Bill Fairbairn

Bill Fairbairn, who was nicknamed Bulldog as a junior, was a tenacious two-way hockey player who loved to hit.

"I used the boards a lot, grinding it up and down one side," explained Bill as described his style of play. "I stayed on my wing and used the boards as sort of a cushion you might say. It was a pretty hard cushion, but a cushion nonetheless."

But unlike many pugnacious wingers of his day, Fairbairn was fair, pardon the pun. He was a very clean player for the most part. He only accumulated 173 PIM in 658 regular season games. His highest PIM seasonal total was 53 PIM in 1971-72, and that was uncharacteristically high for the little guy.

Bill Fairbairn was born in Brandon, Manitoba. He grew up as a star local player, culminating in his joining of the famed local junior club, the Brandon Wheat Kings, a New York Rangers sponsored junior team, in 1964-65. In 55 games he scored 28 goals with 31 assists. Fairbairn's sophomore season was even better. In 60 games he recorded 36 goals along with 76 assists. During Bill's last season in Brandon, 1966/67, he served as team Captain of the Wheat Kings and posted an incredible 60 goals and 81 assists in 55 games.

The 1967-68 season found Fairbairn playing with the C.H.L. Omaha Knights. He was teamed up with his former Wheat King teammate, Juha Widing and the two quickly found their rythym. Fairbairn's first season in the minors saw him record 23 goals with 33 assists for 56 points, just 4 points behind Widing for the team lead. The following season Fairbairn and Widing took their game to a higher level. In 68 games recorded 28 goals and 47 assists for 75 points. That placed Bill second in team scoring (behind Widing) and 6th overall in league scoring. For his efforts Bill was named to the CHL second All Star team and even got a one game call-up with the NY Rangers.

The 1969/70 season was Fairbairn's first full season in the N.H.L.. Fairbairn and Widing were both promoted to the Rangers squad, but not on the same line. Widing was soon traded to Los Angeles which meant Fairbairn had to find a new niche. He found that niche came on the Rangers checking line.

Fairbairn found a home with Dave Balon (later Steve Vickers) and Walt Tkaczuk on the "Bulldog Line." The trio were renowned for their hard hitting, hard forechecking style. Though defense was their primary concern, the line chipped in offensively as well. Fairbairn scored more than 20 goals 4 times and even topped the 30 goal mark in 1972-73. In all Fairbairn played with Rangers for 7 years. He was a consistent 60 point contributor who was at his best when he was running into people and causing havoc with his spirited, "bulldog-like" play.

Bill was traded to the Minnesota North Stars on November 11, 1976. By this point of his career Bill had clearly lost a step and injuries were starting to take their toll on the physical winger. He was exposed on waivers and claimed by the St. Louis Blues on October 24, 1977, which is where he ended his career the following season.

In Fairbairn's 10 year N.H.L. career he appeared in 658 games, scoring 162 goals with 260 assists.

Read more...

Rod Seiling

This Rod Seiling hockey card is O-Pee-Chee card #71 from 1968. It is not his rookie card (that came out in the 1964-65 season) but I am a big fan of this 1968 set with the fake, colorless background and the contrasting highlighted featured player.

Now coming out of junior, Seiling was a heck of a player. Coach Emile Francis, a contagiously enthusiastic speaker, once said "the prize of all our defensemen is Rod Seiling and he's only 20. He can be great. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he becomes another Doug Harvey."

Wow - now that is high praise. Many people still consider Harvey to be the 2nd greatest defenseman to ever play the game, behind Bobby Orr. And more than a few lingering old timers would give Harvey the edge over Orr in that debate.

Seiling never did quite enter that echelon of hockey stardom. But he was a quality blue liner for 11 seasons in Manhattan.


Seiling was a finesse defenseman at heart, which was not always a good thing in New York. The Rangers fans notoriously favored rough and tumble hockey players, especially on the back end. They hounded Hockey Hall of Famers Allan Stanley and Harry Howell with choruses of boos because they were rambunctious enough back there.


Seiling made the most of us his first impressions with the Rangers faithful. He was of good size, though he never had the inclination to be a true bruiser. But he would hit to make a play, like he famously did on his first shift in his first game. He slammed Chicago great Pierre Pilote with a thunderous and clean hit, earning many cheers from those in attendance at Madison Square Gardens that night. Such hits may have been rare by Seiling, but the boos never did come for #16.


Best known for his defensive game rather than his offense, similar to a contemporary player like Teppo Numminen. Seiling scored 50 goals and 248 points in 644 games with the Rangers. He later moved on to play Washington, Toronto, St. Louis and Atlanta, upping his NHL career totals to 979 games played with 62 goals and 331 points.

Seiling was never an All Star or a threat for the Norris Trophy, but he was invited to Team Canada for the 1972 Summit Series. It was thought Seiling would be a valuable asset against the Soviets, as he was one of the few NHL players to have previously played them. Seiling previously played in the Olympics as an amateur in 1964. However Seiling was ineffective against the Soviets of '72, and dressed for only three contests.

Read more...

Fred Thurier

Fred Thurier, who was born in Granby Quebec on January 11, 1916, played with the American Hockey League's Springfield Indians from 1937 through 1942, with brief appearances (30 games total) with the NHL's New York Americans.

Thurier's best season in the Indians came in 1939-40 when he scored 28 goals and 60 points. Thurier led the AHL in goals with 29 in 1940-41 despite playing just 41 games. He also saw his first action in the NHL, scoring 2 goals and 3 points in 3 games. Thurier then split the 1941-42 season between the AHL and NHL, scoring 20 goals and 44 points in just 22 AHL games, and chipping in 7 goals and 14 points in 27 games with the NY Americans.

Thurier then spent most of the next two years serving military time based in Montreal, where he also played with in the local senior league circuit. Thurier did not exactly want to be involved in the war effort, however. On November 13th, 1942, the RCMP arrested Thurier for failing to report to military training.

For the 1944-45 season, the New York Rangers acquired Thurier's playing rights. Thurier was relieved of his military commitments earlier than many NHLers, and his reward was his only full NHL season. He scored 16 goals and 35 points in 50 games. However by the following season the NHL was once again stocked by its returning war heroes, and Thurier lost his NHL job.

Thurier spent the next 7 seasons playing with the AHL's Cleveland Barons before retiring in 1952. The small but slick center enjoyed his finest season in 1950-51 when he scored 32 goals and 95 points in 64 games while adding another 12 in 10 playoff games.

He later served as a long time AHL referee, while also owning a meat packing company in Ohio.

A heartwarming moment happened in 1996. Thurier was inducted into the Springfield Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. It was his first time back in Springfield since 1942 when he left the city to play with the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. He looked up a sweetheart of his and was surprised to find her still in the area. Since they were both widowed, they rekindled their romance and were married soon after.

Thurier, who is also a member of the Cleveland Hockey Hall of Fame, scored 25 goals and 52 points in 80 NHL games.

The Springfield Union-News featured an obituary for Fred Thurier. He passed away on November 20, 1999 in Florida. He was 82.

Read more...

Vic Howe

If there is anybody who could understand what it was like to be Brent or Keith Gretzky, it was Vic Howe.

Vic, the younger and smaller brother of the legendary Gordie Howe, could appreciate the unfair pressure placed upon Wayne Gretzky's siblings. Coming from the same family everyone expects you to be similar to the most successful brother, and if you faltered early you were considered to be a big bust.

"Being Gordie's brother was great," admitted Vic. "But trying to play like him, well, that was another story! At times there was a great deal of pressure on me. I know I put a lot of pressure on myself."

"There was never any doubt in my mind that Gordie was a better player than me. But it just seemed that every time I turned around, somebody was always comparing the two of us. It was just something I had to live with."

Vic recalled a specific incident back in Saskatoon with the WHL that he would relive in his career several times.

"I had a breakaway and I went in on goal but had some trouble putting the puck past the goalie." said Vic, who like Gordie played right wing. "I missed the shot. I got back over to the bench and sat down and our coach, Doug Bentley, stepped behind me and said 'Gordie wouldn't have missed that shot.' So it didn't matter what I did. It would never be good enough."

Vic Howe never seriously pursued a hockey career until his brother turned pro. Ironically, he likely never would have been given a shot at the NHL if he wasn't the brother of Gordie Howe.

Vic played parts of 3 seasons with the New York Rangers - 33 games in total - and scoring 3 goals and 7 points. His biggest highlight was getting a chance to play against Detroit and his brother.

"I can remember playing against Gordie a couple of times. I even recall lining up against him and then having to go into the corner against him for a puck. He took it easy on me and didn't give me any of the elbows he is famous for!"

When he wasn't making a rare appearance with the Rangers, Vic bounced around the minor league circuit. He played in 6 different leagues ranging from Nelson British Columbia to the British Isles - where he played with the Harringay Racers.

Vic returned to Canada and became a constable for the Canadian National Railway in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Read more...

Ivan Irwin

There was an old-time New York Ranger press agent by the name of Herb Goren. It was his job to get the Rangers in the newspapers and capture a part of the entertainment pie in Manhattan. He would often hype up players in attempts to make them household names in the Big Apple.

Goren quickly dubbed Ivan Irwin as Ivan the Terrible. However it was never quite determined whether Goren was referring to his short temper and rugged style of play, or his lack of talent!

When Irwin was on the top of his game, the tall, balding defenseman was a sensational bodychecker, and played with a meanstreak that made other coaches envious. But when he wasn't on his game, Irwin was exploited by his poor skating abilities. Faster players would take their chances on getting creamed, knowing that if they could get the extra step on the less-than-mobile Irwin they could be in home free on the Rangers net.

Irwin was originally property of the Montreal Canadiens. After playing just 4 games in Montreal, he was traded to the Rangers for Eddie Slowinski and Pete Babando. In his first minor league call up to the Rangers he replaced none-other than team captain Allan Stanley.

For the next three years he was a mainstay on the Blue Shirts blue line. He was most noted for his fistic skills, memorably fighting Lee Fogolin Sr, and, believe it or not, his own defensive partner Leapin' Louie Fontinato in practice one day. Coach Phil Watson was surprisingly quoted as being pleased by the teammate fight because they were showing passion but his like for Irwin dissipated over time. After three seasons Irwin, who also tag-teamed with the great Bill Gadsby at times, would be banished to the minor leagues, reportedly in part due to a disagreement with the coach.

The Chicago-born Irwin continued his career in the minor leagues. In the NHL he totaled 155 games, 2 goals and 29 points.

Read more...

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.

Read more...