Fred Stanfield, whose path to Stanley Cup glory began in a Mississauga-area hockey system that his father helped form, has died on the age 77.
The Boston Bruins introduced Tuesday (Sept. 14) that Stanfield had handed yesterday (Sept. 13). No reason for demise was given.
Stanfield made his identify within the NHL — and received it engraved on the Cup twice — with the ‘Huge, Dangerous Bruins’ of Bobby Orr-Phil Esposito fame. He centred Boston’s second line when the Bruins gained the Stanley Cup in 1970 and ’72, and likewise performed in Stanley Cup finals with Chicago (1965) and Buffalo Sabres (’75). The success of these Bruins groups in sports-mad New England has been credited with driving the expansion of hockey in the US, previous to the 1980 Miracle on Ice and the “Gretzky Technology.”
Very unhappy to be taught that our good pal Fred Stanfield has handed away at age 77.
Fred was an enormous a part of the B’s Stanley Cup groups, centering a line with John Bucyk and Johnny McKenzie.
RIP 17 pic.twitter.com/p1DmK5jATV
— Boston Bruins Alumni (@NHLBruinsAlumni) September 14, 2021
Your complete Sabres group joins the hockey group in mourning the lack of alumnus Fred Stanfield.
We’re sending our deepest condolences to his household, associates and teammates. ?
Learn extra about Fred: https://t.co/Q8I91bx0Rq pic.twitter.com/A6Hdo7I5W2
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) September 14, 2021
Born Might 4, 1944, Stanfield grew up in a household of seven sons born to Betty and Gord Stanfield. His father was a profession police officer for 32 years, finally turning into a employees superintendent with the Peel Regional Police. He was a coach, organizer and supervisor with the Mississauga Reps hockey program and the Dixie Beehives junior membership. Fred performed for each in his youth.
4 of the Stanfields performed professional hockey, with Fred’s brothers Jack and Jim additionally skating in NHL video games. Jack Stanfield additionally performed 128 video games within the World Hockey Affiliation for the Houston Aeros and helped them win the Avco World Trophy because the insurgent league’s champions in 1973-74.
One other sibling, Vic Stanfield, loved a nine-season professional profession in Germany.
The Stanfields have been so well-known in Mississauga {that a} Fiftieth-anniversary social gathering for Betty and Gord in 1989 drew a crowd of over 300 folks. When Gord Stanfield died within the fall of 1994 at age 76, Fred carried his father’s police hat whereas serving to carry the casket by way of a police honour guard at First United Church in Port Credit score.
Fred Stanfield got here of age as a hockey prospect at time when the NHL had solely six groups, who sponsored junior golf equipment throughout Canada. The primary true entry draft was not held till 1969.
The Chicago NHL membership assigned Fred to its junior workforce in St. Catharines within the Ontario Hockey Affiliation. In his ultimate OHL season in 1963-64, maybe not surprisingly for the son of a lawman, he earned the Max Kaminsky Trophy because the league’s most sportsmanslike participant.
Turning professional at age 20 in 1964, Stanfield spent his first three seasons with Chicago through the ultimate seasons of the six-team period. Previous to the enlargement draft that stocked six new groups in 1967, he was concerned in one of the crucial infamously lopsided trades in hockey, and maybe North American sports activities historical past.
Chicago’s administration elected to shake up the roster after a first-place workforce that was graced by Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Glenn Corridor and the aforementioned Esposito was upset within the first spherical of the ’67 playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Esposito had underproduced within the postseason and likewise had beefs with coach Billy Reay and common supervisor Tommy Ivan. Chicago finally swung a three-for-three cope with the Boston Bruins, sending Esposito and 23-year-olds Stanfield and Ken Hodge east in trade for Pit Martin, Gilles Marotte and Jack Norris.
All three grew to become top-six forwards who helped the Bruins rework from perennial also-rans to a powerhouse. Martin was the one participant despatched the opposite means who had an influence for Chicago.
In Boston, Stanfield blossomed because the centre between corridor of fame left wing John Bucyk and proper wing Johnny (Pie) McKenzie. He scored a minimum of 20 targets in six consecutive seasons and likewise had three years in a row with a minimum of 75 factors, whereas additionally taking essential faceoffs and infrequently enjoying the purpose on energy performs.
Stanfield tallied 16 factors throughout each of Boston’s Cup runs. He was additionally the rationale that his former Chicago teammate, Corridor, was in objective when Orr scored his well-known Cup-winning extra time objective in opposition to the St. Louis Blues in 1970.
Early within the first recreation of the championship sequence, Stanfield’s slapshot broke the masks of Blues goalie Jacques Plante, who was injured. Plante left the sport and Corridor performed the remainder of the sequence as Boston went on a four-game sweep.
Memorable Fred Stanfield second: In Sport 1 of ’70 Stanley Cup Closing, his slapper broke the masks of Blues goalie Jacques Plante, sending him to hospital. Stanfield was a fixture at level reverse Bobby Orr on B’s PP. RIP, Freddy
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) September 14, 2021
Stanfield was traded away by the Bruins in 1973, and performed for the Minnesota North Stars and the Sabres over his ultimate seasons.
Over 14 NHL seasons, he had 211 targets and 405 assists for 616 factors throughout 914 regular-season video games. He carried the clear play that earned him recognition as a junior as much as the NHL. He by no means took greater than 22 penalty minutes in a single season, and he spent simply 136 minutes within the sin bin throughout 914 video games.
He additionally added 21 targets and 35 assists for 56 factors throughout 106 playoff video games.
Stanfield was inducted into the Mississauga Sports activities Corridor of Fame in 1981.
After his enjoying days, Stanfield and his spouse, Anita, settled in Western New York. He managed an workplace furnishings retailer within the space for 25 years.
Predeceased by his spouse, Fred Stanfield is survived by a daughter and a son.
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