Hooley Smith

Hooley Smith
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1972
Born	(1903-01-07)January 7, 1903 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	August 24, 1963(1963-08-24) (aged 60) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Position	Centre/Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Toronto Granites Ottawa Senators Montreal Maroons Boston Bruins New York Americans
National team	Canada
Playing career	1921–1941
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing Canada Olympic Games 1924 Chamonix Team competition

Reginald Joseph "Hooley" Smith (January 7, 1903 – August 24, 1963) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins and New York Americans between 1924 and 1941. He won the Stanley Cup twice, with Ottawa and Montreal. Prior to turning professional he played at the 1924 Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal with the Canada national team. He is possibly the first National Hockey League player to wear a helmet.

Playing career

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Smith played amateur hockey for the Toronto Granites team that won the Allan Cup and a gold medal for Canada at the 1924 Winter Olympics. He had an outstanding Olympic ice hockey tournament, scoring 17 goals and 33 points in five games.

He started his professional career with the 'Super Six' of the Ottawa Senators the following winter. In his first season with Ottawa, he received a head injury. When he returned to play he wore a jockey-type helmet to protect his head. In 1926–27, Ottawa won the Stanley Cup against Boston. It was the last game that Smith played with Ottawa. After attacking Harry Oliver in the final game of that series, he was suspended for a month of the following year. Ottawa had lost money during the season despite winning the Stanley Cup and the team sold Smith to the Montreal Maroons.

As a member of the Maroons, Hooley would be a part of one of the best early forward lines in NHL history, the "S line". He, Nels Stewart and Albert "Babe" Siebert made up the famous line that was feared throughout the NHL. Smith was named captain of the Maroons and was their captain when the team won its final Stanley Cup in 1935.

By the mid-1930s the Maroons were experiencing financial difficulties and he was sold to Boston, where he only played for one season. He then was sold to the New York Americans. Starting with 1938–39, he played defence for the Americans until 1941 after which he retired. From the 1940 season, he held the NHL mark for career games played, which he held until 1944, when surpassed by Dit Clapper.

Later life

Hooley Smith died as a result of a heart attack on August 24, 1963, at St. Mary's Hospital in Montreal. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of the famed "S" line. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1919–20	Toronto Beaches	OHA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1920–21	Parkdale Canoe Club	OHA		3	3	0	3	—		—	—	—	—	—
1921–22	Toronto Granites	OHA		5	1	0	1	—		1	0	0	0	—
1922–23	Toronto Granites	OHA Sr		8	3	3	6	—		2	1	0	1	2
1922–23	Toronto Granites	Al-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		6	1	6	7	12
1923–24	Toronto Granites	Exhib		15	10	14	24	—		—	—	—	—	—
1924–25	Ottawa Senators	NHL		10	13	23	81	—		—	—	—	—
1925–26	Ottawa Senators	NHL		28	16	9	25	53		2	0	0	0	14
1926–27	Ottawa Senators	NHL		43	9	6	15	125		6	1	0	1	16
1927–28	Montreal Maroons	NHL		34	14	5	19	72		9	2	1	3	23
1928–29	Montreal Maroons	NHL		41	10	9	19	120		—	—	—	—	—
1929–30	Montreal Maroons	NHL		42	21	9	30	83		4	1	1	2	14
1930–31	Montreal Maroons	NHL		39	12	14	26	68		—	—	—	—	—
1931–32	Montreal Maroons	NHL		43	11	33	44	49		4	2	1	3	2
1932–33	Montreal Maroons	NHL		48	20	21	41	66		2	2	0	2	2
1933–34	Montreal Maroons	NHL		47	18	19	37	58		4	0	1	1	6
1934–35	Montreal Maroons	NHL		46	5	22	27	41		6	0	0	0	14
1935–36	Montreal Maroons	NHL		47	19	19	38	75		3	0	0	0	2
1936–37	Boston Bruins	NHL		44	8	10	18	36		3	0	0	0	0
1937–38	New York Americans	NHL		47	10	10	20	23		6	0	3	3	0
1938–39	New York Americans	NHL		48	8	11	19	18		2	0	0	0	14
1939–40	New York Americans	NHL		47	7	8	15	41		3	3	1	4	2
1940–41	New York Americans	NHL		41	2	7	9	4		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				715	200	225	445	1,013		54	11	8	19	109

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1924	Canada	OLY		5	17	16	33	4
Senior totals				5	1	3	4	4

Transactions

Smith with the Toronto Granites in the 1921–22 season.

• October 31, 1924 – Signed as a free agent by Ottawa Senators.
• October 7, 1927 – Traded to Montreal Maroons by Ottawa for Harry Broadbent and $22,500.
• October 26, 1936 – Traded to Boston by Mtl. Maroons for cash and future considerations (Gerry Shannon, December 4, 1936).
• November 5, 1937 – Traded to New York Americans by Boston for cash.

Source: Legends of Hockey Statistics for Hooley Smith

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database