Andy Bathgate

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bathgate was a popular star player of the New York Rangers and also held the honour of being declared the Most Valuable Player of both the NHL and Western Hockey League (WHL). He started his professional career with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL) in the 1952–53 season. He bounced between the WHL's Vancouver Canucks and the Rangers for two seasons before settling with the Rangers in 1954–55. He played 10 full seasons with the Rangers. In 1961–62, Bathgate and Bobby Hull led the league in points, but Bathgate lost the Art Ross Trophy to Bobby Hull because Hull had more goals. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1963–64 season, where he immediately helped Toronto to a Stanley Cup championship. In May 1965, the Maple Leafs traded Bathgate, Billy Harris, and Gary Jarrett to the Detroit Red Wings for Marcel Pronovost, Aut Erickson, Larry Jeffrey, Ed Joyal, and Lowell MacDonald. Bathgate helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1965–66. Bathgate was chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, scoring the first goal in the team's history. After one season, he returned to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, where he helped lead the team to two consecutive Lester Patrick Cup victories, in 1969 and 1970. His best professional year was 1969-70, scoring 108 points for the Canucks, earning him the George Leader Cup. Bathgate returned to the NHL's Penguins, playing his last year of North American professional hockey for them in 1970-71. He served in 1971–1972 as playing coach for HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland. He came briefly out of retirement three seasons later to play for the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), but retired for good after 11 games. Bathgate won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the MVP of the NHL in 1958–59 after scoring 40 goals. He is also known for his contribution to the in-game use of masks for goaltenders. During a game against the Montreal Canadiens, Bathgate shot the puck into the face of Jacques Plante, forcing Plante to receive stitches. When Plante returned to the ice, he was wearing a mask. In December 1959, Bathgate produced a controversial article for True magazine titled "Atrocities on Ice", warning about hockey's brutality and spearing. The NHL fined him $1,000 for comments prejudicial to the league. The Rangers retired his #9 in a special ceremony before th

In Their Own Story

In the 1961–62 NHL season, the race for the Art Ross Trophy concluded with a tie in total points between Andy Bathgate and Bobby Hull. The rules stipulated that when players are tied in points, the player with the most goals wins the award. Consequently, Hull claimed the trophy over Bathgate because he had scored more goals during the regular season. This decision is one of only three documented scoring ties in the history of the award, the others occurring in 1979–80 and 1994–95. The source explicitly lists this matchup as a defining moment where the first tiebreaker was applied to separate the leaders.

Reader's Guide

Bathgate's career was frustrated by the mediocre play of the Rangers and a nagging knee problem. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1963–64 season, where he immediately helped Toronto to a Stanley Cup championship. In May 1965, the Maple Leafs traded Bathgate, Billy Harris, and Gary Jarrett to the Detroit Red Wings for Marcel Pronovost, Aut Erickson, Larry Jeffrey, Ed Joyal, and Lowell MacDonald. Bathgate helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1965–66. Bathgate was chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, scoring the first goal in the team's history. After one season, he returned to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, where he would help lead the team to two consecutive Lester Patrick Cup victories, in 1969 and 1970. His best professional year was 1969-70, scoring 108 points for the Canucks. That performance earned him the George Leader Cup, the top player award in the WHL. Bathgate returned to the NHL's Penguins, playing his last year of North American professional hockey for them in 1970-71. He served in 1971–1972 as playing coach for HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland. He came briefly out of retirement three seasons later to play for the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association (WHA), which he had coached the previous season, but retired for good after 11 games.

Did You Know?

• Bathgate lost the 1961–62 Art Ross Trophy to Bobby Hull because Hull had more goals.
• Bathgate scored the first goal in Pittsburgh Penguins history.
• Bathgate won the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL MVP in 1958–59 after scoring 40 goals.
• Bathgate's slapshot led to Jacques Plante wearing a goalie mask, starting a trend.
• Bathgate was fined $1,000 for his 1959 article 'Atrocities on Ice' about spearing in hockey.