Benny Woit
| Benedict Woit | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1928 Fort William |
| Died | 2016 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1928–1946; 1947–1948; 1967–1975 |
Benedict Francis Woit (January 7, 1928 – December 7, 2016) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks between 1951 and 1956. With Detroit he won the Stanley Cup three times, in 1952, 1954, and 1955[1]
Thunder Bay connections
Benedict Francis "Benny" Woit (January 7, 1928 – December 7, 2016) was a Canadian ice hockey player born in Fort William, Ontario. As a junior he played for the Port Arthur Flyers and Bruins of the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League before moving on to the St. Michael's Majors and a professional career that included three Stanley Cup wins with the Detroit Red Wings.
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Benedict Woit was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 as an athlete (ceremony date given as 26 September 1987), for hockey.[2]
Born in Fort William, Ontario, Woit began his hockey development in local amateur programs. He played for the Westfort Bruins, Great Lakes Midgets, and the Port Arthur Flyers. During his tenure with these clubs, he secured three consecutive city titles and one district championship. In 1946, he joined Toronto St. Michael's College Juniors, winning the Memorial Cup in the 1946-47 season. He returned to the region the next year to play for the Port Arthur West End Bruins, capturing a second consecutive Memorial Cup in 1947-48.[2]
Woit entered the professional ranks with the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League, winning a league championship. He reached the National Hockey League in 1950 with the Detroit Red Wings. He remained a defensive fixture for the Red Wings until 1955, a period during which the organization dominated the league. He was a member of three Stanley Cup winning teams in 1951-52, 1953-54, and 1954-55. He concluded his NHL career following the 1955-56 season with the Chicago Black Hawks.[2]
For the subsequent decade, Woit played in the AHL, WHL, and EHL. In the EHL, he was named an All-Star four times as a player and three times as a coach. He led his squad to the EHL league title in 1963.[2]
In 1967, he moved back to his hometown to coach the Fort William Hurricanes for five seasons, earning two local championships. Between 1972 and 1975, he played for the Port Arthur Senior Bearcats. He retired from competitive play after a career spanning more than 35 years.[2]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1928–1946; 1947–1948; 1967–1975) rests on the following dated evidence. Born in Fort William in 1928, played for local teams until 1946, returned for the 1947-48 season, and returned again to coach and play from 1967 to 1975.[2]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Won three consecutive city championships and one district title in local amateur hockey
- Captured the Memorial Cup in 1946-47 with Toronto St. Michael's College Juniors
- Won the Memorial Cup in 1947-48 with the Port Arthur West End Bruins
- Won an AHL championship with Indianapolis
- Won three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings (1952, 1954, 1955)
- Selected as an EHL All-Star player four times
- Selected as an EHL All-Star coach three times
- Won the EHL league championship as a coach in 1963
- Coached the Fort William Hurricanes to two local championship titles[2]
References
- ↑ This article incorporates text from the Wikipedia article on Benny Woit, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Benny Woit", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/dd33f370-91d7-4ac7-888a-099342c14d11 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.