Hughie Lehman

Hughie Lehman
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1958

Lehman in 1912 with the New Westminster Royals.
Born (1885-10-27)October 27, 1885
Pembroke, ON, CAN
Died April 12, 1961(1961-04-12) (aged 75)
Toronto, ON, CAN
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 168 lb (76 kg; 12 st 0 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Sault Ste. Marie Marlboros (IPHL)
Berlin Dutchmen (OPHL)
Galt Professionals (OPHL)
New Westminster Royals (PCHA)
Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA/WCHL/WHL)
Chicago Black Hawks (NHL)
Playing career 1908–1928
Lehman with the Vancouver Millionaires.

Frederick Hugh "Old Eagle Eyes" Lehman (October 27, 1885 – April 12, 1961) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He started his ice hockey career playing for the Pembroke Lumber Kings and the Berlin Dutchmen. In 1911, Lehman joined the New Westminster Royals, playing for the Royals for three seasons, before joining the Vancouver Millionaires in 1914. Lehman played half of his 22-year professional career with Vancouver, winning his only Stanley Cup; he would be unsuccessful in seven other attempts. In 1926, he joined the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), playing a full season and splitting the second one as player and head coach. Although some ice hockey historians credit Jacques Plante for originating the practice, Lehman was the first goaltender to regularly pass the puck to his fellow forwards and defensemen; he even scored a goal by shooting the puck in the opponent's net while playing for the Professionals. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

Playing career

The Vancouver Millionaires in 1914–15, after their Stanley Cup victory; Lehman is seated bottom row, far right.

Lehman began his playing career in 1903–04, playing for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Ottawa Valley Hockey League (OVHL) for the first three seasons of his career. In the 1906–07 season, Lehman was signed as free agent by the Canadian Soo of the International Professional Hockey League (IPHL); the IPHL was the first fully professional ice hockey league. Lehman returned to Pembroke for the 1907–08 season, appearing in four games. For the 1908–09 season, Lehman joined the Berlin Dutchmen of the Ontario Professional Hockey League (OPHL). In the 1909–10 season, Lehman was in two different Stanley Cup playoff series, with two different teams, the Berlin Dutchmen and the Galt Professionals, but he lost both times. During those playoff series, he appeared in three games, giving up 22 goals. Lehman played with the Berlin Dutchmen until 1911.[1]

In 1911–12, Lehman played for the New Westminster Royals of the newly founded Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). He played three seasons for New Westminster, winning the league championship in his first season. In 1914–15, Lehman joined the Vancouver Millionaires of the PCHA. In his first season with the Millionaires, Lehman posted a 14–3 record, with a 4.08 goals-against average, which was a very good average in an era when goaltenders were not allowed to drop on their knees to make a save. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Lehman helped the Millionaires become the first PCHA team to win the Stanley Cup, with a 3–0 record and 2.67 goals against average. This would be the only Stanley Cup victory of Lehman's career, as he was on the losing side in seven other attempts. The Millionaires squad consisted of seven future members of the Hockey Hall of Fame when they won the Cup: Lehman, Frank Nighbor, Cyclone Taylor, Si Griffis, Barney Stanley, Frank Patrick, and Mickey MacKay.[1][2]

Lehman played with the Millionaires until the 1925–26 season. During that time, Lehman and some of his teammates were involved in a humorous incident when going back to Canada after an exhibition game against the Montreal Wanderers in New York City. In New York, Lehman's wife bought numerous women's designer outfits, after being treated to a shopping spree by him. When going back to Canada, Lehman, on the advice of Cyclone Taylor, who was both a professional ice hockey player and a Canadian immigration officer, split up all outfits among his teammates to avoid paying additional taxes he would have had to pay if he had brought all the clothing by himself at once; this puzzled the Customs officers.[2] In 1922–23, the Millionaires were renamed the Maroons, and joined the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The WCHL was renamed to the Western Hockey League in 1925–26; however, the league disbanded at the conclusion of that season. While playing for the Millionaires, Lehman appeared in six Stanley Cup finals, losing every time, except in his first season, in 1914–15.[1]

Following the collapse of the WHL, Lehman joined the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1926–27 season. While in Chicago, Lehman mentored future Chicago goaltender and captain Charlie Gardiner.[3] Lehman played one full season, and another four games the next one.[1] During the 1926 season, Lehman became the oldest goaltender to win his first NHL game.[4]

Coaching career

During the 1927–28 season, Black Hawks owner and manager Frederic McLaughlin was sketching some plays for his team; after Lehman was shown the plays by McLaughlin, Lehman responded by calling it "the craziest bunch of junk [he's] ever seen".[2] Expecting to be fired after that outburst, Lehman was later told to go to McLaughlin's office. It was how Lehman's playing career ended: McLaughlin appointed Lehman to be Chicago's new head coach.[2] Lehman coached Chicago for part of one season, finishing with a 3–17–1 record over 21 games.[5] He was replaced by Herb Gardiner the following season.

Playing style

As a goaltender, Lehman was a strong skater and good puckhandler. He chased down loose pucks, and was able to pass the puck to his forwards, surprising the other team's defenders. Playing in the OPHL, Lehman scored a goal by shooting the puck in the opponent's net.[6] The first NHL goaltender to duplicate such a feat was Ron Hextall, who did it in 1987.[7]

Legacy

After retiring from ice hockey, Lehman worked in the road construction business, eventually becoming the president of a paving company.[3] Lehman was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season

Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1903–04 Pembroke Lumber Kings OVHL 5 1 4 0 300 22 0 4.40
1904–05 Pembroke Lumber Kings OVHL — — — — — — — —
1905–06 Pembroke Lumber Kings OVHL 8 8 0 0 480 13 1 1.63
1906–07 Canadian Soo IPHL 24 13 11 0 1440 123 0 5.13
1907–08 Pembroke Lumber Kings OVHL 4 2 2 0 240 22 0 5.50
1908–09 Berlin Dutchmen OPHL 15 9 6 0 890 72 0 4.85
1909–10 Berlin Dutchmen OPHL 17 11 6 0 995 75 3 4.53
1910–11 Berlin Dutchmen OPHL 15 7 8 0 900 87 0 5.80
1911–12 New Westminster Royals PCHA 15 9 6 0 911 77 0 5.07
1912–13 New Westminster Royals PCHA 12 4 8 0 739 51 0 4.14
1913–14 New Westminster Royals PCHA 16 7 9 0 997 81 0 4.87
1914–15 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 17 13 4 0 1043 71 1 4.08
1915–16 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 18 9 9 0 1091 69 0 3.79
1916–17 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 23 14 9 0 1404 124 0 5.30
1917–18 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 18 9 9 0 1179 60 1 3.05
1918–19 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 20 12 8 0 1277 55 1 2.58
1919–20 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 22 11 11 0 1334 65 1 2.92
1920–21 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 24 13 11 0 1449 78 3 3.23
1921–22 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 22 12 10 0 1318 62 4 2.82
1922–23 Vancouver Maroons PCHA 25 16 8 1 1571 61 5 2.33
1923–24 Vancouver Maroons PCHA 30 13 16 1 1846 80 1 2.60
1924–25 Vancouver Maroons WCHL 11 7 4 0 663 29 0 2.62
1925–26 Vancouver Maroons WHL 30 10 18 2 1839 90 3 2.94
1926–27 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 44 19 22 3 2797 116 5 2.49
1927–28 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 4 1 2 1 250 20 1 4.80
NHL totals 48 20 24 4 3407 136 6 2.68
PCHA totals 262 142 118 2 16 159 934 17 3.47
WCHL/WHL totals 41 17 22 2 2502 119 3 2.85

Playoffs

Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1905–06 Pembroke Lumber Kings NHA 1 1 0 0 60 0 1 0.00
1909–10 Galt Professionals St-Cup 2 0 2 0 120 15 0 7.50
1909–10 Berlin Dutchmen St-Cup 1 0 1 0 60 7 0 7.00
1914–15 Vancouver Millionaires St-Cup 3 3 0 0 180 8 0 2.67
1917–18 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 2 1 0 1 120 2 1 1.00
1917–18 Vancouver Millionaires St-Cup 5 2 3 0 300 18 0 3.60
1918–19 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 2 1 1 0 120 7 0 3.50
1919–20 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 2 1 1 0 120 7 0 3.50
1920–21 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 2 2 0 0 120 2 1 2.00
1920–21 Vancouver Millionaires St-Cup 5 2 3 0 300 12 0 2.40
1921–22 Vancouver Millionaires PCHA 2 2 0 0 120 0 2 0.00
1921–22 Vancouver Millionaires West-P 2 1 1 0 120 2 1 1.00
1921–22 Vancouver Millionaires St-Cup 5 2 3 0 305 16 1 3.15
1922–23 Vancouver Maroons PCHA 2 1 1 0 120 3 1 1.50
1922–23 Vancouver Maroons St-Cup 4 1 3 0 240 10 0 2.50
1923–24 Vancouver Maroons PCHA 2 1 1 0 134 3 0 1.34
1923–24 Vancouver Maroons West-P 3 1 2 0 180 10 0 3.33
1923–24 Vancouver Maroons St-Cup 2 0 2 0 120 5 0 2.50
1926–27 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 2 0 1 1 120 10 0 5.00
NHL totals 2 0 1 1 120 10 0 5.00
PCHA totals 14 9 4 1 854 24 5 1.69
St-Cup totals 27 10 17 0 1625 91 1 3.36

Coaching record

Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Division rank Result
CHI1927–28 21317175th in AmericanDNQ
Total 2131717

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Hughie Lehman — Career statistics". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Allen, Duff, Bower; pg. 59
  3. 1 2 Joe Pelletier. "Hugh Lehman". Joe Pelletier. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  4. ↑ http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014020496&navid=nhl:topheads
  5. ↑ "Hugh Lehman—Coaching record". hockeyreference.com. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  6. ↑ Allen, Duff, Bower; pg. 58
  7. ↑ Allen, Duff, Bower; pg. 66
  8. ↑ "Hughie Lehman — Biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-07-05.

External links

Preceded by
Barney Stanley		 Head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks
1928 		Succeeded by
Herb Gardiner

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