George Owen (ice hockey)

George Owen
George Owen
	Owen (circa. 1920)
Born	December 2, 1901; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 4, 1986 (aged 84); Milton, Massachusetts, USA
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Boston Bruins
Playing career	1928–1933

Harvard George Owen Jr. (December 2, 1901 – March 4, 1986) was a Canadian-American professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.

Career

Owen was a three-sport star at Harvard University, playing football, baseball and hockey.^[1] He was awarded the university's Wingate Cup for best all-around athletic ability.^[2]

After he graduated, Owen entered the brokerage business while continuing to play hockey for the Boston University Club. He was invited to play for the United States Olympic Team in 1924, but declined because of business obligations.^[3]

The Toronto Maple Leafs held Owen's professional rights; however, as Owen did not want to leave Massachusetts, the Maple Leafs traded his rights to the Boston Bruins on January 10, 1929, in exchange for Eric Pettinger.^[4] Owen played five seasons with the Bruins, pairing on defense with players including Lionel Hitchman and Eddie Shore, and won the Stanley Cup with the team in 1929.^[5]

Legend has it Owen was the first player to don a helmet in an NHL game, wearing the same leather helmet that he had worn when playing college football. However, Marty Burke of the Montreal Canadiens is known to have worn a helmet briefly during a game in December 1928, before Owen entered the NHL.^[6]

Following his playing career, Owen became head coach of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology men's ice hockey team.^[7]^[8] He later coached football, baseball and hockey at Milton Academy.^[1] After retiring from Milton Academy, Owen worked as a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.^[1]

Personal life

Owen was born in Hamilton, Ontario and moved to Massachusetts as a teenager, attending Newton High School in suburban Boston.^[9]

He died of a stroke in Milton, Massachusetts in 1986.^[1]

Halls of Fame

United States Hockey Hall of Fame, 1973 (inaugural class)^[3]
College Football Hall of Fame, 1983^[2]
Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame, 2014^[9]

Career statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1918–19	Newton High School	High-MA	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1919–20	Harvard Crimson	Ivy	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1920–21	Harvard Crimson	Ivy	11	10	0	10	—	—	—	—	—	—
1921–22	Harvard Crimson	Ivy	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1922–23	Harvard Crimson	Ivy	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1923–24	Boston A. A. Unicorns	USAHA	12	10	0	10	—	—	—	—	—	—
1924–25	Harvard Crimson	Ivy	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1925–26	Boston A. A. Unicorns	USAHA	—	—	—	—	—	2	0	2	2	—
1926–27	Boston University Club	MBHL	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1927–28	Boston University Club	MBHL	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1928–29	Boston Bruins	NHL	27	5	4	9	48	5	0	0	0	0
1929–30	Boston Bruins	NHL	42	9	4	13	31	6	0	2	2	6
1930–31	Boston Bruins	NHL	38	12	13	25	33	5	2	3	5	13
1931–32	Boston Bruins	NHL	42	12	10	22	29	—	—	—	—	—
1932–33	Boston Bruins	NHL	34	6	2	8	10	5	0	0	0	6
NHL totals			183	44	33	77	151	21	2	5	7	25

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "George Owen, Jr. Dead at 84". The Harvard Crimson. March 7, 1986. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
^ ^a ^b "George Owen - Member Biography". National Football Foundation. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "US HOCKEY HALL OF FAME INAUGURAL CLASS OF 1973". Vintage Minnesota Hockey. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
^ "George Owen". Hockey History Blog. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
^ "Legends of Hockey - NHL Player Search - George Owen". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
^ "Pete Lepine stars as Canadiens win from Ottawa, 1-0". The Montreal Gazette. December 24, 1928. Retrieved January 7, 2019. Marty Burke became so enthused over the proceedings that half-way through the game he threw off the helmet he had on his head to protect his injured ear.
^ "George Owen Jr is Tech Hockey Coach". The Boston Globe. December 3, 1933.
^ Fowle, Leonard (December 7, 1934). "Owen Building a Sextet for Tech". The Boston Globe.
^ ^a ^b "Owen Named to MA Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 14'". ECACHockey.com. September 30, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2016.