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 19521973

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

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

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

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

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

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.[6]

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1949–50Toronto MarlborosOHA-Jr.302574150118
1950–51Toronto MarlborosOHA-Jr.532223454913681431
1951–52Toronto MarlborosOHA-Jr.219101957
1951–52Barrie FlyersOHA-Jr.2913183143
1951–52Guelph BiltmoresOHA-Jr.1177144
1951–52Guelph BiltmoresMC121071710
1952–53Toronto Maple LeafsNHL7013223529
1953–54Toronto Maple LeafsNHL7014112572
1954–55Toronto Maple LeafsNHL53145192040002
1955–56Toronto Maple LeafsNHL691314273551122
1956–57Toronto Maple LeafsNHL6515203528
1957–58Toronto Maple LeafsNHL7015243951
1958–59Toronto Maple LeafsNHL7021133423123366
1959–60Toronto Maple LeafsNHL6714203428100222
1960–61Toronto Maple LeafsNHL51131225851012
1961–62Toronto Maple LeafsNHL60891714111674
1962–63Toronto Maple LeafsNHL6316163226104042
1963–64Toronto Maple LeafsNHL6514519461404424
1964–65Toronto Maple LeafsNHL651611273360112
1965–66Boston BruinsNHL7020163617
1966–67Boston BruinsNHL5614102431
1967–68St. Louis BluesNHL19751211
1967–68New York RangersNHL5577141961122
1968–69New York RangersNHL751811292040110
1969–70New York RangersNHL761410241460002
1970–71New York RangersNHL76561119131010
1971–72Providence RedsAHL1865112
1971–72Vancouver CanucksNHL4231410
1971–72New York RangersNHL13022282130
1972–73New York RangersNHL110110
1972–73New York IslandersNHL2222441057126
NHL totals 1,353 276 253 529 560 119 14 21 35 60

Coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
New York Rangers1975–76 3915204(34)4th in Patrick(fired)
Los Angeles Kings1977–78 80313415773rd in NorrisLost in preliminary round
Total119465419

See also

References

  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. Hornby, Lance; Sun, Toronto. "Leafs' Cup winner Ron Stewart dies". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  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.
  6. Hornsby, Lance (2012-03-22). "Leafs Cup winner Ron Stewart dies". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
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