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Charles William (Charlie) Conacher

Charles William, Charlie, Conacher was born on the 20^th of December 1909 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He played 12 National Hockey League seasons from 1929 to 1941. He died on the 30^th of December 1967. He was inducted to the NHL Hall Of Fame in 1961.

In his time, Charlie, The Big Bomber, Conacher had the hardest shot in hockey, a notorious blast that eluded goaltenders and dented rink boards. As a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs' Kid Line of the 1930s, right wing Conacher and left wing Harvey, Busher, Jackson were the beneficiaries of center Joe Primeau's slick passes as the threesome found itself near the top of the scoring lists for the better part of a decade.

Conacher played a year of junior hockey with North Toronto before joining the Toronto Marlboros in 1927. He and Busher Jackson were members of the Marlies' Memorial Cup-winning team in 1929, and together they made the jump to the Maple Leafs in 1929-30. There they were teamed with Joe Primeau and because of their youth and inexperience, the three were called, the Kid Line.

With his linemates' help, Conacher became the best right wing in the game over the next half-decade. He was a daring and explosive scorer who used his size 6 foot 1 inch and 200 pound frame to his advantage. He could beat goalies equally well with his booming shot or with a deft move from close range. He was famous for bowling over anyone between him and the net and then often the net itself as he crossed the goal line just a few seconds after the puck.

Five times between 1930 and 1936, Conacher either led or tied for the league lead in goal-scoring. He was a Second Team All-Star in his second and third years in the league and a First Team selection for three consecutive seasons beginning in 1933-34. He also helped the Leafs win the Stanley Cup in 1932.

After nine years with Toronto, he was sold to the Detroit Red Wings, where he played for one year before moving to the New York Americans for two seasons. He retired from play in 1941 but stayed in the game as a coach, guiding the Oshawa Generals to a Memorial Cup championship in 1944 and Chicago Black Hawks for three years in the late 1940s.

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