^^^ Going back to 1917-18 we see the double standrad that was applied. One set of rules applied to players, another more flexible set to coaches, referees, and administration.... Coaches could easily move from district to district o across jurisdictions, were not restricted from coaching hockey if granted a military or conscription exemption, could coach amateur after coaching pro, could coach multiple teams.
Ya.... though not circa 1917-18 but circa 1930's & 40's, interesting career arc of Des Smith typifies the sort of "flexibility" some players but certainly all Coaches, Referee's & Administrators enjoyed. Des took a rather circuitous route to the NHL, Ottawa native, big, gangling Defenceman coming up through the old Ottawa Montagnards. Went & played in the British National League in the 30's for Wembley for 2yrs, top D-Man in the league. In 1938 (until 42) he returned to North America, playing for Montreal Maroons, then the Habs, Chicago & Boston (where he won a Stanley Cup - paired with Superstar Dit Clapper, Des Smith considered the weakest of their top 4 which included Hollet & Crawford though Smith getting a lot of minutes & actually becoming quite effective, steady, reliable). In 1942 he enlisted with the RCAF (joining Schmidt, Dumart, Bauer & Conacher amongst others) as a "Pilot's Observer" and spent his years of service Coaching Ottawa's military team before moving to Montreal; Playing Coach with Montreal Army of the MCHL. After the War he played a season for Shawinigan Cataracts of the QSHL & briefly for Eddie Shore in Springfield of the AHL, then became a Referee in the AHL for many years.
Now, you may be wondering what possible relevance any of this has to the topic at hand yes? .... well, I think context important, as Des Smith had two sons, both of whom played in the NHL. Brian & Gary (yep, Gary
Suitcase Smith for those unfamiliar; look him up). And at the Junior to minor-pro levels the story of Brian Smith in particular rather amusing as it typifies, underscores precisely the kind of thing that was going on with players during the 1900's & right on up into the 1960's amateur, semi-pro, senior, minor pro, pro, you name it. You wanted freedom of movement? Maybe play for several teams? You had to get bent, go crooked. Brian Smith for example after a great Jr. career with the Brockville Canadiens (went to the Memorial Cup in 1960) then played for 3yrs for the Ottawa-Hull Canadiens of the EPHL and then found himself assigned to Eddie Shore (his Dads old Buddy) and Springfield. Refused to report. Wanted no part of old Eddie... so he changes his name, alias, "Bobby Smith" and signs with a team playing in the Austrian elite league.... only Bunny Ahearne, President of the IIHF finds out about it & suspends him from play... very interesting indeed & talk about double standards & hypocrisy. Canadian Des Smith who had been enticed to go & play in England in the 30's along with the rest of his team mates in Wembley apparently just the ticket for travel agent / up & coming hockey hustler, British & eventually IIHF powerbroker Bunny Ahearne to promote the sport in the UK.
This was an old-dodge, old trick in hockey (and in the wider world of sport); the blurring of the lines between amateur & pro, the deliberate subterfuge's be it playing under an alias or altering ones place of residence to a friend or relatives in order to beat jurisdictional by-laws governing where & with whom any given player could play with & for. Rules are made to be broken, and a great many did, stories like Brian Smiths' (and youve just gotta figure Old Man Des there knowing exactly how to go about it from his experiences in England in the the 30's & advising Brian) circa 1960's you'll find extend back into the earliest era of the game when it became first organized, through WW1, into the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's & 60's... as a sort of postscript, it was Brian Smith and a teammate in Springfield after he did eventually Report who organized the Players Revolt against Shore; placing a call to Alan Eagleson. From really that point on, combined with the end of the Sponsorship Era, rules, regulations, players rights at the pro level and amateur, was transcendent, didnt occur in a vacuum, filtered down, all changed though it took until about 1970 for all of that baggage to be finally cleared from the tracks.
