| Ehrhardt Heller | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1910-06-02)June 2, 1910 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Died | June 15, 1980(1980-06-15) (aged 70) Kitchener, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1929–1956 | ||
Ehrhardt Henry "Ott" Heller (June 2, 1910 – June 15, 1980) was a Canadianice hockeydefenceman who played in theNational Hockey League with theNew York Rangers between 1931 and 1946. He won theStanley Cup twice with the Rangers, in1933 and1940. Originally a right wing, Heller learned to play as a defenseman early in his career.[1]
Heller started hisNational Hockey League career with theNew York Rangers in1931, signing with the team as a free agent on November 2, 1931.[1] He would his entire career with the Rangers and retire after the1946 season. In 1941, he was a member of theNHL All-Star team. He won theStanley Cup twice, in1933 and1940. He served asCaptain of the Rangers from1942 to1945.
After leaving the Rangers in 1946, Heller had several head coaching stints in the minors, where he often had the dual role of player-coach. He led theIndianapolis Capitals to the Calder Cup as a player-coach during the 1949-50 AHL season, a team that had futureHockey Hall Of Fame goaltenderTerry Sawchuk in net for 61 out of a possible 70 games.
Heller finished his career with the Chatham Sr. Maroons in 1956, scoring two assists in seven games.
Heller died on June 15, 1980, in his hometown of Kitchener, less than two weeks after his 70th birthday.
In the 2009 book100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Heller at No. 25 all-time of the901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first82 seasons.[2]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1928–29 | Kitchener Empires | OHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1929–30 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 26 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1930–31 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 38 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 85 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | ||
| 1931–32 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 21 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1931–32 | New York Rangers | NHL | 21 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1932–33 | New York Rangers | NHL | 40 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1933–34 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1934–35 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1935–36 | New York Rangers | NHL | 43 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1936–37 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 1937–38 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 68 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1938–39 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 0 | 23 | 23 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1939–40 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 26 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 1940–41 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1941–42 | New York Rangers | NHL | 35 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1942–43 | New York Rangers | NHL | 45 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1944–45 | New York Rangers | NHL | 45 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 34 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | St. Paul Saints | USHL | 16 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1946–47 | New Haven Ramblers | AHL | 64 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1947–48 | New Haven Ramblers | AHL | 67 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 40 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1948–49 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 55 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1949–50 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 30 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1950–51 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 48 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1951–52 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 48 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | New Haven Nutmegs | EAHL | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Kitchener Dutchmen | OHA Sr | 24 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1953–54 | Marion Barons | IHL | 64 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 70 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1954–55 | Valleyfield Braves | QHL | 18 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1954–55 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1954–55 | Chatham Maroons | OHA Sr | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 647 | 55 | 176 | 231 | 465 | 61 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 61 | ||||
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | New York Rangers captain 1942–45 | Succeeded by |