| Bryan Hextall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 31, 1913 Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | July 25, 1984 (aged 70) Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) |
| Position | Right Wing |
| Shoots | Left |
| Played for | New York Rangers |
| Playing career | 1933–1948 |
| Hall of Fame, 1969 | |
Bryan Hextall (born Bryan Aldwyn Hextall on July 31, 1913) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).
He scored the overtime winning goal that clinched the 1940 Stanley Cup for the New York Rangers.
He is the father of Bryan Jr. and Dennis Hextall & the grandfather of Ron Hextall.
Playing Career[]
Growing up in Poplar Point, Manitoba, Canada, Bryan first played hockey there, winning the Manitoba juvenile championship in 1929–30.
He played junior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs in 1931–32 before switching to the Portage Terriers with whom he won the Manitoba Junior Hockey League scoring title in 1932–33.
Bryan began his professional career in 1933–34 with the Vancouver Lions of the North West Hockey League (NWHL). He played three seasons in Vancouver, leading the NWHL in scoring with 27 goals in 1935–36.
Bryan moved onto the Philadelphia Ramblers of the International-American Hockey League the following year, again leading the league with 27 goals. The New York Rangers brought him up for three games in 1937, and he made the team full-time in 1937–38.
A left-handed shooter, Bryan played his "off wing" (right wing) at a time before it was common practice. He scored at least 20 goals seven times in his career, mainly while playing on the Rangers' top line with Phil Watson and Lynn Patrick.
Bryan led the NHL in goal scoring and was named a first-team All-Star for the first time in 1939–40. He was one of the Rangers' top players during the 1940 Stanley Cup Final against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He scored a hat trick against the Leafs and added an assist to lead the Rangers to a come from behind victory in game two of the series, and scored the overtime winning goal in the sixth game that clinched the third Stanley Cup championship in Rangers history. The Rangers would not win another for 54 years.
A second All-Star selection followed in 1940–41 as Bryan again led the NHL in goal scoring and finished in a tie for second in overall points. He led the league in points in 1941–42; his total of 56 standing seven better than second place.
Additionally, Bryan was named to the first All-Star team for the third consecutive season. He scored career highs in goals (with 27) and points (with 59) in 1942–43 and was again named a post-season All-Star, this time on the second team.
In addition to being a top scorer, Bryan was also durable. He appeared in 340 consecutive games for the Rangers between 1937 and 1944. His streak ended in 1944 when Canadian war authorities denied him a permit to cross into the United States.
The Rangers' attempts to regain Bryan's services were unsuccessful, Unable to play in the NHL, he regained his amateur status and he played senior hockey briefly with the St. Catharines Saints in the Ontario Hockey Association's senior division.
The conclusion of World War II allowed Bryan to return to the Rangers in 1945–46, however his return was short-lived.
He was hospitalized with a liver ailment, an illness that ruled him out of the season after just three games and led to fears it would end his career. He overcame doctors expectations, appearing in all 60 games for the Rangers in the 1946–47 season.
After a final season in the NHL in 1947–48, he split the 1948–49 American Hockey League season between the Cleveland Barons and Washington Lions before announcing his retirement.
In 1969, Bryan was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and is an honoured member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Additionally, the Manitoba hall named him to its all-century second All-Star team.
Post-Playing Career\Death[]
Following his retirement, Bryan battled circulation problems in his lower legs which ultimately led to the amputation of both legs below the knee in 1978, but artificial legs allowed him to maintain his hobby of hunting.
On July 25, 1984, Bryan died from a heart attack at his residence in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada at the age of 70.
Career Statistics[]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1931–32 | Winnipeg Monarchs | WJrHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1932–33 | Portage Terriers | WJrHL | 12 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1933–34 | Portage Terriers | MJHL | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1933–34 | Vancouver Lions | NWHL | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1934–35 | Vancouver Lions | NWHL | 32 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 1935–36 | Vancouver Lions | NWHL | 40 | 27 | 9 | 36 | 65 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 1936–37 | Philadelphia Ramblers | IAHL | 48 | 29 | 23 | 52 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1936–37 | New York Rangers | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1937–38 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 17 | 4 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1938–39 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1939–40 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 24 | 15 | 39 | 52 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | ||
| 1940–41 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 26 | 18 | 44 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1941–42 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1942–43 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 27 | 32 | 59 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 21 | 33 | 54 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1944–45 | St Catharines Saints | OHA Sr. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1946–47 | New York Rangers | NHL | 60 | 20 | 10 | 30 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | New York Rangers | NHL | 43 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1947–48 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 32 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Washington Lions | AHL | 25 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 449 | 187 | 175 | 362 | 227 | 37 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 9 | ||||