Fred Stanfield won two Stanley Cups with the Bruins

One-time St. Catharines Teepee dies at age 77

Fred Stanfield, whose 15-year National Hockey League career was highlighted by two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins, is being remembered for sportsmanship as much as his production on offence.

Stanfield, who died Monday at age 77, had as few as 14 and never more than 22 minutes in penalties in a season in an NHL career that began with the Chicago Blackhawks and also included two seasons with the Minnesota North Stars and four with the Buffalo Sabres.

One of seven boys from a family in Mississauga, Stanfield spent three seasons playing major junior in the then Ontario Hockey Association in St. Catharines, one with the Teepees followed by two with the Black Hawks. In 1963-64, he placed third in scoring in his final year in junior with 34 goals and 75 assists for 109 points and was awarded the William Hanley Trophy as the league’s most sportsmanlike player.

Stanfield moved directly into Chicago’s lineup the next season, scoring seven goals and 10 assists in 58 games.

He split the next two seasons between the Blackhawks and their top farm team in St. Louis before going to the Bruins in one of the biggest, and most lopsided, trades in NHL history.

Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge accompanied Stanfield, their one-time teammate with the Teepees, to Boston in exchange for Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris. The trio went on to capture two Stanley Cups with the Bruins, with Esposito topping the 50-goal mark five times and Hodge once.

Stanfield had 211 goals and 405 assists in 914 NHL regular-season games. He added 21 goals and 35 assists in 106 playoff contests.

In 1978-79, the left-shooting forward wrapped up his pro career with a season in the American Hockey League with the Hershey Bears. He guided the team to an 8-19-4 record as head coaching following a mid-season coaching change.

Stanfield also served as head coach on an interim basis with the Niagara Falls Flyers the following season.

After retiring from hockey, Stanfield settled in western New York where he managed an office furniture store for 25 years.