Cal Gardner

Calvin Pearly "Ginger, Red, Torchy" Gardner (October 30, 1924 – October 10, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. In 1943, after playing professional hockey for three years and winning the Memorial Cup, he joined the Canadian military and took part in World War II. After the war, he returned to professional hockey, joining the New York Rangers affiliate, the New York Rovers. With the Rovers, Gardner centred a line with fellow Manitobans Church Russell and Rene Trudell. The trio were dominant, with all three players being called up to the Rangers and making their National Hockey League debut on February 10, 1946. From their debut, the trio remained intact as a line until December 1947, with the unit being nicknamed "Whiz Kids" and the "rover-boy line." Following the 1948 season, the Rangers traded Gardner to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships.

Gardner was later a hockey announcer with Toronto radio station CKFH in the 1970s.

He died in 2001. His two sons Paul and Dave were also professional ice hockey players.

While playing for the Springfield Indians of the AHL in the 1957–58 season, Gardner served as an assistant coach. Gardner also served as a player-head coach while with the Kingston Frontenacs of the EPHL in 1959-60.

NHL Transactions 1945: Signed as a free agent with the New York Rovers (EHL). April 26, 1948: Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs (along with Bill Juzda, Rene Trudel and the rights to Frank Mathers) for Wally Stanowski and Elwyn Morris. September 11, 1952: Traded to the Chicago Black Hawks (along with Ray Hannigan, Gus Mortson and Al Rollins) for Harry Lumley. June 26, 1953: Traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for cash.

Sources: Legends of Hockey NHLTradeTracker.com

Awards and achievements Memorial Cup Championship (1943) EHL First All-Star Team (1946) EHL Scoring Champion (1946) Played in NHL All-Star game (1948 & 1949) Stanley Cup Championships (1949 & 1951) AHL Second All-Star Team (1958) Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1940–41 St. Boniface Canadiens WJrHL — — — — — — — — — — 1941–42 Winnipeg CUAC WJrHL 9 6 3 9 11 — — — — — 1942–43 Winnipeg Esquires WJrHL 15 18 9 27 37 6 8 5 13 2 1942–43 Winnipeg Rangers M-Cup — — — — — 10 11 3 14 30 1943–44 Port Arthur Navy TBSHL 10 18 24 42 15 2 5 3 8 4 1943–44 Port Arthur Navy M-Cup — — — — — 2 5 2 7 4 1945–46 New York Rangers NHL 16 8 2 10 2 — — — — — 1945–46 New York Rovers EHL 40 41 32 73 28 — — — — — 1946–47 New York Rangers NHL 52 13 16 29 30 — — — — — 1947–48 New York Rangers NHL 57 7 18 25 71 5 0 0 0 0 1948–49 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 53 13 22 35 35 9 2 5 7 0 1949–50 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 31 7 19 26 12 7 1 0 1 4 1950–51 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 66 23 28 51 42 11 1 1 2 4 1951–52 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 15 26 41 40 3 0 0 0 2 1952–53 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 11 24 35 60 7 0 2 2 4 1953–54 Boston Bruins NHL 70 14 20 34 62 4 1 1 2 0 1954–55 Boston Bruins NHL 70 16 22 38 40 5 0 0 0 4 1955–56 Boston Bruins NHL 70 15 21 36 57 — — — — — 1956–57 Boston Bruins NHL 70 12 20 32 66 10 2 1 3 2 1957–58 Springfield Indians AHL 69 24 57 81 49 13 4 12 16 5 1958–59 Providence Reds AHL 68 24 39 63 73 — — — — — 1959–60 Kingston Frontenacs EPHL 65 32 61 93 57 — — — — — 1960–61 Cleveland Barons AHL 72 25 39 64 24 4 1 0 1 0 NHL totals 696 154 238 392 517 61 7 10 17 20

Coaching record +Cal Gardner EPHL coaching statistics Team Year Regular season Post season G W L T Winning % Finish Result Kingston Frontenacs 1959-1960 70 28 39 3 .421 6th in league Out of playoffs