Morenz Was No Bobby Orr - Weiland

Although history tends to forget about him, Cooney Weiland was one heck of a player in the 1930s. In fact, his 43 goals and 73 points in 44 games in 1929-30 shattered previous NHL marks.

Weiland's Bruins were supposed to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the spring of 1930. But they were upset by Howie Morenz and the Montreal Canadiens.

"It was a terrific shock to all of us," offered Weiland years later. "It seemed we got most of the penalties, especially in the second game. The Bruins always felt they were outmaneuvered. Imagine, of 44 (regular season) games, losing only five at home and away. And there were no soft touches in those days. Whether we were over confident or not, I don't know."

Weiland had many great things to say about Montreal's great forward Howie Morenz. In an interview in the early 1970s Weiland compared Morenz to Bobby Orr, the best player of another generation.

"Morenz was a great player, unquestionably the fastest skater of his time, no doubt about it. I usually tried to cut him off at his net, before he got started. If he got to center ice without being checked, he'd fly right by you. And he had a terrific shot. With his speed, naturally, it added momentum to his shot.

"But you can't compare him to Bobby Orr. Morenz wasn't a stop and start fellow or as good a stickhandler as Orr is."

Weiland Great Player, Too

Weiland was a great player in his own right. Perhaps history tends to dismiss his record breaking accomplishments because of the changes to the off-side rules that season.

"That was the year I led the league. You could cross the blue line ahead of the puck, but the guy carrying the puck had to carry it across the blue line. He couldn't pass it across to you. So you needed a great stick-handler to stick-handle the puck in, and our Dutch Gainor was an amazing stickhandler. Dit Clapper and I would bust in, across the line, taking a chance because we left the wings open, but Gainor would manage to hold onto the puck and get it across the line, then pass it to us.

"You can see what the new rule did to the defensemen. They didn't know whether to go for the puckhandler or cover the wingmen busting in, and they were all confused.

"But too many guys abused the rule. Some never came out of the zone. They stayed there, just like basket-hangers in basketball, exactly. And half-way through the season they cut out the rule and went back to the old way. But I scored as many goals in the last half of the season as I did when it was in effect. I thought it was a good rule. It sure opened up the game."

Howie Morenz Funeral

Recently reacquired by the Montreal Canadiens and reunited with old teammates Aurel Joliat and Johnny Gagnon, the great Howie Morenz finds new life in his 34 year old legs. But his return to greatness is halted on January 28th, 1937 when he suffers four broke bones in his left leg and ankle. Chicago's star defender Earl Seibert slammed him into the boards, albeit cleanly. Morenz suffers a nervous breakdown while in Montreal hospital and dies on March 8th of pulmonary embolism, though legend always had it he died of a broken heart when told he would never play hockey again. Thousands of fans file past Morenz's body which laid in state at center ice of the Montreal Forum. Up to 200,000 people lined the streets of Montreal to watch the funeral procession.

Hockey Card of the Day: Howie Morenz

1933 Howie Morenz Goudey Sport Kings Card

Hockey Card of the Day: Howie Morenz

1960-61 Topps Howie Morenz Montreal Canadians #59

Howie Morenz's Last Pair of Skates

Classic Auctions is back with a new offering, including this amazing item: Howie Morenz's last pair of skates.

From Classic Auctions:

On January 29, 1937 the Montreal Canadiens took on the visiting Chicago Blackhawks at the Forum in Montreal. During the first period of play, the towering Earl Siebert bore down on Habs star Howie Morenz as they chased the puck along the boards. The tip of Morenz's skate blade caught a crack in the boards and he fell awkwardly to the ice, his leg twisting beneath him. They say the snap of the bone was so loud it could be heard from any seat in the arena. Morenz was rushed to hospital where doctors explained that he would never again be able to play the game that was his passion. Within a few weeks, the great Howie Morenz was dead. Complications arising from the broken leg was listed as the cause of death but it is said that, fearing he would never again take to the ice, Morenz died of a broken heart. These are the last pair of skates worn by Howie Morenz and the actual pair of blades that brought his brilliant career to a shattering conclusion.

The last time these skates were auctioned off they fetched $25,000! Bidding closes on November 1st.

More Montreal Canadiens items up for bids:

• Guy Lafleur's HHOF induction ring
• Clarence Campbell's seat from the Montreal Forum
• 1985-86 Championship Trophy

Howie Morenz Memorial Game

Check this out:

It is the game program from the Howie Morenz benefit game on November 2nd, 1937.

Collecting game programs is an intense passion for some collectors. The more famous the game the more valuable the prize. Few games are as famous as the Morenz game.

The game was played at the Montreal Forum, and pitted a team of NHL All Stars against players of the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons. The proceeds of the game were given to the family of the late-Howie Morenz, the NHL's first superstar. He had died the previous March due to complications of a broken leg he suffered in his final NHL game.

Only 8683 fans showed up to watch a team of Montreal All Stars (made up of players from the Canadiens and Maroons) fall 6-5 to a team of NHL All Stars. Perhaps the poor attendance was a reflection of the late benefit game, as it came several months after his death. Back in March the Forum was packed for his funeral as he lay in state at center ice.

Including gifts and ticket and program sales, nearly $20,000 was raised for Morenz's widow and his family.

Young Howie Morenz Jr. earned the loudest applause on this night, as the crowd cheered him on during the pre-game warm up as the kid skated with the all stars and took shots on the goalies.

Eddie Shore on Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz was the most dazzling player of his generation. Boston's great defenseman Eddie Shore knew "The Stratford Streak" was as good a player who had ever skated in hockey:

"I was as fast as any man in hockey except Morenz," marveled Shore, who was noted for his belligerent play. "He was that little extra bit faster."

How fast was Morenz?

"Nobody ever knew how much speed Morenz might have generated if he had ever had to turn it on for one full stretch of 60 minutes," Shore offered. "He used to have to spot Aurel Joliat 30 feet before he even started skate. I've seen him give away as much as 50 feet to fast skaters and catch them before they got to the end of the rink."

One time Shore and partner Lionel Hitchman did catch Morenz with a big check, but they could not believe his ability to dust it off.

"I steered Howie into a pocket and Hitch took care of the rest. At least we thought he was taking care of the rest. The first time Morenz fairly flew into Hitch, and bounced straight back as though he'd run into a brick wall. Hitch and I exchanged looks of regret over the body, mentally dusted it off our hands and prepared for an evening of relative peace and quiet."

Five minutes later Morenz was back, and at full speed.

"If I hadn't known better I'd have sworn it was a mirage," Shore said. "But I moved up again and drove him over into the same pocket. Hitchman did the clean up job even more ernestly this time. I'm still wondering why the rink didn't fall in right there.

"Five minutes after that, here he came again. If he'd been travelling on an express schedule before, he was carrying a special delivery tag this trip. We were lucky enough to steer him over to Hitchman's beat again. Hitch caught him square . Howie gasped like the air going out of a punctured tire, did a reverse jackknife and landed on the back of his neck several yards from the scene of the accident.

"Hitchman and I skated sorrowfully over to see if there was any point in carry him away. Howie's right eye opened slowly. He peered at us in silence for a moment, and then shook his head and said:

'Say, don't you guys ever get tired?' "

His skating, puck skills and desire made Morenz the greatest player of his generaton. He was something to behold.

“(Morenz) had a heart that was unsurpassed in athletic history and no one ever came close to him in the colour department," said Shore. "After you watched Howie you wanted to see him often, and as much as I liked to play hockey, I often thought I would have counted it a full evening had I been able to sit in the stands and watch the Morenz maneuvers. Such an inclination never occurred to me about other stars."

The Mighty Atom and The Stratford Streak

No NHL team is better at their honoring former stars than the Montreal Canadiens. That's a good thing considering they have more former stars than most teams combined.

If there is one ceremony that sticks out more than others it definitely would be the night in 1984 when "The Mighty Atom" Aurele Joliat returned to the Montreal Forum.



Joliat was a spectacular player in his day back in the 1920s and 1930s. Even though he was awarded the 1934 Hart Trophy, the three time Stanley Cup champion was always in the shadow of Howie Morenz. Here's a few clips of Joliat recalling the great "Stratford Streak."

The Stratford Streak

Check this out:

It is the game program from the Howie Morenz benefit game on November 2nd, 1937.

Collecting game programs is an intense passion for some collectors. The more famous the game the more valuable the prize. Few games are as famous as the Morenz game.

The game was played at the Montreal Forum, and pitted a team of NHL All Stars against players of the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons. The proceeds of the game were given to the family of the late-Howie Morenz, the NHL's first superstar. He had died the previous March due to complications of a broken leg he suffered in his final NHL game.

This particular program consists of 56 articles. Included inside are tribute articles penned by Elmer Ferguson, Baz O'Meara and Len Rountree.

The program is available at ClassicAuctions.net. The price of the item at the time of this publishing is a steal.

Howie Morenz's Death Bed

It is one of the most stirring images in hockey history. Howie Morenz, the NHL's first superstar, lying in his death bed.


Tragedy struck on the night of January 28, 1937. Howie Morenz suffered a horrific injury. He broke 4 bones in his left leg and ankle in a game against Chicago. He was tripped in the corner of the rink and somehow his skate got lodged into the boards. Chicago defenseman Earl Seibert accidentally fell over Morenz, breaking "the Stratford Streak's" leg viciously.

Morenz seemed to be recovering nicely in hospital, but too many visitors helped to contribute to a nervous breakdown. Shortly afterward, on March 8th Morenz died. Legend has always falsely said that he died of a broken heart when doctors told him he wouldn't be able to play hockey again. In actuality the cause was an undetected blood clot.

A funeral was held for the fallen superstar that packed the Montreal Forum. Thousands upon thousands of fans lined the streets and crowded the arena with with a tremendous outpouring of emotion and respect for the immortal great. Eight years later, Morenz would be the very first player inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame.


Twelve days before his death Morenz autographed a stick while in hospital. In black ink Morenz wrote "To Kenneth from Howie Morenz - St. Luke Hospital - Feb 24th 1937." The stick is now up for auction at amazing hockey history website Classic Auctions.net.


It should be noted that it is unclear if this was actually a game used stick. It is in incredible condition with no markings or cracks. The only hint of use is the original tape remnants.

Used by Morenz or not, the thought of Howie just handling it is spine-tingling. Check this out at Classic Auctions.net. The auction closes on December 8th, 2009.

Classic Snap Shot: Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz, the NHL's first true superstar, laid up in his hospital bed after badly breaking his leg in a hockey game. He would die from heart failure shortly thereafter.

Old School Photo of the Week

Click on this beauty so you can properly see and enjoy. In celebration of their 1924 Stanley Cup championship, or as they claim their world championship, this is some sort of promotion the Montreal Canadiens created for Christmas 1924. I found it over at Lelands auction site. Players include Howie Morenz, Sprague Cleghorn, Georges Vezina and Aurel Joliat.