Harry Trihey
Amateur centre regarded as best forward of his era.
Henry Judah "Flip" Trihey was a Canadian amateur hockey player and executive in the pre-professional era. He played centre for the Montreal Shamrocks from 1897 to 1901 and was considered the best forward of his time. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Trihey first made a name for himself in high school hockey with St. Mary's of Montreal from 1893 to 1896, also playing for the Montreal Orioles in 1896. He made his senior debut with the Shamrocks in 1897, playing just one game, but earned a regular spot the next year. In 1899, as captain and alongside linemates Arthur Farrell and Fred Scanlan, he led the league in scoring with 19 goals. That season, he scored ten goals in a single game against Quebec—still a record for a major senior regular-season match—and netted the only goal in the second-last game to clinch the regular-season title. In the Stanley Cup defence against Queen’s University, his three goals helped the Shamrocks win 6–2. He also played lacrosse for the club.
Trihey’s influence extended off the ice: he served on a committee that adopted goal nets and was cited as an authority on forward play in Farrell’s 1899 book. In 1900, he again led the league in scoring with 17 goals, including a five-goal game against the Victorias. The Shamrocks defended the Cup twice that year. In a best-of-three series against Winnipeg, Trihey scored seven goals, including the game-winners in both Montreal victories. In a second defence against Halifax, he added five more goals as Montreal won 10–2 and 11–0, securing the team’s third and final Cup. In 1901, hampered by an injured hand, he scored only seven goals in seven games. The Shamrocks lost the Cup to Winnipeg in two games, and Trihey, injured again in the final match, scored his last goal and retired.
A strategic player, Trihey introduced two lasting innovations: he was the first known player to plan forward line strategies in advance rather than improvising, and he insisted defencemen rush the puck up the ice and pass rather than flip it over opponents’ heads. These tactics were key to the Shamrocks’ success and later became widespread. He also emphasized physical conditioning and diet, unusual for the time, and continued offering advice after retiring.
Quick Facts
- Halloffame
- 1950
- Birth Date
- 1877-12-25
- Birth Place
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Death Date
- 1942-12-09
- Position
- Centre
- Played For
- Montreal Shamrocks
- Career Start
- 1896
- Career End
- 1901
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Trihey starred in high school hockey with St. Mary's of Montreal between 1893 and 1896 and also appeared with the Montreal Orioles of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association in 1896. By age 17 he was already well known for his playing ability, and in 1897 he made his senior-level debut in a single game with the Montreal Shamrocks of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. He secured a regular shift the following year. Teamed with linemates Arthur Farrell and Fred Scanlan in 1899, Trihey was named captain of the "Fighting Irish" and had a breakout season, leading the league in scoring with 19 goals. On February 4, 1899, he amassed ten goals in one game versus Quebec, which remains the record for the most goals scored by a single player in a major senior regular season match. He scored the only goal of the second-to-last game against the Montreal Victorias, clinching the regular season title and the right to defend the Stanley Cup. The defence on March 14 against Queen's University was won 6–2, led by Trihey's three goals. In the off-season, he also served on the athletic club's lacrosse side.
Reader's Guide
Trihey was noted for being a strategic-minded player and had two lasting impacts on the sport. He was the first known player to plan advance forward line strategies rather than improvising on the ice. He also reversed the accustomed practice of defencemen flipping the puck into the air, insisting they rush the puck up the ice and pass it off as the situation warranted. These innovations are regarded as crucial to the Shamrocks' success during his tenure and were widely adopted thereafter. He was a strong proponent of physical conditioning and diet, unusual to the era. After retirement, he continued to proffer advice on how best to play the game. Trihey served as secretary-treasurer and president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey League until 1904, developed a successful law practice, served as a referee for league and Stanley Cup play, and sat on the advisory board of the Montreal Wanderers Hockey Club. He was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950.
Did You Know?
- Trihey scored ten goals in a single game on February 4, 1899, a record for a major senior regular season match.
- He led the Montreal Shamrocks to three Stanley Cup victories.
- Trihey served as a lieutenant colonel in World War I, commanding the 55th Regiment and later the 199th Battalion.
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