Edgar Laprade
Rangers centre, Calder and Lady Byng winner, Hall of Fame inductee.
Edgar Louis "Beaver" Laprade was born on October 10, 1919, in Mine Centre, Ontario, to Thomas and Edith Laprade. When he was four, his family moved to Port Arthur, Ontario. He played centre for the Port Arthur Juniors, where a local sports editor compared him to Newsy Lalonde in 1936, praising his calm style and playmaking. He later moved to the Port Arthur Bruins, then joined the Port Arthur Bearcats of the Thunder Bay Senior Hockey League in 1938–39. Laprade was named league MVP twice (1938–39 and 1940–41) and helped the Bearcats win the Allan Cup in 1939–40.
After the 1942–43 season, Laprade served in the army, playing hockey with the Winnipeg Army and later the Barriefield Bears in 1944–45. He then joined the New York Rangers, scoring 34 points in 49 games as a rookie and winning the Calder Memorial Trophy. The next season, he had 40 points and earned a spot in the first NHL All-Star Game, also appearing in the 1948, 1949, and 1950 All-Star Games. Laprade played three full seasons without taking a single penalty, winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1949–50. That same year, the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings, losing in Game 7 on an overtime goal by Pete Babando. Laprade played five more seasons with the Rangers before retiring.
In 1939, he married Arline Whear, his coach’s niece; they had three daughters. After hockey, he co-owned Perciante & Laprade Sporting Goods Limited in Thunder Bay for 30 years and managed an arena in Port Arthur. He served on Port Arthur and later Thunder Bay city council from 1959 to 1970 and again from 1972 to 1973, and sat on the boards of Confederation College and Lakehead University. Laprade died at home in Thunder Bay on April 28, 2014, at age 94.
Among his honors: TBSHL MVP (1939, 1941), Allan Cup champion (1939), Calder Memorial Trophy (1946), four NHL All-Star Game appearances, Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1950), induction into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (1982), and the Hockey Hall of Fame (1993). In the 2009 book *100 Ranger Greats*, he ranked No. 24 among the 901 Rangers who played in the team’s first 82 seasons.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Right
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 8
- Weight Lb
- 160
- Played For
- New York Rangers
- Birth Date
- 10 October 1919
- Birth Place
- Mine Centre, Ontario, Canada
- Death Date
- 2014-04-28
- Death Place
- Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
- Career Start
- 1945
- Career End
- 1955
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Laprade began his hockey career with the Port Arthur Juniors, where in March 1936 the sports editor of the Port Arthur News-Chronicle compared him to Newsy Lalonde, noting his style, skating, puck handling, and generalship. He then played for the Port Arthur Bruins in the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League before joining the Port Arthur Bearcats of the Thunder Bay Senior Hockey League in 1938–39. He was selected as MVP of the TBSHL in 1938-39 and 1940–41, and helped the Bearcats win the Allan Cup in 1939–40. After the 1942–43 season, Laprade joined the army and played hockey with the Winnipeg Army and later the Barriefield Bears before moving to the NHL with the New York Rangers. In his first NHL season, he recorded 34 points in 49 games and won the Calder Memorial Trophy. He finished the 1946-47 season with 40 points and earned a spot in the first NHL All-Star Game, also playing in the 1948, 1949, and 1950 All-Star Games. Laprade played three full seasons without recording a penalty and was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1949-50. That same season, the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings, losing in game seven on an overtime goal by Pete Babando. Laprade played five more seasons with the Rangers before retiring.
Reader's Guide
Laprade's significance lies in his clean, skilled play as a centre for the New York Rangers, earning him the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship after playing three full seasons without a penalty. His rookie season earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy, and he was selected to four NHL All-Star Games. He came closest to winning the Stanley Cup in 1949-50 when the Rangers lost to the Detroit Red Wings in game seven of the final. After retiring, Laprade co-owned a sporting goods store and an arena in Thunder Bay, served on city council for over a decade, and sat on the boards of Confederation College and Lakehead University. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993 and was ranked No. 24 all-time among New York Rangers in the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats.
Did You Know?
- Laprade was compared to Newsy Lalonde by a sports editor in March 1936.
- He won the Allan Cup with the Port Arthur Bearcats in 1939–40.
- He played three full NHL seasons without recording a single penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Edgar Laprade?
Edgar Louis "Beaver" Laprade was a Canadian centre born on October 10, 1919, in Mine Centre, Ontario, who became a star for the New York Rangers and a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. He passed away on April 28, 2014, at the age of 94.
What position did Edgar Laprade play and for which NHL team?
Laprade played centre for the New York Rangers, where he was known for a calm, playmaking style that drew comparisons to Newsy Lalonde back in his junior days in Port Arthur. He went on to become one of the league's most complete two-way players.
What major individual awards did Edgar Laprade win?
He captured the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1946 as the NHL's top rookie and also earned the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for combining offensive skill with exemplary sportsmanship. Those two honors together made him one of the game's most respected gentlemen players.
Why is Edgar Laprade important to hockey history?
He is remembered as one of the Rangers' all-time greats and a rare player who swept both the Calder and Lady Byng trophies, embodying the ideal of blending offensive brilliance with clean, selfless play. His Hall of Fame induction cements his status as a cornerstone of the sport's golden era.
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