Andy Bathgate

Andrew James Bathgate
 * Born: August 28, 1932 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
 * Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
 * Died: February 26, 2016 at Brampton, Ontario
 * Brother: Bernie & Frank Bathgate
 * Position: Right Wing

Playing Career
Andy Bathgate was a popular star-player of the New York Rangers and also won the MVP of both the NHL and WHL. He started his professional career with the Cleveland Barons of the AHL in the 1952–53 season. He bounced between the Vancouver Canucks and the Rangers for two seasons before settling with the Rangers in 1954–55. He played ten full seasons with the Rangers, where he became a popular player in New York as well as a top-tiered player in the NHL. In 1961–62, Bathgate and Bobby Hull led the league in points, but Bathgate lost the Art Ross Trophy to Bobby Hull because Hull had more goals.

Andy Bathgate's career was frustrated by the mediocre play of the Rangers and a nagging knee problem. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1963–64 season, where he immediately helped Toronto to a Stanley Cup championship, and later was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, where he helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1965–66. Bathgate was chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, and after one season, he returned to the Canucks where he would help lead the team to 2 consecutive Lester Patrick Cup victories, in 1969 and 1970. His best professional year was with them, where he scored 108 points in 1969–70. That performance gave him the George Leader Cup, the top player award in the WHL. Andy Bathgate's final NHL year was with the Penguins in 1971; 1971–1972 he was playing coach for HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland. He came briefly out of retirement three seasons later to play for the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA, which he had coached the previous season, but retired for good after eleven games.

Andy Bathgate won the Hart Memorial Trophy for the MVP of the NHL in 1958–59 after scoring 40 goals, which was no easy feat in that era. He is famous for contributing to one of the largest innovations in NHL history. Renowned for the strength of his slapshot, during a game against the Montreal Canadiens, Bathgate shot the puck into the face of Jacques Plante, forcing Plante to receive stitches. When Plante returned to the ice, he was wearing a mask. That started a trend that continues to this day.

Post-retirement
The Rangers retired his #9 along with Harry Howell's #3 in a special ceremony before the February 22, 2009 match against the Maple Leafs. Bathgate joined Adam Graves, whose #9 had been hoisted to the Madison Square Garden rafters nineteen nights earlier.

Death
Bathgate died at the age of 83 on February 26, 2016, in Brampton, Ontario. At the time of his death, he had Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Career Moves

 * Traded to NY Rangers by Cleveland (AHL) with Vic Howe for Glen Sonmor and Eric Pogue, November 15, 1954.
 * Traded to Toronto by NY Rangers with Don McKenney for Dick Duff, Bob Nevin, Rod Seiling, Arnie Brown and Bill Collins, February 22, 1964.
 * Traded to Detroit by Toronto with Billy Harris and Gary Jarrett for Marcel Pronovost, Ed Joyal, Larry Jeffrey, Lowell MacDonald and Aut Erickson, May 20, 1965.
 * Claimed by Pittsburgh from Detroit in Expansion Draft, June 6, 1967.
 * Loaned to Vancouver (WHL) by Pittsburgh for the 1968-69 season for future considerations, October, 1968.
 * Loaned to Vancouver (WHL) by Pittsburgh for the 1969-70 season with the trade of Paul Andrea and John Arbour for Bryan Hextall Jr., May 20, 1969.
 * Selected by Miami-Philadelphia (WHA) in 1972 WHA General Player Draft, February 12, 1972.
 * Transferred to Vancouver (WHA) after Philadelphia (WHA) franchise relocated, May, 1973.

Awards & Achievements

 * Ontario Hockey Association Junior A Championship (1950 & 1952)
 * Memorial Cup Canada Junior A Championship (1952)
 * Calder Cup American Hockey League Championship (1954)
 * Hart Memorial Trophy National Hockey League MVP (1959)
 * National Hockey League First All-Star Team (1959 & 1962)
 * National Hockey League Second All-Star Team (1958 & 1963)
 * Stanley Cup National Hockey League Championship (1964)
 * Lester Patrick Cup Western Hockey League Championship (1969 & 1970)
 * George Leader Cup Western Hockey League MVP (1970)
 * Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978
 * In 1998, he was ranked number 58 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News
 * Selected to Manitoba's All-Century First All-Star Team
 * Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
 * Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1993
 * Sweater #9 retired by the New York Rangers on February 22, 2009

Records once held by Andy Bathgate

 * Most career Goals by a New York Ranger- 272 surpassed and currently held by Rod Gilbert- 406
 * Most career Assists by a New York Ranger- 457 surpassed by Rod Gilbert and currently held by Brian Leetch- 741
 * Most career Points by a New York Ranger- 729 surpassed and currently held by Rod Gilbert -1021
 * Most Goals in a season by a New York Ranger- 40 in 1958-59, surpassed by Vic Hadfield (50 in 1971-72) and currently held by Jaromir Jagr (54 in 2005-06)
 * Most Assists in a season by a New York Ranger- 56 in 1961-62, surpassed by Jean Ratelle (63 in 1971-72) and currently held by Brian Leetch (80 in 1991-92)
 * Most Points in a season by a New York Ranger- 88 in 1958-59, surpassed by Jean Ratelle (109 in 1971-72) and currently held by Jaromir Jagr (123 in 2005-06)
 * Longest goal scoring streak in New York Rangers history- 10 games between December 15, 1962 and January 15, 1963.
 * Most Assists in a season- 58 in 1963-64, surpassed by Stan Mikita (59 in 1964-65) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (163 in 1985-86)
 * Most Assists in a season by a Right Winger- 58 in 1963-64, surpassed by Gordie Howe (59 in 1968-69) and currently held by Jaromir Jagr (87 in 1995-96)


 * Fastest player to reach 500 career Assists- 786 GP, surpassed by Jean Beliveau (784 GP) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (352 GP)
 * Was the 4th leading scorer of the original six era- 870 Points, behind only Gordie Howe (1501), Maurice Richard (965) and Jean Beliveau (944).