Norman Poile (hockey player)
| Norman Poile | |
|---|---|
| Bud | |
| Born | 1924 Fort William |
| Died | 2005 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1924–1942 |
Norman Poile (1924–2005) was a professional hockey player and executive who won the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs and served as the inaugural general manager for two National Hockey League expansion franchises. Norman Poile was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 as an athlete.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Norman Poile was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 1 October 1983 in the athlete category for hockey, representing Fort William.[1]
Career
Born in Fort William, Ontario, Poile began his competitive career as a standout player for the Fort William Hurricane-Rangers. After the junior club finished its Memorial Cup run in 1942, he joined the Port Arthur Senior Bearcats as a pickup player for the Allan Cup finals. During the championship series against the Ottawa Flyers in Montreal, his performance impressed Conn Smythe, leading to a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League for the 1942-43 season at age 18.[1]
His playing career was interrupted when he enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1943. Upon his return to hockey in 1946, he rejoined the Toronto Maple Leafs and contributed to the team's Stanley Cup victory in 1947. During the 1947-48 season, he was part of a significant multi-player trade that sent him and four teammates, including fellow Fort William natives Gus Bodnar and Gaye Stewart, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Max Bentley and Cy Thomas.[1]
Following his time in Chicago, Poile played for the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins. He retired from the NHL as a player after the 1949-50 season, having recorded 107 goals and 122 assists over 311 regular-season games. He then transitioned into coaching, leading teams in the United States Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.[1]
When the NHL underwent expansion in 1967, Poile was hired as the first general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers. He later served in the same capacity for the Vancouver Canucks during their inaugural season in 1970. His executive career continued as he moved into league administration, serving as the Commissioner for both the Central Hockey League and the International Hockey League. He retired from his role with the IHL in 1989 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1990.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (1924–1942) rests on the following dated evidence. Born in Fort William in 1924, he played for the Fort William Hurricane-Rangers and Port Arthur Bearcats until joining the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 1942-43 season.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1947
- Recorded 229 career points in the National Hockey League
- Served as the first General Manager of the Philadelphia Flyers starting in 1967
- Appointed as the first General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks in 1970
- Served as Commissioner of the Central Hockey League
- Served as Commissioner of the International Hockey League until 1989
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder category in 1990[1]
Family
- David Poile, a son: NHL hockey administrator[1]
- Possibly the same as Norman Robert Poile; the name matches, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Bud Poile; the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Norman Poile; the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Norman 'Bud' Poile", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/33b5569c-0570-4940-844d-249658966780 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.