Gus Mortson

James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson (January 24, 1925 – August 8, 2015) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Red Wings, winning four Stanley Cups with Toronto. He also played in eight NHL All-Star Games.

Early career Mortson grew up in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. He joined the St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association Jr. league in 1943–44 and played two seasons for them. He then turned professional and played for the United States Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers in 1945–46, compiling 48 points in 51 games.

National Hockey League In 1946–47 Mortson joined the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played for the next six seasons. He and fellow defenceman Jim Thomson were known as the "Gold Dust Twins", and the two helped the Maple Leafs win Stanley Cups in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951. In the 1948 All-Star game, Mortson and Gordie Howe squared off and, as of 2015, are the only players to fight in an NHL All-Star Game. In 1950, Mortson was named to the league's first all-star team.

Later career After his NHL career ended, Mortson played professional hockey with the American Hockey League's Buffalo Bisons, and retired in 1967 while playing semi-professional with the Oakville Oaks of the Ontario Hockey Association Senior A League. In 1970, he moved to Timmins becoming a stockbroker and later as a mining company representative.

Awards and achievements 1947 Stanley Cup Championship (Toronto) 1948 Stanley Cup Championship (Toronto) 1949 Stanley Cup Championship (Toronto) 1951 Stanley Cup Championship (Toronto) 1947 NHL All-Star (Toronto) 1948 NHL All-Star (Toronto) 1950 NHL All-Star (Toronto) 1951 NHL All-Star (Toronto) 1952 NHL All-Star (Toronto) 1953 NHL All-Star (Chicago) 1954 NHL All-Star (Chicago) 1956 NHL All-Star (Chicago)

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Bold indicates led league Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1942–43 Kirkland Lake Lakers GBHL — — — — — — — — — — 1943–44 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHA 25 5 11 16 16 12 2 2 4 12 1943–44 Oshawa Generals M-Cup — — — — — 8 1 4 5 4 1944–45 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHA 17 6 12 18 18 6 1 5 6 8 1944–45 Toronto St. Michael's Majors M-Cup — — — — — 14 6 4 10 12 1945–46 Tulsa Oilers USHL 51 19 29 48 47 13 1 5 6 12 1946–47 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 5 13 18 133 11 1 3 4 22 1947–48 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 58 7 11 18 118 5 1 2 3 2 1948–49 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 2 13 15 85 9 2 1 3 8 1949–50 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 3 14 17 125 7 0 0 0 18 1950–51 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 3 10 13 142 11 0 1 1 4 1951–52 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 1 10 11 106 4 0 0 0 8 1952–53 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 5 18 23 88 7 1 1 2 6 1953–54 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 5 13 18 132 — — — — — 1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 65 2 11 13 133 — — — — — 1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 52 5 10 15 87 — — — — — 1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 5 18 23 147 — — — — — 1957–58 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 67 3 10 13 62 — — — — — 1958–59 Detroit Red Wings NHL 36 0 1 1 22 — — — — — 1958–59 Buffalo Bisons AHL 29 3 9 12 46 11 3 3 6 12 1959–60 Buffalo Bisons AHL 72 10 32 42 37 — — — — — 1962–63 Chatham Maroons OHA-Sr. 36 11 14 25 46 9 1 1 2 6 1963–64 Chatham Maroons IHL 29 2 14 16 60 — — — — — 1964–65 Oakville Oaks OHA-Sr. 31 7 18 25 78 11 1 5 6 18 1964–65 Buffalo Bisons AHL 3 0 3 3 0 — — — — — 1965–66 Oakville Oaks OHA-Sr. 27 7 15 22 48 7 0 2 2 2 1966–67 Oakville Oaks OHA-Sr. 13 3 3 6 8 — — — — — NHL totals 797 46 152 198 1380 54 5 8 13 68