Alrighty...I'm a little surprised this guy is still around actually, since his name is on one of the most important trophies in the NHL today. The Bawlf Blawkhawks would like to select
Art Ross in the position of
defenceman
Born in Naughton, Ontario, Ross grew up in Montreal where he played junior hockey. In 1905, he joined the Brandon Elks in Manitoba and in 1907 won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Kenora Thistles. For the next season, he returned to Montreal to play for the Montreal Wanderers and again won the Stanley Cup with his new team in 1908. Ross played in the National Hockey Association in 1910 as a member of the Haileybury Comets. He returned to the Wanderers for the next four seasons, then played for the Ottawa Senators in 1914–15 and 1915–16 before returning to the Wanderers to finish his career. When the Wanderers joined the newly-created NHL for the inaugural 1917–18 season, Ross only played three games before a fire destroyed the Wanderers' arena, forcing the team to fold.
He was a fearless and rugged defenceman and never shied away from a fight. One of his most legendary was with Minnie McGiffen of the Toronto Blueshirts in which both players were arrested for assault and referee Cooper Smeaton almost got arrested.
He was also a fighter for players' rights. In 1910, he opposed the NHA's imposition of a salary cap of $5,000 per team. He did the same thing in 1915 and was banned from the NHA. The league's owners, though, thought that they had acted too harshly and reinstated Ross.
Legends of Hockey
Wikipedia