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Ken Hodge
Kenneth Raymond Hodge, Sr. (born 25 June 1944) is a Canadian former hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He was born in Birmingham, England, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario.
One of the few British-born players in NHL history, Ken Hodge was signed by the Black Hawks as a teenager, and had a stellar junior league career with the St. Catharines Black Hawks of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), leading the league in goals and points with 123 in 65 games during the 1965 season before being called up for good to Chicago the next year.
Hodge was one of the first British born players to make significant impact in the NHL.
Hodge played his first season in the NHL during the 1965-66 season scoring his 1st NHL goal vs the New York Rangers at 11:43 of 3rd period on 29 December 1965 in a 3-0 Chicago win. Later that same season Hodge scored his 1st NHL hat-trick vs the Montreal Canadiens on 15 January, in a 6-4 Canadiens win.
Stereotyped as a grinding policeman — at 6'2", 215 lbs, Hodge was one of the larger forwards of his era — the rangy right wing played two mediocre seasons with the Black Hawks before being sent to Boston in a blockbuster deal with teammates Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield. From here Hodge went on to become a corner stone of the 1970s Bruins teams. With the trade making the Bruins into a powerhouse, as Esposito centred Hodge and left wing Ron Murphy in the 1968–69 season to break the NHL record for points in a season by a forward line, and Hodge scored an impressive 45 goals and 45 assists to complement Esposito's record season of 126 points. His production fell off significantly the next season (although Boston won the Stanley Cup bolstered by Hodge's skilled play), but the 1970–71 season saw the Bruins launch the greatest offensive juggernaut the league had ever seen, breaking dozens of offensive records. In that flurry, on one of the most feared forward lines of the era (with linemates Esposito and Wayne Cashman), Hodge would break the league record for points in a season by a right winger with 105, and finish fourth in NHL scoring. Phil Esposito (with 152 points), Bobby Orr (with 139), Johnny Bucyk (116) and Hodge finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring, the first time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would lead to Hodge being named a First Team All-Star as-well as being invited to the 1971 NHL all star game. Throughout Hodge’s time with the Bruins he was also known for being highly productive during the playoffs.[citation needed]
The 1971–72 season saw Hodge slowed down by injuries, although he recovered again in the playoffs with 17 points in 15 games helping the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years during the 1971–72 season. The following year in 1972-73 Hodge would have a 81 point season leading to him playing in the NHL all star game for the second time in his career. Following this up In 1973–74, he scored 50 goals and 105 points to place third in league scoring, and with Esposito (145), Orr (122) and Cashman (89) likewise finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring for the only other time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would once again lead to Hodge being honored as a First Team All-Star and would play in his 3rd All star game. Hodge would also become the first person born outside of Canada to score 50 goals in a season and was the only one to do so until Finnish born Jari Kurri did so in 1984. He continued to be a consistent scorer his next two seasons with the bruins. Having a 66 point season in during the 1974-75 season and a 61 point season in 1975-76.[citation needed]
His offensive production negatively impacted by Esposito's trade to the New York Rangers in early-November 1975, Hodge's remaining time with the Bruins was spent in head coach Don Cherry's doghouse. Hodge was reunited with Esposito on 26 May 1976, when he was dealt to the Rangers who were hoping for a replication of their successes with the Bruins. The transaction cost the team Rick Middleton who was ten years younger and a swifter skater than Hodge.
Hodge had modest success in New York in the 1976–77 season, and then tailed off the following year before being sent down to the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League (AHL). Hodge retired thereafter, but came out of retirement in 1979–80 to play for the Binghamton Dusters of the AHL, in his final professional season.
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Ken Hodge
Kenneth Raymond Hodge, Sr. (born 25 June 1944) is a Canadian former hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He was born in Birmingham, England, but grew up in Toronto, Ontario.
One of the few British-born players in NHL history, Ken Hodge was signed by the Black Hawks as a teenager, and had a stellar junior league career with the St. Catharines Black Hawks of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), leading the league in goals and points with 123 in 65 games during the 1965 season before being called up for good to Chicago the next year.
Hodge was one of the first British born players to make significant impact in the NHL.
Hodge played his first season in the NHL during the 1965-66 season scoring his 1st NHL goal vs the New York Rangers at 11:43 of 3rd period on 29 December 1965 in a 3-0 Chicago win. Later that same season Hodge scored his 1st NHL hat-trick vs the Montreal Canadiens on 15 January, in a 6-4 Canadiens win.
Stereotyped as a grinding policeman — at 6'2", 215 lbs, Hodge was one of the larger forwards of his era — the rangy right wing played two mediocre seasons with the Black Hawks before being sent to Boston in a blockbuster deal with teammates Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield. From here Hodge went on to become a corner stone of the 1970s Bruins teams. With the trade making the Bruins into a powerhouse, as Esposito centred Hodge and left wing Ron Murphy in the 1968–69 season to break the NHL record for points in a season by a forward line, and Hodge scored an impressive 45 goals and 45 assists to complement Esposito's record season of 126 points. His production fell off significantly the next season (although Boston won the Stanley Cup bolstered by Hodge's skilled play), but the 1970–71 season saw the Bruins launch the greatest offensive juggernaut the league had ever seen, breaking dozens of offensive records. In that flurry, on one of the most feared forward lines of the era (with linemates Esposito and Wayne Cashman), Hodge would break the league record for points in a season by a right winger with 105, and finish fourth in NHL scoring. Phil Esposito (with 152 points), Bobby Orr (with 139), Johnny Bucyk (116) and Hodge finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring, the first time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would lead to Hodge being named a First Team All-Star as-well as being invited to the 1971 NHL all star game. Throughout Hodge’s time with the Bruins he was also known for being highly productive during the playoffs.[citation needed]
The 1971–72 season saw Hodge slowed down by injuries, although he recovered again in the playoffs with 17 points in 15 games helping the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years during the 1971–72 season. The following year in 1972-73 Hodge would have a 81 point season leading to him playing in the NHL all star game for the second time in his career. Following this up In 1973–74, he scored 50 goals and 105 points to place third in league scoring, and with Esposito (145), Orr (122) and Cashman (89) likewise finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring for the only other time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would once again lead to Hodge being honored as a First Team All-Star and would play in his 3rd All star game. Hodge would also become the first person born outside of Canada to score 50 goals in a season and was the only one to do so until Finnish born Jari Kurri did so in 1984. He continued to be a consistent scorer his next two seasons with the bruins. Having a 66 point season in during the 1974-75 season and a 61 point season in 1975-76.[citation needed]
His offensive production negatively impacted by Esposito's trade to the New York Rangers in early-November 1975, Hodge's remaining time with the Bruins was spent in head coach Don Cherry's doghouse. Hodge was reunited with Esposito on 26 May 1976, when he was dealt to the Rangers who were hoping for a replication of their successes with the Bruins. The transaction cost the team Rick Middleton who was ten years younger and a swifter skater than Hodge.
Hodge had modest success in New York in the 1976–77 season, and then tailed off the following year before being sent down to the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League (AHL). Hodge retired thereafter, but came out of retirement in 1979–80 to play for the Binghamton Dusters of the AHL, in his final professional season.
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