Dave Creighton

Back in the late 1940s, it was very unusual for a teenager to make it to the National Hockey League, but that is exactly what Dave Creighton was able to do. It wasn't easy on the Port Arthur Ontario native either.

"It was tough being 18 and playing in the NHL. The average for most guys on the Bruins at the time was about 27 or 28. Because of my age I was mostly a loner. There was nobody even close to my age to chum around with. It was sort of tough when all the rest of the guys went out for beers after a game and I would go out for a milkshake," said Creighton.

Life on the ice was equally tough too.

"Going into the NHL was a whole new experience for me," he recalled. "The first NHL game I ever saw was the first NHL I ever played in!" Creighton played in 12 games that first year, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists. He also saw action in 3 post season games.

1949-50 was his first full season, and it was a decent one, scoring 18 goals and 31 assists in 64 games.

Creighton found it tough: "You weren't given any special treatment either. If I made a mistake, I might end up sitting on the end of the bench for the rest of the game, or for a couple of games. And sometimes with no explanation. Nothing!."

Creighton survived his early introduction to live in the National Hockey League however. He would become a constant 20 goals threat and played in 5 straight all star games from 1952 through 1956. He also became a well traveled NHLer as well, playing with the Bruins, Leafs, Hawks and Rangers back in the 6 team league. For brief moments Creighton was property of the other two teams as well, the Red Wings and Canadiens, but never played for them.

By the time Dave made his second go-around with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1958-59, Dave was nearing the end of his NHL career. He was farmed out to the the minor leagues where he played with several AHL teams. He was a standout in the "A" throughout the 1960s, even winning the MVP award in 1968.

Dave hung up the blades in the summer of 1969. Though Dave was never paid nearly as much money as today's NHLers make, he was smart with the little he did have. He invested it in apartment complexes while still playing with the Rangers. Eventually he had enough money to begin investing in something closer to his heart - golf. He invested in several golf courses and lived in Florida in his later years attending to his greens.