Babe Siebert

Lore & Background

Siebert began his NHL career with the Montreal Maroons in 1925, finishing second on the team with 16 goals as the Maroons won the NHL championship and then the Stanley Cup in 1926. He was paired with Hooley Smith and Nels Stewart to form the 'S Line', one of the top scoring lines in the league. Siebert used his strength and speed to move the puck out of the defensive zone and create space for his linemates. His physical style occasionally led to supplementary discipline, including a suspension in December 1927 after a violent melee with Billy Boucher.

After being sold to the New York Rangers for cash, Siebert won his second Stanley Cup in 1933 but struggled offensively. He was traded to the Boston Bruins early in the 1933–34 season in exchange for Vic Ripley and Roy Burmeister. When Bruins coach Art Ross shifted Siebert from left wing to defence after Eddie Shore was suspended, his career was rejuvenated. He frequently remained on the ice for entire games and earned five votes in a 1935 Associated Press poll for top comeback player. Despite tensions with Shore, Siebert was named a first-team all-star in 1935–36.

Siebert was traded to the Montreal Canadiens along with Roger Jenkins for Leroy Goldsworthy, Sammy McManus, and cash. He was immediately named team captain and won the Hart Trophy in his first season with the Canadiens, earning his second all-star selection. He earned a third consecutive all-star selection in 1937–38. Plagued by injuries in his final season, Siebert retired in 1939 to become head coach of the Canadiens.

Reader's Guide

Babe Siebert's significance lies in his successful transition from forward to defence, which revitalized his career and led to three all-star selections and the Hart Trophy in 1937. He was a key member of two Stanley Cup-winning teams and the famous 'S Line' with the Maroons. His death by drowning before coaching a single game for the Canadiens prompted the NHL to organize an all-star benefit game that raised $15,000 for his family. Siebert was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1964. Off the ice, he was known as a soft-spoken family man who faithfully cared for his paraplegic wife, carrying her to her seat at every home game and doing the housework she could not do. His peers lauded his character, with former manager Tommy Gorman noting that Siebert 'lost fairly and won modestly.'

Did You Know?

• Siebert drowned in Lake Huron while attempting to retrieve an inflatable tire his daughters were playing with.
• He was named head coach of the Canadiens upon retirement in 1939 but never coached a game.
• The NHL organized an all-star benefit game that raised $15,000 for Siebert's family after his death.
• Siebert carried his paraplegic wife to her seat at every Montreal Forum home game.