Hockey Heroes of the Past: Joe Malone

Welcome to another blog article, where I will be featuring Hockey Heroes of the Past. For now, I will be focusing on player who played between 1900-1970. Why that time period? Well, it is important to remember these pioneer's, that paved the way for current NHL superstars. Without these legends, who knows where our game would be. So I find it is essential that these Hockey Heroes get the recognition they deserve. Today we look at the legendary Joe Malone

Joe Malone

Born: February 28th, 1890

Birthplace: Quebec City, QC

Height: 5f10

Weight: 150 lbs

Position:Center

Teams: Montreal Canadiens, Hamilton Tigers, Quebec Bulldogs

Nickname: "Phantom" Joe

NHL Career Stats;

GP = 126

G= 143

A = 32

Pts = 175

PIM = 57

***Awards***

-Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950.

-NHL scoring leader in 1918 and 1920.

-Stanley Cup Champion: 1912 and 1913 Quebec Bulldogs, 1924 Montreal Canadiens.

***Records***

-Most goals in one game (7), January 31, 1920 at Quebec. Final score: Quebec 10, Toronto 6.

-Most games played with 5 goals or more: 5

-Highest goals-per-game average, one season: 2.20 with Montreal, 1917–18 season (44 goals in 20 games).

-Fastest player in NHL history to score 100 goals - 62 games

-Most consecutive three-or-more goal games: 3 (1917–18 and again later in that season), tied with Mike Bossy (1980–81)

-Longest consecutive goal-scoring streak from start of NHL career: 14 games (1917–18)

-Malone was a true legend of his time. He is highly regarded as one of the most prolific natural scorers in NHL history. No other player has ever averaged 2 goals per/game in a season. A true sniper, and a humble person. Just look what he had to say about his own way of playing the game:

Malone, remembered as a tricky stickhandler, described his own style of play. "I didn't have the hardest shot in the world, but I knew where it was going most of the time. You can't say as much for the slap shot. With the old wrist shot you looked where you were shooting, trying to pick your spots. With the slap the player has to keep his eye on the puck, like in golf, or you're liable to fan the shot entirely. I've seen that done. It's an exciting play, but I wouldn't want to be the goaltender. You never know where the puck's going. Seems to me that's why so many goalies get hurt."

This legendary player didn't get the fame and fortune that today's players had. Hockey was not a way to make money. As he recounted to a journalist below:

"I guess you could say that I was firing blanks. I didn't get any trophy or any bonus. In fact I was in pro hockey two or three years before I picked up $1,000 for a whole season. And I started with Waterloo in the old Trolley League for $50 a week, and a mighty short season in those days

Nowadays the unassuming Malone is all but forgotten, a victim of time. But until his record of 7 goals in a single NHL game is broken, he will always be a legend in history.