George Armstrong (ice hockey)

George Edward " Chief" Armstrong ( born July 6, 1930 in Skead, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player ( center ) and coach who played from 1950 to 1971 for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League.

Career

Armstrong grew up as the son of a miner in the vicinity of Greater Sudbury and is Irish - Indian descent. He played as a junior in the OHA and moved there in 1948 as MVP of the league from the Stratford Kroehlers to the Toronto Marlboros. Early on, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured the rights to him. He stayed with the Marlboros and played in the senior team. In the 1949/50 season, the Maple Leafs got him for two games in the NHL. With the Marlboros he won the Allan Cup this season. In this tournament, the team visited an Indian reservation. When they heard there that he was of Indian descent, he was given the title " Big Chief Shoot the Puck ".

Before he made ​​the breakthrough in the NHL, nor followed one and a half seasons in the American Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Hornets.

From the season 1953/54, he was placed at the Maple Leafs. He was not a good skater, but could compensate for this by his good positional play. He was an important player with leadership qualities, who also brought the team to laugh again and again in the team structure. From the season 1957/58 he was a team captain for the Leafs and Conn Smythe called him the best captain, the team has ever had. He led his team in the 1960s to four Stanley Cup victories.

After his playing career, he coached the Toronto Marlboros and led his junior team in 1973 and 1975 to win the Memorial Cup. In the 1988/89 season he managed the Toronto Maple Leafs in 47 games.

In 1975 he was honored with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

NHL stats

Sporting successes

  • Allan Cup: 1950
  • Stanley Cup: 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967
  • Memorial Cup: 1973 and 1975 (as coach )

Personal Awards

Ontario Hockey Association 1949–50 NHL season 1953–54 NHL season 1957–58 NHL season 1988–89 NHL season 1961–62 NHL season 1962–63 NHL season 1963–64 NHL season 1966–67 NHL season Hap Day Joe Primeau King Clancy Howie Meeker Punch Imlach Red Kelly Roger Neilson Dick Duff Tom Watt Pat Burns Pat Quinn (ice hockey) Paul Maurice Randy Carlyle Brian Burke (ice hockey)
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