Steve Kraftcheck

Stephen Kraftcheck (March 3, 1929 – August 10, 1997) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and coach, born in Tinturn, Ontario. He played parts of four seasons in the National Hockey League between 1950 and 1959 with the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1948 to 1964, was mainly spent in the American Hockey League (AHL)., and he was inducted into the AHL's Hall of Fame in 2008,

Playing career His first National Hockey League (NHL) season was 1950–51, where he played 27 games for the Boston Bruins; 5 of these were in the playoffs versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, who went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. The next two seasons Kraftcheck played with the New York Rangers (1951-1953), netting 10 goals and 18 assists. After this stint, Kraftcheck remained a perennial all-star, but in the American Hockey League (AHL). The only other ice time he saw in the NHL was for 8 games during the 1958–59 season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kraftcheck played 13 productive seasons in the AHL, where he scored 73 goals and added 417 assists. In two separate seasons, Kraftcheck scored 41 assists, and during three other seasons he scored 37.

Kraftcheck also held the head coach/player role during 3 seasons for the AHL's Rochester Americans (1958-1961). His team made the playoffs two of these years, with Kraftcheck remaining an integral presence on the ice. In 1959–60, his Rochester Americans were defeated in the Calder Cup finals by the Springfield Indians. Of his 3 coaching years, this was the only season Kraftcheck was the head coach for the entire year.

He also played in 5 AHL All-Star games throughout the 1950s. He was posthumously inducted to the AHL Hall of Fame in 2008. Kraftcheck was the first recipient of the Eddie Shore Award, awarded to the player chosen as the AHL's best defenceman.

During his AHL career, Kraftcheck also played for the Cleveland Barons, Indianapolis Capitals, and the Providence Reds.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1945–46 Hamilton Lloyds OHA 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1946–47 Hamilton Aerovox OHA-B — — — — — — — — — — 1947–48 Hamilton Aerovox OHA-B — — — — — — — — — — 1948–49 San Francisco Shamrocks PCHL 70 11 22 33 82 — — — — — 1949–50 Cleveland Barons AHL 70 7 37 44 46 8 0 3 3 12 1950–51 Boston Bruins NHL 22 0 0 0 8 6 0 0 0 7 1950–51 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 47 6 27 33 39 3 0 0 0 2 1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 58 8 9 17 30 — — — — — 1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 69 2 9 11 45 — — — — — 1953–54 Cleveland Barons AHL 70 5 20 25 62 7 2 1 3 10 1954–55 Cleveland Barons AHL 60 9 26 35 38 4 0 2 2 0 1955–56 Cleveland Barons AHL 57 5 29 34 40 8 1 4 5 10 1956–57 Cleveland Barons AHL 63 7 33 40 42 12 2 11 13 8 1957–58 Cleveland Barons AHL 66 15 34 49 53 7 0 3 3 4 1958–59 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 8 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1958–59 Rochester Americans AHL 60 2 37 39 42 5 0 2 2 4 1959–60 Rochester Americans AHL 68 1 41 42 47 12 1 3 4 12 1960–61 Rochester Americans AHL 71 3 37 40 26 — — — — — 1961–62 Rochester Americans AHL 69 4 41 45 45 2 0 0 0 2 1962–63 Providence Reds AHL 69 2 19 21 22 6 0 2 2 2 1963–64 Providence Reds AHL 69 1 5 6 22 — — — — — AHL totals 839 67 386 453 524 74 6 31 37 66 NHL totals 157 11 18 29 83 6 0 0 0 7