Willie Marshall (ice hockey)

Wilmott J. Marshall (December 1, 1930 – June 2, 2023) was a Canadian ice hockey forward.[1] Marshall holds the record for most goals, points, assists, hat tricks, and games played in the American Hockey League (AHL), which he achieved over a 20-season career.

Willie Marshall
Marshall c. 1960s with the Baltimore Clippers
Born (1930-12-01)December 1, 1930
Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
Died June 2, 2023(2023-06-02) (aged 92)
Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs
AHL
Pittsburgh Hornets
Hershey Bears
Rochester Americans
Providence Reds
Baltimore Clippers
IHL
Toledo Hornets
NAHL
Buffalo Norsemen
Playing career 1952–1972
Marshall (right) being inducted into the Hershey Bears Hall of Fame in 2012

Marshall also played with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League for four seasons between 1953 and 1958.

The Willie Marshall Award, which is awarded to the AHL's leading goal scorer, is named after him.

Hockey career

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Marshall made his professional debut with the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets in 1952–53, recording 66 points in 62 games and leading the team to the Calder Cup Finals.[2]

Marshall was voted a First Team AHL All-Star twice, first in 1955–56 and again in 1957–58, when he won the AHL scoring title with a career-best 104 points in 68 games. He was also selected as a Second Team All-Star in 1961–62.

Marshall won the Calder Cup with Pittsburgh in 1955, and with Hershey in 1958 and 1959. He ranks second in AHL history with 119 career playoff points over 112 postseason games.[2]

Marshall played for the Providence Reds in 1963, then moved to the Baltimore Clippers from 1966–71. He finished his career with the Rochester Americans in 1971–72. He was the league's all-time leader in games played (1,205), goals (523), assists (852), points (1,375) and hat tricks (25).[2]

Marshall had 570 points in 439 games with the Hershey Bears and is sixth on their all-time scoring list. His number 16 was retired by the club.[3]

The American Hockey League presents the Willie Marshall Award annually in honour of the AHL player who scores the most goals that season.[2] Marshall was named to the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006.

Personal life and death

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In his later years, Marshall became an avid author who self-published numerous volumes of Christian poetry and several nonfiction works on Christian history, theology, and doctrine. He later lived in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Marshall died at his home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on June 2, 2023, at the age of 91.[4][5]

Awards and honours

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Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1948–49 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHA 32 13 18 31 14
1949–50 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHA 48 39 27 66 32 5 6 1 7 10
1950–51 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHA 43 29 30 59 20 6 1 1 2 2
1950–51 Guelph Biltmores OHA 4 4 3 7 2
1951–52 Charlottetown Islanders MMHL 84 50 44 94 89
1952–53 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 62 27 39 66 58 10 1 8 9 13
1952–53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 2 0 0 0 0
1953–54 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 61 28 45 73 41 5 1 4 5 2
1954–55 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 46 23 25 48 37 10 9 7 16 6
1954–55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 16 1 4 5 0
1955–56 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 58 45 52 97 47 4 2 1 3 0
1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6 0 0 0 0
1956–57 Hershey Bears AHL 64 35 59 94 18 7 3 7 10 4
1957–58 Hershey Bears AHL 68 40 64 104 56 11 10 9 19 6
1958–59 Rochester Americans AHL 19 7 16 23 6
1958–59 Hershey Bears AHL 37 22 16 38 4 9 5 2 7 0
1958–59 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 9 0 1 1 2
1959–60 Hershey Bears AHL 72 38 40 78 99
1960–61 Hershey Bears AHL 56 25 44 69 36 7 3 5 8 2
1961–62 Hershey Bears AHL 70 30 65 95 24 7 0 6 6 0
1962–63 Hershey Bears AHL 72 36 56 92 12 15 3 7 10 10
1963–64 Providence Reds AHL 72 33 50 83 18 3 2 3 5 0
1964–65 Providence Reds AHL 69 12 44 56 12
1965–66 Providence Reds AHL 70 13 27 40 8
1966–67 Baltimore Clippers AHL 68 33 56 89 22 9 6 7 13 0
1967–68 Baltimore Clippers AHL 51 24 41 65 2
1968–69 Baltimore Clippers AHL 74 26 52 78 18 4 1 2 3 0
1969–70 Baltimore Clippers AHL 42 9 19 28 0 5 2 2 4 0
1970–71 Baltimore Clippers AHL 64 15 40 55 0 6 0 1 1 0
1971–72 Toledo Hornets IHL 46 15 32 47 2
1971–72 Rochester Americans AHL 10 2 2 4 2
1975–76 Buffalo Norsemen NAHL 1 0 0 0 0
AHL totals 1205 523 852 1375 520 111 48 71 119 43
NHL totals 33 1 5 6 2

References

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  1. ^ His full name is listed in the NHL Media guides of the mid-1950s.
  2. ^ a b c d "AHL Hall of Fame: Willie Marshall". Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Hershey Bears mourn the passing of Willie Marshall". Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  4. ^ "AHL mourns passing of Willie Marshall". Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "Obituary". Finkenbinder Family Funeral Homes. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
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