Howie Morenz

Canadian ice hockey centre who revolutionized the game with his speed and scoring ability, leading Montreal Canadiens to three Stanley Cup victories.

Howard William Morenz was born in Mitchell, Ontario in 1902. He is considered by many the greatest hockey player of the first half of the 20th century. His end-to-end rushing style and electric skating speed — earning him the nickname the Stratford Streak — brought crowds to the NHL at a time when the league was establishing itself as a major sport. He won three Stanley Cup championships with the Montreal Canadiens (1924, 1930, 1931). He won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player three times (1928, 1931, 1932) and the Art Ross Trophy as the scoring champion twice. He was selected by hockey writers in 1950 as the outstanding hockey player of the first half of the 20th century. He died in January 1937 aged 34 from complications of a broken leg suffered during a game — the leg caught in a rut in the ice and snapped while he was being checked. An estimated 50,000 people filed past his coffin in the Montreal Forum. His death deeply shook Canadian hockey. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945. He remains the defining figure of the NHL's formative era.

Morenz was renowned for his exceptional skating speed and end-to-end rushes that electrified crowds throughout the NHL. He combined his blazing pace with excellent stickhandling skills and a powerful shot, making him nearly unstoppable when he built up momentum. His aggressive, attacking style of play helped transform hockey from a more methodical game into the fast-paced sport fans know today.

Morenz is widely credited with popularizing professional hockey in the United States and helping establish the NHL as a major professional sports league. He was among the first hockey players to achieve true celebrity status and remains one of the sport's most legendary figures.

• Stanley Cup 3x (1924,1930,1931)
• Hart Trophy 3x
• Art Ross Trophy 2x
• Hall of Fame (1945)