Kraut line
Encyclopedia
The Kraut Line was the term used to describe a trio of hockey players who played on the same NHL forward line
who were members of the Boston Bruins
hockey team: center Milt Schmidt
, left wing Woody Dumart
, and right winger Bobby Bauer
.
The name was devised by Albert Leduc, a player from the Montreal Canadiens
between 1925 and 1933, and references the German descent of all three players, all of whom grew up in Kitchener, Ontario
.
scoring. Center Milt Schmidt lead the league in scoring with 22 goals and 30 assists; left wing Woody Dumart was second in the league with 22 goals and 21 assists; and third in scoring was right wing Bobby Bauer with 17 goals and 26 assists. While the line was intact, the Boston Bruins would win the Stanley Cup
championship in the 1938–1939 and 1940–1941 seasons.
In the midst of World War II
, the line enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force
as a trio from 1942 to 1946. On February 11, 1942, their last game before reporting for duty, the line accumulated 22 points on the way to an 8–1 victory over Montreal. During the war, contests were held to change towards a non-Germanic name for the line, with The Kitchener Kids one of the favorites, but at the war's end the name returned.
Bobby Bauer's retirement in 1947 ended the line. On March 18, 1952, the line participated in a special reunion game in which Schmidt scored his 200th career goal and Bauer had a goal and an assist, despite having been retired the five previous years, in a victory over the Chicago Black Hawks
.
Schmidt is the only surviving member of the Kraut line. Bauer died in September 1964 at age 48. Dumart died October 19, 2001 at age 84.
All three would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
, Bauer in 1996 Dumart in 1992, and Schmidt in 1961.
Line (ice hockey)
A line in ice hockey is a term used to describe a group of forwards that play in a group, or shift, during a game.A complete forward line consists of a left wing, a center, and a right wing, while a pair of defensemen who play together are called a "defensive pairing." Typically, a team dresses...
who were members of 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...
hockey team: center Milt Schmidt
Milt Schmidt
Milton Conrad Schmidt is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre, coach and general manager, mostly for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Early years:...
, left wing Woody Dumart
Woody Dumart
Woodrow Wilson Clarence "Porky" Dumart was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
, and right winger Bobby Bauer
Bobby Bauer
Robert Theodore Bauer was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:...
.
The name was devised by Albert Leduc, a player from 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 ...
between 1925 and 1933, and references the German descent of all three players, all of whom grew up in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
.
History
The three were famously attached and lived together in a single room in Brookline, Massachusetts. This line was so accomplished that in the 1939–1940 season, the trio was 1–2–3 in NHLNational 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...
scoring. Center Milt Schmidt lead the league in scoring with 22 goals and 30 assists; left wing Woody Dumart was second in the league with 22 goals and 21 assists; and third in scoring was right wing Bobby Bauer with 17 goals and 26 assists. While the line was intact, the Boston Bruins would win 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...
championship in the 1938–1939 and 1940–1941 seasons.
In the midst of 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...
, the line enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
as a trio from 1942 to 1946. On February 11, 1942, their last game before reporting for duty, the line accumulated 22 points on the way to an 8–1 victory over Montreal. During the war, contests were held to change towards a non-Germanic name for the line, with The Kitchener Kids one of the favorites, but at the war's end the name returned.
Bobby Bauer's retirement in 1947 ended the line. On March 18, 1952, the line participated in a special reunion game in which Schmidt scored his 200th career goal and Bauer had a goal and an assist, despite having been retired the five previous years, in a victory over 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...
.
Schmidt is the only surviving member of the Kraut line. Bauer died in September 1964 at age 48. Dumart died October 19, 2001 at age 84.
All three would be 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...
, Bauer in 1996 Dumart in 1992, and Schmidt in 1961.
Statistics
Note: These are statistics from the seven regular seasons in which the three players generally played on the same line.- GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty in Minutes
| Year | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM PIM - Computing :* Parallel inference machine, an intended fifth generation computer* Personal information management, the study and practice of information management by individuals* Personal information manager, a portable appliance... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milt Schmidt | |||||
| 1937–38 | 44 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 15 |
| 1938–39 | 41 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 13 |
| 1939–40 | 48 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 37 |
| 1940–41 | 45 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 23 |
| 1941–42 | 36 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 34 |
| 1945–46 | 48 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 21 |
| 1946–47 | 59 | 27 | 35 | 62 | 40 |
| Woody Dumart | |||||
| 1937–38 | 48 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 6 |
| 1938–39 | 45 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 2 |
| 1939–40 | 48 | 22 | 21 | 43 | 16 |
| 1940–41 | 40 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 2 |
| 1941–42 | 35 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 8 |
| 1945–46 | 50 | 22 | 12 | 34 | 2 |
| 1946–47 | 60 | 24 | 28 | 52 | 12 |
| Bobby Bauer | |||||
| 1937–38 | 48 | 20 | 14 | 34 | 9 |
| 1938–39 | 48 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 4 |
| 1939–40 | 48 | 17 | 26 | 43 | 2 |
| 1940–41 | 48 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 2 |
| 1941–42 | 36 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 11 |
| 1945–46 | 39 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 4 |
| 1946–47 | 58 | 30 | 24 | 54 | 4 |