Herb Carnegie

Willie O'Ree was the first Black player in National Hockey League history, often earning the nickname of the "Jackie Robinson of Hockey."

But O'Ree wasn't the first or necessarily the best Black hockey player back in the early days. Many say that Herb Carnegie was the best player not in the National Hockey League at that time.

Herb Carnegie was one-third of what is believed to be the very first all-black line in hockey. Herbie centered his brother Ossie and Manny McIntyre. O'Ree described them as "superstars of their era" with the Quebec Aces of the QSHL and EHL.

"Herb was a center. He and Ossie, a right wing, were both born in Toronto. McIntyre, the left wing on the line, was born in my hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick. They were a great forward line, terrific skaters and terrific shooters. Herb was considered to be the best of the three, but all of them would have made the NHL if they had gotten a better chance at it," said O'Ree.

Carnegie had chance to play with a young Jean Beliveau while with the Quebec Aces. Beliveau many years later had nothing but good things to say about Carnegie.

"Even though it's been more than four decades since I witnessed Herb's hockey brilliance, there is no question that the years I spent with him still evoke some of my best hockey memories," said Jean. "Herbie was a super hockey player, a beautiful style, a beautiful skater, a great playmaker. In those days, the younger ones learned from the older ones. I learned from Herbie."

Frank Mahovlich, hockey Hall of Famer and Canadian senator, was another fan of his.

"I was just amazed at the way he played; he was much superior to the others on the ice."

Born in Toronto to Jamaican immigrants, Herb and Ossie grew up like any other southern Ontario kid. They played hockey whenever they could, perfecting skills that would turn them into junior and senior stars. Herb was particularly grand, earning the nickname "Swivel Hips" because of his elusive dekes on the ice. He was said to "lift fans out of their seats with a feathery pinpoint pass, exquisite puckhandling or a brilliantly conceived play."

The better Carnegie became, the more the racial taunts began. Even as a youth, opposing coaches or fans would taunt him. But he heeded the advice of a coach and chose to respond by scoring goals and being better than everyone else. He became incredibly focused on achieving his dreams of playing for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs before adoring fans at Maple Leaf Gardens, just like his hero Joe Primeau.

While racism in the NHL has more or less been swept under the rug very successfully, Toronto Maple Leaf's boss Conn Smythe was once allegedly quoted saying "I will gladly give $10,000 to anyone who can turn Herb Carnegie white." Although there is no written evidence that Smythe ever actually said that, the quote, mythical or not, shattered Carnegie, who at the time was a junior player still unaware of the destiny he faced.

The hockey world knew that Herbie Carnegie was a good player, but suspiciously he never had a chance to play in the NHL, not even during World War II when NHL teams were desperately looking for replacements lost to the armed forces.

Hall of Fame referee Red Storey suggests there was only one reason Carnegie never got a chance.

"It's very simple. He's black. Don't say we don't have any rednecks in Canada. But I'm not saying Conn Smythe was bigoted either. I think he said the quote, but I think he meant that with Herbie being black, he wouldn't be able to put him in the same hotels with the rest of the team and have him eat the same restaurants and there could be problems if he took him to the States to play against the NHL teams there."

Carnegie found all doors to the NHL closed, but he and his brother continued to play. They formed an all black line with Manny McIntyre. The trio started in the old "mines leagues," traveling from town to town. Later they settled in Quebec where they were dubbed "The Black Aces." Herb was the strategist, Ossie was the man with the big canon and McIntyre was the muscle and hustle.

"They were good enough as a line to play in the American Hockey League, which was just below the NHL," suggested Storey. "But Herbie was the leader. They couldn't have gone anywhere without Herb. He was good enough to play in the NHL."

The Black Aces became comfortable with their somewhat legendary status and they achieved decent economic success. By the late 1940s Herb was getting paid $5100, a good amount back then, and he had solid job offers outside of hockey as well.

So it came as a great surprise when the New York Rangers offered Carnegie a training camp invite in 1948. Carnegie kept surviving the cuts, and soon the Rangers were offering a minor league contract. The Rangers wanted to see Carnegie apprentice in the minors to see if he could adjust to the realities of being a black athlete in America, and also to see if he could have the same levels of success without his long time linemates. The strong headed Carnegie refused every contract offer, insisting he was good enough to play in the NHL and refusing to play in the minor leagues. Also he did not want to take a pay cut or move his young family to a minor league city, either.

Carnegie summed up his own possible passing on the NHL in Cecil Harris' book Breaking The Ice:

"Frankie Boucher was coaching the New York Rangers in 1948 and he told me he thought I was a good player, but he wanted to be sure whether I could play in the NHL. So he suggested I sign and start playing in New Haven. I was 29 at the time and I didn't feel like playing there. For in those days there were not too many thirty year old players in the NHL and I knew that if I didn't make it immediately, I wouldn't get another chance."

"He stayed in Canada because he had a better future here financially. He could do better in the Quebec League financially than he could in the NHL."

Carnegie returned to Quebec and played hockey until 1954. After retirement he became very successful in the field of financial management with Investors Group.

He also avidly pursued his other sporting passion, golf. He was always a natural golfer, long before the days of Tiger Woods. He was so good that he won the Canadian Senior Championship in 1977 as well as several other provincial and national titles as well.

He also continued to be influential in the community, particularly with children, setting up the Future Aces Foundation. It started out as a hockey school, said to be the first hockey school by one source, with a focus on developing solid sportsmen and citizens. Now 50 years later, the foundation has grown into an influential force in Ontario school system and beyond.

Carnegie had to give up golf and many other activies

Hockey Heroes: Herb Carnegie

Willie O'Ree was the first Black player in National Hockey League history, often earning the nickname of the "Jackie Robinson of Hockey."

But O'Ree wasn't the first or necessarily the best Black hockey player back in the early days. Many say that Herb Carnegie was the best player not in the National Hockey League at that time.

Herb Carnegie was one-third of what is believed to be the very first all-black line in hockey. Herbie centered his brother Ossie and Manny McIntyre. O'Ree described them as "superstars of their era" with the Quebec Aces of the QSHL and EHL.

"Herb was a center. He and Ossie, a right wing, were both born in Toronto. McIntyre, the left wing on the line, was born in my hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick. They were a great forward line, terrific skaters and terrific shooters. Herb was considered to be the best of the three, but all of them would have made the NHL if they had gotten a better chance at it," said O'Ree.

Carnegie had chance to play with a young Jean Beliveau while with the Quebec Aces. Beliveau many years later had nothing but good things to say about Carnegie.

"Even though it's been more than four decades since I witnessed Herb's hockey brilliance, there is no question that the years I spent with him still evoke some of my best hockey memories," said Jean. "Herbie was a super hockey player, a beautiful style, a beautiful skater, a great playmaker. In those days, the younger ones learned from the older ones. I learned from Herbie."

Frank Mahovlich, hockey Hall of Famer and Canadian senator, was another fan of his.

"I was just amazed at the way he played; he was much superior to the others on the ice."

Born in Toronto to Jamaican immigrants, Herb and Ossie grew up like any other southern Ontario kid. They played hockey whenever they could, perfecting skills that would turn them into junior and senior stars. Herb was particularly grand, earning the nickname "Swivel Hips" because of his elusive dekes on the ice. He was said to "lift fans out of their seats with a feathery pinpoint pass, exquisite puckhandling or a brilliantly conceived play."

The better Carnegie became, the more the racial taunts began. Even as a youth, opposing coaches or fans would taunt him. But he heeded the advice of a coach and chose to respond by scoring goals and being better than everyone else. He became incredibly focused on achieving his dreams of playing for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs before adoring fans at Maple Leaf Gardens, just like his hero Joe Primeau.

While racism in the NHL has more or less been swept under the rug very successfully, Toronto Maple Leaf's boss Conn Smythe was once allegedly quoted saying "I will gladly give $10,000 to anyone who can turn Herb Carnegie white." Although there is no written evidence that Smythe ever actually said that, the quote, mythical or not, shattered Carnegie, who at the time was a junior player still unaware of the destiny he faced.

The hockey world knew that Herbie Carnegie was a good player, but suspiciously he never had a chance to play in the NHL, not even during World War II when NHL teams were desperately looking for replacements lost to the armed forces.

Hall of Fame referee Red Storey suggests there was only one reason Carnegie never got a chance.

"It's very simple. He's black. Don't say we don't have any rednecks in Canada. But I'm not saying Conn Smythe was bigoted either. I think he said the quote, but I think he meant that with Herbie being black, he wouldn't be able to put him in the same hotels with the rest of the team and have him eat the same restaurants and there could be problems if he took him to the States to play against the NHL teams there."

Carnegie found all doors to the NHL closed, but he and his brother continued to play. They formed an all black line with Manny McIntyre. The trio started in the old "mines leagues," traveling from town to town. Later they settled in Quebec where they were dubbed "The Black Aces." Herb was the strategist, Ossie was the man with the big canon and McIntyre was the muscle and hustle.

"They were good enough as a line to play in the American Hockey League, which was just below the NHL," suggested Storey. "But Herbie was the leader. They couldn't have gone anywhere without Herb. He was good enough to play in the NHL."

The Black Aces became comfortable with their somewhat legendary status and they achieved decent economic success. By the late 1940s Herb was getting paid $5100, a good amount back then, and he had solid job offers outside of hockey as well.

So it came as a great surprise when the New York Rangers offered Carnegie a training camp invite in 1948. Carnegie kept surviving the cuts, and soon the Rangers were offering a minor league contract. The Rangers wanted to see Carnegie apprentice in the minors to see if he could adjust to the realities of being a black athlete in America, and also to see if he could have the same levels of success without his long time linemates. The strong headed Carnegie refused every contract offer, insisting he was good enough to play in the NHL and refusing to play in the minor leagues. Also he did not want to take a pay cut or move his young family to a minor league city, either.

Carnegie summed up his own possible passing on the NHL in Cecil Harris' book Breaking The Ice:

"Frankie Boucher was coaching the New York Rangers in 1948 and he told me he thought I was a good player, but he wanted to be sure whether I could play in the NHL. So he suggested I sign and start playing in New Haven. I was 29 at the time and I didn't feel like playing there. For in those days there were not too many thirty year old players in the NHL and I knew that if I didn't make it immediately, I wouldn't get another chance."

"He stayed in Canada because he had a better future here financially. He could do better in the Quebec League financially than he could in the NHL."

Carnegie returned to Quebec and played hockey until 1954. After retirement he became very successful in the field of financial management with Investors Group.

He also avidly pursued his other sporting passion, golf. He was always a natural golfer, long before the days of Tiger Woods. He was so good that he won the Canadian Senior Championship in 1977 as well as several other provincial and national titles as well.

He also continued to be influential in the community, particularly with children, setting up the Future Aces Foundation. It started out as a hockey school, said to be the first hockey school by one source, with a focus on developing solid sportsmen and citizens. Now 50 years later, the foundation has grown into an influential force in Ontario school system and beyond.

Carnegie had to give up golf and many other activies

Herb Carnegie Dead At 92

Willie O'Ree was the first Black player in National Hockey League history, often earning the nickname of the "Jackie Robinson of Hockey."

But O'Ree wasn't the first or necessarily the best Black hockey player back in the early days. Many say that Herb Carnegie was the best player not in the National Hockey League at that time.

Herb Carnegie was one-third of what is believed to be the very first all-black line in hockey. Herbie centered his brother Ossie and Manny McIntyre. O'Ree described them as "superstars of their era" with the Quebec Aces of the QSHL and EHL.

"Herb was a center. He and Ossie, a right wing, were both born in Toronto. McIntyre, the left wing on the line, was born in my hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick. They were a great forward line, terrific skaters and terrific shooters. Herb was considered to be the best of the three, but all of them would have made the NHL if they had gotten a better chance at it," said O'Ree.

Carnegie had chance to play with a young Jean Beliveau while with the Quebec Aces. Beliveau many years later had nothing but good things to say about Carnegie.

"Even though it's been more than four decades since I witnessed Herb's hockey brilliance, there is no question that the years I spent with him still evoke some of my best hockey memories," said Jean. "Herbie was a super hockey player, a beautiful style, a beautiful skater, a great playmaker. In those days, the younger ones learned from the older ones. I learned from Herbie."

Frank Mahovlich, hockey Hall of Famer and Canadian senator, was another fan of his.

"I was just amazed at the way he played; he was much superior to the others on the ice."

Read the full Herb Carnegie biography

A History Of Black Hockey

February is Black History Month, so I wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate the great black hockey players in hockey history. There haven't been many, mainly for societal and cultural reasons, but blacks have been playing hockey as long as there have been pucks and ice.

Traditionally there have been very few blacks in hockey and in the National Hockey League.

Why is this? Traditionally NHL players came strictly from Canada, with European countries becoming more and more prevalent. All these countries, particularly Canada, have tiny black populations. The United States, which produces some of the best black athletes in the entire world, is traditionally not a hockey hotbed. Black athletes in the US also lack role models in hockey, and naturally focus their attention on sports which do, such as baseball, football, basketball, track and field and boxing, all of which offered better infrastructures.

Believe it or not though, blacks have a history in hockey dating back as long as hockey itself. In Halifax, Nova Scotia, there was a black hockey league. The league, which started as an informal game among African settlers in Nova Scotia, grew into the colored league, of sorts. It was not an officially sanctioned league of any kind but an assembling of devoted black hockey enthusiasts providing entertaining games to a predominantly white audience of nearly 1,500 spectators.

One of the earliest blacks in the sport of hockey was Hipple "Hippo" Galloway. Better known as a barnstorming baseball player, Galloway was a star player on his hometown Woodstock entry on the Central Ontario Hockey Association, as well as the local baseball team. Galloway left his hometown in 1899 after an American import on the baseball team objected to his inclusion on the team. A local sportswriter cried: "An effort should be made to keep Hippo in town. Our hockey team needs him." Hippo Galloway is a chartered member of the Black Hockey Hall of Fame.

In the late forties, there was the legendary Herb Carnegie. Carnegie was a star in the Quebec Senior Hockey League, impressing many including that circuit's biggest star Jean Beliveau. Carnegie was the key member of the Black Aces line, featuring his brother, Ossie, and Manny McIntyre. Those who saw Carnegie play describe him as one of the fastest and most skilled players ever. Both Beliveau and Frank Mahovlich have been outspoken advocates about Carnegie's greatness.

Carnegie should have been the first in the NHL had it not been for the alleged prejudice of the day. Unlike football, baseball or basketball, the NHL never had an official policy banning blacks from playing. But suspicions were always around about an unofficial policy, especially when Toronto Maple Leaf owner Conn Smythe is said to have said, "I'll give any man $10,000 who can make Herb Carnegie white." While Herbie Carnegie never made it to the NHL, his legend in Canadian hockey lore too has grown.

In fairness, Carnegie would get a shot at the NHL late in his career. The New York Rangers gave him a training camp tryout, and offered him a contract but they wanted him to apprentice a year in the minor leagues. Carnegie turned down the contract and returned home to his young family in Quebec where he actually earned more money than he would have in the NHL.

It was not until January 18, 1958 when Willie O'Ree took to the ice for the Boston Bruins in a game against the Montreal Canadians that a black man would debut in the NHL. By doing so O'Ree ensured himself a place in hockey history as the "Jackie Robinson of hockey."

"They've called me the Jackie Robinson of hockey, and I'm aware of being the first, and of the responsibilities, but I'm also aware that there have not been, and are not many colored players able to play hockey, that there has never been the discrimination in this game there was in baseball, and that I didn't face any of the very real problems Robinson had to face."

The only other black in professional hockey at the time was Art Dorrington, a career minor leaguer whose shot at the NHL never came due to a broken leg. The minor leaguer in the New York Rangers system also played baseball in the Boston Braves organization.

Hockey would have to wait another 15 years before seeing another black perform on the NHL ice. In the seventies came Mike Marson and Bill Riley of the Washington Capitals. Marson in particular faced a real tough time with racist remarks and actions.

It should be noted though that Alton White pre-dated Marson and Riley when he signed with the WHA. The former Providence Reds AHL star never had an opportunity to sign with a NHL team.

Tony McKegney, with nearly 350 NHL regular season and playoff goals, including a 40-goal season in 1987-88 with the St. Louis Blues, was the first bona fide star of African-Canadian background. Born in Montreal, he was adopted by a family in Sarnia at the age of one. "Sometimes I would wonder why I was trying to be a pro player when there were none to look up to. I'm proud of the fact that I was the first Black to establish myself in the NHL. Now there are a few. I hope that helps youngsters who need someone to emulate." He would serve as a role model for the many blacks to follow, 
 including Jarome Iginla, probably the greatest black player to date.

 
Not far behind McKegney was Grant Fuhr. Perhaps because he was wearing a mask or perhaps because he was overshadowed by teammates such as Gretzky and Messier, not everyone seems to realize Fuhr is black. Fuhr backstopped the Oilers dynasty to 4 Stanley Cups, and became the first and only black inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the first to have his name inducted on the Stanley Cup.

More and more blacks are now picking up sticks and strapping skates. The NHL has created a diversity program to get hockey into the grassroots levels of non-traditional cultures, namely black and Hispanic areas of the United States. The program has been greatly received, and has even produced its first NHL graduate - goaltender Gerald Coleman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

These kids all have role models to look up to, too, nowadays. In addition to Carnegie, O'Ree, McKegney and Fuhr, there are active black superstars such as Iginla, Anson Carter, Mike Grier, Georges Laraque, Kevin Weekes, Ray Emery and Trevor Daley. For a complete listing of all 52 black players in National Hockey League history, see below:



There have been 52 black hockey players to play in the National Hockey League. In chronological order, they are:

1. Willie O'Ree, 1958 - Legally blind in one eye, perhaps explaining why this speedball missed the net so often.
2. Mike Marson, 1974 - True tough guy, couldn't handle to realities of racism down in the United States.
3. Bill Riley, 1976 - Was working as a welder in an aluminum plant in northern British Columbia when the Capitals gave him a tryout.
4. Tony McKegney, 1978 - The first top line black NHLer, McKegney was a solid scoring threat everywhere he played.
5. Bernie Saunders, 1979 - He only played in 10 games. His brother is John Saunders, studio host and play by play commentator for ESPN.com.
6. Ray Neufeld, 1980 - Really struggled after being traded from Hartford to Winnipeg. In Hartford he was utilized as a scorer along side Ron Francis. In Winnipeg he was miscast as a power forward, but remained a productive forward despite his critics. The pressure of being traded for Dave Babych also weighed heavily on him.
7. Grant Fuhr, 1981 - Needs no introduction. The first black to have his name on the Stanley Cup and to be inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Integral member of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers.
8. Valmore James, 1981 - Born in Ocala, Florida and growing up on Long Island, New York, James was the first African American to play in the National Hockey League.
9. Brian Johnson, 1983 - A free agent signing out of the Quebec League, Johnson only played in 3 NHL games.
10. Dirk Graham, 1984 - A real hustler, Graham was a tremendous two way player who won the Selke trophy as the league's best defensive forward.
11. Darren Lowe, 1984 - 1984 Olympian played 8 games with the Pens. Later coached at the University of Toronto.
12. Eldon "Pokey" Reddick, 1986 - Goaltending sensation took the NHL by storm with both his name and his spectacular goaltending.
13. Steve Fletcher, 1987 - Minor league tough guy debuted in the playoffs.
14. Claude Vilgrain, 1987 - The only NHLer born in Haiti, though he grew up in Montreal.
15. Paul Jerrard, 1988 - Scrappy defenseman got 5 game audition with Minnesota North Stars in 1988-89. He had a lengthy minor league career. Now coaching in the AHL, he is the subject of ESPN.com's Scott Burnside's piece Hockey's Quiet Pioneer.
16. Mike McHugh, 1988 - A graduate of the University of Maine, McHugh joined Jerrard in North Stars system before being transfered to the expansion San Jose Sharks.
17. Graeme Townshend, 1989 - The only NHLer born in Jamaica, he studied at RPI before turning professional. He is now a scout with the San Jose Sharks.
18. Reggie Savage, 1991 - A real sniper in junior and in the minors, he could never find the twine at the NHL level.
19. Dale Craigwell, 1991 - A real intelligent player, Craigwell got long looks in junior while centering the Oshawa Generals second line behind Eric Lindros.
20. Darren Banks, 1992 - Minor league tough guy relied on his fists for his NHL cup of coffee.
21. Donald Brashear, 1993 - Veteran NHL tough guy now protects Alexander Ovechkin
22. Sandy McCarthy, 1993 - Part Black, Part Native, Pure tough guy.
23. Fred Brathwaite, 1994 - A serviceable NHL goalie.
24. Craig Martin, 1994 - Born in Amherst, N.S., same hometown as Bill Riley.
25. Joaquin Gage, 1994 - Edmonton Oiler farm hand now plays in Europe.
26. Jason Doig, 1995 - Physical defenseman didn't have the skating or puck skills to play in the NHL.
27. Jarome Iginla, 1996 - One of the top 10 players in the National Hockey League.
28. Anson Carter, 1996 - Team Canada hero has bounced around the league a bit. His hair is unmistakable.
29. Jamal Mayers, 1996 - A real solid, physical third liner.
30. Mike Grier, 1996 - A linebacker on skates.
31. Rumun Ndur, 1996 - The only black NHLer born in Africa, born in Nigeria. His family immigrated to Sarnia, Ontario, but only after finding too many diplomatic road blocks to their first choice, Texas. This naturally gifted athlete likely could have been a NFL star, but growing up in Canada he chose hockey. He is playing this season in England.
32. Sean Brown, 1996 - With a career much like Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, it is only fitting both of them have found a home this season on the blue line of DEG Metro Stars (German Elite League)
33. Kevin Weekes, 1997 - Though he has struggled with consistency, this incredibly athletic goaltender has proven to be a NHL quality netminder.
34. Peter Worrell, 1997 - As a tough guy, Worrell was down right scary. As a hockey player, he lacked most skills.
35. Georges Laraque, 1997 - The most dominant enforcer since Bob Probert.
36. Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, 1998 - Aggressive defenseman lacked polish, but played 269 NHL games. Has continued to play in Europe post NHL lock-out.
37. Tyrone Garner, 1998 - Goalie turned forward this season.
38. Francis Bouillion, 1999 - Undersized defenseman adds nice spunk to Montreal's blue line.
40. Bryce Salvador, 2000 - Throw back defenseman has struggled in the new NHL, but has carved out a nice career clinging to a 5 or 6 spot on the St. Louis blue line.
41. Nathan Robinson, 2003 - Wanna know a secret? I've never heard of the 7 game NHL veteran before compiling this list.
42. Trevor Daley, 2003 - Undersized defenseman was reluctantly in the news following a racial incident with junior coach and former NHL goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck.
43. Ray Emery, 2003 - Can he lead the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup?
44. Sean McMorrow, 2003 - Tough guy called up for single game in Buffalo.
45. Greg Mauldin, 2003 - Long shot got a try out with the Blue Jackets late in 2003-04.
46. Anthony Stewart, 2005 - Tagged as potential star power forward, Stewart has been slow to develop in Florida.
47. Dustin Byfulagin, 2005 - Big man struggling to stick in the NHL.
48. Gerald Coleman, 2006 - First graduate of NHL's diversity program.
49. Joel Ward, 2006 - Made his NHL debut in 2006-07.
50. Johnny Oduya, 2006 - Born and raised in Sweden to a Kenyan father.
51. Shawn Belle, 2006 - One of the best pure skaters anywhere.
52. Nigel Dawes, 2006 - Junior star might be too small to stick in NHL.

Special thanks to George Fosty for this research. Check out Fosty's Black Ice Project. Brother and co-author Darril Fosty also provides the following amazing YouTube Video:

Greatest Hockey Legends: C

Larry Cahan
Herb Cain
Eric Cairns
Jock Callander
Brett Callighen 
Patsy Callighen
Harry Cameron
Bryan Campbell
Scott Campbell 
Leo Carbol
Guy Carbonneau
Dan Carcillo
Claude Cardin
Steve Cardwell
George Carey
Jim Carey
Steve Carlson
Herb Carnegie
Alain Caron
Jacques Caron
Bobby Carpenter
Eddie Carpenter
Gene Carr 
Lorne Carr
Larry Carriere
Gene Carrigan
Billy Carroll
George Carroll
Greg Carroll
Bob Carse
Bill Carson
Frank Carson
Gerry Carson
Jimmy Carson
Lindsay Carson
John Carter
Lyle Carter
Michael Caruso
Joe Carveth
Jon Casey
Wayne Cashman
Andrew Cassels
Frederic Cassivi
Jay Caufield
Gino Cavallini
Paul Cavallini
Lorne Chabot
Murph Chamberlain
Shawn Chambers
Bob Champoux
Art Chapman

Zdeno Chara
Jose Charbonneau
Rick Chartraw
Vladimir Chebaturkin
Lude Check 
Jonathan Cheechoo
Gerry Cheevers
Chris Chelios
Dick Cherry
Don Cherry
Tim Cheveldae
Real Chevrefils
Steve Chiasson
Ron Chipperfield
Art Chisholm 
Mark Chorney
Tom Chorske
Guy Chouinard
Marc Chouinard
Dave Christian
Bob Chrystal 
Artem Chubarov
Kris Chucko
Jack Church
Shane Churla
Dave Chyzowski
Peter Ciavaglia
Dino Ciccarelli
Chris Cichocki
Hank Ciesla
Tony Cimellaro
Rob Cimetta
Joe Cirella  
Marian Cisar
King Clancy
Kim Clackson
Dit Clapper
Wendel Clark
Bobby Clarke
Noah Clarke
Greg Classen
Odie Cleghorn
Sprague Cleghorn
Bill Clement
Chris Clifford
Bruce Cline 
Jacques Cloutier
Real Cloutier
Ryane Clowe
Gary Coalter
Glen Cochrane
Paul Coffey
Danton Cole
Mac Colville
Neil Colville
Les Colvin
Mike Comrie
Brian Conacher
Charlie Conacher
Lionel Conacher 
Pete Conacher
Roy Conacher 
Rob Conn
Alec Connell
Bert Connelly
Wayne Connelly
Tim Connolly
Cam Connor
Bobby Connors
Craig Conroy
Joe Contini
Brandon Convery
Eddie Convey
Bill Cook
Bun Cook
Carson Cooper
Ed Cooper
Joe Cooper
Bobby Copp
Bert Corbeau
Norm Corcoran
Bob Corkum
Mike Corrigan
Jim Corsi
Shayne Corson
Les Costello
Charlie Cotch
Ray Cote
Sylvain Cote
Jack "Jerry" Coughlin
D'Arcy Coulson
Art Coulter
Tom Coulter
Yvan Cournoyer
Ed Courtenay
Geoff Courtnall
Russ Courtnall
Billy Coutu
Gerry "Doc" Couture
Rosie Couture
Bruce Cowick 
Bill Cowley
Abbie Cox
Craig Coxe 
Jim Craig
Dale Craigwell
Bart Crashley
Bobby Crawford 
John Crawford
Lou Crawford
Marc Crawford
Rusty Crawford
Adam Creighton
Dave Creighton 
Jimmy Creighton
Stanley Crossett
Gary Croteau
Doug Crossman
Keith Crowder
Troy Crowder
Roger Crozier
Nels Crutchfield
Wilf Cude
Barry Cullen
Brian Cullen
John Cullen
Ray Cullen
Tyler Cuma
Randy Cunneyworth
Les Cunningham
Tony Currie
Floyd "Busher" Curry
Ian Cushenan
Jean Cusson
Don Cutts
Claude Cyr
Paul Cyr
Mariusz Czerkawski 

Other Notable Teams

Anaheim Ducks Milos Holan Teemu Selanne Steve Thomas Atlanta Flames Dan Bouchard Guy Chouinard Tom Lysiak Phil Myre Willi Plett Pat Quinn Calgary Cowboys Don McLeod California Golden Seals/Oakland Seals Bobby Baun Bill Hicke Wayne Muloin Colorado Avalanche Craig Billington Ray Bourque Peter Forsberg Claude Lemieux Patrick Roy Joe Sakic Dallas Stars Derian Hatcher Brett Hull Craig Ludwig Andy Moog Joe Nieuwendyk Florida Panthers Pavel Bure Paul Laus Hamilton Tigers Shorty Green Kansas City Scouts Wilf Paiement Michel Plasse Los Angeles Sharks (WHA) Alton White Montreal AAA Archie Hooper Montreal Wanderers Riley Hern Doc Roberts Art Ross Newfoundland Senior Leagues Alex Faulkner

New York Americans Billy Burch Red Dutton Pat Egan Shorty Green Normie Himes Joe Krol Rabbit McVeigh Harry Oliver Charles Shannon Bullet Joe Simpson Shrimp Worters New York Raiders (WHA) Alton White Pittsburgh Pirates Shrimp Worters Portage Lake Lakers Barney Holden Portland Buckaroos Cliff Schmautz Quebec Aces Jean Beliveau Herb Carnegie Quebec Bulldogs Phantom Joe Malone Harry Mummery Regina Capitals (WCHL) George Hay St. Louis Eagles Fido Purpur San Diego Gulls (WHA) Willie O'Ree San Jose Sharks Igor Larionov Seattle Totems Guyle Fielder Tampa Bay Lightning Brian Bradley Toronto Blueshirts Harry Cameron Vancouver Millionaires Hugh Lehman Mickey MacKay Cyclone Taylor