Harry Watson (ice hockey, born 1923)

Harold Percival "Whipper" Watson (May 6, 1923 – November 19, 2002) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing who played for the Brooklyn Americans, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Black Hawks, winning five Stanley Cups over a 14-year career in the National Hockey League.

This article is about the professional hockey player from the 1940s and 1950s. For the amateur hockey player from the 1910s and 1920s, see Harry Watson (ice hockey b. 1898).
Harry Watson
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1994
Watson pictured with the Saskatoon Quakers, circa 1941
Born (1923-05-06)May 6, 1923
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died November 21, 2002(2002-11-21) (aged 79)
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shot Left
Played for Brooklyn Americans
Detroit Red Wings
Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 1941–1957

Playing career

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Watson played junior hockey for the Saskatoon Junior Chiefs (1938–39), the Saskatoon Chiefs and Saskatoon Dodgers (1939–40), and the Saskatoon Junior Quakers (1940–41).

In 1941, at age 18, Watson turned professional with the Brooklyn Americans in the NHL in what would be the team's final season. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in an intraleague draft and played there in 1942–43, winning his first Stanley Cup. Watson then joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as World War II escalated. While in the military, he played for the Montreal RCAF team in 1943–44, as well as for the Saskatoon RCAF squad. The following season, he played for the Winnipeg RCAF team.

After a two-year break from the NHL, Watson rejoined the Red Wings after the war for one season and was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on September 21, 1946, for Billy Taylor. Watson played eight seasons for the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups over that period. In 1948–49, he led the Leafs in points and goals, with 26 goals and 19 assists in 60 games. He didn't take a single penalty through the entire regular season.

Shortly into the 1954–55 season, the Leafs sold Watson to the Chicago Black Hawks. After three years in Chicago, Watson played one more year as a professional, as player-coach of the Buffalo Bisons in the American Hockey League, before retiring in 1958. He coached the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey League in 1958–59, and coached the senior Windsor Bulldogs to an Allan Cup championship in 1962–63.

Through his 14 years in the NHL, Watson played 809 games, scoring 236 goals and 207 assists for 443 points. He won five Stanley Cups (1943 with Detroit, and 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951 with Toronto). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1994.

Career statistics
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1938–39 Saskatoon Jr. Chiefs N-SJHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
1939–40 Saskatoon Chiefs SAHA — — — — — 4 7 4 11 2
1939–40 Saskatoon Dodgers SJHL — — — — — 2 6 2 8 2
1939–40 Saskatoon Dodgers M-Cup — — — — — 4 7 4 11 2
1940–41 Saskatoon Jr. Quakers N-SJHL 6 10 8 18 4 2 3 1 4 2
1940–41 Saskatoon Jr. Quakers M-Cup — — — — — 14 14 5 19 4
1941–42 Brooklyn Americans NHL 47 10 8 18 6 — — — — —
1942–43* Detroit Red Wings NHL 50 13 18 31 10 7 0 0 0 0
1943–44 Montreal RCAF QSHL 7 7 4 11 4 — — — — —
1943–44 Saskatoon Navy SSHL 2 6 2 8 2 — — — — —
1944–45 Winnipeg RCAF WNDHL 1 2 0 2 0 4 7 0 7 2
1945–46 Detroit Red Wings NHL 44 14 10 24 4 5 2 0 2 0
1946–47* Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 44 19 15 34 10 11 3 2 5 0
1947–48* Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 57 21 20 41 16 9 5 2 7 9
1948–49* Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 26 19 45 0 9 4 2 6 2
1949–50 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 60 19 16 35 11 7 0 0 0 2
1950–51* Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 18 19 37 18 5 1 2 3 4
1951–52 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 22 17 39 18 4 1 0 1 2
1952–53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 63 16 8 24 8 — — — — —
1953–54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 21 7 28 30 5 0 1 1 2
1954–55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 8 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 43 14 16 30 4 — — — — —
1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 55 11 14 25 6 — — — — —
1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 11 19 30 9 — — — — —
1957–58 Buffalo Bisons AHL 52 8 15 23 10 — — — — —
NHL totals 809 236 207 443 150 62 16 9 25 27

* Stanley Cup Champion.

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