- Sweeney Schriner
-
Sweeney Schriner Born November 30, 1911
Saratov, Russian EmpireDied July 4, 1990 (aged 78)
Calgary, AB, CANHeight 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) Position Winger Shot Left Played for New York Americans
Toronto Maple LeafsPlaying career 1933–1946 Hall of Fame, 1962 David "Sweeney" Schriner (November 30, 1911 – July 4, 1990) was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1935 and was the NHL scoring leader in 1935–36 and 1936–37. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Maple Leafs in 1941–42 and 1944–45. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.
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Early life
Schriner was born in Saratov in the Russian Empire though his family emigrated to Calgary, Alberta when he was a month old.[1] He was a natural athlete and in his youth played football and soccer competitively,[2] but was especially fond of hockey and baseball. His hero growing up was a semi-professional baseball player by the name of Bob Sweeney. Schriner emulated Sweeney's playing style and as a result earned the nickname "L'il Sweeney" which was later shortened to just "Sweeney". Schriner preferred his nickname so much he would not respond to anyone who addressed him by his given name of David.[1]
He learned the game of hockey on Calgary's outdoor rinks and played his minor hockey in the city. He was a member of the Calgary Canadians junior team that appeared in the Memorial Cup playdowns in both 1930 and 1931 before turning to senior hockey with the Calgary Bronks.[2]
Playing career
The New York Americans invited Schriner to their training camp in 1933. They were impressed with his skating ability and signed him to a contract to play for their International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Stars.[1] He appeared in 44 games with the Stars in 1933–34, scoring 18 goals and 11 assists.[3] He was promoted to the Americans lineup to start the 1934–35 NHL season, and in doing so, became the first Russian-born player in NHL history.[1] Schriner was an immediate scoring sensation in the league; he was third in scoring amongst players in the Canadian Division at the midway point of the season.[4] He finished the year with 18 goals and 40 points, and was named the league's rookie of the year.[2]
Shriner continued to display his scoring ability in his second season. He scored four goals in a 5–5 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Americans second game of the 1935–36 season,[5] en route to a 45 point season that led the league in scoring.[2] Additionally, the Canadian Press voted him to the First All-Star Team for the season.[6] He again led the league in scoring in 1936–37, with 46 points,[7] and was named to the Second All-Star Team.[3]
After five seasons in New York, the Americans dealt Schriner to the Maple Leafs in May 1939 in exchange for four players: Jimmy Fowler, Busher Jackson, Murray Armstrong, Doc Romnes and Buzz Boll.[3][8] The five-for-one trade was unprecedented in the NHL at that time.[1] Schriner remained an effective scorer in Toronto, earning the second First All-Star Team selection of his career in 1940–41.[9] One year later, he was instrumental in the Leaf's comeback in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored two goals in Toronto's 3–1 victory in the seventh game against the Detroit Red Wings to lead the Leafs to their first Stanley Cup championship in ten years. It was also the first time in NHL history a team overcame a 3–0 series deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.[10]
Frustrated by what he felt was too much individualism in the game, Schriner contemplated retiring from professional hockey in favour of taking up a coaching position in Alberta's senior league,[11] though he had a change of heart and returned to the Leafs for the 1942–43 NHL season.[12] He again announced his retirement in June 1943, this time citing past injuries to his knee,[13] and dissatisfaction with Leaf's owner Conn Smythe's contract offer for the following season.[1]
Instead, he returned to Calgary and joined an Army/Navy team in the Alberta Garrison League and following the local season, was signed Vancouver St. Regis of the Pacific Coast Hockey League for their playoff run. He scored nine points in three games with Vancouver before a protest by the team's opponent resulted in both his and Vancouver's suspension by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) as he was still considered a professional player, and thus ineligible to play senior hockey.[14] He appealed the decision, citing his position as a member of the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve and rules of the time that automatically restored the amateur status of all active military personnel, and though he was supported by the British Columbia Hockey Association, the CAHA denied his appeal, stating that a reserve officer was not the same as soldier on active duty.[15]
Schriner returned to the NHL and the Maple Leafs in 1944–45,[16] and played two more years in Toronto before announcing his retirement for the third time in 1946.[1] He returned to Alberta to coach the Lethbridge Maple Leafs of the Western Canada Senior Hockey League for two seasons before once again returning to the ice as a player with the Regina Capitals and finished fourth in WCSHL scoring in 1948–49.[17] Schriner and the Capitals won the WCSHL and Western Canadian championships,[18] but fell to the Ottawa Senators in the 1949 Allan Cup final.[19]
Following the season, Schriner ended his playing career for the fourth, and final time. He coached a season of senior hockey in Nova Scotia,[17] before returning to Alberta where he briefly coached a team in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1951.[20] He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962,[2] and the Canada West Universities Athletic Association awards its top scorer each season with the David "Sweeney" Schriner Trophy.[21]
Off the ice
Following his retirement, Schriner returned to his Calgary home and worked in the city's oil and gas industry until retiring from that career in 1977.[1] He and his wife Marie had two children, Norman and Joanne, and he had one sister, Mary.[22] Schriner remained active within the sport, working with the Calgary Oldtimers Hockey Association and making frequent visits to the University of Calgary to speak with young players who viewed him as a role model.[23]
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1933–34 Syracuse Stars IHL 44 17 11 28 28 4 0 0 0 0 1934–35 New York Americans NHL 48 18 22 40 6 — — — — — 1935–36 New York Americans NHL 48 19 26 45 8 5 3 1 4 2 1936–37 New York Americans NHL 48 21 25 46 17 — — — — — 1937–38 New York Americans NHL 48 21 17 38 22 6 1 0 1 0 1938–39 New York Americans NHL 48 13 31 44 20 2 0 0 0 30 1939–40 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 39 11 15 26 10 9 1 3 4 4 1940–41 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 24 14 38 6 7 2 1 3 4 1941–42 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 47 20 16 36 21 13 6 3 9 10 1942–43 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 37 19 17 36 13 4 2 2 4 0 1944–45 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 26 22 15 37 10 13 3 1 4 4 1945–46 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 47 13 6 19 15 — — — — — 1948–49 Regina Capitals WCSHL 36 26 27 53 30 8 10 2 12 0 NHL totals 484 201 204 405 148 59 18 11 29 54 References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. p. 770. ISBN 0-385-25999-9.
- ^ a b c d e "Sweeney Schriner biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196218&page=bio&list=#photo. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ a b c "Sweeney Schriner statistics". Hockey Hall of Fame. http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196218&page=statsawards&list=#photo. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Red Wing scorers threaten for lead". Montreal Gazette: p. 12. 1935-01-08. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=VHYtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jZgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6590,851046. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Predicting close race in ice loop". Lewiston Daily Journal: p. 6. 1935-11-11. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=afI0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=7WkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3701,3486042. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Boston defensive trio intact makes C.P. All-Star Team". Montreal Gazette: p. 15. 1936-03-21. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=jn8tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=I5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6642%2C2625963. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Schriner on top in official list". New York Times. 1937-03-27. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30D10FA3E5A157A93C5AB1788D85F438385F9. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Shields, Tommy (1939-05-27). "Round and round the sports wheel". Ottawa Citizen: p. 12. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=RI0vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6tsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5007,2924256. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Leaf three stars awarded bonuses". Ottawa Citizen: p. 11. 1941-04-08. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=WPcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2tsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2434,1526274. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Canadian hockey attendance mark established as Leafs beat Wings for Stanley Cup". Ottawa Citizen: p. 9. 1942-04-20. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=7-8uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wdsFAAAAIBAJ&dq=sweeney%20schriner&pg=6343%2C3725123. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Schriner is ready to quit pro hockey". Ottawa Citizen: p. 10. 1942-04-27. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=9O8uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wdsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5918,5146830. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Carroll, Dink (1942-10-13). "Playing the field". Montreal Gazette: p. 14. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=RQMuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wZgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3969%2C2226402. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Edwards, Charles (1943-06-19). "June is here so Sweeney Schriner is back with "annual" retirement". Ottawa Citizen: p. 14. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=DvouAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8tsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4076,3687371. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Sweeney Schriner stunned by action". Montreal Gazette: p. 15. 1944-02-16. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=Kb8tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=opgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5287,7313399. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "C.A.H.A. stands on Schriner decision". Montreal Gazette: p. 14. 1944-02-17. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=Kr8tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=opgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4589,7487580. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Toronto Leafs off "in high"". The Maple Leaf: p. 4. 1944-10-31. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=9sU6AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SyoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=335,6664949. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ a b "Schriner signing confirmed". Ottawa Citizen: p. 15. 1949-08-15. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=9WEvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=49wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3203,4014003. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Shields, Tommy (1949-04-26). "Senators blank Dukes; meet Regina in Allan Cup finals". Ottawa Citizen: p. 18. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=fxMvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gdwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2925,7549805. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ Shields, Tommy (1949-05-09). "Senators eliminate Capitals, 5–3, to take Allan Cup". Ottawa Citizen: p. 17. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=wR0vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mNwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5524%2C2238548. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Schriner resigns". Montreal Gazette: p. 18. 1951-12-18. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=rKgtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hZkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4446,7484429. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "David "Sweeney" Schriner". Edmonton Oilers Historical Society. http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/early_players_davidschriner.html. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ^ "Announcements – Deaths". Calgary Herald: p. C4. 1990-07-07.
- ^ Maki, Allan (1990-07-07). "Sadly, few of today's athletes are like Gorbous and Schriner". Calgary Herald: p. E1.
External links
- Sweeney Schriner's biography at Legends of Hockey
- Sweeney Schriner's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
Preceded by
Charlie ConacherNHL Scoring Champion
1936, 1937Succeeded by
Gordie DrillonPreceded by
Russ BlincoRookie of the Year
1935Succeeded by
Mike KarakasPreceded by
Red DuttonNew York Americans captain
1936-39Succeeded by
Charlie ConacherCategories:- 1911 births
- 1990 deaths
- Canadian ice hockey forwards
- Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
- Imperial Russian emigrants to Canada
- National Hockey League scoring leaders (prior to 1947–48)
- New York Americans players
- People from Calgary
- Stanley Cup champions
- Syracuse Stars (IHL) players
- Toronto Maple Leafs players
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