Frank Finnigan
Frank Arthur Finnigan ( born July 9, 1903 in Shawville, Quebec, † December 25, 1991 ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who was active in the National Hockey League.
Career
Frank Finnigan began playing hockey at the University of Ottawa and then played for the Ottawa Collegiate and Ottawa Montagnards. In February 1924 he received a contract with the Ottawa Senators in the NHL. Until 1931, he played for the Senators in 1927 and won the Stanley Cup. He then moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but returned after only one year back to the senator.
Because of financial problems, the Senators had to be resettled in the summer of 1934 to St. Louis. Finnigan scored the last goal for the team. He moved to St. Louis and began the season 1934/35 with the St. Louis Eagles, however, changed hands during the season to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played for two and a half years. After that, he still played in some lower leagues before he finished his career.
After more than 50 years Finnigan was the early nineties again in the spotlight. The NHL decided to further increase the league and the entrepreneur Bruce Firestone tried again an NHL franchise to Ottawa to pick. Finnigan should support as a last still living member of the Stanley Cup team the Senators from 1927 this project. On 16 December 1991 Firestone was awarded the contract by the NHL and the new Ottawa Senators franchise was founded with it.
Nine days later Finnigan died at the age of 88 years.
On 8 October 1992, the team played its first game in the NHL. This was taken as an opportunity to honor Frank Finnigan posthumously. In a ceremony before the game, the Senators hung a banner with Finnigans number 8 on the hall ceiling, which is awarded to no more players on the team. His son, Frank Finnigan, Jr., threw the puck on for the first Bully of the game.
Frank Finnigan's brother Eddie was also a player in the NHL.
NHL stats
Awards and achievements
- Stanley Cup 1927
- NHL All-Star Game in 1934