Calvin Pearly "Ginger, Red, Torchy" Gardner (October 30, 1924 – October 10, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the NHL. In 1943, after playing professional hockey for three years and winning the Memorial Cup, he joined the Canadian military and took part in World War II. At the conclusion of the war, he once again began playing professional hockey, joining the New York Rangers affiliate, the New York Rovers. With the Rovers, Gardner would centre a line with fellow Manitobans Church Russell and Rene Trudell.[1] The trio were dominate, with all three players being called up to the Rangers and making their debut on February 10, 1946.[2] From their debut, the trio remained intact as a line until December 1947, with the unit being nicknamed "Whiz Kids" and the "rover-boy line."[3][4] Following the 1948 season, the Rangers traded Gardner to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships.
| Cal Gardner | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
(1924-10-30)October 30, 1924 Transcona, Manitoba, Canada | ||
| Died |
October 10, 2001(2001-10-10) (aged 76) Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins | ||
| Playing career | 1945–1961 | ||
He died in 2001. His two sons Paul and Dave were also professional ice hockey players.[5][6]
While playing for the Springfield Indians of the AHL in the 1957–58 season, Gardner served as an assistant coach. Gardner also served as a player-head coach while with the Kingston Frontenacs of the EPHL in 1959-60.
Sources: Legends of Hockey[7] NHLTradeTracker.com[8]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1940–41 | St. Boniface Canadiens | WJrHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1941–42 | Winnipeg CUAC | WJrHL | 9 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1942–43 | Winnipeg Esquires | WJrHL | 15 | 18 | 9 | 27 | 37 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 1942–43 | Winnipeg Rangers | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 30 | ||
| 1943–44 | Port Arthur Navy | TBSHL | 10 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1943–44 | Port Arthur Navy | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 16 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rovers | EHL | 40 | 41 | 32 | 73 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1946–47 | New York Rangers | NHL | 52 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | New York Rangers | NHL | 57 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 71 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1948–49 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 53 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 35 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 1949–50 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 31 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1950–51 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 66 | 23 | 28 | 51 | 42 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1951–52 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1952–53 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1953–54 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 62 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1954–55 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1955–56 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1956–57 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 66 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1957–58 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 69 | 24 | 57 | 81 | 49 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 5 | ||
| 1958–59 | Providence Reds | AHL | 68 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1959–60 | Kingston Frontenacs | EPHL | 65 | 32 | 61 | 93 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1960–61 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 72 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 696 | 154 | 238 | 392 | 517 | 61 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 20 | ||||
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Winning % | Finish | Result | ||
| Kingston Frontenacs | 1959-1960 | 70 | 28 | 39 | 3 | .421 | 6th in league | Out of playoffs |