THE NHL'S TOP ROOKIE FOR 1948

The ambition of every hockey player entering the National Hockey League is to secure a roster spot and make the most of the opportunity. And those talented and productive enough to remain in the line-up, compete for one of hockey's most prestigious trophies, the Calder Memorial Trophy, which awarded to the top rookie.

The winner of the 1948 Calder Trophy was Detroit's Jim McFadden.

Born in Belfast, Ireland, on April 15, 1920, McFadden got his first taste of action with the Detroit Red Wings during the playoffs in 1947. He skated in four games and earned two assists.

At training camp in the fall, McFadden, who played up the middle, went to work and showed why he should be a regular on the Wings. For example, in an exhibition match against the AHL Cleveland Barons in Winnipeg, Manitoba, McFadden had a five point game in Detroit's 8-2 victory. He had a hat trick plus two assists.

When Detroit opened their 1947-48 campaign at home on October 15, McFadden reciprocated the faith his coach, Tommy Ivan, showed in him. In a solid outing, he fired home two goals in his team's 4-2 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks. Both goals were scored against Chicago goalie Emile Francis. A UPI report described the goals:

Freshman McFadden scored twice for Detroit in the second period. He rammed in a rebound at 2:20 with Dick Butler of the Hawks in penitence, and his second came midway through the session on a pass from Gordie Howe.

McFadden's ability to bury the puck in the net was highlighted in a November 22 game against the Chicago Black Hawks. In a span of eight-seconds, he connected for two goals to set a new National Hockey League record for the fastest two goals by a player.

Before Christmas, the NHL released a list of the "eligible players" in the running for the Calder Trophy. All six teams were represented with names like Doug Harvey (MTL), Pete Babando (BOS), Metro Prystai (CHI), Don Raleigh (NY), and Bill Barilko (TOR). McFadden not only topped the Red Wings' list, but many in the press identified him as the favourite to capture the trophy named after former NHL president Frank Calder. Perhaps, the stiffest competition for McFadden came from within his own club. The Detroit list included Max McNab, Marty Pavlich, Don Morrison, and Rod Morrison.

In a February 1948 interview, Detroit's general manager, Jack Adams, talked about his prized rookie.

"Detroit's most valuable rookie in all the years I've been associated with the club," said Adams glowingly of McFadden.

 This may seem like a strange statement since Adams watched other prospects like Ted Lindsay play their freshman year in the Motor City. His appreciation for McFadden stemmed from him being a rookie at the age of 27 and the experience he brought to the table. Prior to joining the Red Wings, McFadden toiled for seven seasons in the minor leagues and had a leg up on the other first-timers entering the NHL. 

Of note, McFadden had an audition with the Montreal Canadiens, but they felt his size of 5 feet-seven inches was too small for the rough and tumble ways of the NHL.

To clarify his statement, Adams elaborated on McFadden's current worth and what the future may look like for him.

"Now don't get me wrong, McFadden may not end up as an all-star because after all he's 27 years old and probably at the peak of his play, but we've never had a man break in as a major leaguer who was worth so much to the club."

In the article, it was mentioned that McFadden had already scored 19 goals and added 18 helpers.

When Detroit ended their regular season schedule on April 14, 1948, McFadden's point count had risen to 48 points in 60 games. This included 24 goals and 24 assists.

Come late April, the NHL released the voting results for the Calder Trophy and as expected, McFadden was named the winner. The voting was done by three sports writers from each NHL location. The count revealed that he received 50 of a possible 54 votes. Only one writer failed to consider McFadden. On the other hand, 16 writers made him the top choice. In the voting process, three points were given for first choice, two for second, and one point for third choice.

The final calculations gave McFadden 50 points, and a huge margin over Babando (22), Kelly (14), Raleigh (8), Ed Sandford (8), and Barilko (4).

Along with the honour of winning a major NHL trophy, McFadden banked $1,000 as the financial compensation for being the top rookie.

When Jim McFadden left the NHL in 1954, after playing for both Detroit and Chicago, his first year remained to be his finest. His goal and point production dropped, but his defensive play, especially in Detroit, helped take the burden off Ted Lindsay. The closest he got to matching his rookie numbers came in 1952-53 with Chicago. In 70 games, McFadden amassed 44 points on 23 goals and 21 assists.

His body of work in the NHL is composed of 412 regular season games and 100 goals/126 assists/226 points. In the playoffs his record in 49 games is 10 goals/9 assists/19 points.

McFadden became a Stanley Cup champion with Detroit in 1950, and played in the 1950 All-Star Game. 

He entered the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame as an Honoured Member in the class of 2004.

Jim McFadden passed away on August 28, 2002.