Ken Hodge

Ken Hodge
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
Height Weight	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 214 lb (97 kg)
Teams	Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins New York Rangers
Nationality	British
Born	June 25,1944, Birmingham, England
Pro Career	1964 – 1978

Kenneth Raymond Hodge, Sr. (born June 25, 1944, Birmingham, England) is a retired player who played for the NHL Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers. He was notable, among numerous achievements, for being involved in two of the most one-sided trades in hockey history.

Playing Career

Stereotyped as a grinding policeman — at 6'2", 215 lbs, Hodge was one of the larger forwards of his era — the rangy right wing played two mediocre seasons with the Black Hawks before being sent to Boston in a blockbuster deal with teammates Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield. The trade made the Bruins into a powerhouse, as Esposito centred Hodge and left wing Ron Murphy in the 1968–69 season to break the NHL record for points in a season by a forward line, and Hodge scored an impressive 45 goals and 45 assists to complement Esposito's record season of 126 points. His production fell off significantly the next season (although Boston won the Stanley Cup bolstered by Hodge's skilled play), but the 1970–71 season saw the Bruins launch the greatest offensive juggernaut the league had ever seen, breaking dozens of offensive records. In that flurry, on one of the most feared forward lines of the era (with linemates Esposito and Wayne Cashman), Hodge would break the league record for points in a season by a right winger with 105, and finish fourth in NHL scoring. Phil Esposito (with 152 points), Bobby Orr (with 139), Johnny Bucyk(116) and Hodge finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring, the first time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would lead to Hodge being named a First Team All-Star as-well as being invited to the 1971 NHL all star game.

The 1971–72 season saw Hodge slowed down by injuries, although he recovered again in the playoffs with 17 points j 15 games helping the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years during the 1971–72 season. The following year in 1972-73 Hodge would have a 81 point season being invited to the NHL all star game for the second time in his career. Following this up In 1973–74, he scored 50 goals and 105 points to place third in league scoring, and with Esposito (145), Orr (122) and Cashman (89) likewise finished 1–2–3–4 in league scoring for the only other time in NHL history the season's top four scorers all played for one team. This would once again lead to Hodge being honored as a First Team All-Star and would play in his 3rd All star game. Hodge would also become the first person born outside of Canada to score 50 goals in a season and was the only one to do so until Finnish born Jari Kurri did so in 1984.

His offensive production negatively impacted by Esposito's trade to the New York Rangers in early-November 1975, Hodge's remaining time with the Bruins was spent in head coach Don Cherry's doghouse. Hodge was reunited with Esposito on 26 May 1976, when he was dealt to the Rangers who were hoping for a replication of their successes with the Bruins. (ironically, the Bruins received young star Rick Middleton, who scored nearly a thousand points in a Boston uniform). He is my best friend's grandfather The transaction cost the team Rick Middleton who was ten years younger and a swifter skater than Hodge.

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In 2023 Hodge would be Named One of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time.

Retirement

Hodge had only modest success in New York in the 1976–1977 season, and tailed off badly the following year before being sent down to the minor league New Haven Nighthawks. Hodge retired thereafter, but came out of retirement in 1979–1980 to play for the AHL Binghamton Dusters, which was his final season.

Hodge finished his NHL career with 881 games, 328 goals, 472 assists and 800 points. He still lives in the Boston area, and remains active with the Bruins' alumni team and in alumni affairs.

Most recently, Hodge has been working as a broadcaster in Boston. He served as the radio color commentator for the Boston College men's hockey team throughout their 2007–08 NCAA Championship season.

Hodge lived in Lynnfield, Massachusetts during his career with the Bruins raising 5 kids; his home was instantly recognizable and well known to local residents by its large swimming pool in the back yard in the shape of his Bruins' uniform number, 8. After spending 50 years in Lynnfield Hodge has now moved down to Florida.

Hodge's son, Ken Hodge, Jr., was also a professional hockey player from 1987 to 1998. Hodge Jr. went on to coach the Tulsa Oilers, whose roster included his younger brother Brendon, who wore their father's number 8. Brendon Hodge is now the assistant coach of the Rapid City Rushmore Thunder varsity hockey team, who won the 2014 state championship. Another son, Dan Hodge, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the ninth round (194th overall) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, and played in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League, and won the 2000 Kelly Cup championship in the East Coast Hockey League with the Peoria Rivermen.

Achievements

• 1964–65 Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy winner
• Named a First Team All-Star in 1971 and 1974.
• Played in the All-Star Game in 1971, 1973 and 1974.
• Two time Stanley Cup champion (1970 and 1972)
• Named One of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time in 2023.

Career Statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1961–62	St. Catharines TeePees	OHA		31	4	3	7	0		—	—	—	—	—
1962–63	St. Catharines Black Hawks	OHA		50	23	23	46	0		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	St. Catharines Black Hawks	OHA		56	37	51	88	0		—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	St. Catharines Black Hawks	OHA		55	63	60	123	0		—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Buffalo Bisons	AHL		2	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		63	6	17	23	47		5	0	0	0	8
1966–67	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		68	10	25	35	59		6	0	0	0	4
1967–68	Boston Bruins	NHL		74	25	31	56	31		4	3	0	3	2
1968–69	Boston Bruins	NHL		75	45	45	90	75		10	5	7	12	4
1969–70	Boston Bruins	NHL		72	25	29	54	87		14	3	10	13	17
1970–71	Boston Bruins	NHL		78	43	62	105	113		7	2	5	7	6
1971–72	Boston Bruins	NHL		60	16	40	56	81		15	9	8	17	62
1972–73	Boston Bruins	NHL		73	37	44	81	58		5	1	0	1	7
1973–74	Boston Bruins	NHL		76	50	55	105	43		16	6	10	16	16
1974–75	Boston Bruins	NHL		72	23	43	66	90		3	1	1	2	0
1975–76	Boston Bruins	NHL		72	25	36	61	42		12	4	6	10	4
1976–77	New York Rangers	NHL		78	21	41	62	43		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	New York Rangers	NHL		18	2	4	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	New Haven Nighthawks	AHL		52	17	29	46	13		15	3	4	7	20
1979–80	Binghamton Dusters	AHL		37	10	20	30	24		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				880	328	472	800	779		97	34	47	81	130

Trivia

Hodge's son, Ken Hodge, Jr., was also a professional hockey player from 1987 to 1998. Another of Hodge's sons, Dan Hodge, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the ninth round (194 overall) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. His playing career included stints in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League, as well as winning the 2000 Kelly Cup championship in the East Coast Hockey League with the Peoria Rivermen. It concluded as the CHL's (Central Hockey League) Tulsa Oilers captain in 2005–06. He coached the Tulsa Oilers, whose roster included his younger brother, Brendon Hodge, who wears his father's number 8.

Gallery

The four new Bruins, Stanfield, Shack, Esposito and Hodge at training camp, October 2, 1967. The gold jerseys would be retired before the regular season.

Phil Esposito in action, March 13, 1968.

Ken Hodge, Ron Murphy, Glen Sather and Derek Sanderson at training camp, October 10, 1968.

Danny O'Shea and Ken Hodge, January 26, 1969.

Derek Sanderson and Ken Hodge go into the stands at St. Louis, March 4, 1970.

Ken Hodge scores on Terry Sawchuk, Game 2 of the 1970 Quarter-finals, April 9, 1970.

Ken Hodge scores, Game 4 of the 1970 Semi-finals, April 26, 1970.

Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman, Seals goalie Gary Smith, November 15, 1970.

Ken Hodge celebrates one of his 6 assists, February 9, 1971.

Bobby Orr from Ken Hodge, March 21, 1971.

Bobby Orr's 100th assist on Ken Hodge's goal, April 3, 1971.

Ken Hodge scores shorthanded, October 17, 1971.

Ken Hodge scores the series winner, Game 5 of the 1972 Quarter-finals, April 11, 1972.

Ken Hodge had a hat trick, Game 1 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, April 30, 1972.

Ken Hodge scores the winner, Game 2 of the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, May 2, 1972.

Bobby Orr returned to the line-up and assisted on a goal by Ken Hodge, October 21, 1972.

Phil Esposito from Ken Hodge, February 28, 1974.

Doug Favell stops Ken Hodge, Game 1 of the 1974 Quarter-finals, April 10, 1974.

Ken Hodge scores the series winner, Game 4 of the 1974 Quarter-finals, April 14, 1974.

Ken Hodge scores the series winner in overtime, Game 4 of the 1974 Quarter-finals, April 14, 1974.

Ken Hodge puts the Bruins up 3-1, Game 3 of the 1974 Semi-finals, April 23, 1974.

Bobby Clarke hooks Ken Hodge, Game 2 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals, May 9, 1974.

External Links

Ken Hodge's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database