Bill Cook

Lore & Background

Cook was born in Brantford, Ontario, and learned to skate on the Rideau Canal after his family moved to Kingston. He played junior hockey for the Kingston Frontenacs before enlisting in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in December 1915. He served with the 50th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery in France and Belgium, participating in engagements at Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge and Hill 70. After the war, he was sent to Archangel, Russia, as part of the allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, and was awarded the Military Medal in April 1919.

Returning to Canada, Cook rejoined the Frontenacs before joining the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1920, where he led the Northern Ontario Hockey Association in goals and points. He turned professional with the Saskatoon Crescents in 1922–23, leading the WCHL in goals twice and being named an all-star three consecutive seasons. In 1926, Conn Smythe signed Cook and his brother Bun for the newly formed New York Rangers, where Cook formed the 'Bread Line' with his brother and Frank Boucher. Cook led the NHL in goals three times and was named to the NHL's inaugural All-Star team in 1931, appearing on the first team in 1931, 1932, and 1933, and the second team in 1934.

Cook scored the Rangers' first franchise goal in a 1–0 victory over the Montreal Maroons on November 16, 1926. He led the team to Stanley Cup championships in 1928 and 1933, scoring the championship-winning goal in overtime in the 1933 Final. At age 36, he became the oldest player to win an NHL scoring title, a record that stood until 2013. He is believed to be the first NHL player to score a goal after turning 40.

Reader's Guide

Bill Cook's significance lies in his role as the foundational player for the New York Rangers franchise. As the first player signed by the Rangers and its first captain, he set the standard for the team's early success, scoring the first goal in franchise history and leading the team to two Stanley Cup championships. His scoring prowess was exceptional: he led the WCHL in goals twice and the NHL three times, and was named an all-star seven times across both leagues. At 36 years old, he became the oldest player to win an NHL scoring title, a record that stood for 80 years until Martin St. Louis surpassed it in 2013. Cook also is believed to be the first NHL player to score a goal after turning 40.

After his playing career, Cook transitioned to coaching, leading the Cleveland Barons to two Calder Cup championships and the Minneapolis Millers to a United States Hockey League championship. He later returned to the Rangers as head coach for the 1951–52 season and part of 1952–53 before retiring. His contributions were recognized with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952 and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. Cook's legacy as 'The Original Ranger' endures as a symbol of the franchise's early identity and success.

Did You Know?

• Cook scored the first goal in New York Rangers franchise history on November 16, 1926.
• He was the oldest player to win an NHL scoring title at age 36 years, 5 months, a record that stood until 2013.
• Cook scored the championship-winning goal in overtime in the 1933 Stanley Cup Final, the first overtime power play goal in NHL playoff history.

The Scoring Machine of Two Leagues

Bill Cook established himself as one of the most feared goal-scorers in North American hockey across two major leagues. In the Western Canada Hockey League, he topped the goal-scoring charts twice and earned all-star right wing honors for three straight seasons, including a 31-goal, 44-point campaign that cemented his reputation as the finest right winger in the sport. His dominance carried into the National Hockey League, where he claimed the scoring title three times. In his debut season with the New York Rangers in 1926–27, he posted 33 goals and 37 points in 44 games, finishing just behind Herb Gardiner of the Montreal Canadiens for the Hart Trophy. He tied Charlie Conacher for the league lead with 34 goals in 1931–32, and at age 36, he led the NHL in both goals and points in 1932–33—a record for the oldest scoring champion that stood until Martin St. Louis broke it in 2013. Across both leagues, Cook was selected to an all-star team seven times, a testament to his sustained excellence over more than a decade of top-level competition.

Defining Moments in Rangers History

When Conn Smythe signed Bill Cook for $12,000 in 1926, he made the young winger the very first player in New York Rangers history and the team's inaugural captain. On November 16, 1926, Cook etched his name into franchise lore by scoring the only goal in a 1–0 victory over the Montreal Maroons—the first goal ever recorded by the Rangers. Two years later, in the 1928 Stanley Cup Final, Cook and his brother Bun, alongside Frank Boucher, formed the legendary "Bread Line" that scored every single Rangers goal en route to the franchise's first championship. Perhaps his most iconic moment came in the 1932 Stanley Cup Final against Toronto. Cook scored the winning goal in Game 2 and then delivered the championship-clinching goal in overtime of Game 4—the first overtime power-play goal in NHL playoff history. Because the Stanley Cup trophy was not available that night, the series became known as the "Forgotten Cup," and Cook did not accept the trophy until November, seven months after the clinching victory.

From the Rideau Canal to the Western Front

Born in Brantford, Ontario, on October 8, 1895, Cook was the eldest of three sons in a large family. The family relocated to Kingston, where young Bill first learned to skate on the Rideau Canal. By 1913 he was playing for the Kingston Frontenacs' junior squad, but the First World War derailed his early hockey trajectory. He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in December 1915 and served with the 50th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery. After arriving in England in April 1916, he was sent to the front in July and saw action at Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and Hill 70. Following the armistice, he was dispatched to Archangel in northern Russia as part of the allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, spending eight months there before being awarded the Military Medal in April 1919. He returned to Canada in July 1919. Back on the ice, he re-joined the Frontenacs for one season before moving to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, where he led the Northern Ontario Hockey Association in both goals and points in each of his first two seasons, helping the team capture the league title in 1920.

Coach, Legend, and Hall of Famer

After hanging up his skates, Cook transitioned into coaching with remarkable success. He guided the Cleveland Barons to two Calder Cup championships and led the Minneapolis Millers to a United States Hockey League title. He returned to the NHL bench to coach the New York Rangers during the 1951–52 season before retiring from the game in 1953. His contributions to the sport were formally recognized when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952, followed by enshrinement in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. The nickname "The Original Ranger" stuck with him throughout his life, a fitting title for the man who was the first player signed, the first captain, the first goal-scorer, and a two-time Stanley Cup champion for the franchise. Cook passed away on May 5, 1986, leaving behind a legacy that spanned two countries, wartime service on multiple fronts, and more than four decades of hockey at the highest levels.