THE STELLAR LIFE OF HOCKEY GREAT EDGAR LAPRADE

Edgar "Beaver" Laprade gets my vote for being one of the best senior hockey players in Canada during the first half of the 20th Century. Born Oct. 10, 1919 in Mine Centre, ON. he played half of his 26-year hockey career as a member of a Senior "A" team in Port Arthur before moving on to the National Hockey League with New York Rangers.

He also gets my outstanding citizen nod for his contribution to the community of Port Arthur over the course of his impeccable 94-year lifetime.

Edgar came to Port Arthur at age four with his family and grew up and was educated in the city. He first laced up his skates as a child and his natural talent for the game shone through as he and one year older brother Bert came up through the minor leagues to become stars on the Port Arthur Bearcats 1939 Allan Cup championship team. Bert was a defenseman.

"Beaver" (nickname given him by teammates because of his busy, all over the ice skating style) played with the Bearcats and led the Thunder Bay Senior League in scoring in 1941 and 1942. In 1939 and 1941 the popular star was presented with the Gerry Trophy as the league's top performer. In 1941 the city of Port Arthur held a special night in honour of the Laprade brothers. Following the Bearcats' season in 1943, Edgar joined the Canadian Forces and suited up for the Montreal RCAF team. After a transfer to Winnipeg in 1944, he played for the army club in that city's services hockey league.

 

EDGAR LAPRADE
(1919-2014)

When World War 2 broke out, duty called and Edgar served two years in the army, missing out on an opportunity to play in the 1940 Olympic Games. When he completed his service and returned home, he was quickly recruited to join the Rangers. Edgar's hockey career spanned what many consider to be the glory days of hockey and he played against many hockey legends, including Maurice "the Rocket" Richard and Gordie Howe. He played for the Rangers from 1945-1955, taking the number 10, the same number he wore in Port Arthur Senior hockey.

"My first game was on October 31 (1945) in Chicago against the Black Hawks. I can remember it like it was yesterday," Edgar once told a reporter. At the conclusion of the 1945-46 season, the NHL presented him with the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. That season, he scored 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points, which placed him third on the team behind Ab DeMarco (47 points) and Grant Warwick (37 points). "I was so thrilled to win the Calder Trophy," beamed Edgar. "Lakehead boys had had a good string of wins at that time." Gaye Stewart of the Maple Leafs won the Calder in 1943, Gus Bodnar, also with Toronto, in 1944 and Edgar in 1946. In 1949, Pentti Lund took the honours. All were natives of either Fort William or Port Arthur.

But maybe even more impressive than his rookie scoring was the fact that the gentlemanly Port Arthur native served no penalty minutes that season. The trait served Edgar well during his career. Three times during his 10-season NHL career, Laprade finished with no penalties, and through his career, earned just 42 penalty minutes. "I was taught early on that you can't score from the penalty box," laughed Edgar.

A tremendous play making center and smooth skater, Edgar was also one of the NHL's best forwards during the late 1940s. Blessed with exceptional lateral mobility and an effortless skating style, he was a brilliant penalty killer and determined checker. He could also score and was one of the league's most dangerous skaters on the counterattack. Unfortunately, many of his exploits took place when he played for a New York Rangers franchise that as on a decline.

The Rangers struggled badly during Laprade's career, only reaching post-season twice in the period from 1945-46 to 1954-55. Yet, Edgar continued to contribute. In 1946-47 he collected 40 points, second on the Rangers to Tony Leswick, led the Rangers with 25 assists, and was chosen to play in the NHL All-Star Game. In 1947-48, Edgar was behind only Buddy O'Connor in team scoring, adding 47 points. The Rangers made the playoffs but were eliminated quickly. Again, Edgar was selected to play in the All-Star Game along with goal-tending teammate Charlie Rayner, a future Hall of Famer.

During his 10 years with the NHL, Edgar combined his skill with his characteristic gentlemanly conduct to amass many awards and honors, including the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year, the Lady Byng Trophy as well as four consecutive all star appearances. He was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Hall of fame in 1982 and the Hockey Hall of fame in Toronto in 1993 and was honored to have his star included in the local "Walk of Fame" in Victoriaville Centre in 1998.

Hockey was a rewarding career for the strikingly handsome Edgar in many ways, not the least of which was an introduction to his coach's niece, Arline Whear, who would become the love of his life. Edgar and Arline married in 1939 and raised three daughters, Bonnie, Judi and Marcia . A devoted family man, his wife and daughters were always his priority and greatest joy. 

After retiring from the NHL and returning to Port Arthur, Edgar and business associate, Guy Perciante owned and managed the Port Arthur Arena on Court Street. Edgar was also a partner in the popular sporting goods store, Perciante and Laprade on Cumberland Street, which he operated from 1953 until his retirement in 1975.

 

Edgar Laprade (centre, 3rd row)  a member of the
Allan Cup-winning Port Arthur Bearcats, indicative
of Senior "A" hockey supremacy in Canada.  Big
brother Bert can be seen, second from the left, in
the second row. 

But it was his accomplishments in municipal politics and civic affairs that were the most fulfilling for Edgar. Always passionately interested in his community, he began his long career in the service of the public when he first served on the Recreation Committee for the City of Port Arthur before becoming Alderman in 1959. He held many chair and board positions during those years, including chairing the Finance Committee and Social Services Committees. He was active in the community as member of the Lakehead Baseball Association, Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association , as well as serving on the Boards of Dawson Court, the 3C Reintroduction Centre, the Board of Community projects, the Board of Governors of both Confederation College and Lakehead University and the Thunder Bay District Health Council.

Edgar was also very involved with the Parking Authority, serving as a member for 30 years. During his years of municipal service, he was also closely associated with the Waverly Park project and the development of Centennial Park, the Marina and Keskus, through his work with the City Property Committee.

In 1989, Edgar received a Volunteer Service Award from the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and in 1992 a commemorative medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation awarded to Northwestern Ontario residents who have made a significant contribution to Canada. A man of great faith, Edgar's volunteer work extended to his church where he served as a member of the Parish Council of St. Andrew's parish.

Edgar's sanctuary was his camp at Hawkeye Lake where he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Always devoted to his family, he took great pleasure in the company of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and was often a source of wisdom and inspiration for family members. He was an avid reader and always interested in keeping up to date on current affairs, both locally and globally. Ever the athlete, he remained physically active and especially enjoyed walking around the Port Arthur that he loved.

Edgar Louis Laprade truly lived a full life of service and accomplishment. At 94 years of age, he passed away peacefully at his home on April 28, 2014, fifteen months following the death of brother Bert.

I saw him in action only once, at Maple Leafs Gardens in 1954...The Leafs won but Edgar scored a goal for the Rangers, one of his last as it would turn out! *A young Brent Linton (see tribute below) may have been in the stands for that game too.

Click video to view Edgar Laprade in action, Stanley Cup playoffs 1950, Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings.

BY BRENT LINTON in THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CONTRIBUTED TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

PUBLISHED MAY 11, 2014UPDATED MAY 12, 2018

Edgar Laprade was the reason I became a lifelong New York Rangers fan. I grew up at a gold mine townsite on the outskirts of Geraldton, Ont., some 260 kilometres northeast of Mr. Laprade's hometown of Port Arthur, which is now part of Thunder Bay. When I began to get interested in hockey in the late 1940s, my parents told me about the 1939 Geraldton Gold Miners amateur team, which had taken Mr. Laprade's Port Arthur Bearcats to a final and deciding playoff game on the Bearcats' way to winning the Allan Cup as the best Canadian senior hockey team.

Edgar Laprade was well into his professional career with the Rangers and as far as I was concerned, this was the closest I was going to get in having a "hometown" hockey hero. When my family moved to Toronto several years later I was able to attend most of the Rangers-Leafs games during the last two years of Mr. Laprade's career. In those days, hockey games at Maple Leaf Gardens were relatively affordable. A few dollars would buy a standing-room ticket just above the uppermost seating area, and after securing a good vantage point and coercing someone to save your spot it was possible to go down to ice level during the pregame team warmups. Mr. Laprade was very accommodating in providing autographs (as were many other players on both teams) and once he became aware of where I came from he would invariably skate over to where I was standing rinkside during subsequent pregame warmups to indulge in a bit of conversation.