With pick 290, the Swamp Devils pick a player whose value should have skyrocketed since BM67 uncovered more or less complete All Star voting records for the 1930s and 1940s:
Jack Crawford, D
IMO, Crawford could easily be a defensive-minded #3 in this, so I'm thrilled to have him as a #4.
These are Crawford's finishes in All Star voting:
1939: 8th (also finished 4th in Calder voting)
1940: no placement (only played 35 of 48 games)
1941: 8th
1942: 5th (one alternate vote from a tie for 3rd)
1943: 3rd (2nd Team All Star)
1944: 6th (only played 34 of 50 games)
1945: 6th (only played 40 of 50 games)
1946: 1st (1st Team All Star, more 1st place and total votes than Ken Reardon.
IMO, this is the equivalent of a Norris Trophy)
1947: 5th
1948: 7th (only played 45 of 60 games)
Overall All Star record: 1st, 3rd, 5th, 5th, 6th*, 6th*, 7th, 8th, 8th
*War Year
Even after you take into account the fact that it was a weak era, that's still an outstanding record for a defenseman available right now.
Overpass found during the defenseman project that the players did a poll and chose Crawford a 2nd Team AS in 1941-42.
- Captain of the Boston Bruins from 1946-50.
- Style: Big "husky" defensive defenseman who generally played a clean game without many PIMs, but who certainly knew how to hit:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by One on one with Fern Flaman
Although just 20 years of age, the physical Flaman was able to study at the feet of legendary hitters like Pat Egan and Jack Crawford, both teammates with the Bruins and established himself as a strong NHL defenceman.
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- Bonus point: Crawford is a right handed shot, which makes it easier for him to clear the puck from the right side on the PK
Newspaper articles
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Time Magazine, March 20, 1939
The Bruins are tops this season because of: 1) remarkable defense play; 2) the three most spectacular first-year players in the league—Goalie Frankie Brimsek, Defenseman Jack Crawford and Wing Roy Conacher; 3) canny Manager Art Ross; and 4)...
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Read more:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...#ixzz1mz1ywkJM
Newspapers of the time usually only specifically mentioned a player when he was involved in a scoring play or was injured, so it's hard to find specific information about a defensive defenseman like Jack Crawford. Here is what I have:
After Boston upset Toronto in the 1939 playoffs, the Ottawa Citizen (April 12, 1939) described Crawford (who scored a goal) as a "
husky young defenseman."
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
When Crawford couldn't play due to injury (or a rare penalty), the Bruins defense seemed to have been in shambles:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Meridan Record, March 31, 1943
The Bruins, again playing without defenseman Jack Crawford, whose absence did much to bring about their only defeat in the series (against Montreal)
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Leader Post, April 8, 1943
About 6 minutes later, when Jack Crawford, the Bruins' most dependable defenseman was in the box...
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Lewiston Daily Star, January 31, 1945
Jack Crawford, the Bruins' defensive tower, had to retire with a knee injury after the first period and from then on, there were wide gaps in the Bruins' secondary wall.
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Windsor Daily Star, Feb 5, 1946
Despite a fractured jaw, Captain Jack Crawford of the Boston Bruins will be back on the ice when the current league leaders meet the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night.
The Bruins ace defenseman will be equipped with a special mask to protect the injury...
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Crawford had to sit out 2 games in the 1948 playoffs with the flu. This is how newspapers described his loss:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Windsor Daily Star, Mar 27, 1948
Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins called the role today before their second Stanley Cup playoff tilt and found 49 of 50 potential starters ready for action. But the 50th name may have a lot to do with the outcome of the series.
Trailing in the best-of-seven series after they dropped a heart-breaking 5-4 decision in overtime Wednesday night, the Bruins prepared for tonight's tilt as Key Defenseman Jack Crawford battled an influenza attack that may keep him out of action.
That still leaves Pat Egan, Murray Henderson, Fern Flaman, and Claire Martin ready for action on the back line, but the Beantowners would miss the steadying influence of Crawford, a defense mainstay for Boston teams the last nine years.
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Calgary Herald, March 30, 1948
The Bruins were forced to play without Jack Crawford, their outstanding defenseman when they dropped their second straight game to the Leafs in Toronto on Saturday.
Crawford, sidelined by a heavy cold, will dress for the third clash tonight, and coach Dit Clapper predicts, will provide a steadying influence on his teammates who have performed in erratic fashion in both of their postseason tilts with the league champions.
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http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...d+bruins&hl=en
Fun Fact: Crawford is widely credited with being the first hockey player to regularly wear a helmet. He didn't do it for protection - he did it because he had suffered a disease as a teenager that made him lose his hair and he wanted to cover his bald head.
