Bill Cowley
Two-time Hart Trophy winner and record-setting playmaker for the Boston Bruins.
William Mailes “Cowboy” Cowley (June 12, 1912 – December 31, 1993) was a Canadian professional ice hockey center who spent 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Eagles and Boston Bruins. Often called the Wayne Gretzky of his era, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player twice and is considered one of hockey’s greatest playmakers.
Growing up in the Ottawa Valley after being born in Quebec, Cowley played junior hockey locally for the Ottawa Primrose and Ottawa Shamrocks in the Ottawa City Hockey League. While with the Primroses in 1931, he led the competition in scoring during the Memorial Cup, though his team lost the final two games to one against the Elmwood Millionaires. Cecil Duncan selected him for an Ottawa All-Stars squad that went undefeated on a European exhibition tour from December 1931 to January 1932. After that tour, he played a partial senior season with the Shamrocks in 1933, then moved to the Halifax Wolverines of the Maritime Senior Hockey League in 1934, where he led the league in goals, assists, and points.
Cowley began the 1934–35 season with one minor professional game for the Tulsa Oilers of the American Hockey Association, recording no points but getting into a fight. He then broke into the NHL as a rookie with the St. Louis Eagles, the former Ottawa Senators. When the Eagles franchise folded after that season, Bruins general manager Art Ross picked Cowley sixth in the dispersal draft, paying a $2,250 fee. Because Boston already had star centers Cooney Weiland and Dit Clapper, Cowley initially played left wing. He scored his first Boston goal on December 1, 1935, in a 2–0 win over the New York Rangers at Boston Garden, finishing the 1936 season with 21 points—fourth on the team. By the playoffs, he had earned a starting role centering a checking line with Paul Runge and Peggy O’Neil, contributing two goals in a two-game total-goals loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In his second season, Cowley moved permanently to center on a line with Ray Getliffe and Charlie Sands, breaking through to stardom by leading the Bruins in scoring and tying for eighth in the league. Though the injury-plagued Bruins lost in three games to the Montreal Maroons in the playoffs, Cowley finished fourth in Lady Byng Memorial Trophy voting.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Center
- Shoots
- Left
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 165
- Played For
- St. Louis Eagles / Boston Bruins
- League
- NHL
- Birth Date
- 1912-06-12
- Birth Place
- Bristol, Quebec, Canada
- Death Date
- 1993-12-31
- Death Place
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Career Start
- 1934
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Cowley broke into the NHL with the St. Louis Eagles in the 1934–35 season after playing one minor professional game for the Tulsa Oilers. After the Eagles franchise was terminated, Bruins general manager Art Ross selected Cowley with the sixth pick in the dispersal draft for a fee of $2,250. Originally playing left wing due to the presence of star centers Cooney Weiland and Dit Clapper, Cowley scored his first NHL goal on December 1, 1935, in a 2–0 win over the New York Rangers. He moved permanently to center in his second season and led the Bruins in scoring, finishing eighth in the league. By 1938, with the addition of the Kraut Line, Cowley led Boston to the top of the standings and was named a First Team All-Star at center for the first time. In 1939, despite missing over a quarter of the season with a knee injury, he set a new single-season NHL record for assists with 34 and led all playoff scorers with 14 points as the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. He assisted on all three overtime goals by Mel Hill in the famous seven-game series against the Rangers.
Reader's Guide
Cowley's significance lies in his record-setting playmaking and his two Hart Memorial Trophy wins as league MVP. He set a single-season NHL record for assists with 34 in 1939, then broke his own record with 47 assists in 1941, when he also won the scoring championship with 62 points—second in league history only to Cy Denneny's 73 in 1930. Despite chronic knee injuries and a serious jaw injury in 1942, Cowley regained full form in 1943, leading the league in assists, power-play goals, and game-winning goals, finishing second in scoring and winning his second Hart Trophy. He was named First Team All-Star four times and Second Team All-Star once. In 1947, he surpassed Syd Howe to become the all-time career NHL points leader. Cowley was described as the Wayne Gretzky of his era and was cited by Detroit manager Jack Adams as the greatest stickhandler the game had ever seen. His legacy is that of a dominant playmaker who led the Bruins to two Stanley Cup championships and four straight regular-season titles.
Did You Know?
- Cowley coached the Bruins team in the first NHL All-Star Game on February 5, 1942, due to a jaw injury.
- He was described as the Wayne Gretzky of his era and twice won the Hart Memorial Trophy as MVP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bill Cowley?
William Mailes 'Cowboy' Cowley was a Canadian professional ice hockey center who competed in thirteen NHL seasons during the 1930s and early 1940s. He is widely regarded as one of the most gifted playmakers the sport has ever produced.
Which NHL teams did Bill Cowley play for?
Cowley split his career between the St. Louis Eagles and the Boston Bruins, spending the bulk of his thirteen seasons with Boston. He is best remembered as a two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Bruins.
What major awards did Bill Cowley win?
He captured the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player on two occasions and also claimed a league scoring title. In addition, he lifted the Stanley Cup twice during his career.
Why is Bill Cowley considered one of hockey's greatest?
Fans and historians often compare his playmaking vision to that of Wayne Gretzky, calling him the best passer of his generation. His record-setting assists and ability to elevate teammates cemented his legacy as an elite creator of the pre-war era.
Where did Bill Cowley come from and how did he start playing?
Born in Quebec in 1912, he grew up in the Ottawa Valley where he played junior hockey for the Ottawa Primrose and Ottawa Shamrocks in the local city league. He led his Primroses team in scoring as early as 1931, showing the same elite instincts he would later display in the NHL.
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