Punch Broadbent Explained

Punch Broadbent
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:7[1]
Weight Lb:183
Played For:Ottawa Senators
Montreal Maroons
New York Americans
Birth Date:13 July 1892
Birth Place:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Death Place:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1912
Career End:1929
Halloffame:1962

Harold Lawton "Harry" "Punch" Broadbent (July 13, 1892 – March 6, 1971) was a Canadian ice hockey player. Broadbent played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons and the New York Americans in the National Hockey Association (NHA) and National Hockey League (NHL) between 1912 and 1929. Broadbent won the Stanley Cup four times during his career, three times with Ottawa and once with Montreal. He is regarded as one of the first true power forwards in NHL history. For this reason, he was known in his day as "Old Elbows".[2]

Personal life

Born in Ottawa, Ontario. Broadbent married Leda Fitzimmons and had one daughter, Sally Ann Broadbent. In the summer of 1915 Broadbent enlisted in the Canadian military to serve in the First World War. He served in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, and was promoted to Bombardier in October 1916. In March 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal for his service in the First World War.[3]

A January 27, 1934 article on Broadbent in the Montreal Gazette by D. A. L. MacDonald says he was called "Punch" because of his round chubby face which would puff up like a Billiken charm doll when he smiled.[4]

Playing career

Early in his career Broadbent played for amateur teams in the Ottawa region. He made his professional debut with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey Association (NHA) in 1912, being paired on a line with Jack Darragh. He was seventh in the league in scoring his rookie year, and while hobbled with injuries the next, was fourth in scoring the following year. He scored three goals in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vancouver Millionaires in 1915 before going to the war for three and one-half years.

Broadbent returned from the war in January 1919, and played the remaining 8 games of the season for the Senators, who had joined the National Hockey League in 1917. With forwards Frank Nighbor and Cy Denneny, he starred for the Senators for six more seasons, playing for three Stanley Cup champions. Though he was a holdout for most of the 1921 season, Broadbent came back to win the league scoring title in 1922, with 32 goals in 24 games. He also set a record that season by scoring goals in sixteen consecutive games. The streak began during a 10–0 rout of the Montreal Canadiens on December 24 and lasted through to a 6–6 tie with Canadiens on February 15, and it included a stretch of six straight multi-goal games.

In 1925, along with veteran teammate Clint Benedict, Broadbent was sold by Ottawa to the expansion Montreal Maroons. Broadbent was the Maroons' leading scorer that first season, including a five-goal game against the Hamilton Tigers. In his second season with the Maroons, the team won its first Stanley Cup championship against the Ottawa Senators. He was traded back to the Senators in 1928 with cash for Hooley Smith. He played for the New York Americans in 1929 and retired after that season.

Broadbent finished his career with 172 goals and 58 assists in 360 professional games. After his playing career, he coached for several years in the Ottawa City Hockey League, winning the championship in 1933 with the Ottawa Rideaus. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1908–09Ottawa EmmettsOCHL6 14 0 14 62 1 0 1 0
1909–10Ottawa SecondsOCHL2 3 0 3 5
1909–10Hull VolantsLOVHL1 0 0 0 0
1909–10Ottawa CliffsidesIPAHU3 1 0 1 6
1910–11Ottawa CliffsidesOCHL2 2 0 2 6
1910–11Ottawa CliffsidesIPAHU6 14 0 14 181 0 0 0 3
1911–12Ottawa New EdinburghsIPAHU10 20 0 20 394 7 0 7 0
1912–13Ottawa SenatorsNHA20 20 0 20 15
1913–14Ottawa SenatorsNHA17 6 7 13 61
1914–15Ottawa SenatorsNHA20 24 3 27 1155 3 0 3
1918–19Ottawa SenatorsNHL8 4 3 7 125 2 2 4 28
1919–20Ottawa SenatorsNHL21 19 6 25 40
1919–20Ottawa SenatorsSt-Cup4 0 0 0 3
1920–21Ottawa SenatorsNHL9 4 1 5 102 0 2 2 4
1920–21Ottawa SenatorsSt-Cup4 2 0 2 4
1921–22Ottawa SenatorsNHL24 32 14 46 282 0 1 1 8
1922–23Ottawa SenatorsNHL24 14 1 15 342 0 0 0 2
1922–23Ottawa SenatorsSt-Cup6 6 1 7 10
1923–24Ottawa SenatorsNHL22 9 4 13 442 0 0 0 2
1924–25Montreal MaroonsNHL30 14 6 20 75
1925–26Montreal MaroonsNHL36 12 5 17 1124 2 1 3 14
1925–26Montreal MaroonsSt-Cup4 1 0 1 22
1926–27Montreal MaroonsNHL42 9 5 14 882 0 0 0 0
1927–28Ottawa SenatorsNHL43 3 2 5 622 0 0 0 0
1928–29New York AmericansNHL44 1 4 5 592 0 0 0 2
NHA totals57 50 10 60 1915 3 0 3
NHL totals303 121 51 172 56423 4 6 10 60
St-Cup totals18 9 1 10 35

Awards and records

Transactions

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=65028 Personnel Records of the First World War | Attestation paper – Harry Lawton Broadbent
  2. Web site: Punch Broadbent .
  3. Web site: Supplement to the London Gazette. London Gazette . April 12, 1918 . 4528 .
  4. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oEswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XKgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6926%2C3511934 "Turning Back Hockey's Pages"