Bert Olmstead

Murray Bert Olmstead ( born September 4, 1926 in Sceptre, Saskatchewan ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player ( left wing ) and coach, who played from 1948 to 1962 for the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.

Career

The rights for the NHL to him lay with the Montreal Canadiens and they sent him to the Kansas City Pla - Mors in the USHL. In the season 1948/49, he was released to the Chicago Blackhawks and on first attempt the jump to the NHL. He was standing in a row with Matro Prystai and Bep Guidolin. After a good season 1949/50, in which he scored 20 goals and established himself as a regular in the NHL, he was discharged to the Detroit Red Wings in December 1950, which charges him before his first game nine days later to the Montreal Canadiens.

After Toe Blake had ended his career, he took over his position in a row with Elmer Lach and Maurice Richard. In his eight years with the Canadiens, he won the Stanley Cup four times. He was not a great scorer, but in the 1955/56 season he prepared 56 goals, and erected so that a best performance, which was only five years later surpassed by Jean Béliveau, with whom he had played in a forward line. In one game, he brought it to eight points and also set so that a one NHL record. But especially we esteemed him for his leadership qualities. After doctors the Canadiens einstuften the condition of his knee as critical after the season in 1957/58, he moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He helped that the Maple Leafs were back up to a top team. His coach Punch Imlach said of him, that you hardly had to give him instructions, and that he trained himself to some extent. He acted as an extended arm Imlachs on the ice. He played in a row with Frank Mahovlich and Bob Nevin. In the 1961/62 season he won with the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup fifth of his career. Great was his surprise, but also his disappointment when he learned that the Leafs had given him in an intra -League Draft to the New York Rangers. He refused to go to New York and though the Rangers assurances regarding him to pass it in the short term to another team, he finished his career.

As a coach, he was a season in the WHL with the Vancouver Canucks before joining the Oakland Seals became the first coach in the 1967/68 season. After a disappointing season, he finished his coaching career.

In 1985 he was honored with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

NHL stats

Sporting successes

• Stanley Cup: 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1962

Personal Awards

• Second All-Star Team: 1953 and 1956
• Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1953, 1956, 1957 and 1959