Johnny Bower

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bower was born John William Kiszkan in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, to Johnny Kiszkan and Lizzie, née Jacobson. He taught himself hockey using a branch as a stick and made goalie pads from old mattresses. Around age 10, his parents separated, which created a stigma. At 15, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Canadian Army, serving from 1940 to 1943 in England as a gunner with the 2nd Canadian Division, and was discharged due to rheumatoid arthritis in his hands. He changed his surname to Bower during his first year of professional hockey; various stories exist about the reason. He played eleven seasons in the AHL, mostly for the Cleveland Barons, winning three Calder Cups. He debuted in the NHL with the New York Rangers at age 29, playing all 70 games in his first season. He was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1958 Inter-League draft. Bower won the Vezina Trophy in 1961 and shared it in 1965. He won Stanley Cups with the Leafs in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967. On April 6, 1969, at age 44 years, 4 months, 29 days, he became the oldest goaltender to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game. He played his last game on December 10, 1969. He announced his retirement on March 19, 1970. He remains the AHL career leader in wins with 359.

In Their Own Story

The height of Bower's career arrived during the Maple Leafs' three consecutive Stanley Cup victories from 1962 to 1964. Reflecting on these moments, he stated, 'When we won the Stanley Cup, my head went numb, my whole body went numb. That was my dream from Day One. You just can't explain the feelings inside you.' His resilience shone through a tandem arrangement with Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk, which began in 1964–65 when they shared the Vezina Trophy. Bower admitted he 'wasn't all that glad to see the two-goalie system come in,' preferring to play as many games as possible. His longevity was remarkable; on April 6, 1969, at age 44 years, 4 months, and 29 days, he became the oldest goaltender to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game. He played his final NHL game on December 10, 1969, a 6–3 loss to Montreal, before publicly announcing his retirement on March 19, 1970. Even when asked about his true age, he cryptically replied, 'If you don't know by now, you never will,' though he eventually confirmed his birth date as November 8, 1924.

Reader's Guide

Bower was known for his hard-nosed, scrappy playing style and was the first goaltender to employ the poke check. He worked for the Maple Leafs after retirement as a scout, goalie coach, and assistant coach from 1976 to 1978. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976 and the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006. He was married to Nancy and had a son, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, residing in Mississauga, Ontario. A park near his house was renamed in his honour. He died on December 26, 2017, from pneumonia.

Did You Know?

• Bower taught himself to play hockey using a branch as a stick and made goalie pads from old mattresses.
• He lied about his age at 15 to enlist in the Canadian Army during World War II.
• His song "Honky (The Christmas) Goose" reached #29 on the CHUM Charts in December 1965.
• He was the first goaltender to employ the poke check.
• He remains the AHL career leader in wins with 359.