| Alf Pike | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Alf Pike in 1960 | |||
| Born | (1917-09-15)September 15, 1917 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | ||
| Died | March 1, 2009(2009-03-01) (aged 91) Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing/Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1939–1943 1945–1947 | ||
Alfred George Pike (September 15, 1917 – March 1, 2009) was a Canadian professionalice hockey player who spent sixNational Hockey League (NHL) seasons with theNew York Rangers between 1939 and 1947. Born inWinnipeg, Manitoba, he was a product of the hockey school there that was operated byLester Patrick, the Rangers'coach andgeneral manager. A licensedmortician in the offseason, Pike'snickname was "The Embalmer". He also served as coach at various levels of the sport.During World War II, Pike attained rank of Leading Aircraftsman with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served, and played hockey, in Winnipeg and also while stationed at Leeming Yorkshire home to RCAF 427 Lion and 429 Bison heavy bomber Squadrons.
He played two years ofjunior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs of theManitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). In 1936–37, his second campaign with the team, hecentered the topforward line as the Monarchs captured both the league title andMemorial Cup.
After immediately signing a contract with Patrick's franchise in 1937, he spent two years with theNew York Rovers, the Rangers' minor league affiliate in theEastern Amateur Hockey League that sharedMadison Square Garden III with the parent club.[1] He was the team captain when the Rovers won the EAHL crown in 1938–39. He also made two appearances with thePhiladelphia Ramblers of theInternational-American Hockey League (IAHL) that same season.
As arookie with the Rangers in1939–40, he was the center on the third forward line withDutch Hiller andClint Smith. Pike contributed two keygoals in the1940 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored the winner inovertime of Game 1, and tallied again midway through the third period of Game 6 to tie the match at 2–2 and eventually extend it beyond regulation.Bryan Hextall's goal in the extra period clinched theStanley Cup Championship for the Rangers.
His most productive season was in1941–42 with 27 points (8 goals, 19assists). He was converted into adefenseman the following year. His hockey career was put on hold between 1943 and 1945 when he was stationed with theRoyal Canadian Air Force in his hometown during World War II. He played two more seasons with the Rangers, the final one as aleft winger in1946–47, becoming one of the very few individuals in professional hockey history to play three different positions. His final NHL totals were 119 points (42 goals, 77 assists) in 234 games.
He appeared in a handful of matches with the Winnipeg Nationals in 1948 and 1949 before ending his playing career.
Pike's first coaching job began in 1949–50 with theGuelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, the Rangers'Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) Junior A farm club. The highlight of his five years with Guelph was in 1952 when the team, which featuredAndy Bathgate andHarry Howell, won both the league championship and Memorial Cup.[2] His next stop was theWinnipeg Warriors from 1954 to 1959, collecting aWestern Hockey League (WHL) title andEdinburgh Trophy national minor professional championship in 1956.
He returned to the Rangers as its coach eighteen games into the1959–60 NHL season. His personality was a direct contrast from that of the man he replaced, the temperamentalPhil Watson (Muzz Patrick served as the interim for two matches).[3] After compiling a 36–66–21 record in two years without a postseason appearance, Pike was replaced byDoug Harvey in 1961.[4]
Before his retirement in 1970, he returned to the WHL to coach three different franchises: theCalgary Stampeders (1961–62 to 1962–63),Los Angeles Blades (1963–64 to 1964–65) andPhoenix Roadrunners (1967–68 to 1969–70).
Pike died at age 91 on March 1, 2009, inCalgary, Alberta.[5]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1935–36 | Winnipeg Monarchs | MJHL | 14 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1936–37 | Winnipeg Monarchs | MJHL | 14 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 21 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 21 | ||
| 1936–37 | Winnipeg Monarchs | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 1937–38 | New York Rovers | EAHL | 45 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1938–39 | New York Rovers | EAHL | 25 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1938–39 | Philadelphia Ramblers | AHL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 1939–40 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 38 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1940–41 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1941–42 | New York Rangers | NHL | 34 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1942–43 | New York Rangers | NHL | 41 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | Winnipeg RCAF | WNDHL | 9 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1944–45 | Winnipeg Ramblers | WNDHL | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 33 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1946–47 | New York Rangers | NHL | 31 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Winnipeg Nationals | MTBHL | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Winnipeg Nationals | MTBHL | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 234 | 42 | 77 | 119 | 145 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | ||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Division rank | Result | ||
| New York Rangers | 1959–60 | 53 | 14 | 28 | 11 | 39 | 6th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| New York Rangers | 1960–61 | 70 | 22 | 38 | 10 | 54 | 5th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| NHL Totals | 123 | 36 | 66 | 21 | ||||
| Preceded by | Head coach of the New York Rangers 1959–61 | Succeeded by |