Ed Kryzanowski
| Ed Kryzanowski | |
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| Sonny |
Ed Kryzanowski was a versatile hockey player and coach who was the first individual from Fort Frances to play in the National Hockey League. Ed Kryzanowski was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 as an athlete.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Ed Kryzanowski was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 28 September 1996 in the athlete category for hockey, swimming, football and baseball, representing Fort Frances.[1]
Career
Raised in Fort Frances, Ontario, Kryzanowski was a multi-sport athlete who participated in Swimming, Football, and Baseball. He began his Hockey career in the local minor league system during the late 1930s. He later played for the Fort Frances Canadians in the senior circuit before enlisting for service in the Royal Canadian Navy. After his military service, he attended the University of Toronto, where he played as a defenceman for the Varsity Blues from 1945 to 1948. During his final two collegiate seasons, he served as the team captain and guided the squad to an Ontario University Athletic Association title.[1]
In 1948, Kryzanowski transitioned directly from the university ranks to the National Hockey League after signing with the Boston Bruins. Under coach Lynn Patrick, he demonstrated significant versatility by playing every position except goaltender. He earned a reputation as a physical player and a specialist in penalty killing, noted for the strength of his checking. He remained with the Bruins for three seasons before being acquired by the Chicago Black Hawks in 1952. His professional career also included stints in the American Hockey League with the Providence Reds and the Hershey Bears.[1]
Following the 1955-56 season, Kryzanowski retired from professional play to focus on a career in education. A graduate in Physical Education, he held teaching positions in Atikokan, Warroad, Minnesota, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. While living in Warroad, he played senior hockey for the Warroad Lakers, competing in exhibition matches against various international touring teams. During his time in Colorado Springs, he served as a coach for defencemen at the University of Colorado.[1]
Kryzanowski returned to Northwestern Ontario in 1979 and contributed to the local sports community as a coach in the minor hockey system. His involvement in the sport spanned more than five decades, during which he supported the development of the game in Fort Frances and the surrounding region.[1]
Honours and achievements
- First hockey player from Fort Frances to reach the National Hockey League
- Captained the University of Toronto Varsity Blues to an Ontario University Athletic Association Championship
- Played three seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins
- Competed in the American Hockey League for the Providence Reds and Hershey Bears
- Coached defencemen at the University of Colorado
- Contributed to the Fort Frances minor hockey program as a coach starting in 1979[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Ed 'Sonny' Kryzanowski", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/a876915f-20e1-472d-90f0-cfe4bd2a94a8 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.