Eddie Powers

Edward Joseph Powers (September 11, 1888 – January 17, 1943) was a Canadian professional lacrosse player, professional ice hockey player and coach. Powers was head coach of the Toronto St. Pats of the National Hockey League (NHL) for two seasons and minor professional league coach for 13 seasons, including championship seasons with the Boston Tigers (CAHL) and Syracuse Stars. He was an assistant coach, scout and hockey executive for the Toronto franchise.

Biography

Powers was born in Elora, Ontario on September 11, 1888.[1] From the age of 16, Powers played senior lacrosse. He played with Victoria and Nelson in British Columbia. He returned east and started coaching lacrosse. He was coach of the 1926 Mann Cup championship team Weston Westonmen.[1]

Powers' ice hockey coaching career began when he was employed as a youth with the Eaton's department store chain, coaching the store's own team. Powers moved on to coaching amateur teams. In 1919–20, he coached Toronto Parkdale's senior team. In 1920–21, he coached the Port Colborne intermediate team.[2] He coached the Westminster Ice Hockey Club in Boston in 1921-1922 and led them to the US Championship.[3]

In fall 1922, the University of Pennsylvania recruited Powers to coach its hockey and lacrosse teams.[4] He took the job and coached the teams for two years, through the 1923-1924 season. Financial troubles at the university led Penn to disband the team, but Powers was offered his first job as a professional ice hockey coach, joining the Toronto St. Patricks for the 1924-1925 season. In 1926, Powers moved to Boston to coach the new Boston Tigers (Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) team. He coached in Boston for six seasons, winning the CAHL championship in 1929. Powers coached the New Haven Eagles in 1932–33 before moving to the Syracuse Stars organization. He coached the Stars from 1934 until 1939, winning the IAHL championship in 1937. He then joined the Toronto Maple Leafs organization where he was the assistant coach in 1940–41[5] and during the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals.

He returned to head coaching in the 1942–1943 season for the New Haven Eagles.

Powers' death coincided with the suspension of the Eagles by the AHL. Powers' health was poor but he travelled to a road game with the club on January 16 in Washington. On January 17, 1943 the day of the final game for the Eagles, Powers went out to buy a newspaper, and collapsed of a cerebral hemorrhage in New Haven, Connecticut. He died an hour later.[6] The final game went ahead as scheduled and the Eagles won the game 9–4 over the Providence Reds after a minute of silence for Powers. As scheduled, the team was disbanded by the American Hockey League the next day.[7] At the time of his death, Powers had been considering a coaching job in the Quebec Senior Hockey League offered by T. P. Gorman, who knew him from his youth, playing against him in lacrosse.[8] Coaches Hap Day of the Maple Leafs and Dick Irvin of the Montreal Canadiens both praised Powers as a "fine fellow", "a real gentleman" and "a great hockey player."[8]

Legacy

The trophy for the scoring championship of the Ontario Hockey League is named the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy.

Personal

Powers was born in Elora, Ontario and moved to Toronto as a youth. Powers married Pearl Dennahower and was the father of one daughter (Audrie) and five sons, ( Rowan, James, Edward, Novey and Patrick), whom were in the RCAF at the time of his death.[9][10] Powers was interred at Mount Hope Cemetery in Toronto.[10] Powers was also a scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs and head of their farm system during his career.[6]

Coaching record

NHL
TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
Toronto St. Patricks1924–25 3019110—382nd in NHLLost in NHL Championship (2-5 vs. MTL)
Toronto St. Patricks1925–26 3612213—276th in NHLDid not qualify
NHL Total6631323—65

Other leagues
TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
Boston Tigers1926–27 3214153-31Did not qualify
Boston Tigers1927–28 4021145-46Lost in first round
Boston Tigers1928–29 4021118-50Won championship
Boston Tigers1929–30 4017185-39Lost in Final
Boston Tigers/Cubs1930–31 4014224-32Did not qualify
Boston Cubs1931–32 4021163-45Lost in Final
New Haven Eagles1932–33 4816275-37Did not qualify
Syracuse Stars1934–35 4420204-44Did not qualify
Syracuse Stars1935–36 4826193-55Lost in playoffs
Syracuse Stars1936–37 4827165-59Won championship
Syracuse Stars1937–38 4821207-49Lost in Final
Syracuse Stars1938–39 5426199-61Lost in first round
New Haven Eagles1942–43 329185-23Team folded

References
  1. "'Twas Tip by Powers That Sent Ross Into Kitchener". Toronto Star. January 18, 1943.
  2. ""Eddy" Powers Coaches Port Colborne Team". The Globe. December 10, 1920. p. 14.
  3. http://www.library.upenn.edu/docs/kislak/dp/1923/1923_01_24.pdf
  4. http://www.library.upenn.edu/docs/kislak/dp/1923/1923_01_24.pdf
  5. "Lack of Crabbing Irks Leafs' Coach". Calgary Herald. October 22, 1940. p. 7.
  6. "New Haven Coach Dies". Youngstown Vindicator. January 18, 1943. p. 8.
  7. "Break Up New Haven Team". Windsor Daily Star. January 18, 1943. p. 2.
  8. "Quebec Job Was Waiting". Windsor Daily Star. January 18, 1943. p. 2.
  9. "Its Veteran Mentor Dies". Windsor Daily Star. January 18, 1943. p. 2.
  10. "Powers, Edward J. (death notice)". Toronto Star. January 19, 1943. p. 24.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Charles Querrie		 Head coach of the Toronto St. Patricks
1924-26		 Succeeded by
Charles Querrie
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