The Big M

Frank Mahovlich

Once and awhile a player comes along with special abilities, and when that player is a true gentleman on and off the ice, it is a rare treat. Such was Senator Frank Mahovlich, who starred at St. Mikes, then went onto a glorious career with the Maple Leafs, Red Wings and Canadians. Oh and he made a stop over to make some real cash in the WHA for the Toronto Toros.

 He was once rumored to be sold to the Black Hawks for a cool million dollars. Such was the man that he said nobody was worth a million dollars, not even Bobby Hull or Gordie Howe, his contemporaries of that age. As it turned out, ll three, the Big M, Howe and Hull turn turns in the WHA as a way to make some very large money after years of toiling for the original 6.

Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle were both wooed as a tandem, but were promised handsome raises by Tex Irvin on the Rangers but never saw it happen.

  Frank Mahovlich patrolled left wing in Maple Leaf Gardens, and to many observer he never seemed to skating that fast, but his glides were effortless and his style was his own.  Coach Punch Imlach was forever pushing Mahovlich, and as a young fan I always wondered why he was so cruel, but I think he recognized his raw talent, and was forever trying to maximize it.

As  Leaf fan, it was a dark day when I heard that Mahovlich, Unger, Brewer, were dealt for Ullman, Smith and Paul Henderson. How could they do this ? Who were these guys ?  Where was Frank going, I was 13- 14 year's old and devastated.

He graced left wing and wore the number 27 which was recently co honoured with long time Leaf captain Darryl Sittler, and that number is in the rafters as a slice of Leaf history , preserved for all time.

Frank played on 6 Cup teams, 4 in Toronto, 2 in Montreal, and is one of a handful of Leaf/Habs that won cups for both teams. Others include Dick Duff and builder Frank Selke Sr.

The Big M played usually with Red Kelly as his centre and the pair are also the only 2 NHL vets to both play together on Cup winning teams and serve in politics. Ken Dryden accomplished that but plyerd only for the Habs.

My fondest memory of the graceful skater was a game against Boston in 1966, my grandfather took me and we used the subway to go to the Gardens, and sat way up in the end Blues. It was a Saturday night game, and we saw Foster Hewitt climb his Everest like ascent to the gondola. I could hear him in my mind call out his " He Shoots He Scores `` , which was his brand on every Leaf goal.  Frank potted 2 goals in a Leaf rout.

I think I talked all the way home about his slapshot  being so fast I could barely see it. My grandfather laughed pretty hard over that remark. Later that week, he came on Hockey Night on a Wednesday, and scored a similar goal on Red Wing netminder Roger Crozier, and I thought to myself, I have seen that in person, wow, what a privledge.

It was a big privilege, and one I was happy to have.