Kent Douglas

Kent Gemmell Douglas (February 6, 1936 – April 12, 2009) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach.

Playing career Early career Douglas started his career with the Kitchener Canucks in the Ontario Hockey Association. He spent two seasons with the Canucks and eight seasons in the American Hockey League and the Western Hockey League with the Springfield Indians, Winnipeg Warriors and the Vancouver Canucks. In Springfield, Douglas came under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Eddie Shore, the then owner of the Indians. There, Douglas learned Shore's tough defensive style of play which contributed to the Indians three consecutive Calder Cup championships from 1960 to 1962.

Later years In 1962–63, Douglas made his first trip to the National Hockey League. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and continued his aggressive style of play during his rookie season in the NHL. In 70 games, Douglas recorded 22 points and 105 PIM. The Leafs, that year, made it to the Stanley Cup Final, where they played the Detroit Red Wings. Toronto defeated the Red Wings in five games, giving Douglas a Stanley Cup in his first season in the NHL. Douglas was also awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in the NHL, making him the first defenceman to do so. The following season, Douglas split his time between the Leafs and the Rochester Americans of the AHL. He played 41 games with the Leafs and 27 games with the Americans that season. In his 41 games with the Leafs, he recorded only one point.

Douglas remained with the Leafs organization through the 1966–67 but was not a member of the 1964 and 1967 Stanley Cup teams, as he was assigned to Rochester of the AHL for the playoffs in those two years. In the 1967 expansion draft, Douglas was claimed by the California Seals in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. The California Seals changed their name before the start of the 1967-68 season to the Oakland Seals. Douglas played 40 games with the Seals before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings. Douglas played the remainder of the season and the 1968–69 season with the Red Wings. He was sent down to the AHL again the following year with the Rochester Americans. Douglas stayed in the AHL for the next three seasons, making the Calder Cup Finals with the Baltimore Clippers in 1971–72. In 1972–73 Douglas joined the New York Raiders in the World Hockey Association. Douglas played one season with the Raiders before returning to the minor leagues once again. He played three more seasons before retiring.

Douglas died of cancer in 2009 at the age of 73.

Awards and achievements Calder Cup Championships (1960, 1961, & 1962) AHL First All-Star Team (1962) Eddie Shore Award (1962) Calder Memorial Trophy (1963) Played in NHL All-Star Game (1962, 1963 & 1964) Stanley Cup Championship (1963) AHL Second All-Star Team (1971)

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1954–55 Kitchener Canucks OHA-Jr. 21 2 5 7 104 — — — — — 1955–56 Kitchener Canucks OHA-Jr. 48 16 22 38 193 8 3 1 4 40 1955–56 Springfield Indians AHL 3 1 0 1 4 — — — — — 1956–57 Owen Sound Mercurys OHA-Sr. 52 9 4 13 205 — — — — — 1957–58 Winnipeg Warriors WHL 68 10 24 34 135 7 0 1 1 25 1958–59 Vancouver Canucks WHL 48 14 12 26 144 — — — — — 1958–59 Springfield Indians AHL 9 2 4 6 28 — — — — — 1959–60 Springfield Indians AHL 67 12 18 30 157 10 1 4 5 45 1960–61 Springfield Indians AHL 65 8 28 36 138 8 1 1 2 14 1961–62 Springfield Indians AHL 59 18 41 59 151 11 2 8 10 10 1962–63 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 7 15 22 105 10 1 1 2 0 1963–64 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 43 0 1 1 29 — — — — — 1963–64 Rochester Americans AHL 27 6 13 19 38 2 0 1 1 2 1964–65 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 67 5 23 28 129 5 0 1 1 29 1965–66 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 64 6 14 20 97 4 0 1 1 12 1966–67 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 39 2 12 14 48 — — — — — 1966–67 Rochester Americans AHL 11 7 9 16 6 10 3 3 6 6 1966–67 Tulsa Oilers CPHL 13 1 2 3 21 — — — — — 1967–68 Oakland Seals NHL 40 4 11 15 80 — — — — — 1967–68 Detroit Red Wings NHL 36 7 10 17 46 — — — — — 1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL 69 2 29 31 97 — — — — — 1969–70 Rochester Americans AHL 64 9 31 40 145 — — — — — 1970–71 Baltimore Clippers AHL 71 9 36 45 72 6 1 3 4 16 1971–72 Baltimore Clippers AHL 75 6 31 37 180 18 0 4 4 26 1972–73 New York Raiders WHA 60 3 15 18 74 — — — — — 1972–73 Long Island Ducks EHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1973–74 Baltimore Clippers AHL 71 7 46 53 176 9 2 4 6 34 1974–75 Baltimore Clippers AHL 37 5 19 24 67 — — — — — 1974–75 Toledo Goaldiggers IHL 22 2 9 11 10 19 2 7 9 6 1975–76 Baltimore Clippers AHL 66 5 33 38 140 — — — — — AHL totals 625 95 309 404 1302 74 10 28 38 153 WHA totals 60 3 15 18 74 — — — — — NHL totals 428 33 115 148 631 19 1 3 4 33