Flash Hollett

Flash Hollett
Born (1911-04-13)April 13, 1911
North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died April 20, 1999(1999-04-20) (aged 88)
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Syracuse Stars (IHL)
Buffalo Bisons (IHL)
Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
Ottawa Senators (NHL)
Boston Bruin Cubs (CAHL)
Boston Bruins (NHL)
Detroit Red Wings (NHL)
Playing career 1932–1946

Frank William "Bill, Flash" Hollett (April 13, 1911 – April 20, 1999) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Hollett was born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario.

Playing career

Hollett was first noticed by Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe as he was playing lacrosse with Lionel Conacher.[1] He apprenticed in the minor leagues before being loaned to the Senators for the 1933–34 NHL season. After that - which was the original Senators' final season in Ottawa - Hollett played for the Leafs for a season and a half before being sold to the Bruins for $16,000, at the time one of the highest prices ever paid for a player.

Known for his swift skating stride and strong puckhandling ability, Hollett became one of the top offensive defencemen of his day. He played for eight seasons in Boston, and was a star defenceman on the Bruins' Stanley Cup championship teams of 1939 and 1941. In 1942, he set a record for goals by a defenceman with 19, a mark he tied the following season, after which he was named to the league's Second All-Star Team.

Hollett was traded to the Red Wings midseason in 1944, and the following year broke his own mark for goals in a season by a defenceman with 20[2] en route to a citation on the league's First All-Star Team; this record would stand for a quarter-century before being surpassed by Bobby Orr.

Retirement

After his record-setting season, Hollett's offensive numbers declined sharply in 1946, with the previously war-depleted NHL regaining many former stars. In the wake of an acrimonious contract dispute with Detroit general manager Jack Adams, he was traded to the New York Rangers, but following his wife's wishes to live closer to home in Ontario, Hollett retired from the NHL.[1]

He played for five more seasons in senior leagues, most notably for the Toronto Marlboros, which he led to the Allan Cup in 1950, his last in organized hockey. He coached the Marlboros for a single season in 1951, recording a 19–12–1 record.

Hollett retired having scored 132 goals and 181 assists for 313 points in 565 NHL games; at the time of his retirement, he was the highest scoring defenceman in league history. In 79 NHL playoff games, he added 8 goals and 26 assists for 34 points. Hollett was the last member of the original-era Ottawa Senators still active at the time of his retirement.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1932–33 Syracuse Stars IHL 19 0 2 2 16 6 3 0 3 9
1933–34 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 4 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
1933–34 Buffalo Bisons IHL 13 5 4 9 8 — — — — —
1933–34 Ottawa Senators NHL 30 7 4 11 21 — — — — —
1934–35 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 10 16 26 38 7 0 0 0 6
1935–36 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 11 1 4 5 8 — — — — —
1935–36 Syracuse Stars IHL 4 2 1 3 8 — — — — —
1935–36 Boston Bruins NHL 6 1 2 3 2 — — — — —
1935–36 Boston Cubs Can-Am 18 6 15 21 24 — — — — —
1936–37 Boston Bruins NHL 48 3 7 10 22 3 0 0 0 2
1937–38 Boston Bruins NHL 48 4 10 14 54 3 0 1 1 0
1938–39 Boston Bruins NHL 44 10 17 27 35 12 1 3 4 2
1939–40 Boston Bruins NHL 44 10 18 28 18 5 1 2 3 2
1940–41 Hershey Bears AHL 5 4 2 6 2 — — — — —
1940–41 Boston Bruins NHL 41 9 15 24 23 11 3 4 7 8
1941–42 Boston Bruins NHL 48 19 14 33 21 5 0 1 1 2
1942–43 Boston Bruins NHL 50 19 25 44 19 9 0 9 9 4
1943–44 Boston Bruins NHL 25 9 7 16 4 — — — — —
1943–44 Detroit Red Wings NHL 27 6 12 18 34 5 0 0 0 6
1944–45 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50 20 21 41 39 14 3 4 7 6
1945–46 Detroit Red Wings NHL 38 4 9 13 16 5 0 2 2 0
1947–48 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen OHA-Sr. 15 6 11 17 24 — — — — —
1948–49 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen OHA-Sr. 31 6 15 21 20 7 2 3 5 4
1948–49 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen Al-Cup — — — — — 13 3 10 13 11
1949–50 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen OHA-Sr. 42 7 27 34 29 14 1 8 9 14
1949–50 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen Al-Cup — — — — — 17 5 12 17 8
NHL totals 565 132 181 313 350 80 8 26 34 38

References

  1. ^ a b Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Flash Hollett
  2. ^ Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.23, James Duplacey, JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9
Preceded by Detroit Red Wings captain
1944–45 		Succeeded by