Gaye Stewart

James Gaye Stewart (June 28, 1923 – November 18, 2010) was a professional ice hockey forward. He played nine seasons as a left winger in the National Hockey League.

Playing career Born in Fort William, Ontario, Stewart was called from the minors in 1942 to play in one game of the Stanley Cup Final, where he helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup. The next season, Stewart won the 1942–43 Calder Memorial Trophy, beating out Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard of the Montreal Canadiens. He became the first player to win the Stanley Cup before the Calder. Danny Grant, Tony Esposito and Ken Dryden have accomplished the feat since then.

After spending two years in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, Stewart returned to the NHL in 1945 and had his best season, leading the league with 37 goals - the last time a Leaf led the League in goals before Auston Matthews in 2020–21. Stewart won his second Stanley Cup, again with the Maple Leafs, in 1946–47. Toronto traded Stewart to Chicago early in the 1947–48 season in a deal that brought Max Bentley to the Leafs. Stewart had three 20-goal seasons for the Black Hawks before finishing his career with stints with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens. In all, Gaye Stewart played for five of the NHL's Original Six teams, all except the Boston Bruins. He played 502 career NHL games, scoring 185 goals and 159 assists for 344 points. Stewart died on November 18, 2010, in a hospital in Burlington, Ontario, at the age of 87.

Awards and achievements Stanley Cup champion in 1942 and 1947. Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1943. Selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1946. Selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1948. Played in 1947, 1948, 1950 and 1951 NHL All-Star Games. Selected to the AHL First All-Star Team in 1954. Former last member of the Toronto Maple Leafs to lead the NHL in goals with 37 in 1946.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1939–40 Port Arthur Bruins TBJHL 16 17 6 23 18 5 8 2 10 4 1940–41 Toronto Marlboros OHA-Jr. 16 31 13 44 16 12 13 7 20 10 1941–42 Toronto Marlboros OHA-Jr. 13 13 8 21 2 6 3 4 7 4 1941–42 Hershey Bears AHL 5 4 2 6 0 10 4 5 9 0 1941–42 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0 1942–43 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 24 23 47 20 4 0 2 2 4 1943–44 Montreal Royals QSHL 10 4 7 11 8 4 6 2 8 0 1943–44 Montreal Navy MCHL 6 5 7 12 2 5 7 4 11 4 1944–45 Cornwallis Navy NSDHL 11 9 7 16 12 3 3 4 7 2 1945–46 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 50 37 15 52 8 — — — — — 1946–47 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 19 14 33 15 — — — — — 1946–47 Valleyfield Braves QSHL 1 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1947–48 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1947–48 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 54 26 29 55 83 — — — — — 1948–49 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 54 20 18 38 57 — — — — — 1949–50 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 24 19 43 43 — — — — — 1950–51 Detroit Red Wings NHL 67 18 13 31 18 6 0 2 2 4 1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 69 15 25 40 22 — — — — — 1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 18 1 1 2 8 — — — — — 1952–53 Montreal Canadiens NHL 5 0 2 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 1952–53 Quebec Aces QMHL 29 13 20 33 28 22 16 12 28 8 1953–54 Buffalo Bisons AHL 70 42 53 95 38 3 0 2 2 4 1953–54 Montreal Canadiens NHL — — — — — 3 0 0 0 0 1954–55 Buffalo Bisons AHL 60 17 19 36 36 — — — — — NHL totals 502 185 159 344 274 25 2 9 11 16