Julian Klymkiw

Born on July 16th, 1933 in Winnipeg Manitoba, Klymkiw was a former junior and senior goaltender, mostly with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Warriors, who was serving as the Detroit Red Wings assistant trainer and practice goaltender in the 1958-59 season.

When the New York Rangers came to town to play the Wings on October 12, 1958, Ranger goalie Gump Worsley was injured in the third period. Without another goalie, the Red Wings agreed to allow the Rangers to use the 25 year old practice goalie to complete the game.

When Klymkiew entered the game, the score was 1-0. Klymkiw would play the final 19 minutes of the game, surrendering 2 goals as the Wings went on to win the game 3-0.

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Jeff Beukeboom

Jeff Beukeboom was forced to quit the game he loves because of repeated head injuries.

Beukeboom was originally injured Nov. 19, 1998 at Los Angeles when he was savagely sucker punched from behind by Los Angeles tough guy Matt Johnson. Johnson received a 12 game suspension for that hit.

Beukeboom paid much more than that. Though Jeff returned he was hurt again in December and his season ended with another concussion on Feb. 12, 1999 against Carolina. The concussion third concussion was very concerning for Beukeboom and his doctors.

"The thing that is most glaring, the thing that makes it easy is that the Feb. 12 knock was quite slight, something you see most every night in the NHL," Beukeboom said. "My situation over five months, the symptoms have not subsided."

Beukeboom said he suffers from headaches and loses concentration in conversations. He has been unable to work out or do anything physical since the February injury.

"It's a medical retirement. I'm not able to come back and compete in the NHL the way I'd love to. Everything in the game comes to your health. My body is healthy. My mind is not healthy right now." said Jeff.

Jeff grew up in a hockey environment. He is the nephew of former NHLer Ed Kea, and fellow-NHLer Joe Nieuwendyk is his cousin. When Jeff played in Edmonton and Joe played in Calgary, the two were forced to wage physical wars against each other in the dreaded Battle of Alberta during the late 1980s.

Jeff's hockey career started with Sault. Ste Marie of the OHL. In three seasons with the Greyhounds, Jeff scored 10 goals and totaled 75 assists. In 48 playoff appearances, Jeff tallied six goals and contributed 17 assists. He was an OHL First Team All-Star and a member of the Canadian team that won the World Junior Tournament in Finland in 1985. His fine defensive and physical play got him noticed by the NHL scouting fraternity as the Edmonton Oilers selected Jeff in the first round, 19th overall, in the 1983 entry draft.

The Oilers felt Jeff needed some seasoning and sent him to the minors. Jeff got his first shot at NHL duty in the playoffs of all times! He appeared in a game against the Vancouver Canucks on April 10, 1986.
Although he battled through some injuries, Beukeboom made the Oilers on an almost full time basis the following year. He even notched his first NHL goal on December 30, 1986 against the Vancouver Canucks. He scored 3 goals and 11 points in 44 games and helped the Oilers win their 3rd Cup in 4 years in the playoffs.

The 1987-88 season was Jeff's best from a statistical standpoint. He scored 5 goals and career high 20 assists for 25 points for another modest career high. Jeff even went on a scoring rampage in January of that season, scoring goals in 4 consecutive games. Not bad for a guy who only scored 30 goals in his entire career!

Times were tough for Jeff in the next two seasons. In a preseason game before the 1988-89 season Jeff left the bench to join in an altercation. For his actions Jeff served a mandatory 10 game suspension and had to report to the minors for conditioning purposes once the ban was lifted. Later in the season he suffered a knee injury and only played in 36 games. Injuries again limited Jeff's appearances in the 1989-90 season. He healthy enough to appear in only 46 contests that year.

Jeff played another season and a half in Edmonton before he was traded to New York in 1991-92. Jeff was traded to the Rangers in exchange for David Shaw on November 12, 1991 to complete the huge Mark Messier trade to the Big Apple earlier that season.

New York was a good destination for Jeff. Playing on the high profile Edmonton Oiler teams of the 1980s meant Jeff was overshadowed by the likes of Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Lowe etc. And while he certainly didn't over shadow names like Messier, Adam Graves, Brian Leetch or Mike Richter, Jeff's play was well appreciated by both the Ranger fans and media. Jeff got a lot of credit for helping the turn the Rangers into a solid NHL contender. The Rangers of course went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1994. For Jeff it was his 4th Stanley Cup ring.

Age and slowing mobility caught up to Jeff in his last couple of year limiting his effectiveness. Then came the concussion injuries. Beukeboom played in 45 games with nine assists and 60 penalty minutes in what proved to be his last season. In 804 NHL games, he scored 30 goals with 129 assists and 1,890 penalty minutes.

You could say Beukeboom was a checker. At 6'5" and 230lbs, Beukeboom took up a lot of room on the ice, and when he caught a hold of you, he used every ounce of his body to smack you into the boards, if not right through them. Although he certainly was no angel himself, Beukeboom was a clean hitter. With his long reach and good hands with his stick, he was a very effective poke checker and sweep checker. And he was great in front of his own goal too, quickly disposing of any opposition forward who dared to get into the slot.

Not a great skater, Beukeboom was content to stay within his limitations and play a simple, defensive game. He reached the peak of his career when paired with Brian Leetch, who of course was a offensive oriented defenseman. Beukeboom's steady defensive play allowed Leetch to constantly jump up into or lead an attack. Plus Jeff's physical presence meant Leetch could play defense more by playing the angles more than the man, thus saving the much smaller Leetch some wear and tear. It comes as no coincidence that Leetch's best years came when Beukeboom was healthy.

Beukeboom of course benefited from playing with Leetch too. Beukeboom had little offensive upside and although he was a good skater, he certainly wasn't the swiftest guy out there. Beukeboom would often let Leetch clear the puck out of their zone as Beukeboom's lack of skills and creativity limited him to simple dumping the puck into the neutral zone. Beukeboom also seemed to have a knack of getting caught on bad pinches from the point. If he failed to keep the puck in on a pinch attempt and the opposition squeezed the puck off the boards and behind him, Jeff would be caught out of position and lacked the speed to catch up to the ensuing odd man rush against.

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Pentti Lund

Pentti lund was only the second Finnish born player in the NHL ever (after Al Pudas). He was also the second European born player ever to win the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the year in 1949 (after Dave "Sweeney" Schriner).

Pentti was born in Karijoki, Finland 1925 and came to Thunder Bay in Canada as a six-year old. He got all his hockey training over in North America. Before he came to the NHL he played for the Port Arthur West-Enders / Navy in the Thunder Bay junior hockey league where he led the league in scoring two seasons in a row. He also spend three years in the Canadian navy during WW II. Pentti continued with his success in the EHL where he played for the Boston Olympics. He led all playoff scorers in the 1946 playoffs with 13 goals. The next season (1946-47) he dominated the EHL and scored a league high 49 goals and 92 pts in 56 games for the Olympics. He was also the leading scorer in the playoffs with 8 assists and 15 pts. His impressive season even gave him the opportunity to make his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins in the 1947 playoffs (one game).

He played in two more playoff games the next season before Boston shipped him to the NY Rangers  to complete an earlier transaction involving Grant Warwick on February 6, 1948. As a rookie for the NY Rangers, Pentti was an instant hit,scoring 30 points (14+16) in 59 games. Although his numbers aren't impressive by today standards it was enough to earn him the Calder Trophy.

The next season (1949-50) Pentti scored 18 goals,but he was more noted for his heroics in the playoffs. He not only led all playoff scorers with 11 points (6+5) in 12 games but also managed to shut down Montreal's super star Maurice "Rocket " Richard. Richard only managed to score in one of the five games thanks to Pentti's relentless checking of him
.
Pentti himself managed to score a hat trick in a 4-1 win in game 3. After the series he was dubbed "Lucky Lund" by the Montreal media. He then continued with his fine play in the finals where the Rangers eventually lost in 7 games to Detroit.

His playoff heroics proved to be his last big moment in the NHL. He slumped to just four goals and 20 pts in 1950-51. He was dealt back to Boston with Gus Kyle for Paul Ronty on September 20, 1951. Pentti suffered a serious eye injury during the 1951-52 season that almost ended his career. He rebounded back from the injury and played the entire season in Boston where he scored 17 points (8+9). Pentti finished his career with the Soo Greyhounds of the NOHA. (North Ontario Hockey Association). where he played until 1955.

Pentti's brother Joe also played professionally for a long time although he did not quite make it to the NHL. After Pentti's career was over he became a longtime sports editor of the Thunder Bay Times-News. Today he splits his time between Thunder Bay and Florida.

Special thanks to Patrick Houda

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Larry Kwong

As a child, Larry Kwong shared the same dream as most other proud Canadian boys living in the small town of Vernon, British Columbia - to play hockey. He'd play every day as a child, dreaming of playing in the National Hockey League. And Larry was one of the lucky few who were able to one day play in the NHL - mind you it was just for one game.

The one thing that separated Larry from every other hockey loving Canadian was the fact that he was Asian. In fact, Larry Kwong was the very first person of Asian descent to appear in the NHL.

Larry (birth name was Eng Kai Geong) lost his father when he was just 5, and his mother was not supportive of his hockey hobby. However she did allow him to play as he his reward for helping out with the raising of his 14 siblings.  He would go on to play for several local hockey teams - Nanaimo, Trail, Vancouver, even Red Deer, Alberta - but always remained close to home to help his mother.

But that all changed in 1946. A year after returning from military service, Larry was summoned to the bright lights of the big city of New York. The NHL Rangers at the time operated an EHL farm team out of the Madison Square Gardens called the Rovers. Larry was brought into help out that team, and he did an admirable job, scoring 32 goals in 64 games over two seasons in the EHL.

Moving from small town Canada to New York City was quite an adjustment for "The China Clipper."

"Don't forget, I was a young kid from Vernon, British Columbia. I think the town had a population of about 5000 people. Just coming to New York was something," he said.

During the 1947-48 season injuries started taking their toll on the Rangers lineup, and call-ups from the minor league team were frequent. Larry was red hot in the minors and the Rangers took the opportunity to market "King Kwong" as a gate attraction.

Though Kwong was used to playing in the Madison Square Garden, he described his only NHL appearance there as "overwhelming." He wasn't used to the full house of spectators that was almost 4 times as many people as the population of his hometown, and there was much media hullabaloo surrounding his Chinese heritage.

Canada's discrimination against the Chinese in those days is a bad secret that is tried to kept swept under the rug. He had trouble travelling with teams let along finding a barber or finding a job. When he played for the Trail Smoke Eaters, all other players worked at high paying jobs at the local smelter that owned the team. A job was arranged for Kwong, but no at the smelter but rather as a bellhop at a local hotel.

"Being Chinese, you were watched all the time. In those days, where I came from, you were confronted with discrimination. Chinese people were not hired by people to work. It was that kind of discrimination. I felt I had to try to do my best to show everyone we were just as good as them."

Kwong did just that by appearing in the big leagues, though his appearance was short. Kwong doesn't have a great recollection of the game, calling it a blur. He knew it was against the Montreal Canadiens but he couldn't tell a recent magazine reporter the score or the details of the game.

Kwong was sent back to the New York Rovers. The whole team quickly left the EHL and joined the QSHL. Larry would go on to become a top player in the QSHL, with the Valleyfield Braves. In fact in 1951 Kwong was named as the league's MVP.

Kwong played in the Q until late in his career when he would end up toiling in the IHL and EOHL before spending a season over in Britain - where no doubt they made a big deal about the Chinaman hockey player.

Hall of Fame goaltender Chuck Rayner remembered Kwong and described him as having "good skating skills and pretty good stick handling skills. He always gave it that old college try."

And by doing so, Larry Kwong made history.

Also See:

• Tom Hawthorn: A Hockey Trailblazer
• Life and Times of Larry Kwong

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Fred Hunt

Fred started his junior career in his hometown of Brantford. He played for the Brantford Lions (OHL) between 1933-35. He was no star in Brantford, but he was a pretty complete player who could be used in all situations. Between 1935-37 he continued his junior career for the St.Michaels Majors, also in the OHL. During the 1937 playoffs he showed his fine skills as he scored 17 points (10+7) in 13 games.

After finishing his junior hockey in Canada, he went to the Boston Bruin training camp in Hershey, Pa., in 1937. Fred was offered a contract to play pro in Providence, but turned it down and stayed to play for Hershey of the EHL (Eastern Amateur Hockey League).

Years later Fred looked back at that moment when he was at the 1937 training camp.

"Terry Reardon was at the same camp and turned pro with the Bruins. My center was Lloyd Blinco, who became the general manager and president of the Hershey Bears," Fred recalled.

"There's one thing about that first pro training camp I'll never forget. The Bentleys - Max and Doug - were sent home after being told they weren't even good enough to be offered Providence contracts."

In Hershey (EHL) Fred had a pretty successful stint. When he was offered to play with the Hershey team in the AHL he declined to play with the pro club.

"I was doing all right in amateur. Heck, I was making more than some of the pros. But the big thing was the amateur club got room and board thrown in, besides our salary, while the pros had to pay for both. I was actually winding up with more money as an amateur than a lot of the pros were." Fred said.

In 1938-39 Fred scored a respectable 54 points (22+32) in 53 games for the EHL Hershey team. Obviously a city the size of Hershey, Pa, couldn't support two hockey teams so the amateur club (EHL) folded after the 38-39 season. Fred was signed by NY Americans on September 29,1939 and went on to play for the Baltimore Orioles in the EHL in 1939-40 and scored 58 points (31+27) in 59 games as the Orioles won the EHL title.

Then in the fall of 1940, legendary Eddie Shore acquired Fred and took him to Springfield in the AHL. Fred remembered his first pro game:

" Do I remember my first pro game ? You bet. I scored three goals in Philadelphia against the Ramblers. The late Max Kaminsky was my center. I guess I had a couple of assists, too, and we won easily."
Fred went on to score 44 points (17+27) in 40 games for Springfield. He played so well that he was called up in early December and made his big league debut in the old Madison Square Garden against the rival NY Rangers. Fred scored 7 points (2+5) during his 15 game stint with the NY Americans.

Soon the NY Americans disbanded and dropped out of the NHL and Eddie Shore lost his arena in Springfield to the U.S. Army for a quartermaster's depot. Eddie Shore made a deal with his old buddy Lou Jacobs who had a pretty lousy team in Buffalo. Eddie brought in his Springfield players who had finished first in their division and mixed them with some of the Buffalo players. Eddie Shore became the general manager and part owner of the team and Art Chapman who coached the NY Americans moved in as a playing coach.

This combination was an instant success as the Buffalo Bisons won the Calder Cup (AHL's Stanley Cup) the first two years. This proved to be an important move for Fred who made his home in Buffalo for the rest of his life. There he met his wife Alda and enjoyed his most successful seasons. Fred played for Buffalo between 1942-44 and 45-49.

His best seasons in Buffalo came in 1942-43, 57 points (27+30) in 50 games. In 1943-44, he had 80 points (27+53) in 52 games and finished as the runner-up in the scoring race. His 53 assists was tops in the league. He also collected 16 points (5+11) in 9 playoff games. The 11 assists was also best in the league. Then in 1945-46 Fred scored 70 points (27+43) in 62 games and had a league leading 11 assists and 16 points (5+11) in 12 games.

"I always had a clause in my contract - in Buffalo, that is - calling for a bonus for scoring 25 or more goals. And I always just squeezed past it - 27, 27, 27 and 26. But I felt I earned the money. I killed penalties, played the power plays...did everything they asked me to do" Fred said.

He formed one of the best lines in the AHL during the 1940's together with Fred Thurier and Larry Thibault. They were called the THT line. When Fred had his second stint in the NHL 1944-45 with the NY Rangers he played on the same line as Fred Thurier. Fred H. scored 22 points (13+9) in 44 games. The NY Rangers had acquired his rights in a special dispersal draft on September 11,1943.

In 1948-49 Fred was considering retiring as the February deadline for changing players approached. But before he made a decision, the Bisons made it for him. They traded him to Hershey as payment for two players they had recieved earlier. The move almost payed off as Fred almost won another Calder Cup.

" We were winning three-one in games over Providence in the finals and in the fifth game, in Providence, I went into the boards and wound up with 60 stitches and a concussion. We lost the series in seven games. I had been thinking about quitting anyway, and that spill was my last appearance as an active hockey player." Fred scored a total of 418 points (175+243) in 416 regular season AHL games.

Fred went on to a successful precision casting business as well as an automobile agency. But in 1952 he was back in hockey and went on to become the GM of the Buffalo Bisons for over two decades.

Special thanks to Patrick Houda

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