Bronco Horvath
Encyclopedia
Joseph Rudolph "Bronco" Horvath (born March 12, 1930 in Port Colborne, Ontario
) is a retired former professional ice hockey
player who played 434 games in the NHL
between 1955 and 1968.
Born to an ethnic Hungarian family which emigrated from Transcarpathia
after the end of World War I when the territory was ceded to Ukraine
, he is perhaps best remembered for his time playing on the famous "Uke Line" in Boston
with the Bruins
, with fellow Ukrainian-Canadians
Johnny Bucyk
and Vic Stasiuk
. Horvath missed out on the Art Ross Trophy
in 1959–60 by a single point to Bobby Hull
, however he tied with Hull for the goal-scoring lead
, with 39. He played for five of the Original Six
teams in the NHL (only missing Detroit), He did apprentice with the Edmonton Flyers, Detroit's WHL farm team, along with John Bucyk & Vic Stasiuk, his future Uke Linemates. He was demoted to the minors in 1963.
With the increased demand for players with the NHL expansion in 1967, Horvath found himself back in the league with the Minnesota North Stars
. At mid-season of that year he returned to the Rochester Americans and helped lead them to the championship. He would finish his career with Rochester and ultimately retired from playing in 1970. Horvath is a charter member of the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame.
The following year he became coach of the London Knights
of the OHL, from 1971–72. He moved to South Yarmouth, Mass., when he was named coach of the Cape Cod Cubs
, an expansion team in the Eastern Hockey League
, in 1972. He coached the Cubs to a regular-season divisional championship and a sweep of their first-round playoff series with the Long Island Ducks
before a powerful Syracuse Blazers
team ended Cape Cod's league championship hopes. Horvath returned as coach for the 1973–74 season with the Cubs, who were charter members of the new North American Hockey League
, but was fired after the team got off to a slow start. His last coaching job was a brief stint at Dennis-Yarmouth (Mass.) Regional High School. He still resides on Cape Cod, where he enjoys an occasional round of golf.
Port Colborne, Ontario
Port Colborne is a city on Lake Erie, at the southern end of the Welland Canal, in the Niagara Region of southern Ontario, Canada...
) is a retired former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who played 434 games in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
between 1955 and 1968.
Born to an ethnic Hungarian family which emigrated from Transcarpathia
Transcarpathia
Transcarpathia may refer to:* Carpathian Ruthenia, a historic region* Zakarpattia Oblast, an administrative unit of Ukraine, roughly covering the same area as Carpathian Ruthenia...
after the end of World War I when the territory was ceded to Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, he is perhaps best remembered for his time playing on the famous "Uke Line" in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
with the Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, with fellow Ukrainian-Canadians
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
Johnny Bucyk
Johnny Bucyk
John Paul "Chief" Bucyk is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Having played most of his career with the Boston Bruins, he has been associated in one capacity or another with the Bruins' organization since the late 1950s.-Early life:Bucyk...
and Vic Stasiuk
Vic Stasiuk
Victor John Stasiuk is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and a former NHL head coach. He played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins, recording 183 goals and 254 assists in 745 games. Stasiuk won 3 Stanley Cups in 1952, 1954, 1955 with Detroit...
. Horvath missed out on the Art Ross Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
in 1959–60 by a single point to Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
, however he tied with Hull for the goal-scoring lead
Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy
The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, also known as the Maurice Richard Trophy is awarded annually to the leading goal scorer in the National Hockey League . It was donated to the NHL by the Montreal Canadiens hockey club in and is named in honour of the legendary Montreal Canadiens right winger...
, with 39. He played for five of the Original Six
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
teams in the NHL (only missing Detroit), He did apprentice with the Edmonton Flyers, Detroit's WHL farm team, along with John Bucyk & Vic Stasiuk, his future Uke Linemates. He was demoted to the minors in 1963.
Career
Horvath played most of the next six seasons with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He helped Rochester win three A.H.L. Calder Cup championships in 1964-65, 1965–66 and 1967-68. and was among The League's Scoring Leaders for several seasons.With the increased demand for players with the NHL expansion in 1967, Horvath found himself back in the league with the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. At mid-season of that year he returned to the Rochester Americans and helped lead them to the championship. He would finish his career with Rochester and ultimately retired from playing in 1970. Horvath is a charter member of the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame.
The following year he became coach of the London Knights
London Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...
of the OHL, from 1971–72. He moved to South Yarmouth, Mass., when he was named coach of the Cape Cod Cubs
Cape Cod Cubs
The Cape Cod Cubs and Cape Codders were a professional ice hockey team that played at the Cape Cod Coliseum in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts.-History:...
, an expansion team in the Eastern Hockey League
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...
, in 1972. He coached the Cubs to a regular-season divisional championship and a sweep of their first-round playoff series with the Long Island Ducks
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks is an American professional baseball team based in Central Islip, New York. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
before a powerful Syracuse Blazers
Syracuse Blazers
The Syracuse Blazers were a minor league hockey team that played in the Onondaga County War Memorial and New York State Fair Coliseum in Syracuse, New York....
team ended Cape Cod's league championship hopes. Horvath returned as coach for the 1973–74 season with the Cubs, who were charter members of the new North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
, but was fired after the team got off to a slow start. His last coaching job was a brief stint at Dennis-Yarmouth (Mass.) Regional High School. He still resides on Cape Cod, where he enjoys an occasional round of golf.