Gaye Stewart
| James Gaye Stewart | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1923 Fort William |
| Died | 2010 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1923–1940 |
James Gaye Stewart (June 28, 1923 – November 18, 2010) was a professional ice hockey forward. He played nine seasons as a left winger in the National Hockey League.[1]
Thunder Bay connections
James Gaye Stewart (June 28, 1923 – November 18, 2010) was a professional ice hockey forward born in Fort William, Ontario. Early in his career he played for the Port Arthur Bruins of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League in 1939–40 before moving on to junior hockey in Toronto and a nine-season NHL career.
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
James Gaye Stewart was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 as an athlete (ceremony date given as 1 October 1983), for hockey, track and field and football.[2]
Born in Fort William in 1923, Stewart attended Franklin Public School and Fort William Vocational High School. During his youth, he was a notable competitor in track and gridiron football. He developed his ice hockey abilities during the 1930s while playing for various local teams in both Fort William and Port Arthur.[2]
His performance drew the attention of the Toronto Marlboros, where he rose through the system and became the leading scorer of the Ontario Hockey Association for the 1940-41 season. The following year, at age 18, he moved through four levels of competition in a single season: starting in junior, moving to the Marlboro Seniors, joining the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, and finally being promoted to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 1942 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he helped the team defeat the Detroit Red Wings.[2]
During his first complete National Hockey League season in 1942-43, he recorded 47 points in 48 games. This performance earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year, making him the first individual from Northwestern Ontario to receive the award. His playing career was interrupted by two years of service in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. Upon returning for the 1945-46 season, he played on the "Flying Forts" line alongside fellow Fort William natives Gus Bodnar and Bud Poile. That season, he led the NHL in goal scoring with 37 goals and was selected for the 1st All-Star Team.[2]
After winning another Stanley Cup with Toronto in 1947, Stewart was part of a major trade that sent him, Gus Bodnar, Bud Poile, and two others to the Chicago Black Hawks in exchange for Max Bentley and Cy Thomas. He served as the Captain of the Black Hawks and earned another All-Star selection during his three-year tenure. He later played for the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadiens. He concluded his professional playing career in 1955 after serving as a player-coach for the Buffalo Bisons in the AHL.[2]
Following his retirement as a player, Stewart served as an NHL referee for two seasons. He maintained a connection to his hometown, returning in 1979 to participate in an NHL Oldtimers exhibition during a Thunder Bay Twins game at the Lakehead. He died in Burlington, Ontario in 2010.[2]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1923–1940) rests on the following dated evidence. Born in Fort William in 1923, he attended school and played for local teams during the 1930s before leading the OHA in scoring in 1940-41.[2]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Led the OHA in scoring during the 1940-41 season
- Won the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 and 1947
- Won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year in 1943
- Led the NHL in goal scoring with 37 goals during the 1945-46 season
- Named to the NHL 1st All-Star Team in 1946
- Served as Captain of the Chicago Black Hawks
- Recorded 185 goals and 159 assists over 502 career NHL games
- Inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1983[2]
Associates
- Gus Bodnar, teammate on the Flying Forts line
- Bud Poile, teammate on the Flying Forts line[2]
References
- ↑ This article incorporates text from the Wikipedia article on Gaye Stewart, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Gaye Stewart", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/4308c0db-c070-42c0-bce7-99985af72db7 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.