Sen, Amerk, Eagle, Bruin: Of the four NHL teams for which Jeff Kalbfleisch worked the defence in the 1930s, only Boston’s Bruins remain. Born in New Hamburg, Ontario, on a Monday of this date in 1911, Kalbfleisch did brief duty as well for the (original) Ottawa Senators as well as the New York Americans and St. Louis Eagles. He died in 1960 at the age of 48.
Born on another Wednesday of this date in 1912, Bill Cowley started out in Bristol, Quebec. In subsequent years, as an NHL centreman during the Second World War, he was renowned for his passing — “made more wings than an aircraft manufacturer,” one admirer in the press wrote, citing the generosity of his set-ups for the likes of Roy Conacher and Herbie Cain. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1968, Cowley was a true star for the Boston Bruins during his 12 seasons in Massachusetts, winning a pair of Hart trophies and helping his team claim two Stanley Cups. For all that, does have the distinction of also having played for the NHL’s original (short-lived) St. Louis franchise. The Eagles only lasted a single season in Missouri, 1934-35, but Cowley was there for it, as a 22-year-old rookie. Players who also suited up for the Bruins and the Eagles during their careers? There was actually quite a number of them: Frank Jerwa, George Patterson, Bud Cook, Joe Lamb, Jeff Kalbfleisch, Eddie Finnigan, Burr Williams, Archie Wilcox, Earl Roche, Teddy Graham, and Max Kaminsky all wore the bird and the bear in their time.
(Image: Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection)
Flyboys: In the end, the deal that transplanted the original Ottawa Senators to St. Louis in 1934 didn’t work out for either city: both were out of the NHL by the fall of ’35. An erstwhile legend of the Senators’ defence started off steering the St. Louis Eagles in their only NHL campaign, but Eddie Gerard was gone before Christmas that 1934-35 season, replaced by an old Ottawa teammate, Buck Boucher. The Eagles’ struggles continued and by the end of the season they were mired at the bottom of the NHL standings, five points adrift of the New York Americans, who also avoided the playoffs. Doubts about the future of the St. Louis franchise continued through the summer of 1935. When a new owner couldn’t be found, the NHL took over the operation, scuttling the ship in October, and dispersing the players. Pictured above on a brighter day in the fall of ’34, some of them were (back row, left to right) coach Gerard, Earl Roche, Jeff Kalbfleisch, Gerry Shannon, Max Kaminsky, Irv Frew, Burr Williams, Vern Ayers, Scotty Bowman, Bill Beveride. Front: Abbie Cox, Frank Finnigan, Glenn Brydson, Carl Voss, Bud Cook, Syd Howe, Des Roche, Bill Cowley, Mickey Blake.
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