Gord Hannigan

Gord Hannigan
Born (1929-01-19)January 19, 1929
Schumacher, Ontario, Canada
Died November 16, 1966(1966-11-16) (aged 37)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1951–1958

John Gordon Hannigan (January 19, 1929 – November 16, 1966) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League between 1952 and 1956.

Playing career

Hannigan was a left winger and centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1952–1956) of the National Hockey League (NHL), Pittsburgh Hornets (1951–1952, 1954–1956) and Rochester Americans (1956–1957) of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Edmonton Flyers (1957–1958) of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

He played for the St. Michael's College School Monarchs as a 155-pound, fast-skating left winger, in 1951. He worked out with Toronto for the first time in February 1949, along with Tim Horton. Because of an Ontario Hockey Association rule, the two college players were not allowed to play for the Toronto Marlboros – a Maple Leafs affiliate – in that junior ice hockey league. Leafs' President Conn Smythe did not like the ruling but granted the junior players a trial after four of his team's forwards were injured. In October 1953 Hannigan sustained a rib injury in practice and was out of the Maple Leafs lineup for three weeks.

Hannigan played the 1956–57 season for the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. Jack Perrin, President of the WHL Winnipeg Warriors (1955–1961), made overtures to buy Hannigan's rights from the Maple Leafs in September 1957. Hannigan told Perrin that, if he could not play for the NHL Leafs, he would only consider an offer from the WHL Edmonton Flyers. He was purchased by the Flyers from the Leafs in October 1957, and his first game for the Flyers was against the Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals, when he replaced injured rookie John Utendale.

His older brother, Ray Hannigan, played in the NHL, AHL and WHL (1948–1955).[1] His younger brother, Pat Hannigan, played in the WHL and NHL (1956–1962).[2] The three brothers played with, or against, each other in some of those seasons.

Personal life

Gord Hannigan was a partner, with his brothers, in a successful Edmonton ice cream business at the time of his acquisition by the Flyers. He also had other interests in the Alberta city.

Hannigan married Ann Mary Conboy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in August 1953. Together they had nine children, before the then 37-year-old's sudden hospitalization and death in Edmonton on November 16, 1966.[3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1946–47 Schumacher Lions NOHA — — — — — — — — — —
1947–48 St. Michael's Majors OHA 32 14 13 27 55 — — — — —
1948–49 St. Michael's Majors OHA 32 21 13 34 59 — — — — —
1949–50 Toronto Marlboros OHA Sr 25 6 12 18 19 14 2 4 6 14
1949–50 Toronto Marlboros Al-Cup — — — — — 12 2 7 9 35
1950–51 St. Michael's Monarchs OMHL 30 19 20 39 56 9 4 6 10 6
1951–52 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 67 24 26 50 80 11 2 5 7 15
1952–53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 17 18 35 49 — — — — —
1953–54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 35 4 4 8 18 5 2 0 2 4
1954–55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 13 0 2 2 8 — — — — —
1954–55 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 35 9 16 25 19 10 1 7 8 16
1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 8 7 15 40 4 0 0 0 4
1955–56 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 17 10 10 20 20 — — — — —
1956–57 Rochester Americans AHL 64 21 40 61 111 10 2 4 6 37
1957–58 Edmonton Flyers WHL 25 6 8 14 15 — — — — —
AHL totals 183 64 92 156 230 31 5 16 21 68
NHL totals 161 29 31 60 115 9 0 2 2 8

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ray Hannigan Stats". HockeyDB. 2022-11-15. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  2. ^ "Pat Hannigan Stats". HockeyDB. 2022-11-15. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  3. ^ "Ex Puckster J. Hannigan Dies at 37". Edmonton Journal. November 16, 1966. Retrieved January 14, 2019.