Al Rollins

Al Ira Rollins ( born October 9, 1926 in Vanguard, Saskatchewan; † 27 July 1996) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender and coach, from 1949 to 1960 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League played.

Career

As Conn. Smythe signed him up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he had already gained experience in some of the lower leagues. Here he was active mainly on the West Coast in Seattle, Vancouver and Edmonton.

Toronto had a problem at the goalkeeper position at this time. The goalkeeper Turk Broda had accused that he was overweight and they wanted to make him competitive. The two former goalkeeper was out of the race. Baz Bastien had lost an eye and Doug Harvey's brother Howie had to end his career due to an allergy on his goalie equipment.

After playing in his first season, 1949/50, as a replacement of Broda and played mostly in the AHL with the Cleveland Barons and the Pittsburgh Hornets, he managed in the season 1950/51 the breakthrough. With the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup, he was awarded the Vezina Trophy.

For Harry Lumley he was released with some players for season 1952/53, the Chicago Blackhawks. Here he was, although he played the worst teams in the league, won the Hart Memorial Trophy. The year before, he already occupied in this election 2nd place behind Gordie Howe. Despite good performances, there were disputes with the general manager of the Blackhawks, Tommy Ivan, who sent him in 1957 to the Calgary Stampeders in the WHL.

In the NHL, he returned for the season 1959/60 back again for ten games with the New York Rangers. It was followed by several years in the lower leagues before he ended his active career.

In the 1970s he coached the Golden Eagles Salt Lake in the WHL. In the World Hockey Association, he took over as coach at the Phoenix Roadrunners. There was one more season with the Houston Apollos in the Central Hockey League.

Statistics

Sporting successes

  • Stanley Cup: 1951
  • Allan Cup: 1948 and 1966 ( as a player ); 1970 ( as coach )

Personal Awards

  • Hart Memorial Trophy: 1954
  • Vezina Trophy: 1951
  • Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1954
Vancouver Canucks July 27 Conn Smythe 1949–50 NHL season 1950–51 NHL season Harry Lumley (ice hockey) 1952–53 NHL season Western Hockey League (1952–74) 1959–60 NHL season Salt Lake Golden Eagles Phoenix Roadrunners (WHA) Frank Nighbor Billy Burch Herb Gardiner Roy Worters Eddie Shore Babe Siebert Ebbie Goodfellow Bill Cowley Tommy Anderson (ice hockey) Babe Pratt Elmer Lach Maurice Richard Sid Abel Chuck Rayner Jacques Plante Bobby Hull Bobby Orr Bobby Clarke Mario Lemieux Mark Messier Eric Lindros Chris Pronger Joe Sakic Peter Forsberg Martin St. Louis Joe Thornton Sidney Crosby Alexander Ovechkin Henrik Sedin Corey Perry George Hainsworth Tiny Thompson Lorne Chabot Normie Smith Dave Kerr Johnny Mowers Bill Durnan Johnny Bower Glenn Hall Charlie Hodge (ice hockey) Gump Worsley Eddie Giacomin Gilles Villemure Gary Smith (ice hockey) Michel Larocque (ice hockey, born 1952) Don Edwards (ice hockey) Richard Sévigny Billy Smith (ice hockey) Pete Peeters Tom Barrasso Pelle Lindbergh John Vanbiesbrouck Ron Hextall Grant Fuhr Patrick Roy Jim Carey (ice hockey) Martin Brodeur Miikka Kiprusoff Tim Thomas (ice hockey) Ryan Miller Henrik Lundqvist Sergei Bobrovsky
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