Bert Olmstead Remembered

The National Hockey League family lost a valued member this week with the passing of Saskatchewan native Bert Olmstead at the age of 89 from what is being described as complications arising from a stroke. Olmstead will be deeply missed and remembered for his illustrious fourteen season career as a highly decorated left wing and fierce checker. Before his professional career, Olmstead played for a junior hockey team in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and then later for a minor league team in Kansas City, Missouri.

Olmstead will be remembered as such a pivotal team member that at one point he was a playing assistant coach while a part of the Toronto Maple Leaf organization. He later went on to become the first coach for the California team the Oakland Seals. While playing for the Chicago Blackhawks he was the runner up for the Calder Trophy in 1950-51 and later during his 1955-56 season he set the NHL single-season record for assists at 56.

While playing in the Stanley Cup Final 11 times, he was crowned the Stanley Cup winner a total of five times. Four of those times with the Montreal Canadiens and once again with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Olmstead was also a pivotal member of the NHL all-star teams in 1953 and again in 1956. He played for years with other hockey greats such as, Elmer Lach, Maurice Richard, Bernie Geoffrion and Jean Beliveau. These accomplishments and many others landed him a spot in the NHL Hall of Fame in 1985. One such feat occurred in 1954 when Olmstead scored eight points in a single game. At this time he joined Maurice Richard in holding the record for the most points scored until 1976 when the Maple Leaf’s Darryl Sittler scored ten.

After fourteen seasons Olmstead ended up playing in 848 regular-season games scoring 602. He made a total of 115 Playoff appearances, scoring a total of 16 goals, racking up 59 points.