Gabby Gronsdahl

Back in 1941 Lloyd "Gabby" Gronsdahl was about to embark upon his NHL career. How far he would have gotten is impossible to ascertain

After graduating from the Saskatchewan junior leagues, Gronsdahl moved to Boston where he played with the Boston Olympics of the EHL. A clean right winger with a knack for scoring goals, Gronsdahl impressed in the EHL, scoring 29 goals in 43 games. His goal scoring exploits saw him get a promotion to the NHL Boston Bruins. He played in 10 games. He scored 1 goal and 2 assists in limited ice time.

With more and more players being summoned to fight in World War II, it was hoped that Gronsdahl could step in and score some big goals during the War years. However in 1942, Gronsdahl too was called off to serve with the Canadian military.

Gronsdahl served 4 years in the military, playing hockey when he could. When he returned from the war for the 1946-47 season, "Gabby" tired out with the AHL's Hershey Bears. He struggled to fine his pre-war form in the two years with the Bears, and soon found a home in a lower minor league, the USHL, with the Tulsa Oilers. Gabby played strongly in the weaker league, scoring 81 goals in 3 years before hanging up the blades.

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Jack Gelineau

When Jack Gelineau died of cancer in late 1998, I have to admit it was the first time I had heard of him. This is what I learned about Jack Gelineau.

Gelineau was born in Toronto on November 11th 1924. He played his amateur hockey at McGill University. He backstopped the McGill Redmen to a 48-21-2 record in his 4 years of schooling, with a career goals against average of 3.39. He was the first ever recipient of the Forbes Trophy as McGill's male athlete of the year in 1948. In 1997 he was inducted into the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame. Gelineau graduated with a B.Com in 1949.

Late in the 1949 season Gelineau was signed by the Boston Bruins to finish the season in Boston. Gelineau went 2-2-0 in 4 games with a 3.41 GAA, enough to impress the Bruins to sign him for the following season.

Gelinau won the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year in 1949-50. He appeared in 67 games going 22-30-15 with a 3.28 GAA on a bad Boston Bruins squad. The following season was surprisingly Gelineau's last full season in the NHL. He went 22-30-18 playing in all 70 games that year with a 2.81 GAA, good enough to lift the Bruins to the playoffs. Gelineau went 1-2 in 4 playoff appearances with a sizzling 1.82 GAA.

Gelineau would play most of his final four seasons of hockey with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior League, though in 1953 he made two appearances in between the pipes for the Chicago Blackhawks.

In all Gelineau posted a 3.13 goals-against average in 143 NHL games with a record of 46-64-33.

Prior to his NHL days Gelineau served in the Second World War. He was awarded the British Empire Medal for gallantry after surviving a 1944 plane crash and rescuing an injured crewman from the burning plane loaded with ammunition.

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Bob Perreault

Bob Perreault, known as Miche to his friends, was always very popular with his teammates wherever he played. Former Boston Bruins coach Phil Watson once said "Perreault is a good goalkeeper and a great man in the dressing room, he keeps everyone loose with his humor".

Although his NHL career consisted of just 31 games played, Perreault should be noted a very talented goalie. He played three seasons for the Trois-Rivieres Flambeaux (1948-51) before becoming a professional with the Providence Reds (AHL). During his pro career Perreault had the misfortune to get stuck behind goalies like Jaques Plante, Terry Sawchuk and Eddie Johnston.

He had one of the faster glove hands of that time, something that he developed while playing catcher on a baseball team. Toronto's coach at that time Punch Imlach said "There's no doubt that Perreault has one of the fastest hands in hockey today." Late in his career he used to wander out of his net a lot, something that he credited Jaques Plante for whom he at times was a backup for in Montreal.

Bob's NHL debut came In 1956 when he was called up from Shawinigan Falls of the Quebec league by Montreal as an emergency replacement for Jaques Plante. He had a spectacular NHL debut, blanking Chicago. At that time Perreault became the eighth NHL goalie to record a shutout in a NHL debut. He played in another five games that season for Montreal and finished with a respectable 2.00 GAA.

Three years later, an injury to Detroit's Terry Sawchuk prompted Bob's brief promotion (from Hershey) to the NHL once more. His first game for Detroit was televised nationally in the US, and once again the opponent was Chicago (3-2 win for the Wings). During those years he spent six seasons for the Hershey Bears, winning the Harry Holmes Memorial Award as AHL's leading goalie in 1958-59. He twice paced the AHL in shutouts. He also had brief stints with Rochester and Providence. He had previously collected the Vezina Memorial Trophy as the star netminder of the Quebec League in 1954-55. But the award that he cherished the most was the one that he got in 1963-64 while playing for the San Francisco Seals (WHL). He got a trophy from the rival team Los Angeles Blades as the most popular visiting player that season, proving Bob was not only popular with his teammates but with his opponents as well.

On June 6, 1962, Bob was drafted by Boston from Detroit in an intraleague draft. Bob had a good camp for Boston, and coach Phil Watson decided to let Perreault start in goal at the beginning of the 1962-63 season. On October 11, 1962 at Boston Garden, Perreault was to play in the game that he stated was the biggest thrill of his life.

It was against Montreal and Bob displayed some awesome goaltending in that game. With Boston up 2-0 early in the second period, Jean Beliveau skated in on Perreault but was robbed of the sure goal. Then, a moment later Henri Richard hurled a shot from point-blank range. He too, was robbed by Perreault. In the third period with Boston up 5-0, "Miche" made some spectacular saves on both Gilles Tremblay and Red Berenson. What made this so sweet for Bob was that he knew several of the Montreal players well, guys like Beliveau, Dickie Moore, Claude Provost and Bernie Geoffrion.

Perreault shared his goaltending duties with Ed Johnston later that season. But his glory days would be short lived. Bruins sold Bob to the San Francisco Seals in June 1963 for $25.000. Perreault immediately led San Francisco to two straight championships in the WHL.

His 22 games for Boston in 1962-63 proved to be his last hurrah in the big league. Bob became a fixture in the minor leagues,playing for the Rochester Americans (AHL) between 1965-69. He then played in the IHL for the Des Moines Oak Leafs between 1969-72. During these years Bob won another Hap Holmes Memorial Award 1968 (fewest goals against in the AHL) as well as the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1970 (fewest goals against in the IHL).

Bob's last "major league" appearance came in WHA's inagural season in 1972-73 when he was in goal for one game as a chubby 42-year old for the Los Angeles Sharks as an emergency "solution". Emergency or not, he won that game and only allowed two goals in the game. Bob finished his active hockey career in 1973-74 for the Greensboro Generals of the SHL (Southern Hockey League) where he played 16 games (4.01 GAA) as a 43-year old.

Had Perreault not become a professional goalie, he very well may have given his hands a try at boxing. As a teenager Bob used to box in Shawinigan Falls and Grandmere, Quebec between hockey seasons. He was known as "Kid Flamingo" because he used to wear pink boxing trunks. He had a total of 13 fights (winning 5) before leaving boxing behind him. It was his hockey coach for the Trois-Rivieres Flambeaux (QJHL) who insisted on that Bob should get off the ropes and into the rinks as he was afraid that Bob might injure his hands. The undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano used to train in Providence where Bob played hockey and they became pretty good friends.

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Jim "Seaweed" Pettie

This is Jim Pettie. He was nicknamed "Seaweed" because of his clumpy, stringy hair.

Pettie was the Boston Bruins back up netminder in 1978-79, playing in 21 career NHL games. He was a tough bugger, too, picking up 13 PIMs in the NHL. In one minor league season he actually earned an amazing 145 PIMs.

He is most famous for being prolific writer George Plimpton's roommate when Plimpton participated in the Bruins training camp (even playing 5 minutes against the Flyers) while writing the book Open Net. As a result, he was prominently featured in the classic book.

In the minor leagues Seaweed found Darryl Edestrand also as a roommate while in Rochester. Edestrand had some great memories of Pettie.

"My romie was a goalie named Jim "Seaweed" Pettie, a little guy, typical goaltender, stranger than a shithouse rat," Edestrand so eloquently stated in Ross Brewitt's excellent book "Into The Empty Net."

Edestrand also recalled the strangest story of how their hotel room was mistaken for someone else's rambunctious party. The story reached the newspaper headlines, complete with the headline "Nude Hockey Players Assault Cops."

It seems Edestrand, who is sleeping with no clothes on, and Pettie, who was enjoying a long bath, were surprised by six cops and the hotel night manager who came into break up the non-existent party.

"About six cops come barelling down the hallway, and in the meantime Seaweed has gotten out of the tub, into a twoel, and comes out of the room. Me and the night manager jump aside, and two cops steamroll ol' Seaweed to the floor. But he's soaking wet and the first cop skidded off him like a greased pig, the second cop can't get the cuffs on him 'cause he's all soaped up or using bath gel or something.

"The cop told the judge Seaweed was like a wiry peach pit, couldn't find a place to grab onto him. We got off, but the best part was the cop who skidded into the wall sued Seaweed for $150,000, claiming that ever since the incident he could no longer perform his manly duties at home. I think he settled for $1,500."

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Jack Bionda

One would think hockey is Canada's national sport right? Wrong. For the longest time lacrosse was recognized as the official sport of this country. Only in the 1990s was hockey recognized as an official sport of the nation. Hockey was named Canada's winter sport while lacrosse became hockey's summer sport.

Lacrosse is in some ways pretty similar to hockey. Many of the oldtimers played both sports. Even in modern times you can find NHLers with strong ties to lacrosse - players like Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts and Brendan Shanahan.

Arguably the greatest lacrosse player of all time was John Arthur (Jack) Bionda. Jack was like the "Gretzky" of lacrosse and spent the off seasons playing hockey, including parts of 4 seasons in the National Hockey League.

Jack Bionda's lacrosse career spanned two decades 1945-1968. He spent most of those years on the west coast playing for senior lacrosse teams in Victoria, Nanaimo and Portland, Oregon. He helped his teams win the Mann Cup symbolic of Canadian lacrosse superiority 5 times in 14 years. Several times he was named league MVP and won the scoring championship.

Bionda's career started back east in Ontario however, where he also played hockey. Bionda played in the juniors with the Toronto Marlies for three seasons.

In 1955-56 he played professional hockey in the Toronto Maple Leafs organizations. A tough as nails defenseman, Bionda played most of the season in Pittsburgh with the AHL Hornets. He led the league in penalty minutes and added 7 goals and 17 points. He also got his first call up to the NHL where he played in 13 games with the Leafs. He had one assist.

Jack was picked up by the Boston Bruins in the Intra League draft in the off season of 1956. He played in parts of the next 3 seasons with the Bruins while also seeing time with the Bruins AHL affiliates in Springfield and Providence. Jack played in a total of 80 games for the Bruins, scoring 3 goals and 8 assists with 95 PIM. He also appeared in 11 playoff games, picking up 1 lone assist.

In 1959 Jack's lacrosse career carried him out west, first to Vancouver Island and later Portland Oregon. Jack's move out west became a year round thing for the Bionda family. Jack left the NHL and opted to play in the Western Hockey League during the lacrosse off season. He spent one season with the Victoria Cougars before playing 7 seasons with the Portland Buckaroos.

He developed a reputation as a tough and solid defenseman in the WHL. However he earned an even better reputation playing lacrosse.

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