Revisiting Calder Trophy Seasons: Gus Bodnar’s 1943-44 Season – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

Maybe one of the most astonishing facts about the NHL’s Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie took place following the 1943-44 season. For the second consecutive season, following Gaye Stewart’s Calder-worthy season in 1942-43, a native of Fort William, Ontario, took home the honours as the league’s best rookie.

Born in Fort William, Gus Bodnar started his hockey career with the Fort William Rangers of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League, playing for three seasons and competing in two Memorial Cups. It was only after he led the TBJHL in points during the 1942-43 season that he was brought into the NHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs, a move that would lead to a career spanning more than a decade with some hardware to show for Bodnar.

Even more noteworthy than becoming the second consecutive rookie form Fort William to win the Calder Trophy, Bodnar kicked off his NHL career with a record-setting moment – one that has yet to be broken. With that, here’s a look back at Bodnar’s rookie season.

Gus Bodnar’s Record-Setting Start to His NHL Career

Bodnar kicked off the 1943-44 season with the Maple Leafs against the New York Rangers in Toronto on October 30, 1943. It took the 20-year-old just 15 seconds to score his first career NHL goal, setting a league record that has never been touched.

Bodnar’s first career game ended with the rookie scoring two goals and one assist, helping the Maple Leafs to the 5-2 victory. From there, the young forward didn’t slow down. He finished the season with 13 multi-point games, including five in which he had four points or more and a three-game streak during the season where he had 10 points.

He finished the season with 22 goals and 62 points in 50 games, finishing 10th in the NHL in scoring and second on the Maple Leafs behind only Lorne Carr’s 74 points. He topped Montreal’s Bill Durnan in the Calder Trophy voting, even with Durnan’s 38-5-7 record. Bodnar was help pointless in the 1944 playoffs in five games as the Canadiens knocked off the Maple Leafs.

But that didn’t stop Bodnar from collecting the hardware for the top rookie that season.

Gus Bodnar’s Success Continued Beyond His Rookie Season

Bodnar played four seasons with the Maple Leafs with 48 goals and 154 points in 187 career regular season games. His tenure with the Maple Leafs included two Stanley Cups, in 1944-45 and again in 1946-47. On November 2, 1947, Bodnar was traded in a seven-player deal landing him with the Chicago Black Hawks for parts of seven seasons.

He found his scoring touch again in Chicago, making it to the all-star game in 1951. But on February 16, 1954, the Black Hawks traded Bodnar to the Boston Bruins where he closed out his NHL career just one season later. He played his last game during the 1954-55 season, finishing with 142 goals and 397 points in 667 career regular season games over parts of 12 seasons.

He had seven points in 32 career playoff games, but the two Stanley Cups to show for it.

Bodnar’s Legacy Not Just About Calder Trophy Win

Along with his hardware, Bodnar’s name is inscribed in the NHL’s record books for more than just his first career goal. On March 23, 1952, with the Black Hawks, Bodnar set another record for the fastest three assists in NHL history, recording three helpers in 21 seconds. The record came on three goals by teammate Bill Mosienko, who also set a record at that time for the fastest hat trick in NHL history – once again, 21 seconds.

It’s also worth noting that up until Mitch Marner broke the record for rookie assists in 2017 with his 42 assists, Bodnar had also held that record with his 40 helpers back in 1943-44.

Following his retirement, Bodnar went on to coach in the Bruins’ system before jumping to the Toronto Marlboros and other leagues like the WHL (Salt Lake Golden Eagles) and OHA (Oshawa Generals). He won the Memorial Cup as a head coach with the Marlboros in 1966-67 and in 1971-72 was named the OHA’s Coach of the Year with the Generals.

He was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. While his name may not have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Bodnar did get his name inscribed on the Calder Trophy and posted two NHL records over his career.