overpass
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2007
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Who played which position when?
There are a number of players who played positions other than defence, but can also be considered for this list.
Here's a start at listing which players played at various positions in which seasons. Some voters may wish to put more weight on the seasons in which the player played defence, while others may want the information to give context to their stats.
This 2008 thread had a fair bit of discussion on the topic.
pnep posted the following tables, if anyone wants to comment on them please do.
pappyline on Doug Mohns from the same thread:
Eddie Gerard played mostly LW and some C until he switched to defence in the 1918-19 season and played the next 5 seasons there.
I believe Mark Howe played more defence than wing in 1979-80 and 1980-81 (he was receiving votes at D in award voting), but he certainly played enough forward to boost his scoring totals relative to other defencemen. There are certainly other cases of in-season changes. Flash Hollett appears to have played a utility role for several years, switching to forward when necessary.
Some instances of star defencemen playing forward:
Ernie "Moose" Johnson
Joe Hall
George Boucher
King Clancy
others?
Neil Colville played centre before the war and defence after the war. He played 6 seasons at centre and 3.5 at defence, and was voted to the second all-star team twice at centre and once at defence, so some may consider him more of a centre. Similarly, it's my understanding that Didier Pitre played more forward than defence, correct?
There are a number of players who played positions other than defence, but can also be considered for this list.
Here's a start at listing which players played at various positions in which seasons. Some voters may wish to put more weight on the seasons in which the player played defence, while others may want the information to give context to their stats.
This 2008 thread had a fair bit of discussion on the topic.
pnep posted the following tables, if anyone wants to comment on them please do.
Player|Season|POS
Goodfellow Ebbie|1929-30|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1930-31|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1931-32|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1932-33|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1933-34|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1934-35|C
Goodfellow Ebbie|1935-36|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1936-37|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1937-38|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1938-39|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1939-40|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1940-41|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1941-42|D
Goodfellow Ebbie|1942-43|D
||
Mohns Doug|1953-54|LW
Mohns Doug|1954-55|LW
Mohns Doug|1955-56|LW
Mohns Doug|1956-57|D
Mohns Doug|1957-58|D
Mohns Doug|1958-59|D
Mohns Doug|1959-60|LW
Mohns Doug|1960-61|D
Mohns Doug|1961-62|D
Mohns Doug|1962-63|D
Mohns Doug|1963-64|D
Mohns Doug|1964-65|LW
Mohns Doug|1965-66|LW
Mohns Doug|1966-67|LW
Mohns Doug|1967-68|LW
Mohns Doug|1968-69|LW
Mohns Doug|1969-70|D
Mohns Doug|1970-71|D
Mohns Doug|1971-72|D
Mohns Doug|1972-73|D
Mohns Doug|1973-74|D
Mohns Doug|1974-75|D
||
Noble Reg|1917-18|LW
Noble Reg|1918-19|D
Noble Reg|1919-20|LW
Noble Reg|1920-21|LW
Noble Reg|1921-22|LW
Noble Reg|1922-23|LW
Noble Reg|1923-24|LW
Noble Reg|1924-25|C
Noble Reg|1924-25|LW
Noble Reg|1925-26|D
Noble Reg|1926-27|D
Noble Reg|1927-28|D
Noble Reg|1928-29|D
Noble Reg|1929-30|D
Noble Reg|1930-31|D
Noble Reg|1931-32|D
Noble Reg|1932-33|D
||
Howe Mark|1979-80|LW
Howe Mark|1980-81|LW
Howe Mark|1981-82|D
Howe Mark|1982-83|D
Howe Mark|1983-84|D
Howe Mark|1984-85|D
Howe Mark|1985-86|D
Howe Mark|1986-87|D
Howe Mark|1987-88|D
Howe Mark|1988-89|D
Howe Mark|1989-90|D
Howe Mark|1990-91|D
Howe Mark|1991-92|D
Howe Mark|1992-93|D
Howe Mark|1993-94|D
Howe Mark|1994-95|D
||
Prodgers Goldie|1919-20|LW
Prodgers Goldie|1920-21|LW
Prodgers Goldie|1921-22|D
Prodgers Goldie|1922-23|D
Prodgers Goldie|1923-24|D
Prodgers Goldie|1924-25|RW
Prodgers Goldie|1925-26|RW
||
Kelly Red|1947-48|D
Kelly Red|1948-49|D
Kelly Red|1949-50|D
Kelly Red|1950-51|D
Kelly Red|1951-52|D
Kelly Red|1952-53|D
Kelly Red|1953-54|D
Kelly Red|1954-55|D
Kelly Red|1955-56|D
Kelly Red|1956-57|D
Kelly Red|1957-58|D
Kelly Red|1958-59|D
Kelly Red|1959-60|D
Kelly Red|1959-60|C
Kelly Red|1960-61|C
Kelly Red|1961-62|C
Kelly Red|1962-63|C
Kelly Red|1963-64|C
Kelly Red|1964-65|C
Kelly Red|1965-66|C
Kelly Red|1966-67|C
||
Clapper Dit|1927-28|RW
Clapper Dit|1928-29|RW
Clapper Dit|1929-30|RW
Clapper Dit|1930-31|RW
Clapper Dit|1931-32|RW
Clapper Dit|1932-33|RW
Clapper Dit|1933-34|RW
Clapper Dit|1934-35|RW
Clapper Dit|1935-36|RW
Clapper Dit|1936-37|RW
Clapper Dit|1937-38|D
Clapper Dit|1938-39|D
Clapper Dit|1939-40|D
Clapper Dit|1940-41|D
Clapper Dit|1941-42|D
Clapper Dit|1942-43|D
Clapper Dit|1943-44|D
Clapper Dit|1944-45|D
Clapper Dit|1945-46|D
Clapper Dit|1946-47|D
Player|SEASON|Franch.|north *|hra **
Siebert Babe|1925-26|MTM|LW |L
Siebert Babe|1926-27|MTM|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1927-28|MTM|D/LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1928-29|MTM|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1929-30|MTM|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1930-31|MTM|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1931-32|MTM|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1932-33|NYR|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1933-34|BOS|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1933-34|NYR|LW |L/D
Siebert Babe|1934-35|BOS|D |L/D
Siebert Babe|1935-36|BOS|D |L/D
Siebert Babe|1936-37|MTL|D |L/D
Siebert Babe|1937-38|MTL|D |D
Siebert Babe|1938-39|MTL|D |D
Player|SEASON|Franch.|north *|hra **
Mohns Doug|1953-54|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1954-55|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1955-56|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1956-57|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1957-58|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1958-59|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1959-60|BOS|LW|
Mohns Doug|1960-61|BOS|D|D
Mohns Doug|1961-62|BOS|D/LW |D/R
Mohns Doug|1962-63|BOS|D|D/L
Mohns Doug|1963-64|BOS|D/LW |
Mohns Doug|1964-65|CHI|LW|
Mohns Doug|1965-66|CHI|LW|
Mohns Doug|1966-67|CHI|LW|
Mohns Doug|1967-68|CHI|LW|
Mohns Doug|1968-69|CHI|LW|
Mohns Doug|1969-70|CHI|D|
Mohns Doug|1970-71|CHI|D|
Mohns Doug|1970-71|DAL|D|
Mohns Doug|1971-72|DAL|D|
Mohns Doug|1972-73|DAL|D|
Mohns Doug|1973-74|CGY|D|
Mohns Doug|1974-75|WAS|D|
Player|SEASON|Franch.|north *|hra **
Noble Reg|1917-18|TOR|C/D|L
Noble Reg|1918-19|TOR|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1919-20|TOR|C/D |L/D
Noble Reg|1920-21|TOR|C/D |L/D
Noble Reg|1921-22|TOR|C/D |L
Noble Reg|1922-23|TOR|C/D |L
Noble Reg|1923-24|TOR|C/D |L
Noble Reg|1924-25|MTM|LW |L/C
Noble Reg|1924-25|TOR|LW |L/C
Noble Reg|1925-26|MTM|D |D
Noble Reg|1926-27|MTM|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1927-28|DET|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1928-29|DET|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1929-30|DET|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1930-31|DET|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1931-32|DET|D |L/D
Noble Reg|1932-33|DET|D|L/D
Noble Reg|1932-33|MTM|D|L/D
* Data from North American Pro Hockey site
** Data from old Hockey Research site (not sihrhockey.org)
pappyline on Doug Mohns from the same thread:
I have an old hockey blueline mag from 1957 with an article om Mohns switching to D at the beginning of the 56-57 season. I think it went this way:
53-56 LW
56-64 D (mostly)
64-69 LW
69-75 D
My understanding is that Chicago traded for him in 64 with the intention of using him as a Dman but he fit in so well with Mikita on the scooter line, they used him as a LW for several years.
Eddie Gerard played mostly LW and some C until he switched to defence in the 1918-19 season and played the next 5 seasons there.
I believe Mark Howe played more defence than wing in 1979-80 and 1980-81 (he was receiving votes at D in award voting), but he certainly played enough forward to boost his scoring totals relative to other defencemen. There are certainly other cases of in-season changes. Flash Hollett appears to have played a utility role for several years, switching to forward when necessary.
Some instances of star defencemen playing forward:
- Phil Housley scored 7 of his 31 goals in 1984-85 as a forward (C, I think).
- Tim Horton scored 8 of his 12 goals in 1964-65 at RW.
- Red Kelly played part of the 1955-56 season at LW.
- Ron Greschner played part of the 1977-78 season and the full 1985-86 season at C.
- Glen Harmon scored 2 goals in a game while filling in at LW during the 1948-49 season, meaning his 8 goals were actually not the league-leading total for defencemen. This doesn't necessarily say a lot about Harmon, but it's an illustration of the difficulty in accurately compiling lists of the top scoring defencemen.
Ernie "Moose" Johnson
Joe Hall
George Boucher
King Clancy
others?
Neil Colville played centre before the war and defence after the war. He played 6 seasons at centre and 3.5 at defence, and was voted to the second all-star team twice at centre and once at defence, so some may consider him more of a centre. Similarly, it's my understanding that Didier Pitre played more forward than defence, correct?