Chuck Rayner

Claude Earl "Chuck" Rayner (August 11, 1920 – October 6, 2002), nicknamed "Bonnie Prince Charlie",[1] was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and New York Rangers. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Chuck Rayner
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1973
Born (1920-08-11)August 11, 1920
Sutherland, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died October 6, 2002(2002-10-06) (aged 82)
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for New York Americans
New York Rangers
Playing career 19411953

Early life

Rayner was born August 11, 1920, in Sutherland, Saskatchewan.

Playing career

Playing his junior career for the Kenora Thistles of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Rayner showed his skill early, backstopping the team to the Abbott Cup to advance to the Memorial Cup championship in 1940. The next season, he turned professional for the New York Americans, spending most of the year with their minor league affiliate, the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League (AHL). With the Indians, Rayner led the league in shutouts and goals against average and was named to the Second All-Star Team.

The following season Rayner was the leading goalie for the Americans' final season before the team folded. World War II interrupted Rayner's career, however, and he spent the next three years in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he played two seasons for naval teams based out of Victoria, British Columbia.

After the war, he signed as a free agent in 1945 with the New York Rangers. Rayner was the starting goaltender for New York six of the next seven seasons, earning accolades for his play even though the Rangers' teams of the era were weak, and Rayner never had a winning record. He was noted as a puckhandling goalie, attempting several times throughout his career to score a goal.

Even though he played on poor teams throughout his career and never won a Stanley Cup, "Bonnie Prince Charlie" was one of the best goalies of his era. The three years between 1948 and 1951 were his best, and he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1950, after leading the Rangers to overtime in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals.

Post-NHL career

In 1953, Rayner suffered a knee injury and lost his job as Rangers' starter to Gump Worsley. He played one more season in the minors for the Saskatoon Quakers of the Western Hockey League and a couple of brief stints in the senior leagues the two seasons thereafter before hanging up his skates for good.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973, the second goaltender in history to be inducted with a losing record.

Although his hometown of Sutherland became annexed into Saskatoon, Rayner Avenue in the city's Sutherland neighbourhood is named in his honor.

Rayner died on October 6, 2002, of a heart attack.[2]

Awards and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTMinGASOGAA GPWLMinGASOGAA
1936–37 Saskatoon Wesleys SJHL 330180401.33
1936–37 Saskatoon Wesleys M-Cup 9725502022.18
1937–38 Kenora Thistles MJHL 22135010304.58
1938–39 Kenora Thistles MJHL 2213506402.84
1939–40 Kenora Thistles MJHL 24155414806612.68 95401802.00
1940–41 New York Americans NHL 122737734403.42
1940–41 Springfield Indians AHL 371713622808762.29
1941–42 Brooklyn Americans NHL 3613212223012913.47
1941–42 Springfield Indians AHL 110060404.00
1942–43 Victoria Navy NNDHL 127203913.25 6243702904.70
1943–44 Victoria Navy PCHL 1810805212.89 211130602.77
1943–44 Halifax RCAF HCHL
1943–44 Halifax RCAF Al-Cup 211130602.77
1945–46 New York Rangers NHL 4012217237714913.76
1946–47 New York Rangers NHL 5822306348017753.05
1947–48 New York Rangers NHL 124706914203.65 6243601702.83
1947–48 New Haven Ramblers AHL 157629004002.67
1948–49 New York Rangers NHL 58163111348016872.90
1949–50 New York Rangers NHL 69283011414018162.62 12757752912.25
1950–51 New York Rangers NHL 66192819394018722.85
1951–52 New York Rangers NHL 53182510318015923.00
1952–53 New York Rangers NHL 2048812005812.90
1953–54 Saskatoon Quakers WHL 6831289404520463.03 6243602313.83
1954–55 Nelson Maple Leafs WIHL 2120402.00 11060202.00
1955–56 Nelson Maple Leafs WIHL 63601803.00
NHL totals 4241382087725,4911294253.05 189911354612.43

References

  1. Kennedy, Ryan (2018-11-09). "Top 100 Goalies: No. 37 - Chuck Rayner". Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  2. Goldstein, Richard (10 October 2002). "Chuck Rayner, 82, Star Goalie for Rangers". The New York Times.
  3. Cohen, Russ; Halligan, John; Raider, Adam (2009). 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters. John Wiley & Sons. p. 180. ISBN 978-0470736197. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
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