Odie Cleghorn

James Albert Ogilvie "Odie" Cleghorn (September 19, 1891 – July 13, 1956) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, linesman and referee. His brother Sprague Cleghorn also played professional ice hockey and the two played several seasons together.

Ice hockey career Odie Cleghorn came up through the ranks of the Montreal Westmount of the intermediate section of the CAHL, where he played alongside his older brother Sprague and future Hockey Hall of Fame referee Cooper Smeaton. For the 1909–10 season the trio left for New York to play for the New York Wanderers of the American Amateur Hockey League, finishing second in the league standing behind the New York Athletic Club. Although the Brooklyn Daily Eagle praised Cleghorn after the season as "one of the best right wings that ever has played on a New York team", the newspaper also brought criticism over his rough play "that kept him with the timers for long sessions in every contest. Odie Cleghorn, at far right in the front row, with the 1910 New York Wanderers, with brother Sprague right by his side. The next season, in 1910–11, Odie and Sprague left New York to play with the Renfrew Creamery Kings of the National Hockey Association.

Cleghorn played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Pirates. On Jan. 14, 1922, Odie and his brother Sprague Cleghorn each scored 4 goals in a 10-6 victory for the Montreal Canadiens over the Hamilton Tigers. Cleghorn won a Stanley Cup in 1924 with Montreal.

Cleghorn was also a coach of the Pirates. It was during the 1925–26 season that he created the idea of set lines. He would play three set lines that would rotate. Before this, the players would only rest when needed.

During the 1928 Stanley Cup Final, when New York Rangers's coach Lester Patrick had to step in as goalie for an injured Lorne Chabot, Odie took over Lester's duties as coach behind the Rangers bench for the rest of the game.

Cleghorn refereed for a time in the NHL. He was the referee at Boston Garden during the infamous December 12, 1933 game in which Boston's Eddie Shore severely injured Toronto's Irvine (Ace) Bailey, fracturing his skull and nearly killing him. Cleghorn was severely criticized by hockey writers for his lenient handling of the volatile game.

Odie Cleghorn's brother Sprague Cleghorn died of injuries following a car accident. Just a few hours before Sprague's July 14, 1956 funeral, Odie Cleghorn, was found in his bed, dead of heart failure, perhaps induced by the stress of the loss of his brother.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1909–10 New York Wanderers AAHL 8 15 0 15 — — — — — — 1910–11 Renfrew Creamery Kings NHA 16 20 0 20 66 — — — — — 1911–12 Montreal Wanderers NHA 17 23 0 23 — — — — — — 1911–12 NHA All-Stars Exh. 3 1 0 1 5 — — — — — 1912–13 Montreal Wanderers NHA 19 18 0 18 44 — — — — — 1912–13 NHA All-Stars Exh. 5 7 – 7 – — — — — — 1913–14 Montreal Wanderers NHA 13 9 7 16 19 — — — — — 1914–15 Montreal Wanderers NHA 15 21 5 26 39 2 0 0 0 12 1915–16 Montreal Wanderers NHA 21 16 7 23 51 — — — — — 1916–17 Montreal Wanderers NHA 18 28 4 32 49 — — — — — 1918–19 Montreal Canadiens NHL 17 22 6 28 22 5 7 1 8 3 1918–19 Montreal Canadiens St-Cup — — — — — 5 2 0 2 9 1919–20 Montreal Canadiens NHL 21 20 4 24 30 — — — — — 1920–21 Montreal Canadiens NHL 21 6 6 12 8 — — — — — 1921–22 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 21 3 24 26 — — — — — 1922–23 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 19 6 25 18 2 0 0 0 2 1923–24 Montreal Canadiens NHL 22 2 5 7 16 2 0 0 0 0 1923–24 Montreal Canadiens St-Cup — — — — — 4 0 2 2 0 1924–25 Montreal Canadiens NHL 30 3 3 6 14 2 0 1 1 0 1924–25 Montreal Canadiens St-Cup — — — — — 4 0 0 0 0 1925–26 Pittsburgh Pirates NHL 17 2 1 3 4 1 0 0 0 0 1926–27 Pittsburgh Pirates NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1927–28 Pittsburgh Pirates NHL 2 0 0 0 4 — — — — — NHA totals 119 135 23 158 268 2 0 0 0 12 NHL totals 181 95 34 129 142 12 7 2 9 5 St-Cup totals — — — — — 13 2 2 4 9

Coaching record Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T Pts Division rank ResultPIT1925-263619161393rd in American Lost in QuarterfinalsPIT1926-274415263334th in AmericanMissed playoffsPIT1927-284419178463rd in AmericanLost in QuarterfinalsPIT1928-29449278264th in AmericanMissed PlayoffsTotal 168628620144