints about poor quality hockey equipment for child players, especially concerning protective gear. The television series had 107 fifteen-minute episodes. It was produced and directed by Ron Harrison and/or John Spaulding and aired weekly during the hockey season.
Broadcasting career
In the 1970s and 1980s, Meeker became known to a new generation of hockey fans as the squeaky voiced analyst on Hockey Night in CanadaHockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
. He began analyzing plays in greater depth than previous colour commentators, using the telestrator
Telestrator
A telestrator is a device that allows its operator to draw a freehand sketch over a moving or still video image. The telestrator is most famously recognized in sports and weather broadcasts to diagram and analyze sports plays or incoming weather patterns. The talent typically draws on a...
to demonstrate his points. He also worked on Vancouver Canucks telecasts on BCTV
CHAN-TV
CHAN-DT is a television station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, broadcasting over-the-air on digital channel 22, and available via cable providers in the area on channel 11. Owned by Shaw Communications as a part of its Shaw Media division, it is the West Coast flagship station of the...
. When TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
gained NHL cable rights in 1987, Meeker joined their broadcast team, where he stayed until retiring in 1998.
Philanthropic work
In 2004, Meeker was invited to headline a golf tournament fundraiser to benefit BC Guide Dog Services. Originally intended as a one-off event, it was such a success that the Howie Meeker Golf for Guide Dogs tournament ran on Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
for four years, and is now held annually in the Metro Vancouver area. From this beginning, Meeker and his wife, Leah, became the Patrons for BC Guide Dog Services, and through their involvement have already helped raise over $350,000 as of December 31, 2010.
Personal life
He currently lives in Parksville, British ColumbiaParksville, British Columbia
-Demographics:Parksville had a population of 10,993 people in 2006, which was an increase of 6.5% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2006 for Parksville was $55,524, which is below the British Columbia provincial average of $62,346....
. He was raised in New Hamburg, Ontario
New Hamburg, Ontario
New Hamburg is a community of approximately 8,739 in Wilmot Township, a rural township of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario...
.
Awards and achievements
- Led OHAOntario Hockey AssociationThe 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...
in scoring in 1942. - Calder Memorial TrophyCalder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
winner in 19471946-47 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:...
. - Played in 1947, 1948 and 1949 NHL All-Star Games.
- Stanley CupStanley CupThe 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...
champion in 19471947 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1947 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs would win the series four games to two. This was the first all-Canadian finals in 12 years.-Paths to the final:...
, 19481948 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1948 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Detroit Red Wings and the defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs would win the series in four-straight games to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.-Paths to the final:...
19491949 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1949 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Detroit Red Wings and the defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs, the second straight between Detroit and Toronto...
, and 19511951 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1951 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs would win the series 4–1. It was the Toronto franchise's ninth Stanley Cup win and the last in a series of six wins starting in 1942...
. - Foster Hewitt Memorial AwardFoster Hewitt Memorial AwardThe Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is an award named after Foster Hewitt and presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to members of the radio and television industry who make outstanding contributions to their profession and the game of ice hockey during their broadcasting career...
winner in 1998 for "Excellence in Hockey Broadcasting" - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe 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 1998 as a broadcaster. - On December 30, 2010, Meeker was named a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. - On January 8, 1947, Meeker became one of 44 players to score 5 goals or more in one game.
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 | ||
| 1940–41 | Kitchener Greenshirts Kitchener Greenshirts The Kitchener Greenshirts name has been used by five separate ice hockey teams playing in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. These include one 'Senior A' level hockey team, two 'Junior A' level teams, and two 'Junior B' level teams... |
OHA-B 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... |
9 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1941–42 | Stratford Kist | OHA-B | 13 | 29 | 16 | 45 | 20 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 4 | ||
| 1941–42 1942 Memorial Cup The 1942 Memorial Cup final was the 24th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Portage la Prairie... |
Stratford Kist | M-Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... |
— | — | — | — | — | 9 | 13 | 1 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 1942–43 | Stratford Kroehlers Stratford Kroehlers The Stratford Kroehlers were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Ontario Hockey Association. The Kroehlers were named for the Kroehler Furniture Company, a local manufacturer and team sponsor... |
OHA-Jr. | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1942–43 | Brantford Lions Brantford Lions The Brantford Lions were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association, based in Brantford, Ontario. The Lions played at the Junior A level from 1933-36, and again from 1941-44. In the intermediate years, the played at the Junior B level, from 1936-41, and again from 1944-46.Hockey... |
OHA | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1945–46 | Stratford Indians Stratford Indians The Stratford Indians were a senior men's hockey team located in Stratford, Ontario. They played their games at the Classic City Arena , in Stratford. The team played in the OHA Senior A League in the 1960s.... |
OHA | 7 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 1946–47 1946-47 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:... |
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... |
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... |
55 | 27 | 18 | 45 | 76 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1947–48 1947-48 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:GP = Games Played, TOI = Time On Ice , GA = Goals Against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals Against Average-Debuts:... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 58 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 62 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 15 | ||
| 1948–49 1948-49 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:... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 30 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949–50 1949-50 NHL season -NHL awards:This was the last season that the O'Brien Cup was awarded to the Stanley Cup runner up - in this season, the New York Rangers - as it went into retirement for the second and final time at season's end... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1950–51 1950-51 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts-Debuts:The following is a list... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 49 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | ||
| 1951–52 1951-52 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:... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 54 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 1954–55 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL 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... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 346 | 83 | 102 | 185 | 329 | 42 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 50 | ||||
Coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | TOR 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... |
1956–57 | 70 | 21 | 34 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 5th in NHL | Did Not Qualify |