Doug Bentley
Encyclopedia
Douglas Wagner Bentley (September 3, 1916 – November 24, 1972) was a Canadian ice hockey
left winger
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks
and New York Rangers
as part of a senior and professional career that spanned nearly three decades. He was named to four NHL All-Star Team
s in his career and was the scoring leader in points and goals in 1942–43
and again in goals in 1943–44.
Bentley was one of six hockey playing brothers and at one point played with four of his brothers with the Drumheller Miners
of the Alberta Senior Hockey League
. He made NHL history when he played on the league's first all-brother line with Max
and Reg
in 1943. Injuries forced him out of the NHL in 1951, but he returned in 1953–54 to play one last season for the Rangers with Max. He spent several seasons as a player-coach for the Saskatoon Quakers
, leading the team to the Pacific Coast Hockey League
championship in 1952. Bentley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1964.
, Saskatchewan. He was the fifth of six boys and one of thirteen children. His father Bill was a native of Yorkshire
, England, who emigrated to the United States as a child and became a speed skating
champion in North Dakota
before settling in Delisle. He became mayor and helped build the town's covered skating rink. All of the Bentley children were athletes, and all six brothers played hockey.
Bill Bentley believed that all six boys could have played in the National Hockey League
(NHL), though responsibilities on the family farm resulted in the eldest four boys spending the majority of their careers playing senior hockey on the Canadian Prairies
. Doug was a small, slender player, weighing only 145 lbs at the peak of his career, but he was an exceptionally fast skater and his father taught him to use his speed to avoid larger opponents. He learned his trade with his brothers as they constantly played street hockey in the summers and on the ice in the winters. Bentley's father flooded a sheet of ice that was the length of a regulation NHL hockey rink but much narrower, forcing the boys to develop the ability to maintain control of the puck while making fast, hard turns to reach the net.
, then another in Regina
before settling in Moose Jaw
for three seasons beginning in 1935–36. He led the South-Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League
in scoring in 1936–37 with 37 points and added another 14 in the playoffs, also leading the league. He moved to Alberta with brother Reg
, and joined elder brothers Max
, Wyatt and Roy with the Drumheller Miners
of the Alberta Senior Hockey League
(ASHL) for the 1938–39 season. When not playing hockey, Doug helped run a gas station that the family purchased in Drumheller.
signed Bentley to a contract in the fall of 1939. He had previously been placed on the protected list of the Montreal Canadiens
, meaning they were the only NHL team eligible to sign him to a contract. They subsequently dealt his NHL rights to the Boston Bruins
for Vic Myles
. When he and brother Max went to Boston for a tryout camp, Bruins' owner Art Ross
declared them "among the worst amateurs to come to my camp". However, by the time Chicago signed him, Bentley had established himself as one of the top forwards on the prairies.
Bentley appeared in 39 games in his rookie campaign with Chicago, scoring 12 goals and 19 points. His brother Max joined him early in the 1941–42 season, and the pair were placed on a line together. After two years of development with the Black Hawks, Bentley emerged as the NHL's scoring leader in 1942–43
with 73 points, a total that tied Cooney Weiland
's NHL record for points in a season. He was the first Black Hawks player to finish as the scoring leader, and finished second in voting for the Hart Trophy
as most valuable player.
World War II
had decimated the rosters of all NHL teams, and with the Black Hawks searching for players, Max and Doug convinced the team to sign their brother Reg. The trio made history on January 1, 1943, when they became the first all-brother line the NHL had seen. Two nights later, Max and Doug assisted on Reg's first, and only, NHL goal. It is the only time in league history that a trio of family members recorded the goal and assists on a scoring play. While Max and Doug were established NHL stars, Reg played only 11 games in his NHL career.
In 1943–44, Bentley again led the NHL in goal scoring with 38, and was named a First Team All-Star
at left wing for the second consecutive season. His career was briefly halted in 1944 when, after playing an exhibition game with Chicago in Canada prior to the 1944–45 season, Canadian officials refused to allow him to return to the United States. He was given permission by military authorities to return to his family farm for the duration of the war, and signed on to play with the Laura Beavers of the Saskatchewan Intermediate Hockey League. The Beavers went on to win the western Canadian intermediate championship, defeating a team from Canmore, Alberta
, to capture the title.
Following the war, Bentley returned to the Black Hawks where he was reunited with his brother Max. The brothers and Bill Mosienko
formed a line in which each player was small and exceptionally fast; they were dubbed the "Pony Line" and emerged as one of the top scoring lines in the league. Max led the NHL in scoring with 61 points, while Doug scored 40 points in just 36 games for Chicago. He improved to 55 points in 1946–47 and was named a First Team All-Star for the third time. He played in the first All-Star Game
on October 13, 1947, for the NHL All-Stars, who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs
, 4–3.
The Black Hawks, who never iced a strong lineup while Bentley played, made a significant trade early in the 1947–48 season. They sent Max Bentley and a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs
in exchange for five players. The trade shocked Doug. He thought about retiring following the deal but felt he could give Chicago at least one more good season. He gave them several good seasons, finished the following three seasons with 57, 66 and 52 points respectively, was named to the Second All-Star Team in 1949, and appeared in four more All-Star Games
in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951. Chicago's Herald American
newspaper named him the city's top hockey player of the half-century in 1950.
where he took on the role of player-coach for the Pacific Coast Hockey League
(PCHL) team. Bentley appeared in 35 regular season games for the Quakers then scored 12 points in 13 games to lead the Quakers to the President's Cup
championship.
Bentley remained with Saskatoon in 1952–53, appearing in all 70 league games for the Quakers. Following the season, the New York Rangers
lured Bentley back to the NHL, acquiring his brother Max, then purchasing his rights from Chicago. In his first game with the Rangers, he scored a goal and three assists. He played 20 games with the Rangers, scoring 12 points, but returned to Saskatoon to coach the team in their playoffs once the Rangers' season ended. Bentley continued as Saskatoon's player-coach until 1955.
In the midst of the 1955–56 season, Bentley surprised his team by announcing his resignation as a coach. He initially agreed to continue as a player, but when the team announced as his replacement a player who was formerly subordinate to him as coach, Bentley felt it best to leave to avoid embarrassing his successor. The 39-year-old Bentley immediately received offers from other Western Hockey League
(WHL) teams, including the New Westminster Royals
. He chose to finish the season with the Brandon Regals.
team in Saskatoon. He first served as the team's manager, and after briefly playing with the WHL's Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals
in 1957–58, became the head coach of the junior team. He remained in the position until 1961 when he left to become chief scout with the WHL's Los Angeles Blades
for the 1961–62 season.
He was named an assistant coach midway through the year and even played when injuries forced players out of the lineup. Bentley moved on to become the player-coach of the Long Beach Gulls of the California Hockey League
in 1962–63, opposing his brother Max who coached the Burbank Stars. He returned to his Saskatchewan home in 1964 to coach the senior Saskatoon Quakers for one season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
that same year. He then moved to the Eastern Hockey League
's Knoxville Knights
in 1966–67, and finally the Edmonton Nuggets of the Western Canada Senior Hockey League in 1967–68.
for both their home town of Delisle and the Saskatoon Gems of the Saskatchewan and later Western Canada senior leagues. He played as an outfielder.
Bentley and his wife Betty had three daughters and one son. Their son, Doug Jr., was also a hockey player. Much of Doug Sr.'s time away from the rink was spent at the family farm near Delisle. The family operated a large farm, raising cattle and growing wheat. Bentley battled cancer in his later life, first requiring surgery in Edmonton in 1969. A second operation followed in 1970, but he died of the disease on November 24, 1972.
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...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
as part of a senior and professional career that spanned nearly three decades. He was named to four NHL All-Star Team
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
s in his career and was the scoring leader in points and goals in 1942–43
1942–43 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
and again in goals in 1943–44.
Bentley was one of six hockey playing brothers and at one point played with four of his brothers with the Drumheller Miners
Drumheller Miners
The Drumheller Miners were a senior ice hockey team based in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.Two incarnations of the team existed. The first was a member of the Alberta Senior Hockey League in the late 1930s. The Miners playing in the ASHL featured the five Bentley brothers, Doug, Max, Reg, Roy and...
of the Alberta Senior Hockey League
Alberta Senior Hockey League
The Alberta Senior Hockey League or ASHL was a senior level ice hockey league that operated between 1936 and 1941 in Alberta, Canada. In 1941 the league ceased operations due to World War II....
. He made NHL history when he played on the league's first all-brother line with Max
Max Bentley
Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League as part of a professional and senior career that spanned 20 years...
and Reg
Reg Bentley
Reginald Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 11 games in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks as part of a 20-year senior and professional career...
in 1943. Injuries forced him out of the NHL in 1951, but he returned in 1953–54 to play one last season for the Rangers with Max. He spent several seasons as a player-coach for the Saskatoon Quakers
Saskatoon Quakers
The Saskatoon Quakers were an ice hockey team that was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team existed from 1945 until 1959, and again from 1965-1971, playing in various senior and minor-professional leagues during that time. The Quakers represented Canada in 1934 World Ice Hockey...
, leading the team to the Pacific Coast Hockey League
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
championship in 1952. Bentley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1964.
Early life
Bentley was born March 1, 1920, in DelisleDelisle, Saskatchewan
-References:...
, Saskatchewan. He was the fifth of six boys and one of thirteen children. His father Bill was a native of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England, who emigrated to the United States as a child and became a speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
champion in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
before settling in Delisle. He became mayor and helped build the town's covered skating rink. All of the Bentley children were athletes, and all six brothers played hockey.
Bill Bentley believed that all six boys could have played in the National Hockey League
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...
(NHL), though responsibilities on the family farm resulted in the eldest four boys spending the majority of their careers playing senior hockey on the Canadian Prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
. Doug was a small, slender player, weighing only 145 lbs at the peak of his career, but he was an exceptionally fast skater and his father taught him to use his speed to avoid larger opponents. He learned his trade with his brothers as they constantly played street hockey in the summers and on the ice in the winters. Bentley's father flooded a sheet of ice that was the length of a regulation NHL hockey rink but much narrower, forcing the boys to develop the ability to maintain control of the puck while making fast, hard turns to reach the net.
Senior hockey
Bentley's early career was spent with several senior teams throughout Saskatchewan. He first played in his hometown of Delisle for the Tigers hockey team in 1932–33 before playing a year in SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, then another in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
before settling in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. It is best known as a retirement and tourist city that serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns...
for three seasons beginning in 1935–36. He led the South-Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League
Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League
The Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League was a senior amateur ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan on-and-off from 1938-1971.-Champions:*1938-39: Saskatoon Quakers*1939-40: Moose Jaw Millers*1940-41: Regina Rangers...
in scoring in 1936–37 with 37 points and added another 14 in the playoffs, also leading the league. He moved to Alberta with brother Reg
Reg Bentley
Reginald Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 11 games in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks as part of a 20-year senior and professional career...
, and joined elder brothers Max
Max Bentley
Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League as part of a professional and senior career that spanned 20 years...
, Wyatt and Roy with the Drumheller Miners
Drumheller Miners
The Drumheller Miners were a senior ice hockey team based in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.Two incarnations of the team existed. The first was a member of the Alberta Senior Hockey League in the late 1930s. The Miners playing in the ASHL featured the five Bentley brothers, Doug, Max, Reg, Roy and...
of the Alberta Senior Hockey League
Alberta Senior Hockey League
The Alberta Senior Hockey League or ASHL was a senior level ice hockey league that operated between 1936 and 1941 in Alberta, Canada. In 1941 the league ceased operations due to World War II....
(ASHL) for the 1938–39 season. When not playing hockey, Doug helped run a gas station that the family purchased in Drumheller.
Chicago Black Hawks
The Chicago Black HawksChicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
signed Bentley to a contract in the fall of 1939. He had previously been placed on the protected list of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, meaning they were the only NHL team eligible to sign him to a contract. They subsequently dealt his NHL rights to the Boston 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...
for Vic Myles
Vic Myles
Victor Robert William Myles was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 45 games in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers.-External links:...
. When he and brother Max went to Boston for a tryout camp, Bruins' owner Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
declared them "among the worst amateurs to come to my camp". However, by the time Chicago signed him, Bentley had established himself as one of the top forwards on the prairies.
Bentley appeared in 39 games in his rookie campaign with Chicago, scoring 12 goals and 19 points. His brother Max joined him early in the 1941–42 season, and the pair were placed on a line together. After two years of development with the Black Hawks, Bentley emerged as the NHL's scoring leader in 1942–43
1942–43 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
with 73 points, a total that tied Cooney Weiland
Cooney Weiland
Ralph "Cooney" Weiland was an NHL forward who played for the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings....
's NHL record for points in a season. He was the first Black Hawks player to finish as the scoring leader, and finished second in voting for the Hart Trophy
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
as most valuable player.
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
had decimated the rosters of all NHL teams, and with the Black Hawks searching for players, Max and Doug convinced the team to sign their brother Reg. The trio made history on January 1, 1943, when they became the first all-brother line the NHL had seen. Two nights later, Max and Doug assisted on Reg's first, and only, NHL goal. It is the only time in league history that a trio of family members recorded the goal and assists on a scoring play. While Max and Doug were established NHL stars, Reg played only 11 games in his NHL career.
In 1943–44, Bentley again led the NHL in goal scoring with 38, and was named a First Team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
at left wing for the second consecutive season. His career was briefly halted in 1944 when, after playing an exhibition game with Chicago in Canada prior to the 1944–45 season, Canadian officials refused to allow him to return to the United States. He was given permission by military authorities to return to his family farm for the duration of the war, and signed on to play with the Laura Beavers of the Saskatchewan Intermediate Hockey League. The Beavers went on to win the western Canadian intermediate championship, defeating a team from Canmore, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
, to capture the title.
Following the war, Bentley returned to the Black Hawks where he was reunited with his brother Max. The brothers and Bill Mosienko
Bill Mosienko
William Mosienko was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks. He is best noted for recording the fastest hat trick in NHL history...
formed a line in which each player was small and exceptionally fast; they were dubbed the "Pony Line" and emerged as one of the top scoring lines in the league. Max led the NHL in scoring with 61 points, while Doug scored 40 points in just 36 games for Chicago. He improved to 55 points in 1946–47 and was named a First Team All-Star for the third time. He played in the first All-Star Game
1st National Hockey League All-Star Game
The First National Hockey League All-Star Game took place at Maple Leaf Gardens, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, on October 13, 1947. The game saw the Maple Leafs play a team of NHL all-stars. The All-Stars won the game 4–3.-Founding:...
on October 13, 1947, for the NHL All-Stars, who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, 4–3.
The Black Hawks, who never iced a strong lineup while Bentley played, made a significant trade early in the 1947–48 season. They sent Max Bentley and a prospect to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in exchange for five players. The trade shocked Doug. He thought about retiring following the deal but felt he could give Chicago at least one more good season. He gave them several good seasons, finished the following three seasons with 57, 66 and 52 points respectively, was named to the Second All-Star Team in 1949, and appeared in four more All-Star Games
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
in 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951. Chicago's Herald American
Chicago's American
Chicago American, an afternoon newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, was the last flowering of the aggressive journalistic tradition depicted in the play and movie The Front Page....
newspaper named him the city's top hockey player of the half-century in 1950.
Saskatoon and New York
Injuries, including a pulled groin muscle, plagued Bentley in 1950–51 and limited him to 44 games. He played only eight games of the 1951–52 NHL season before the Black Hawks allowed him to return to Saskatchewan. He was loaned to the Saskatoon QuakersSaskatoon Quakers
The Saskatoon Quakers were an ice hockey team that was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team existed from 1945 until 1959, and again from 1965-1971, playing in various senior and minor-professional leagues during that time. The Quakers represented Canada in 1934 World Ice Hockey...
where he took on the role of player-coach for the Pacific Coast Hockey League
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
(PCHL) team. Bentley appeared in 35 regular season games for the Quakers then scored 12 points in 13 games to lead the Quakers to the President's Cup
Lester Patrick Cup
The Lester Patrick Cup was the championship trophy of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Hockey League from 1949 to 1974. Originally known as the President's Cup, the trophy was renamed in 1960 to honor pacific coast hockey pioneer and legend Lester Patrick following his death on June...
championship.
Bentley remained with Saskatoon in 1952–53, appearing in all 70 league games for the Quakers. Following the season, the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
lured Bentley back to the NHL, acquiring his brother Max, then purchasing his rights from Chicago. In his first game with the Rangers, he scored a goal and three assists. He played 20 games with the Rangers, scoring 12 points, but returned to Saskatoon to coach the team in their playoffs once the Rangers' season ended. Bentley continued as Saskatoon's player-coach until 1955.
In the midst of the 1955–56 season, Bentley surprised his team by announcing his resignation as a coach. He initially agreed to continue as a player, but when the team announced as his replacement a player who was formerly subordinate to him as coach, Bentley felt it best to leave to avoid embarrassing his successor. The 39-year-old Bentley immediately received offers from other Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
(WHL) teams, including the New Westminster Royals
New Westminster Royals
The New Westminster Royals was the name of several professional and junior ice hockey teams based in New Westminster, British Columbia.The first team played from 1912-1914 in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association which was established in 1911....
. He chose to finish the season with the Brandon Regals.
Coaching career
Bentley did not play during the 1956–57 season, as he and Max chose instead to operate a new Saskatchewan Junior Hockey LeagueSaskatchewan Junior Hockey League
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
team in Saskatoon. He first served as the team's manager, and after briefly playing with the WHL's Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals
Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals
The Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals were an ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that existed for one season in 1957-58. The franchise split its home games between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and St. Paul, Minnesota, USA....
in 1957–58, became the head coach of the junior team. He remained in the position until 1961 when he left to become chief scout with the WHL's Los Angeles Blades
Los Angeles Blades
The Los Angeles Blades were a professional inline hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. The Blades played in Roller Hockey International from 1993-1997 and played their home games at the Great Western Forum....
for the 1961–62 season.
He was named an assistant coach midway through the year and even played when injuries forced players out of the lineup. Bentley moved on to become the player-coach of the Long Beach Gulls of the California Hockey League
California Hockey League
-Franchises:*Oakland Sheiks *San Francisco Tigers *Los Angeles Richfields *Hollywood Millionaires *Oakland Checkers *Los Angeles Millionaires *San Francisco Tigers...
in 1962–63, opposing his brother Max who coached the Burbank Stars. He returned to his Saskatchewan home in 1964 to coach the senior Saskatoon Quakers for one season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
that same year. He then moved to 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...
's Knoxville Knights
Knoxville Knights
The Knoxville Knights were a minor professional ice hockey team based in the James White Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knights played for seven seasons in the Eastern Hockey League from 1961 to 1968. The Knights folded after the end of the 1967-68 season.The Knights had the...
in 1966–67, and finally the Edmonton Nuggets of the Western Canada Senior Hockey League in 1967–68.
Personal life
Throughout the 1950s, Bentley and his brothers played baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for both their home town of Delisle and the Saskatoon Gems of the Saskatchewan and later Western Canada senior leagues. He played as an outfielder.
Bentley and his wife Betty had three daughters and one son. Their son, Doug Jr., was also a hockey player. Much of Doug Sr.'s time away from the rink was spent at the family farm near Delisle. The family operated a large farm, raising cattle and growing wheat. Bentley battled cancer in his later life, first requiring surgery in Edmonton in 1969. A second operation followed in 1970, but he died of the disease on November 24, 1972.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1933–34 | Saskatoon Wesleys | N-SSHL | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1934–35 | Regina Victorias Regina Victorias The Regina Victorias were both a senior and junior ice hockey team from Regina, Saskatchewan. They have played in the Allan Cup Finals three times , winning the Allan Cup in their first appearance... |
S-SSHL | 19 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | ||
| 1935–36 | Moose Jaw Millers | S-SSHL | 20 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1936–37 | Moose Jaw Millers | S-SSHL | 24 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 49 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1937–38 | Moose Jaw Millers | S-SSHL | 21 | 25 | 18 | 43 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 1938–39 | Drumheller Miners Drumheller Miners The Drumheller Miners were a senior ice hockey team based in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.Two incarnations of the team existed. The first was a member of the Alberta Senior Hockey League in the late 1930s. The Miners playing in the ASHL featured the five Bentley brothers, Doug, Max, Reg, Roy and... |
ASHL Alberta Senior Hockey League The Alberta Senior Hockey League or ASHL was a senior level ice hockey league that operated between 1936 and 1941 in Alberta, Canada. In 1941 the league ceased operations due to World War II.... |
32 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1939–40 | Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
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... |
39 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1940–41 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 46 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1941–42 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 38 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1942–43 1942–43 NHL season -NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:... |
Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 50 | 33 | 40 | 73 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 50 | 38 | 39 | 77 | 22 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 4 | ||
| 1945–46 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 36 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1946–47 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 52 | 21 | 34 | 55 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 60 | 20 | 37 | 57 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 58 | 23 | 43 | 66 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949–50 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 64 | 20 | 33 | 53 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 44 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951–52 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 8 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951–52 | Saskatoon Quakers Saskatoon Quakers The Saskatoon Quakers were an ice hockey team that was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team existed from 1945 until 1959, and again from 1965-1971, playing in various senior and minor-professional leagues during that time. The Quakers represented Canada in 1934 World Ice Hockey... |
PCHL Pacific Coast Hockey League The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:... |
35 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Saskatoon Quakers Saskatoon Quakers The Saskatoon Quakers were an ice hockey team that was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team existed from 1945 until 1959, and again from 1965-1971, playing in various senior and minor-professional leagues during that time. The Quakers represented Canada in 1934 World Ice Hockey... |
WHL Western Hockey League (minor pro) The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League... |
70 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 37 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 14 | ||
| 1953–54 | Saskatoon Quakers | WHL | 42 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1953–54 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL | 20 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1954–55 | Saskatoon Quakers | WHL | 61 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 | Saskatoon Quakers/Brandon Regals | WHL | 60 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957–58 | Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals The Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals were an ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League that existed for one season in 1957-58. The franchise split its home games between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.... |
WHL | 19 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1961–62 | Los Angeles Blades Los Angeles Blades The Los Angeles Blades were a professional inline hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. The Blades played in Roller Hockey International from 1993-1997 and played their home games at the Great Western Forum.... |
WHL | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962–63 | Long Beach Gulls | CalHL California Hockey League -Franchises:*Oakland Sheiks *San Francisco Tigers *Los Angeles Richfields *Hollywood Millionaires *Oakland Checkers *Los Angeles Millionaires *San Francisco Tigers... |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 565 | 219 | 324 | 543 | 217 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 12 | ||||