Doug Harvey
Encyclopedia
Douglas Norman Harvey was a hockey player in the National Hockey League
(NHL), considered by many to be one of the greatest defencemen
to ever play the game.
, Notre Dame de Grace in his native Montreal, Quebec, Canada
, then began his professional career with the Montreal Royals of the Quebec Senior Hockey League where he played from 1945 to 1947, helping them win the Allan Cup
. He then played one season with the Buffalo Bisons
of the American Hockey League
. He made the jump to the Montreal Canadiens
of the NHL in the 1947–48 NHL season and remained with the team until 1961.
, Harvey was named to the All-Star team 11 consecutive times, beginning in the 1951–52 NHL season. He won his first of seven James Norris Memorial Trophies
in 1955, as the league's best defenceman. In an era when the defenceman's role did not include scoring points, Harvey used his skating speed and passing ability to become a factor in making the Canadiens a high-scoring team.
He earned six Stanley Cup
s, all with Montreal. In 1954, however, he scored a Cup-losing own-goal when he tipped the puck with his glove, after a deflected shot by Tony Leswick
of the Detroit Red Wings
and past goalie Gerry McNeil
. McNeil was so crushed by the goal, he retired to coach junior hockey the next season, but returned to the Habs
in 1956.
Harvey became an outspoken critic of the hockey establishment who "owned" players for life. In Harvey’s day, players were paid a pittance compared to the millions being earned by the team owners. A superstar such as Harvey, who today would be paid millions, was earning less than $30,000 a season ($274,634 in 2008 dollars) at the peak of his career while playing every game in front of sell-out crowds. Harvey was one of the first to help organize the players association which so infuriated the Canadiens’ owners that in 1961 they traded him to the then lowly New York Rangers
. One of the individuals secretly blacklisted by the league owners, Harvey responded by winning still another Norris Trophy as a Ranger. He remained with New York until 1963 then played for several teams before finishing his NHL career in 1969 with the St. Louis Blues
. He was actually listed as Coach of the New York Rangers in his first season in New York.
In Addition, he was also listed as Coach for the Kanas City Blues, which was the farm team affiliate for the NHL St Louis Blues 1967 - 68.
. Although he was unanimously voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1973, because of his involvement with the players' association, his sweater number wasn't retired by the Montreal Canadiens until 1985.
For years, Harvey battled alcoholism while suffering from bipolar disorder
. In 1985 he was offered a job with the Montreal Canadiens as a scout. For 3 years, Harvey lived in the private railway car of Olive and John Diefenbaker, which was purchased years earlier by Joe Gorman, T. P. Gorman's son, and placed at the Connaught Park Racetrack entrance. Harvey's last Stanley Cup victory came in 1986, when the Montreal Canadiens were once again the winners of Lord Stanley's Cup. He died a few years later due to cirrhosis
of the liver and was interred in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
In 1998, he was ranked number 6 on The Hockey News
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
The government of Canada honoured Doug Harvey in 2000 with his image placed on a Canadian postage stamp.
In 2002, a book on his life was published. Titled Doug: The Doug Harvey Story, it was written by William Brown with a foreword by his former teammate, Jean Béliveau
.
His jersey number (#2) was retired on October 26, 1985.
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), considered by many to be one of the greatest defencemen
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
to ever play the game.
Minor leagues
Harvey played minor league hockey in Oxford ParkOxford Park, Montreal
Oxford Park is a park in the southern part of the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district in Montreal's West End, made famous for its sporting tradition. Such hockey greats as Doug Harvey, Howie Morenz, Kenny Mosdell and Fleming Mackell learned their crafts on the outdoor rink which was part of a larger...
, Notre Dame de Grace in his native Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, then began his professional career with the Montreal Royals of the Quebec Senior Hockey League where he played from 1945 to 1947, helping them win the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
. He then played one season with the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons (AHL)
The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. He made the jump to 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 ...
of the NHL in the 1947–48 NHL season and remained with the team until 1961.
NHL star
Under coach Dick IrvinDick Irvin
James Dickinson Irvin, Sr. was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League.Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Irvin was one of the greatest players of his day, balancing a torrid slapshot and tough style with gentlemanly play...
, Harvey was named to the All-Star team 11 consecutive times, beginning in the 1951–52 NHL season. He won his first of seven James Norris Memorial Trophies
James Norris Memorial Trophy
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position". The James Norris Memorial Trophy has been awarded 55 times to 23 different players since its beginnings in...
in 1955, as the league's best defenceman. In an era when the defenceman's role did not include scoring points, Harvey used his skating speed and passing ability to become a factor in making the Canadiens a high-scoring team.
He earned six Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
s, all with Montreal. In 1954, however, he scored a Cup-losing own-goal when he tipped the puck with his glove, after a deflected shot by Tony Leswick
Tony Leswick
Anthony Joseph Leswick was a former ice hockey forward who played mostly for the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. Nicknamed "Tough Tony" and "Mighty Mouse", he was known also as a little pest. Little, because he stood just 5'7" tall and weighed 160lbs...
of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and past goalie Gerry McNeil
Gerry McNeil
Gerald George McNeil is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s....
. McNeil was so crushed by the goal, he retired to coach junior hockey the next season, but returned to the Habs
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 ...
in 1956.
Harvey became an outspoken critic of the hockey establishment who "owned" players for life. In Harvey’s day, players were paid a pittance compared to the millions being earned by the team owners. A superstar such as Harvey, who today would be paid millions, was earning less than $30,000 a season ($274,634 in 2008 dollars) at the peak of his career while playing every game in front of sell-out crowds. Harvey was one of the first to help organize the players association which so infuriated the Canadiens’ owners that in 1961 they traded him to the then lowly 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...
. One of the individuals secretly blacklisted by the league owners, Harvey responded by winning still another Norris Trophy as a Ranger. He remained with New York until 1963 then played for several teams before finishing his NHL career in 1969 with the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
. He was actually listed as Coach of the New York Rangers in his first season in New York.
In Addition, he was also listed as Coach for the Kanas City Blues, which was the farm team affiliate for the NHL St Louis Blues 1967 - 68.
Post-NHL career
Well into his forties, and with limited education and no other skills besides hockey, Harvey eked out a living playing in the minor-pro leagues and with an assistant coaching tenure in the World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
. Although he was unanimously voted 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 1973, because of his involvement with the players' association, his sweater number wasn't retired by the Montreal Canadiens until 1985.
For years, Harvey battled alcoholism while suffering from bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. In 1985 he was offered a job with the Montreal Canadiens as a scout. For 3 years, Harvey lived in the private railway car of Olive and John Diefenbaker, which was purchased years earlier by Joe Gorman, T. P. Gorman's son, and placed at the Connaught Park Racetrack entrance. Harvey's last Stanley Cup victory came in 1986, when the Montreal Canadiens were once again the winners of Lord Stanley's Cup. He died a few years later due to cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver and was interred in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
In 1998, he was ranked number 6 on The Hockey News
The Hockey News
The Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
The government of Canada honoured Doug Harvey in 2000 with his image placed on a Canadian postage stamp.
In 2002, a book on his life was published. Titled Doug: The Doug Harvey Story, it was written by William Brown with a foreword by his former teammate, Jean Béliveau
Jean Béliveau
Jean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
.
His jersey number (#2) was retired on October 26, 1985.
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 | ||
| 1945–46 | Montreal Royals Montreal Royals The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League... |
QSHL Quebec Senior Hockey League The Quebec Senior Hockey League was an ice hockey league that operated between 1941 and 1959 in Québec, Canada. From 1941, it operated on an amateur basis, before becoming the semi-professional Quebec Hockey League in 1953... |
34 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 90 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 37 | ||
| 1946–47 | Montreal Royals | QSHL | 40 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 171 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 62 | ||
| 1947–48 1947–48 AHL season The 1947–48 AHL season was the 12th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Cleveland Barons won their sixth F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as West Division champions, and won their fourth Calder Cup as league champions.It was the first season, the AHL... |
Buffalo Bisons Buffalo Bisons (AHL) The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
24 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | 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 ... |
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... |
35 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 55 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 87 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1949–50 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 76 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 1950–51 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 5 | 24 | 29 | 93 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 1951–52 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 82 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1952–53 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 67 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1953–54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 | 8 | 29 | 37 | 110 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 1954–55 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 6 | 43 | 49 | 58 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 1955–56 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 5 | 39 | 44 | 60 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 1956–57 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 6 | 44 | 50 | 92 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 1957–58 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 131 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 16 | ||
| 1958–59 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 61 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 61 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 22 | ||
| 1959–60 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 66 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 45 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 1960–61 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 58 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 48 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1961–62 | 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 | 69 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 42 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1962–63 | New York Rangers | NHL | 68 | 4 | 35 | 39 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1963–64 1963–64 AHL season The 1963–64 AHL season was the 28th season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The Quebec Aces finished first overall in the regular season... |
Quebec Aces Quebec Aces The Quebec Aces, also known in French as Les As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec. The Aces were founded in 1928, and played until 1971. The team played home games at the Quebec Coliseum from 1930 to 1971.The Aces were Allan Cup... |
AHL | 52 | 6 | 36 | 42 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 1963–64 | New York Rangers | NHL | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964–65 1964–65 AHL season The 1964–65 AHL season was the 29th season of the American Hockey League. The league inaugurates the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding media coverage of the AHL.Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule... |
Quebec Aces | AHL | 64 | 1 | 36 | 37 | 72 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 1965–66 1965–66 AHL season The 1965–66 AHL season was the 30th season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The league played a limited interlocking schedule with the Western Hockey League which was repeated two seasons later. The Quebec Aces finished first overall in the regular... |
Baltimore Clippers Baltimore Clippers The Baltimore Clippers were an American ice hockey team. They were the first of three Baltimore entries into the American Hockey League, who played from 1962–76... |
AHL | 67 | 7 | 32 | 39 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 1966–67 AHL season The 1966–67 AHL season was the 31st season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The Pittsburgh Hornets finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship since being resurrected in 1961–62... |
Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 24 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1966–67 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL | 28 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1966–67 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967–68 | St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 1968–69 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 70 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1113 | 88 | 452 | 540 | 1216 | 137 | 8 | 64 | 72 | 152 | ||||