Gus Giesebrecht
Encyclopedia
Roy George "Gus" Giesebrecht (September 14, 1917 – December 27, 2006) was a professional ice hockey
centre
who played 135 games in the National Hockey League
with the Detroit Red Wings
. During his career he accumulated 27 goals and 51 assists for a total 78 points. Giesebrecht was widely regarded by fellow players and NHL coaches as one of the most promising rookies in the league at the time. He scored a hat trick
in the first period of the first game he saw on-ice action with the Red Wings, and scored the game-winning goal against the Chicago Black Hawks that advanced the Red Wings to the 1941 Stanley Cup Finals
.
Despite his early promise, World War II
brought Giesebrecht's professional hockey career to an end. He chose to leave the Red Wings, volunteering for the Canadian Army. He was deployed to the European theatre
as a corporal in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
and saw action in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Giesebrecht opted not to return to professional hockey at the conclusion of the war, deciding instead to return to his hometown of Petawawa, Ontario, where he ran his family's business until his death in 2006.
(OCJHL), with whom he played for the 1933–34 season, skating in 15 games and scoring 6 goals and 11 assists for 17 points. The following season, he divided his times between the OCJHL's Ottawa Senators
, the Pembroke Lumber Kings
of the Ontario Valley Junior Hockey League (OVJHL) and the Pembroke Falcons of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association
(NOHA). Giesebrecht spent the 1935–36 season back with the OVJHL's Pembroke Lumber Kings.
Giesebrecht broke into the amateur leagues with the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League
. He skated with the Yellow Jackets for the 1936–37 season, scoring 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 47 games. He began the 1937–38 season with the Detroit Pontiacs of the Michigan Ontario Hockey League, with whom he led the league in scoring prior to turning pro.
Near the end of the 1937–38 season, Giesebrecht began his professional career with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the International-American Hockey League
(IAHL). He returned to the Hornets (then the farm team for the Detroit Red Wings
) for the start of the 1938–39 season. By December 1938 Giesebrecht was being called up to play for the Red Wings. Placed on a line with Hall of Famer
Syd Howe
, Giesebrecht distinguished himself as a rookie centre for the Red Wings in February 1939 when he scored three goals in the first period in a 7–3 victory over the New York Americans
. He skated in 28 games with the Red Wings that season, tallying 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in regular season play. Giesebrecht also joined the Red Wings for the playoffs, netting 2 assists in 6 games.
Giesebrecht began the 1939–40 season with the Red Wings, but found himself sent down to their farm team—the IAHL's Indianapolis Capitals
—after scoring only 4 goals and 7 assists in 30 games. He tallied 10 goals and 9 assists for 19 points in 21 games during regular season play with the Capitals and skated in 5 playoff games, scoring 4 goals and 1 assist. Giesebrecht returned to the Red Wings for the 1940–41 season, scoring 7 goals and 18 assists in 43 games, including the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks on "Jack Adams Night," a tribute to long-time Red Wings manager Jack Adams. He faced the Black Hawks again in the Stanley Cup
semi-final round, scoring the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime that eliminated the Black Hawks and sent the Red Wings to the finals. They were ultimately defeated by the Boston Bruins
in four straight games.
The 1941–42 season again found Giesebrecht splitting his time between the Red Wings and their farm team Indianapolis Capitals (in the newly-renamed American Hockey League
). He spent the majority of the season in Detroit, netting 6 goals and 16 assists in 34 games, and seeing a 2-game call-up for the Stanley Cup finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Giesebrecht found the championship that had eluded him his entire professional career, however, with the Capitals, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists in 10 games to defeat the Hershey Bears
and win the Calder Cup
.
Giesebrecht's professional career came to an untimely end in 1942 when he volunteered for the Canadian Army during World War II
. He served as a corporal in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
, Ordnance Field Park
. His unit landed at Normandy
one month after D-Day
, and saw action in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He turned down an offer from Jack Adams to return to the Red Wings at the end of the war, and instead worked at his family business and played senior hockey. Giesebrecht passed away on December 27, 2006 and was laid to rest in Ottawa, Ontario.
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...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who played 135 games 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...
with 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...
. During his career he accumulated 27 goals and 51 assists for a total 78 points. Giesebrecht was widely regarded by fellow players and NHL coaches as one of the most promising rookies in the league at the time. He scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in the first period of the first game he saw on-ice action with the Red Wings, and scored the game-winning goal against the Chicago Black Hawks that advanced the Red Wings to the 1941 Stanley Cup Finals
1941 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1941 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series between the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings. Boston would win the series 4–0 to win their third Stanley Cup.-Paths to the Final:...
.
Despite his early promise, 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...
brought Giesebrecht's professional hockey career to an end. He chose to leave the Red Wings, volunteering for the Canadian Army. He was deployed to the European theatre
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
as a corporal in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
2nd Canadian Infantry Division
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the First Canadian Army, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of...
and saw action in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Giesebrecht opted not to return to professional hockey at the conclusion of the war, deciding instead to return to his hometown of Petawawa, Ontario, where he ran his family's business until his death in 2006.
Playing career
Giesebrecht's junior career began at the age of 16 with the Ottawa St. Malachy's of the Ottawa City Junior Hockey LeagueOttawa City Hockey League
The Ottawa City Hockey League was an amateur ice hockey league with junior, intermediate and senior level men's teams in Ottawa, Canada dating from 1890. It is considered the second ice hockey league to form in Canada. The senior league operated until 1945 and the junior league operated until 1957...
(OCJHL), with whom he played for the 1933–34 season, skating in 15 games and scoring 6 goals and 11 assists for 17 points. The following season, he divided his times between the OCJHL's Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, the Pembroke Lumber Kings
Pembroke Lumber Kings
The Pembroke Lumber Kings are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League and are the longest running and winningest team in CJHL history as well as 2011 Royal Bank Cup National Junior A Champions...
of the Ontario Valley Junior Hockey League (OVJHL) and the Pembroke Falcons of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association
Northern Ontario Hockey Association
The Northern Ontario Hockey Association is minor and junior level ice hockey governing body. The NOHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada. The major league run by the NOHA is the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League...
(NOHA). Giesebrecht spent the 1935–36 season back with the OVJHL's Pembroke Lumber Kings.
Giesebrecht broke into the amateur leagues with the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets
The Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets was an amateur hockey team that existed between . They evolved from being an amateur to a semi-pro team and are one the earliest sports organizations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Yellow Jackets played primarily in the United States Amateur Hockey Association...
of the Eastern Amateur 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...
. He skated with the Yellow Jackets for the 1936–37 season, scoring 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 47 games. He began the 1937–38 season with the Detroit Pontiacs of the Michigan Ontario Hockey League, with whom he led the league in scoring prior to turning pro.
Near the end of the 1937–38 season, Giesebrecht began his professional career with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the International-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...
(IAHL). He returned to the Hornets (then the farm team for 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...
) for the start of the 1938–39 season. By December 1938 Giesebrecht was being called up to play for the Red Wings. Placed on a line with Hall of Famer
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...
Syd Howe
Syd Howe
Sydney Harris Howe was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Quakers, Toronto Maple Leafs, St...
, Giesebrecht distinguished himself as a rookie centre for the Red Wings in February 1939 when he scored three goals in the first period in a 7–3 victory over the New York Americans
New York Americans
The New York Americans were a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League and the second to play in the United States. The team never won the Stanley Cup, but reached the semifinals...
. He skated in 28 games with the Red Wings that season, tallying 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in regular season play. Giesebrecht also joined the Red Wings for the playoffs, netting 2 assists in 6 games.
Giesebrecht began the 1939–40 season with the Red Wings, but found himself sent down to their farm team—the IAHL's Indianapolis Capitals
Indianapolis Capitals
The Indianapolis Capitals was an American Hockey League professional ice hockey team based in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1939–1952. The Capitals were a farm team for the Detroit Red Wings. Indianapolis won the Calder Cup in 1942 and 1950...
—after scoring only 4 goals and 7 assists in 30 games. He tallied 10 goals and 9 assists for 19 points in 21 games during regular season play with the Capitals and skated in 5 playoff games, scoring 4 goals and 1 assist. Giesebrecht returned to the Red Wings for the 1940–41 season, scoring 7 goals and 18 assists in 43 games, including the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks on "Jack Adams Night," a tribute to long-time Red Wings manager Jack Adams. He faced the Black Hawks again in the 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...
semi-final round, scoring the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime that eliminated the Black Hawks and sent the Red Wings to the finals. They were ultimately defeated by 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...
in four straight games.
The 1941–42 season again found Giesebrecht splitting his time between the Red Wings and their farm team Indianapolis Capitals (in the newly-renamed 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 spent the majority of the season in Detroit, netting 6 goals and 16 assists in 34 games, and seeing a 2-game call-up for the Stanley Cup finals against 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...
. Giesebrecht found the championship that had eluded him his entire professional career, however, with the Capitals, scoring 1 goal and 3 assists in 10 games to defeat the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
and win the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
.
Giesebrecht's professional career came to an untimely end in 1942 when he volunteered for the Canadian Army during 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...
. He served as a corporal in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
2nd Canadian Infantry Division
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the First Canadian Army, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of...
, Ordnance Field Park
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps RCOC can trace its roots back to the Canadian Stores Department. Formed in 1871, the Canadian Stores Department was a civil department of the Canadian Government...
. His unit landed at Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
one month after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, and saw action in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He turned down an offer from Jack Adams to return to the Red Wings at the end of the war, and instead worked at his family business and played senior hockey. Giesebrecht passed away on December 27, 2006 and was laid to rest in Ottawa, Ontario.
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 | Ottawa St. Malachy's | OCJHL Ottawa City Hockey League The Ottawa City Hockey League was an amateur ice hockey league with junior, intermediate and senior level men's teams in Ottawa, Canada dating from 1890. It is considered the second ice hockey league to form in Canada. The senior league operated until 1945 and the junior league operated until 1957... |
15 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1934–35 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
OCJHL | 5 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1934–35 | Pembroke Lumber Kings Pembroke Lumber Kings The Pembroke Lumber Kings are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League and are the longest running and winningest team in CJHL history as well as 2011 Royal Bank Cup National Junior A Champions... |
OVJHL | 5 | 7 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1934–35 | Pembroke Falcons | NOHA Northern Ontario Hockey Association The Northern Ontario Hockey Association is minor and junior level ice hockey governing body. The NOHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada. The major league run by the NOHA is the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League... |
4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1935–36 | Pembroke Lumber Kings | OVJHL | 8 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 1936–37 | Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets The Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets was an amateur hockey team that existed between . They evolved from being an amateur to a semi-pro team and are one the earliest sports organizations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Yellow Jackets played primarily in the United States Amateur Hockey Association... |
EAHL | 47 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1937–38 | Detroit Pontiacs | MOHL | 28 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1937–38 | Pittsburgh Hornets | IAHL 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... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1938–39 | 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 | 28 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1938–39 | Pittsburgh Hornets | IAHL | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1939–40 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 30 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1939–40 | Indianapolis Capitals Indianapolis Capitals The Indianapolis Capitals was an American Hockey League professional ice hockey team based in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1939–1952. The Capitals were a farm team for the Detroit Red Wings. Indianapolis won the Calder Cup in 1942 and 1950... |
IAHL | 21 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1940–41 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 43 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1941–42 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 34 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1941–42 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 15 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 135 | 27 | 51 | 78 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||||