Rat Westwick

Lore & Background

Westwick earned the nickname 'Rat' from a Quebec City journalist who in 1896 called him a 'miserable, insignificant rat.' His scrappiness led opponents to resort to aggressive and violent tactics to derail his tenacious playing style. He began his hockey career with the Ottawa Aberdeens in 1893 and moved to the senior Ottawa Hockey Club the next season, even playing goaltender after Ottawa lost Albert Morel, before switching to rover on a coach's advice. During summers, he played lacrosse for the Ottawa Capitals from 1896 to 1904, winning three championships. The Capitals were discovered paying players in 1896, leading to Westwick's suspension from ice hockey; he denied receiving money and was reinstated in 1898, only to be suspended again that year by the Canadian Amateur Athletic Union. In 1900–01, he returned to Ottawa and played until 1908, becoming a member of the four-time Stanley Cup winning Silver Seven. His best season was 1905, with 15 goals in eight regular season games and 5 goals in the Dawson City challenge series. After hockey turned professional in 1906, Westwick briefly played for the Kenora Thistles in 1907, joining them after Ottawa's season ended. He played in the Thistles' defense of their Stanley Cup win against the Montreal Wanderers, but the Wanderers protested his appearance, and the Stanley Cup trustees threatened cancellation. The series went ahead in Winnipeg, and the Wanderers won, making the protest moot. The following year, the trustees implemented the January 1 rule, limiting Cup eligibility to players on a team as of that date.

Reader's Guide

Westwick's significance lies in his role as a key player for the Ottawa Silver Seven during their dominant Stanley Cup run from 1903 to 1906, winning four championships. His career illustrates the transition from amateur to professional hockey, as he faced suspensions over alleged payment in lacrosse and later played professionally. His brief stint with the Kenora Thistles in 1907 sparked a controversy that led to the Stanley Cup trustees' January 1 rule, a lasting change in Cup eligibility. Westwick was also the last professional hockey player active in the 19th century at the time of his final retirement. After retiring, he became a referee in the National Hockey Association and briefly returned to play in 1915–16 during World War I. Numerous ankle injuries ultimately required the amputation of his left leg above the knee in 1949. He was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963.

Did You Know?

• Westwick's nickname 'Rat' came from a Quebec City journalist who called him a 'miserable, insignificant rat' in 1896.
• He combined his honeymoon with a team trip to Montreal, where he broke his ankle and watched the rest of the game from a seat with his bride.
• His son Bill Westwick became sports editor of the Ottawa Journal, and his brother Tom was also a professional ice hockey player.
• Westwick's left leg was amputated above the knee in 1949 due to numerous ankle injuries from his playing career.