Howie Meeker
Meeker (left) receives the Calder Memorial Trophy, 1947.
William Howard " Howie " Meeker (* November 4, 1923 in Kitchener, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and functionary and sports commentator. During his active years he played from 1946 to 1954 for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League.
Career
Howie Meeker began his career as a hockey player with the Toronto Maple Leafs, for whom he played from 1946 to 1954 in the National Hockey League. During this time, he won with the Canadians in the years 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951, four times the Stanley Cup. In his first NHL season, he also received the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie. After his time in Toronto Meeker was still two years with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League contract, which he served as player-coach.
After his career as a professional hockey player Meeker was in season 1956/57, as a replacement for King Clancy head coach at his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom, however, he missed the playoffs. After the season, he was general manager, but he was released the Maple Leafs before the start of the season in 1957/58.
Later Meeker launched a career in television. From 1973 to 1977 his own show Howie Meeker 's Hockey School aired on CBC Television. In the 1970s and 1980s, Meeker worked as a game analyst for Hockey Night in Canada. From 1987 to 1998 worked the former professional hockey player for the sports channel TSN.
In 1998 Howie Meeker was awarded the " Fost Hewitt Award " for his hockey broadcasts and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.