Jackie McLeod
Middle-aged man dressed in hockey equipment and uniform, posing with his hockey stick on the ice
McLeod in the 1960–61 season
Born (1930-04-30)April 30, 1930
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died December 8, 2022(2022-12-08) (aged 92)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for New York Rangers
National team  Canada
Playing career 19491965

Robert John McLeod (April 30, 1930 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach. He played professionally for the New York Rangers for parts of six seasons from 1949 to 1954, and played eight seasons of senior hockey between 1953 and 1965, where he competed at multiple Ice Hockey World Championships, winning the gold medal in 1961. He served as head coach of the Canada men's national ice hockey team from 1966 to 1969, leading them to two bronze medals at the World Championships and a bronze medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics. He later coached the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1971 to 1979, and coached the Canada men's national junior team to a silver medal at the 1975 World Junior Championships. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, and inducted as a player into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1999.

Hockey career

Robert John McLeod[1][2] was born on April 30, 1930, in Regina, Saskatchewan.[3][4] He played ice hockey as a right winger, had a right-handed shot, and was 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and 165 pounds (75 kg).[3]

He began his junior hockey career with the Notre Dame Hounds, coached by Athol Murray.[5] Playing with the Moose Jaw Canucks, he won a Western Canada Junior Hockey League championship during the 1948–49 season.[6] He began the 1949–50 season playing for the Moose Jaw Canucks, then finished the year with the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL).[3] He made his professional debut at age 19, on December 4, 1949, in a 4–0 victory versus the Chicago Black Hawks.[1] He played portions of the next five seasons in the NHL and in the minor leagues, and completed his NHL career in 1955, with 106 games played, 14 goals and 23 assists scored.[3] In the minor leagues, McLeod played the 1951–52 season for the Cincinnati Mohawks in the American Hockey League, followed by eight seasons in the Western Hockey League. He played portions of five seasons for the Saskatoon Quakers, portions of three seasons for the Vancouver Canucks, and one season for the Calgary Stampeders.[3]

McLeod retired from playing professional hockey in 1960, then spent the 1960–61 season playing senior hockey for the Trail Smoke Eaters in the Western International Hockey League.[3][1] The Smoke Eaters represented the Canada men's national team, and won gold at the 1961 World Championships. McLeod scored two goals and one assist in a 5–1 victory versus the Soviet Union men's national team, which determined first place on the final day of the championships.[1]

During the 1961–62 season, McLeod served as player-coach of the Moose Jaw Pla-Mors in the Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League.[5] At the end of the season, he was added to the Galt Terriers who represented Canada at the 1962 World Championships and won a silver medal, after losing to the Sweden men's national team in the final game.[1] He played for the Saskatoon Quakers for the 1962–63 season,[3] and was added to the Trail Smoke Eaters for the 1963 World Championships, and placed fourth.[1] He then returned to the Saskatoon Quakers, where he played the 1963–64 season.[3]

McLeod played the 1964–65 season with the Moose Jaw Pla-Mors, while also coaching the Moose Jaw Canucks in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.[3] In 1966, Father David Bauer recruited McLeod to become coach of the Canada men's national team on a permanent basis, since they had a similar coaching style of being good listeners to players.[7]

Black and white game action photo
Canada versus the Soviet Union at the 1967 Ice Hockey World Championships

At the 1966 World Championships, McLeod led Canada as a player-coach to a third-place finish and a bronze medal. He later coached Canada to a bronze medal at the 1967 World Championships, a bronze medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics, and a fourth-place finish at the 1969 World Championships. The Canada men's national team was disbanded in 1970, when Canada withdrew from international men's competition.[1]

McLeod coached the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1971 to 1979, and reached the league finals in the 1972–73, 1974–75, and 1975–76 seasons.[3] He also served as general manager of the team, and was a part-owner from 1976 to 1980.[2][8] He also coached the Canada men's national junior team to a silver medal at the 1975 World Junior Championships, held in Canada and the United States.[1]

Honours and awards

McLeod was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, as a team member of the 1960–61 Trail Smoke Eaters.[9] He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1984,[10] inducted as a player into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1999,[1] and inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.[11] The Saskatoon Blades recognize McLeod as a team builder, with a banner for him hanging above the rink inside the SaskTel Centre. He also received the Western Hockey League Governors Award in the 2005–06 season.[2]

Personal life

McLeod was a recreational pilot, and had a twin sister. He was married to Beverly Evans McLeod, and had a son and daughter.[4]

McLeod died on December 8, 2022, at St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at age 92.[1][2] Former national team player Morris Mott remembered McLeod by writing, "He was a great teammate and coach on the national hockey team. A great goal scorer despite his low velocity shot."[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1946–47 Notre Dame Hounds SK U18 24891710
1947–48 Moose Jaw Canucks SJHL 13512174 5115164
1947–48 Moose Jaw Canucks M-Cup 64374
1948–49 Moose Jaw Canucks WCJHL 2619203925 742610
1949–50 New York Rangers NHL 3869152 70000
1950–51 New York Rangers NHL 41510152
1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 132352
1951–52 Cincinnati Mohawks AHL 4914183238 20112
1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 30002
1952–53 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 5530477728 138111919
1953–54 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 6933387146 64154
1954–55 New York Rangers NHL 111122
1954–55 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 5120315144 521314
1955–56 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 7034498397 311214
1956–57 Vancouver Canucks WHL 4130194930
1957–58 Vancouver Canucks WHL 6844277145 9144188
1958–59 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 6327265344
1959–60 Calgary Stampeders WHL 6228285650
1960–61 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors SSHL 1266126
1960–61 Trail Smoke Eaters WIHL
1960–61 Canadian National Team Intl 1914132721
1960–61 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors Al-Cup 41232
1961–62 Moose Jaw Pla-Mors SSHL 2927255236
1962–63 Saskatoon Quakers SSHL 3137518822 10002
1963–64 Saskatoon Quakers SSHL 40525210422 1178156
1963–64 Saskatoon Quakers Al-Cup 9513186
1964–65 Moose Jaw Canucks SSHL 234712 1012122410
1965–66 Canadian National Team Intl
WHL totals 479246265511384 3629184759
NHL totals 10614233710 70000

International

Year Team Event GPGAPtsPIM
1961 Canada WC 7104146
1962 Canada WC 71161710
1963 Canada WC 758136
1966 Canada WC 74264
Senior totals 2830205026

Coaching statistics

Coaching statistics in junior hockey:[3]

SeasonTeamLeagueGamesWonLostTiedWin %StandingPlayoffs
1964–65Moose Jaw CanucksSJHL56193430.3667th in leaguedid not qualify
1971–72Saskatoon BladesWCHL68372830.5662nd in East divisionlost in first round
1973–74Saskatoon BladesWCHL68302990.5074th in East divisionlost in first round
1974–75Saskatoon BladesWCHL703822100.6141st in East divisionlost in finals
1975–76Saskatoon BladesWCHL724319100.6671st in East divisionlost in finals
1976–77Saskatoon BladesWCHL723030120.5002nd in East divisionlost in first round
1977–78Saskatoon BladesWCHL72205020.2924th in East divisiondid not qualify
1978–79Saskatoon BladesWHL722632140.4582nd in East divisionlost in second round
WCHL/WHL totals550243244630.499  

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Podnieks, Andrew (December 10, 2022). "IIHF HOFer Jackie McLeod passes". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "WHL mourns passing of former Blades head coach and general manager Jackie McLeod". Western Hockey League. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Jack McLeod (b.1930) Hockey Statistics and Profile". Hockey Database. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Jackie McLeod". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "McLeod takes over as Pla-Mor coach". The Leader-Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. November 23, 1961. p. 33.Free access icon
  6. "Jack McLeod". Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame. 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  7. Oliver, Greg (2017). Father Bauer and the Great Experiment: The Genesis of Canadian Olympic Hockey. Toronto, Ontario: ECW Press. pp. 135–136. ISBN 978-1-77041-249-1.
  8. "Blades announce passing of hockey trailblazer Jackie McLeod". CKOM. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  9. Hume, Fred (1976). "1960–61 Trail Smoke Eaters". BC Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  10. "Jack McLeod". Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. 1984. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  11. "2015 Inductees". Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame. Swift Current, Saskatchewan. 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
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