Remembering the Chicago Blackhawks’ World War II Veterans

Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a date when we honor and mourn all the U.S. military personnel who died while serving the country. The holiday started as Decoration Day on May 30, 1868, as a national day to remember all the Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. While the holiday has become a day of BBQs and the first official day of summer, it is still important to remember why it is needed.

Today felt like a good day to remember five members of the Chicago Blackhawks organization who paused their NHL careers to serve during World War II. Not all these players were with the Blackhawks at the time of their service, and they all returned home from war, something over 80 million others did not do during the global conflict.

When World War II broke out in 1939, only four nations were represented in the NHL. Canada made up 92.5% of the league, with the United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom providing the other 7.5% of the players. Eighty NHL players conscripted or volunteered for military service during the war, and at least two players were killed in battle—Dudley “Red” Garrett of the New York Rangers and Joe Turner of the Detroit Red Wings.

It is hard to imagine a situation in this day and age where hundreds of professional athletes across all the major sports leave their careers behind to serve their country. World War II was a different conflict fought at a different time in history.

Sam LoPresti

The Minnesota-born goaltender played the 1940-41 and 1941-42 seasons with the Blackhawks, winning 30 games. He is best remembered for setting an NHL record by facing 83 shots against the Boston Bruins on March 4, 1941. After his second season in Chicago, he walked away to join the U.S. Navy.

LoPresti served as a gunner’s mate on the SS Roger B. Taney. The crew’s primary mission was to provide protection for vessels crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The ship was sunk by the Germans in February 1943. LoPresti was one of 29 sailors who survived the ambush and stayed alive for 42 days on a lifeboat before being rescued off the coast of Brazil.  LoPresti was credited with saving the crew by killing a dolphin with a knife, adding to a depleted food supply.

After returning home, LoPresti continued his hockey career but never made it back to the NHL. After he retired, he and his wife Carol opened and operated a tavern in his hometown of Eveleth, MN. He was a United States Hockey Hall of Fame charter member in 1973. When his son Pete made his NHL debut in 1974, they became the first father-son goaltenders in NHL history.

Max Bentley

Max Bentley was the best player in Chicago at the time who hung up his skates for a military uniform. Along with his brothers Reg and Doug, the trio became the first siblings to record a point on the same goal against the Rangers on Jan. 3, 1943. Bently won the Lady Byng Trophy following the 1942-43 season before enlisting in the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. He never went overseas and stayed in hockey shape by playing in the Canadian military leagues while stationed in Calgary.

When Bentley returned to the NHL following the war, he was put on a line with his brother Doug and Bill Mosienko. The threesome was named “The Pony Line” and became a force. Bentley led the league in scoring with 61 points and became the first Blackhawk to win the Hart Trophy.

Sid Abel

While the Hall-of-Fame forward will always be remembered for his time with the Red Wings, Sid Abel spent the final two seasons of his career with the Blackhawks in the early 50s, serving as player/head coach. He left his “Production Line” legends, Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, to serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As with Bentley, he never served overseas and played in the military leagues while doing his duty for Canada.

Frank Brimsek

World War II hit the Bruins the hardest, losing multiple Hall of Famers to the war effort. Goaltender Frank Brimsek earned the nickname “Mr. Zero” early in his career for his love of posting shutouts. After winning the Stanley Cup in 1939 and 1941, he missed two seasons to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Brimsek played for the Coast Guard Cutters while stationed in Curtis Bay, MD. He eventually rose to the rank of Motor Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Petty Officer and served in the South Pacific. After his military service concluded, he played three seasons for the Bruins. In his final NHL season in 1949-50, he started all 70 games for the Blackhawks, but this was the only time in his career when he did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Tiny Thompson

When World War II broke out, Tiny Thompson’s playing career was already over. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner played 12 seasons between the Bruins and Red Wings. He walked away from being the head coach of the Buffalo Bisons in the AHL to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. During his military service, he was a player and coach for the Calgary RCAF Mustangs. After his military career, Thompson became the chief Western Canada scout for the Blackhawks. He was one of the first NHL scouts to make an effort to learn a player’s personality as well as their playing style. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959. His brother Paul played eight seasons with the Blackhawks and was a big part of the Stanley Cup wins in 1934 and 1938.