Earl Seibert

Walter Earl Seibert (December 7, 1910 – May 12, 1990) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played for 15 seasons for the Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings between 1931 and 1946. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.

Playing career Earl was an important member of the 1933 New York Rangers and 1938 Chicago Black Hawks Stanley Cup victories. Each year from 1935 to 1944, Seibert was selected to the first or second NHL All-Star team (four times to the first, six times to the second). A tenacious defender, Seibert was renowned for rugged physical play, famously being the only player Eddie Shore was unwilling to fight.

An accident during a January 28, 1937 game cast a shadow over Seibert's great career. Seibert and the legendary Howie Morenz became tangled up behind the Chicago net. Morenz fell awkwardly against the boards and broke his leg in several places. Morenz died in the hospital from complications of the injury several weeks later.

After his NHL retirement, Seibert served as coach of Eddie Shore's Springfield Indians.

Seibert was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963 and joined his father Oliver as the first father and son combination in the Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was ranked number 72 on The Hockey News''' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Seibert died following a battle with brain cancer on May 12, 1990.

In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats'', the authors ranked Seibert at No. 61 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1927–28 Kitchener Greenshirts OHA — — — — — — — — — — 1927–28 Kitchener Greenshirts OHA Sr 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1928–29 Kitchener Greenshirts OHA — — — — — — — — — — 1929–30 Springfield Indians CAHL 40 4 1 5 84 — — — — — 1930–31 Springfield Indians CAHL 38 16 11 27 96 — — — — — 1931–32 New York Rangers NHL 44 4 6 10 88 7 1 2 3 14 1932–33 New York Rangers NHL 45 2 3 5 92 8 1 0 1 14 1933–34 New York Rangers NHL 48 13 10 23 66 2 0 0 0 4 1934–35 New York Rangers NHL 48 6 19 25 86 4 0 0 0 6 1935–36 New York Rangers NHL 15 3 3 6 6 — — — — — 1935–36 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 29 2 6 8 21 2 2 0 2 0 1936–37 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 45 9 6 15 46 — — — — — 1937–38 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 8 13 21 38 10 5 2 7 12 1938–39 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 4 11 15 57 — — — — — 1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 37 3 7 10 35 2 0 1 1 8 1940–41 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 44 3 17 20 52 5 0 0 0 12 1941–42 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 45 7 14 21 52 2 0 0 0 0 1942–43 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 44 5 27 32 48 — — — — — 1943–44 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 50 8 25 33 40 9 0 2 2 2 1944–45 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 22 7 8 15 13 — — — — — 1944–45 Detroit Red Wings NHL 25 5 9 14 10 14 2 1 3 4 1945–46 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 24 2 9 11 19 — — — — — 1945–46 Detroit Red Wings NHL 18 0 3 3 18 — — — — — 1946–47 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 19 0 0 0 0 — — — — — NHL totals 653 89 187 276 768 65 11 8 19 76

Coaching statistics

– midseason replacement