Cully Dahlstrom

Carl Sidney "Cully" Dahlstrom (July 3, 1912 — December 19, 1998) was an American professional ice hockey center who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks between 1937 and 1945. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie for the 1937–38 season and won the Stanley Cup in the same season. He played 342 career NHL games, scoring 88 goals and 118 assists for 206 points. In 1973 he was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Playing career Dahlstrom began his playing career at Minneapolis South High School, after which he went on to play professionally in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with the Minneapolis Millers. Following his second season with the Millers, Dahlstrom made his first attempt at becoming a National Hockey League (NHL) player when he was invited to Boston Bruins training camp. He failed to make the team. He returned to the Millers and had his best season with the team, scoring 28 points in 43 games. Following his third year with Minneapolis he joined the St. Paul Saints and improved his point total to 36, playing 44 games. At season's end he was named a Second Team CHL All-Star. Dahlstrom attended the Hawks training camp in 1936 but did not make the team. That season Chicago finished with a 14–25–9 recorded, but still managed to earn a playoff berth, finishing two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in the American Division. In the first round of the playoffs the Black Hawks defeated the Montreal Canadiens in a three game series 2–1. The second round featured the Black Hawks facing off against the New York Americans. After losing the opening game, Chicago faced elimination as game two went into double overtime tied 0–0. Then at the 13:01 mark of the second overtime Dahlstrom scored, giving Chicago the win. The Black Hawks went on to win the following game, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. Chicago took a 2–1 series lead.

Over the next three seasons he averaged 25 points in 44 games. Entering the 1940–41 playoffs the Black Hawks had not won a playoff round since their Stanley Cup victory. Chicago and Montreal played in the first round with the teams splitting the first two games of the series. The third game decided the series; in that game Dahlstrom scored two goals, helping Chicago to the 3–2 victory. The season proved to be Dahlstrom's most successful as he set career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points. The success did not last as he tied his career low in points during the 1944–45 season. He never played a game for Seattle as he chose to retire following the 1944–45 season. On December 19, 1998 Dahlstrom died at age 86.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1931–32 Minneapolis Millers CHL 30 9 1 10 10 — — — — — 1932–33 Minneapolis Millers CHL 27 3 9 12 27 7 1 0 1 0 1933–34 Minneapolis Millers CHL 43 13 15 28 20 3 2 4 6 0 1934–35 St. Paul Saints CHL 44 16 20 36 30 8 3 0 3 2 1935–36 St. Paul Saints AHA 46 20 23 43 26 — — — — — 1936–37 St. Paul Saints AHA 47 23 19 42 25 — — — — — 1937–38 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 10 9 19 11 10 3 1 4 2 1938–39 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 6 14 20 2 — — — — — 1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 45 11 19 30 15 2 0 0 0 0 1940–41 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 40 11 14 25 6 5 3 3 6 2 1941–42 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 33 13 14 27 6 3 0 0 0 0 1942–43 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 38 11 13 24 10 — — — — — 1943–44 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 50 20 22 42 8 9 0 4 4 6 1944–45 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 40 6 13 19 0 — — — — — NHL totals 342 88 118 206 58 29 6 8 14 10

Awards and achievements Selected to the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1935. Selected to the AHA First All-Star Team in 1936. Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1938. Stanley Cup champion in 1938. Inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.