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Ron Stewart

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Ron Stewart
Stewart with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1960s
Born (1932-07-11)July 11, 1932
Calgary, Alberta
Died March 17, 2012(2012-03-17) (aged 79)
Kelowna, British Columbia
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Toronto Maple Leafs
Boston Bruins
St. Louis Blues
New York Rangers
Vancouver Canucks
New York Islanders
Playing career 1952–1973

Ronald George Stewart (July 11, 1932 – March 17, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1952 to 1973, as well as a coach. He spent the first half of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and won the Stanley Cup three times from 1962 to 1964. The latter part of his playing career was spent with the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Islanders. He would later coach the Rangers for half of a season, and spent a full season as coach of the Los Angeles Kings.

Early career

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After growing up in Alberta,[1] Stewart moved to Ontario as a teen to participate in the Ontario Hockey Association, then the top ranked junior league. He won the Memorial Cup in 1952 with the Guelph Biltmores.[2]

NHL player

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Stewart played thirteen seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, taking part with them in three Stanley Cup championships in the early 1960s. After his time in Toronto, he spent two seasons with the Boston Bruins (1965–1966, 1966–1967). He was chosen by the St. Louis Blues in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, before being traded to the New York Rangers in that same season. He spent part of the 1971–1972 season with the Vancouver Canucks, but returned briefly to the Rangers. He spent his final year, 1972-1973, with the New York Islanders.[3]

Stewart was a very good skater and probably ranked as the fastest of all Toronto Maple Leaf players from the mid-fifties through to the end of his career with the Leafs. During team practice sessions, he usually won the end-to-end skating rushes though during league games, he didn't often demonstrate his blazing speed in the same way as did Dave Keon and Frank Mahovlich. With his 6 ft.1 in. size, Ron was particularly adept in a defensive fore-checking role and former New York Ranger coach, Emile Francis regarded Stewart as one of the very best penalty-killers in the league. Offensively, Stewart was not a prolific goal scorer but he possessed a very quick wrist shot that made him a scoring threat.

Death of Terry Sawchuk

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After the 1969–1970 season ended, Stewart and Rangers teammate Terry Sawchuk, both of whom had been drinking, argued over expenses for the house they rented together on Long Island, New York. Sawchuk suffered severe internal injuries during the scuffle. Sawchuk told the police that he accepted full responsibility for the events. Sawchuk never recovered and died shortly thereafter from a pulmonary embolism on May 31, 1970 at the age of 40. A Nassau County grand jury exonerated Stewart and ruled that Sawchuk's death was accidental.[4]

Coaching

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After retiring from play, Stewart became a coach. He was the head coach of the Rangers for the start of the 1975–76 season, but after a record of 15 wins, 20 losses and 4 ties in 39 games, was fired. His next NHL job was with the Los Angeles Kings for the 1977–78 season. He had a record of 31 wins, 34 losses and 15 ties over the season, and was not brought back for the next season.[5]

Retirement

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Stewart spent his latter years in British Columbia and Arizona. He had three children by his first wife, Barbara. He died of cancer in 2012.[2]

Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1949–50 Toronto Marlboros OHA-Jr. 30 2 5 7 41 5 0 1 1 8
1950–51 Toronto Marlboros OHA-Jr. 53 22 23 45 49 13 6 8 14 31
1951–52 Toronto Marlboros OHA-Jr. 21 9 10 19 57
1951–52 Barrie Flyers OHA-Jr. 29 13 18 31 43
1951–52 Guelph Biltmores OHA-Jr. 11 7 7 14 4
1951–52 Guelph Biltmores MC 12 10 7 17 10
1952–53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 13 22 35 29
1953–54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 14 11 25 72
1954–55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 53 14 5 19 20 4 0 0 0 2
1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 69 13 14 27 35 5 1 1 2 2
1956–57 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 15 20 35 28
1957–58 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 15 24 39 51
1958–59 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 21 13 34 23 12 3 3 6 6
1959–60 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 67 14 20 34 28 10 0 2 2 2
1960–61 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 51 13 12 25 8 5 1 0 1 2
1961–62 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 8 9 17 14 11 1 6 7 4
1962–63 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 63 16 16 32 26 10 4 0 4 2
1963–64 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 14 5 19 46 14 0 4 4 24
1964–65 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 16 11 27 33 6 0 1 1 2
1965–66 Boston Bruins NHL 70 20 16 36 17
1966–67 Boston Bruins NHL 56 14 10 24 31
1967–68 St. Louis Blues NHL 19 7 5 12 11
1967–68 New York Rangers NHL 55 7 7 14 19 6 1 1 2 2
1968–69 New York Rangers NHL 75 18 11 29 20 4 0 1 1 0
1969–70 New York Rangers NHL 76 14 10 24 14 6 0 0 0 2
1970–71 New York Rangers NHL 76 5 6 11 19 13 1 0 1 0
1971–72 Providence Reds AHL 18 6 5 11 2
1971–72 Vancouver Canucks NHL 42 3 1 4 10
1971–72 New York Rangers NHL 13 0 2 2 2 8 2 1 3 0
1972–73 New York Rangers NHL 11 0 1 1 0
1972–73 New York Islanders NHL 22 2 2 4 4 10 5 7 12 6
NHL totals 1,353 276 253 529 560 119 14 21 35 60

Coaching record

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
New York Rangers 1975–76 39 15 20 4 (34) 4th in Patrick (fired)
Los Angeles Kings 1977–78 80 31 34 15 77 3rd in Norris Lost in preliminary round
Total 119 46 54 19

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Goldstein, Richard (2012-03-28). "Ron Stewart, N.H.L. Star With Role in Fatal Fight, Dies at 79". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  2. ^ a b Hornby, Lance (2012-03-22). "Leafs' Cup winner Ron Stewart dies". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  3. ^ "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Ron Stewart". www.hhof.com. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  4. ^ John A. Drobnicki, "Sawchuk, Terrance Gordon ('Terry')," in The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures (Scribner's, 2002), Vol. 2, pp. 335-336.
  5. ^ "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Player -- Ron Stewart". www.hhof.com. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
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Preceded by Head coach of the New York Rangers
1975–76
Succeeded by
Preceded by Head coach of the Los Angeles Kings
1977–78
Succeeded by