THE DRESSING ROOM TOMBSTONES

"If you looked east (in the Leafs' dressing room), you would see, on the wall above the players' equipment, plaques listing the players and management of the Leaf teams since 1931"
-Former Leaf, Billy Harris.

Like any room in a building, the owners take time to pay special attention to the decorations. And in the game of hockey, there is no greater room in the home rink than the dressing room. When the Leafs moved into their new building, Maple Leaf Gardens, in November 1931, they decided the room should be decorated in manner to reflect the team concept. The Leafs won the Stanley Cup in their first year in Gardens and to honour the accomplishment, they had a plaque or tombstone as they became known as due to their shape, made and placed it on the dressing room wall. This became a tradition which lasted until the early 1990s.

"Gardens lore is that Conn Smythe was the originator of the tombstones," recalled former Maple Leaf Gardens Building Manager, Wayne Gillespie.  He pointed out the tombstones measured 20 by 41 inches. "The frames were built by the Gardens carpenters and the script was done by McNeill Signs. Larry McNeill had a sign shop directly across the road from Maple Leaf Gardens."

In a 1993 interview, Larry McNeill reflected on his craft and career, which began in 1930.

 He opened up his own shop in 1936. It was located on Adelaide Street East in downtown Toronto. Then, after one year, he packed up his equipment and moved to a room above Lion Sporting Goods on Yonge Street close to Carlton Street.

"The space was unheated, I dragged in sacks of coal for the Quebec heater, but the rent was just twenty dollars a month. I stayed there ... until the building was torn down in 1969, then moved to my present quarters (above the Bank of Commerce building at Church and Carlton). I haven't strayed very far in 57 years."

One benefit McNeill offered gave him an edge over his competition. "Our shop is one of the last to turn out hand lettered signs," McNeill noted of the trend to use computers.

McNeill's work enabled him to meet one the worlds greatest entertainers.

"Bob Hope was in Toronto for a TV special, and I went down to his suite at the Royal York Hotel to discuss the making of his cue cards. We spent about half an hour together, discussing the wording and lettering."

Gillespie noted "the tombstones hung in the Leaf room until the renovations in the early 1990s." In addition to the dressing room being remodelled, a weight room was constructed under the Hot Stove Club. Also, Gillespie pointed out "there was a small rectangular brass plaque that hung in the directors Room with the corresponding names and dates from the tombstones."

The original 1931-32 tombstone and brass plaque. Courtesy of Wayne Gillespie.

Although the tombstones are a thing of the past, one individual has taken an interest in creating replicas of these important pieces of Leaf history.

"I guess it started with the purchase of Glory Years, the book by Billy Harris," began hockey fan Gary Tobin. "In his book, he writes of these plaques. Until then, I really didn't know they existed. At the time, I thought that one day I'd try to make a few. I had never seen one, even in a picture, so I couldn't even guess at their size. I didn't realize they made one for each year played. I had only thought Cup winners were made."

In the fall of 2018, Tobin decided it was time to tackle a new project.

"I pulled out the book again and the thought of these came back from several years earlier. Being a guest at the Original Six Alumni lunches, I thought I might get a little insight into them and if I made a few that were nice enough, maybe I'd try to honour some of the former players who were my heroes at a young age."

Next came the research and planning.

"Studying one of the few pictures of a real plaque that I'd seen, and ones in the background of a few pictures from the 50s, I realized these appeared to be hand painted. I could only guess at the size so I decided to make mine roughly proportionate. I picked up a couple of sheets of 2ft. by 4ft. 1/4 inch hardboard and laid a couple out, settling on 24 inches high and 10 inches across. I looked at various means of lettering before realizing the only way to do these would be by hand. I played with font sizes and the type of script before coming to what I use. A few years ago, I did a fair bit of calligraphy, enough to have sold a few hand made wedding invitations and birth announcements, so I knew I had the hand and eye to make them look respectable."

One problem Tobin encountered was the order in which to list the names on the plaque. He consulted with hockey historian Paul Patskou and former Toronto Maple Leaf great Frank Mahovlich. But Patskou and Mahovlich didn't have the answer. For the sake of continuity, Tobin devised a plan to proceed using the same layout for each season.

"I decided to use a simple approach - management at the top, goalies, captains, remaining players in alphabetical order, trainers and the team records."

Armed with the necessary tools and a vision, Tobin got down to business.

"After a few dry runs, I made my first complete version. It took a while to align the names properly, and I had to check that the spelling was correct. A couple of draft versions were unusable. But the first  couple came out looking more passable in my eyes. The original took about 15 hours each, but through repetition, I've now dropped that to about 5 hours per plaque."

Once satisfied with the final product, Tobin was ready to show his work, beginning with the first Original Six lunches in 2019.

"The test was former Leaf Ron Hurst. One of the plaques I had done was for him with his year, 1955-1956. I couldn't have imagined a better reaction. I could tell Ron liked it and I had him pose for a picture with it. Ron had come to the lunch with one of my boyhood heroes, Bobby Baun. I gave him one from his first Cup win in 1961-62. Again, I was floored by his reaction. He seemed quite happy with his, which made my heart soar."

Also, Tobin has gifted several others with plaques. In particular, Suzanne Primeau, who is the granddaughter of Leaf legion "Gentleman Joe" Primeau (1931-1932) and Craig Stanowski, the son of Wally Stanowski (1941-1942).

Clockwise: Gary Tobin with...Bob Baun, Suzanne Primeau and Ron Hurst.

Top: Wally Stanowski (left) and the 1945-1946 tombstone. Bottom: Craig Stanowski with the 1941-1942 replica tombstone.

"Shortly after the lunch, orders started coming in. The first, a 1931-32, came from Graham MacLachlan, who is a relative of J.P. Bickell." Hockey fans will know Bickell as one of the most important individuals in Toronto Maple Leaf history. His efforts kept the NHL team in Toronto when the St. Pats were on the market in 1927 and was a driving force behind the construction of Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931.

Thanks to Gary Tobin, the tombstones live on.

NOTE: Since writing this piece, hockey historian and author Kevin Shea has advised the player's are listed according to their time of service with the Leafs.

REMEMBERING HARRY HOWELL (1932-2019)

In the history of the New York Rangers, one defenceman is in the spotlight when it comes to longevity and his name is Harry Howell.

He skated in his first NHL game on October 18, 1952, when the Rangers faced the Toronto Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. Howell, along with Andy Bathgate and Dean Prentice, were called up from the OHA Guelph Biltmores. The Biltmores won the Memorial Cup the previous spring. All three were summoned on a three game try-out. Howell was placed in the line-up to replace an injured Leo Reise. And Howell made the most of his chance to stick with the big league club. On his very first shift, he scored against Toronto goalie, Harry Lumley. He told the New York Times, "It was a screen shot and screen shots are a matter of luck. You just try to miss the pair of legs in front of you and hope for the best."

On October 23, 1952, New York general manager, Frank Boucher, announced that Howell would sign a pro contract and remain with the Rangers. He was named team captain in 1955 and wore the 'C' for two seasons.

A constant presence on the Rangers blueline, Howell's career reached its peak during the 1966-67 season. But trade talks in May 1966, almost resulted in Howell becoming a Toronto Maple Leaf. In exchange for Howell, the Rangers would've received Carl Brewer, who no longer was playing for the Leafs.  

And it was good fortune for the Rangers, as by all measurers, Howell earned the accolades and accomplishments that came his way in the final year of the Original Six era.

Howell started the season by contributing on offence. In an early November contest at Boston Garden against the Bruins, he scored two goals. As a UPI story noted, "Howell, who had scored only six times in the past two full seasons, beat goalie Bernie Parent on long drives in the first and third periods."

When the All-Star balloting took place for the first-half of the 1966-67 campaign, Howell topped the count list to be named a First Team All-Star. He told a reporter, "My defensive play this season has been the same as last year, but it'll help (earning votes) that I'm near the top in scoring."

At the same time Howell's play was being recognized around the NHL, the Rangers honoured him with a special night on January 25, 1967. Arthur Daley of The New York Times wrote, "The Rangers will hold a Harry Howell Night at Madison Square Garden tonight and thus pay a hometown tribute to an indestructible workhorse who will be playing game No. 1002 for the Broadway Blues, a longevity record."

Unfortunately for Ranger fans, their club was swept by Montreal in the semi-finals. But they could still cheer for Harry Howell as he was honoured for his work.

The first reason to cheer, came with the news that after a second round of voting, he would join Chicago's Pierre Pilote on the First All-Star Team. On January 16, 1968, Howell and his All-Star teammates were defeated 4-3 by the Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs.

The second reason to cheer revolved around an award given to Howell by the National Hockey League. At the Stanley Cup luncheon held in Toronto on April 28, 1967, Howell was presented the James Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman. He beat out Pilote and Boston rookie Bobby Orr for this prestige award. In his address to those gathered at the luncheon, Howell couldn't help but mention Orr. "I'm glad I won it this year. For the next few years, at least, they'll have to rename it the 'Bobby Orr' award because that young man in Boston will own it." Over the next eight seasons, Orr would capture the Norris Trophy.

After 17 seasons on Broadway, Howell's run on hockey's biggest stage came to a close. On June 10, 1969, he was sold to the Oakland Seals. A nagging back injury limited his game action to 56 games in his final year as a Ranger.

Howell spent a season and a half with the Seals before being moved to the Los Angeles Kings. In the spring of 1972, he was courted by the World Hockey Association New York Raiders to serve as their head coach. But instead of jumping to the new league, Howell did an about turn and signed to play for the Los Angeles Kings.

On July 18, 1973, Howell, now 40, returned to New York after signing a two-year contract to skate for the WHA New York Golden Blades. The Kings wanted him to coach their farm team in Portland (WHL), but Howell felt he had some gas felt in the tank. "I'm feeling very well, my legs and back aren't hurting me ... I feel like I'd like to continue playing for another two years. New York was my first choice."

His return to New York didn't go as planned. On November 20, 1973, it was announced that the New York Golden Blades had gone bankrupt. They were unable to pay their bills at Madison Square Garden. To stay afloat, the club moved to New Jersey and were renamed the Knights. A shake-up in the front office resulted in coach Camille Henry being moved to the assistant general manager post and Harry Howell became the player-coach.

Unable to fill the seats, the Knights headed west to San Diego and the Mariners were born. Howell remained in his role as player-coach, but was canned by Mariners owner Joseph Schwartz on June 13, 1975. "Fine man, good coach," Schwartz said of Howell.

On September 4, 1975, Howell told the hockey world that he was ending his time as a player. "Hockey has been my life and I'd like to stay in the game in some capacity," he told the Canadian Press.

Howell's absence didn't last long. A native of Hamilton, Ontario, he decided in December 1975 to accept an offer from the WHA Calgary Cowboys to join their blueline. At the age of 43, Howell played in 31 contests for the Cowboys, then called it quits for good.

Like many in the game, Howell exchanged his uniform for a two-piece suit. "Harry is considered to be one of the finest hockey men in the nation and the Barons are indeed fortunate to acquire his services," noted general manager Bill McCreary upon hiring Howell as assistant general manager of the NHL Cleveland Barons. He joined the Barons on September 10, 1976.

When the Gund brothers took control of the Cleveland Barons in June of 1977, they bumped Howell to the GM spot. After his first year as the Barons general manager, Howell took on a new assignment.

In the spring of 1978, Howell took on the challenge of coaching Team Canada in the World Championships held in Prague. He guided Team Canada, which was composed of NHL players eliminated from the first-round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, to a bronze medal. Howell's squad was led by the forward line of  Pat Hickey (Rangers), Marcel Dionne (Kings) and Jean Pronovost (Penguins).

Upon his return to Canada, Howell spoke about his experience "If we have to play in Europe, we'll have to stress the European style and use it. We'd need to have a team together one month ahead of time, practicing on a large ice surface. I was happy with the team we had. They all had desire and all of them wanted to go and do their best."

Howell's journey behind the bench of Team Canada was a hint of things to come.

When the Cleveland Barons and Minnesota North Stars merged, Howell found himself behind the North Stars bench. He was named head coach of Minnesota for the upcoming 1978-79 season. But the bloom on Howell's coaching career didn't last long in Bloomington, Minnesota.

On November 19, 1978, Howell stepped down as coach of the North Stars. "I just wasn't happy being a coach. Most guys coach at the junior level or in the minor pros first and know what it's like. I didn't have that groundwork. This was my first crack at coaching (not as a player-coach) and I just didn't feel comfortable with it. There was no pressure."

Howell stayed with Minnesota and ultimately became chief scout. It was Howell's scouting department that recommended the North Stars select Mike Modano in the 1988 Entry Draft. Modano went on to become one of the most talented and skilled players in the history of the Minnesota-Dallas franchise. Unfortunately for Howell and his fellow scouts, including former Montreal goalie Gump Worsley, the entire department, but for Glen Sonmor, were let go right after the draft.

Not one to feel sorry for himself, Howell was back in the game when Glen Sather hired him as scout with the Edmonton Oilers. When the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1990, Howell finally had his name engraved on the Cup. Also, Sather and Howell worked together in New York after Sather left the Oilers.

Harry (Henry) Vernon "Harry the Horse" Howell passed away on March 9, 2019.

In a statement by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettmam, he noted, "As the New York Rangers' all-time leader in games played, Harry the Horse was the definition of dependability, missing only 17 games in his first 16 seasons with the Blueshirts. Howell won the Norris Trophy in 1966-67 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 following an NHL career that comprised 1,411 games over 21 seasons. In 2009, the Rangers retired his jersey No. 3 to the rafters of Madison Square Garden."

Glen Sather observed, "Today, the New York Rangers and the hockey world are saddened to hear of the passing of legendary Blueshirt, Harry Howell. One of the most iconic players in franchise history, Harry's Hall of Fame accomplishments on the ice were exceeded only by the tremendous gentleman he was off the ice."
                                                                                                                                                                                           

IN APPRECIATION OF TED LINDSAY (1925-2019)

When I first began researching my book - Bob Goldham Outside the Goal Crease - the first person to go on my interview list was Bob's former teammate, Ted Lindsay. I had Ted's contact info, but reaching him was another matter. With each telephone call to the Lindsay household, I was advised that Ted was out and wouldn't be back until late in the evening. I didn't leave my number due to the fact I wanted to avoid playing telephone tag. There was an upside to not reaching Ted. I had the chance to talk with his wife, Joanne. She was most gracious taking calls from this unknown individual in Toronto. Call after call, the duration of our conversations expanded. We chatted about Ted and other topics that popped-up. As time passed, Joanne pinned Ted down and she arranged for Ted to be home on a Sunday for the interview.

The scout responsible for Ted Lindsay becoming a Detroit Red Wing was Carson Cooper. In 1943-44, young Ted was playing in the OHA with the St. Mike's Majors. He struggled at first in Junior "A" hockey, but turned things around when he returned after spending Christmas break in Kirkland Lake, Ontario.

"When I came back to St. Mike's, everything started to fall into place," Lindsay told me during the interview. "One night I'm playing in Hamilton and I had a couple of goals and a couple of fights." After the game, Lindsay came face-to-face with Carson Cooper. "The old Barton Street Arena had 25-watt lamps in the corridors under the seats and this white haired man stepped out. He said, 'I'm Carson Cooper, chief scout of the Detroit Red Wings. Have you thought of turning pro? I'm going to check with the National Hockey League and if your name isn't on any of the other teams list, I'll put your name on the Detroit Red Wings list.'"

In October 1944, Lindsay signed his first professional contract with the Red Wings and made his NHL debut. In his rookie season, Lindsay repaid Cooper for the faith he showed in him by scoring 17 goals.

Hearing how Lindsay became a member of the Red Wings, made me wonder how he escaped the long reach of Conn Smythe and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Especially, when he played in their backyard.

"I'm trying to make the team at St. Mike's and we're playing the Toronto Marlboros. I'm backchecking trying to impress my coach and that I know the game. Jimmy Thomson of the Marlboros went by Gus Mortson on our defence and he spun Gus around like he was a figure skater. The back of Mortson's skate punched into the calf muscle of my left leg."

This play sidelined Lindsay and resulted in most of his time being spent getting treatment. And it kept him away from the prying eyes of Frank Selke and Hap Day of the Leafs. Later, Selke told Lindsay the story of how the Leafs missed out on his services.

"I was on a train with Selke and he asked me, 'did you ever understand how you ended up in Detroit and not Toronto? We heard about this young player for St. Mike's, but we didn't know his name. Hap Day told me that St. Mike's was practicing at the Gardens, so we went down to see who's there.' I was in the infirmary and Selke was so impressed by our forward, Joe Sadler, that he added him to the Leafs negotiation list. There was no communication with the Leafs and I was eventually put on Detroit's list."  

The Red Wings, led by the Production Line of Sid Abel, Gordie Howe and Lindsay, would become a hockey dynasty from the early to mid-1950s. They captured Stanley Cups in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. Lindsay's first Cup in 1950 came after he won the Art Ross Trophy (top scorer) and being named to the First All-Star Team at left wing. He was a First Team All-Star on 7 other occasions, the last being in 1957. His only Second All-Star Team selection was in 1949. Lindsay became an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.

Bob Goldham never forgot Ted Lindsay and the skills he brought to the table. After retiring from the game, Goldham created a list of players he deemed as those "that had it all." The criteria encompassed every facet of the game. "The players that had it all are quite numerous, but I have to put Ted Lindsay at the top. He was a marvellous competitor, who never backed up an inch and could score as well."

Due to his fierce competitive nature and intensity, Lindsay earned the nickname "Terrible Ted" and there are many examples of why it applied to him. In a contest on February 7, 1957, Jerry Toppazzini's face was rearranged by Lindsay's stick. Toppazzini suffered severe facial injuries and was out of the  line-up until the Bruins faced the Rangers on March 15, 1957.

Besides being a gifted player, Lindsay's impact was felt league-wide. In 1957, he spearheaded an attempt to form the first NHL Players Association. Unable to secure information on the players pension plan (1947-57), Lindsay took it upon himself to counter the owners. "I wanted everything for the players," Lindsay told me on that Sunday afternoon. "The owners knew what they were doing. We were too stupid to understand it, but some of us started to think. We just weren't organized. Every guy that played then loved the game of hockey. Money was a secondary thing."

As time moved on, Lindsay's relationship with Red Wings GM, Jack Adams, deteriorated. On the team level, Lindsay believed that Adams' roster moves were detrimental to Detroit's winning ways.

"You know those five Stanley Cups Montreal won after we won in 1955?" Lindsay asked, then without missing a beat, continued on with his thought. "Those should have been ours. Adams traded nine players from our Stanley Cup team. The guys that came in were nice, but we had winners. There are hockey players and there are winners."

And Lindsay didn't hesitate to express his opinion on this to one former Montreal Canadien player.

"I'd always say to Henri Richard, 'you got 11 Stanley Cup rings. You were lucky, because if Adams hadn't been so stupid and sent nine guys away from our Stanley Cup team, five of those Cups you won, we'd probably would have won.' Then Richard said, (Lindsay, speaking with a French accent) 'but Teddy, I've got the rings.'"

Lindsay's efforts to organzine his NHL brethren resulted in a relentless attack from Adams. And it reached an all-time low when his boss tried to turn his teammates against him.

"Glenn Hall was told one time by Adams, 'I don't want you speaking to Lindsay.' Hall replied, 'Mr. Adams, he has never done anything to me and if I want to speak to him, I'll speak to him.' That takes courage for a young hockey player to make that kind of statement to the manager. That was the kind of guy Glenn Hall was and those were the type of guys we had on our team and why we were so good."

Lindsay's strength of character and strong-mindedness is best articulated in this quote he provided during our talk. "I didn't play hockey because of Jack Adams. I played because I loved it." For his efforts, Lindsay was vanished by Adams to the cellar-dwelling Chicago Black Hawks in 1957. He returned Detroit to close out his playing career in 1964-65.

I couldn't help but question Lindsay about the goalie that preceded Glenn Hall.

"In the first five years of Terry Sawchuk's career, he was the greatest goaltender to ever play. But he was squirrelly. Marty Pavelich sat next to him in the room and he'd say hello to him five days in a row and Uke wouldn't say anything. Then, the next two days he'd ask 'Hi Marty, how are you'? Then, he would go into his cocoon again."

As Marty Pavelich told me in an interview for my Goldham book, "I could go to Teddy (Lindsay) and say, 'dammit keep your mouth shut tonight and don't get any dumb penalties.'" Any criticism was meant to help the team win.

Ted Lindsay passed away on March 4, 2019, at the age of 93.

His contributions to the game resulted in a trophy being renamed after him. The Ted Lindsay Award goes to the best player as voted by the National Hockey League Players' Association. A fitting tribute to Lindsay taking into account the hardships he suffered trying to organize players from his era.

In a posting on his Twitter account after Lindsay's death Wayne Gretzky wrote: "Terrible Ted" was one of the nicest men in hockey. Every player should be thankful for his courage to create the Players  Association, which has grown into partnership between players and owners of the NHL. He was a true champion on and off the ice and will be deeply missed."

REVIEW: GOALIE, THE SAWCHUK MOVIE

The opening images of Goalie, the movie based on the life of former NHL netminder Terry Sawchuk, sets the scene for the rest of the film. It shows an autopsy being conducted at a morgue on Second Avenue in New York City. In a business like manner, the coroner is meticulously documenting the numerous injuries Sawchuk suffered during his time between the pipes.

And from there on, the filmmakers fill in the blanks of Sawchuk's life from his boyhood in Winnipeg, Manitoba to his tragic ending in New York Hospital on May 31, 1970.

In the darkened theatre, it was painful to watch young Terry deal with the death of his older brother, Mitch (aka Mike), who had a great influence on Sawchuk becoming a goalie. His love-hate relationship with Detroit Red Wings GM, Jack Adams, who had enormous control over his career. Sawchuk looked at Adams as a father figure and it took its toll when he felt his play let Adams down. After a trade to the Boston Bruins in the summer of 1955, Sawchuk appeared in 68 games, but in 1956-57, he left the Bruins after suffering a breakdown. He took to the ice only 34 times before calling it quits. He was subsequently dealt back to Detroit. A trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs resulted in another Cup in 1967. Sawchuk closed out his career with the Kings and Rangers.

I spoke with former Boston forward, Bob Beckett, who roomed with Sawchuk and several other Bruins during the 1956-57 season. It quickly became obvious to Beckett at training camp that Sawchuk was miserable and unhappy and didn't want to stop pucks anymore for Boston.

The trade from Detroit to Boston was a tremendous blow to Sawchuk. Right from the outset of his career, Sawchuk made an impact by capturing the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 1951. He backstopped the Red Wings to three Stanley Cups and was a perennial All-Star. In 1971, he became an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. But like Harry Lumley before him, Detroit had another outstanding goalie in Glenn Hall waiting in the wings.

Unable to cope with being away from his family and not adjusting to the Bruins losing ways, not to mention being in constant physical pain, Sawchuk sought relief in the bottle.

Many have read about Sawchuk's struggles, but it's much more powerful to see his life unfold on the silver screen. The movie holds nothing back and at times is difficult to watch. Director Adriana Maggs gets full marks for showing all of Sawchuk's warts and blemishes. There is no sugar-coating the Sawchuk story. It goes hand-in-hand with Sawchuk the man and hockey player. The later shaping a man left to contend with loneliness and human frailty.

Maggs, along with her sister, Jane, wrote the script and they make sure we see the impact Sawchuk's injuries had on his career. In one scene, he is shown in the trainers room and the doctor clearly indicates Sawchuk should call it a game. But when Jack Adams imposes his will, Sawchuk agrees to return to duty. This was a common occurrence during the Original Six era with endless players telling the same story.

In the lead role, Mark O'Brien gives a chilling performance in his portrayal of Sawchuk. He left nothing on the ice. The first thing that strikes you is his similar appearance to his subject. He looks and moves like Sawchuk. This is especially noticeable in the action scenes when O'Brien roams around the crease with no mask on to block the rubber directed at him. He has the unmistakable Sawchuk crouch down pat. One can only imagine the amount of time O'Brien spent viewing footage of Sawchuk plying his trade.  

Perhaps, the best complement of O'Brien's work is the fact he was able to dig deep and show Sawchuk's mental anguish. His performance was focused and deliberate. Through O'Brien's acting, the depth of Sawchuk's depression and hardships hits hard like a blistering Bobby Hull slapshot to the face.

A special mention to Georgina Reilly (Pat Sawchuk/Terry's wife) and Kevin Pollak (Jack Adams). Reilly's performance provides insight into the family dynamic and the pain they felt as a result of Sawchuk's up and down moods. Pollak, as boss of the Red Wings displays just how much power he had over the club.

On the production side, the Makeup Department nailed every welt, bruise and cut. Also, kudos to hockey historian Paul Patskou, who served as a consultant on the film.

With the passage of time, Sawchuk's historical significance and ranking within the game hasn't diminished. In a Collector's Edition (September 2018) of The Hockey News titled, Top 100 Goalies of All-Time, Sawchuk is ranked number one.

And as I departed the dark theatre and entered the bright sunshine, one thought crossed my mind. Terry Sawchuk was indeed the greatest goalie of all-time.

Rating: 5-out-5 hockey pucks.