Cal Gardner

Cal Gardner
Cal Gardner
Born	October 30, 1924; Transcona, Manitoba, Canada
Died	October 10, 2001 (aged 76); Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	New York Rangers; Toronto Maple Leafs; Chicago Black Hawks; Boston Bruins
Playing career	1945–1961

Calvin Pearly "Ginger, Red, Torchy" Gardner (October 30, 1924 – October 10, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. In 1943, after playing professional hockey for three years and winning the Memorial Cup, he joined the Canadian military and took part in World War II. After the war, he returned to professional hockey, joining the New York Rangers affiliate, the New York Rovers. With the Rovers, Gardner centred a line with fellow Manitobans Church Russell and Rene Trudell.^[1] The trio were dominant, with all three players being called up to the Rangers and making their National Hockey League debut on February 10, 1946.^[2] From their debut, the trio remained intact as a line until December 1947, with the unit being nicknamed "Whiz Kids" and the "rover-boy line."^[3]^[4] Following the 1948 season, the Rangers traded Gardner to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships.

Gardner was later a hockey announcer with Toronto radio station CKFH in the 1970s.^[5]

He died in 2001. His two sons Paul and Dave were also professional ice hockey players.^[6]^[7]

While playing for the Springfield Indians of the AHL in the 1957–58 season, Gardner served as an assistant coach. Gardner also served as a player-head coach while with the Kingston Frontenacs of the EPHL in 1959-60.

NHL Transactions

1945: Signed as a free agent with the New York Rovers (EHL).
April 26, 1948: Traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs (along with Bill Juzda, Rene Trudel and the rights to Frank Mathers) for Wally Stanowski and Elwyn Morris.
September 11, 1952: Traded to the Chicago Black Hawks (along with Ray Hannigan, Gus Mortson and Al Rollins) for Harry Lumley.
June 26, 1953: Traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for cash.

Sources: Legends of Hockey^[8] NHLTradeTracker.com^[9]

Awards and achievements

Memorial Cup Championship (1943)
EHL First All-Star Team (1946)
EHL Scoring Champion (1946)
Played in NHL All-Star game (1948 & 1949)
Stanley Cup Championships (1949 & 1951)
AHL Second All-Star Team (1958)
Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1940–41	St. Boniface Canadiens	WJrHL	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1941–42	Winnipeg CUAC	WJrHL	9	6	3	9	11	—	—	—	—	—
1942–43	Winnipeg Esquires	WJrHL	15	18	9	27	37	6	8	5	13	2
1942–43	Winnipeg Rangers	M-Cup	—	—	—	—	—	10	11	3	14	30
1943–44	Port Arthur Navy	TBSHL	10	18	24	42	15	2	5	3	8	4
1943–44	Port Arthur Navy	M-Cup	—	—	—	—	—	2	5	2	7	4
1945–46	New York Rangers	NHL	16	8	2	10	2	—	—	—	—	—
1945–46	New York Rovers	EHL	40	41	32	73	28	—	—	—	—	—
1946–47	New York Rangers	NHL	52	13	16	29	30	—	—	—	—	—
1947–48	New York Rangers	NHL	57	7	18	25	71	5	0	0	0	0
1948–49	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	53	13	22	35	35	9	2	5	7	0
1949–50	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	31	7	19	26	12	7	1	0	1	4
1950–51	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	66	23	28	51	42	11	1	1	2	4
1951–52	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	70	15	26	41	40	3	0	0	0	2
1952–53	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL	70	11	24	35	60	7	0	2	2	4
1953–54	Boston Bruins	NHL	70	14	20	34	62	4	1	1	2	0
1954–55	Boston Bruins	NHL	70	16	22	38	40	5	0	0	0	4
1955–56	Boston Bruins	NHL	70	15	21	36	57	—	—	—	—	—
1956–57	Boston Bruins	NHL	70	12	20	32	66	10	2	1	3	2
1957–58	Springfield Indians	AHL	69	24	57	81	49	13	4	12	16	5
1958–59	Providence Reds	AHL	68	24	39	63	73	—	—	—	—	—
1959–60	Kingston Frontenacs	EPHL	65	32	61	93	57	—	—	—	—	—
1960–61	Cleveland Barons	AHL	72	25	39	64	24	4	1	0	1	0
NHL totals			696	154	238	392	517	61	7	10	17	20

Coaching record

Cal Gardner EPHL coaching statistics^[10]
Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
Team	Year	G	W	L	T	Winning %	Finish	Result
Kingston Frontenacs	1959-1960	70	28	39	3	.421	6th in league	Out of playoffs

References

^ Patton, Paul (August 4, 1983). "Where are they now? CAL GARDNER Hockey". The Globe and Mail. ProQuest 386524807. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
^ Petrie, Kerr (February 9, 1946). "Rangers' New Line to Make Local Debut Tomorrow Night: Blueshirt Rookies, Initiated on Road to Face Hawks; Olympics, Rovers Clash". New York Herald Tribune. p. 15.
^ Petrie, Kerr (December 20, 1947). "Rangers Send Church Russell To Barons Six: Cleveland Swaps Johnson in Loan Agreement; Move Made to Help Ramblers". New York Herald Tribune. p. 17.
^ Moriarty, Tim (October 20, 1975). "Ranger Rookies Are Reunited". Newsday. p. 77. ProQuest 923014802. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
^ "CKFH Ttribute Page: People". rockradioscrapbook.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
^ "Cal Gardner". Sports Reference, Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
^ "Cal Gardner 1949 Toronto Maple Leafs". Hockey Gods, www.hockeygods.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
^ "Cal Pearly Gardner". Retrieved August 9, 2015.
^ "Cal Gardner trades". Retrieved August 9, 2015.
^ "Cal Gardner Hockey Statistics". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2015.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

[1] Patton, Paul (August 4, 1983). "Where are they now? CAL GARDNER Hockey". The Globe and Mail. ProQuest 386524807. Retrieved June 22, 2022.

[2] Petrie, Kerr (February 9, 1946). "Rangers' New Line to Make Local Debut Tomorrow Night: Blueshirt Rookies, Initiated on Road to Face Hawks; Olympics, Rovers Clash". New York Herald Tribune. p. 15.

[3] Petrie, Kerr (December 20, 1947). "Rangers Send Church Russell To Barons Six: Cleveland Swaps Johnson in Loan Agreement; Move Made to Help Ramblers". New York Herald Tribune. p. 17.

[4] Moriarty, Tim (October 20, 1975). "Ranger Rookies Are Reunited". Newsday. p. 77. ProQuest 923014802. Retrieved June 22, 2022.

[5] "CKFH Ttribute Page: People". rockradioscrapbook.ca. Retrieved 2024-08-24.

[6] "Cal Gardner". Sports Reference, Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.

[7] "Cal Gardner 1949 Toronto Maple Leafs". Hockey Gods, www.hockeygods.com. Retrieved 2019-01-25.

[8] "Cal Pearly Gardner". Retrieved August 9, 2015.

[9] "Cal Gardner trades". Retrieved August 9, 2015.

[10] "Cal Gardner Hockey Statistics". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2015.

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