Hap Emms

Leighton Alfred Emms (January 12, 1905 – October 23, 1988) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, team owner, and general manager, during nearly 60 years in hockey.

Emms played 17 seasons of professional hockey as a left winger and a defenceman, including 10 seasons and 320 games in the National Hockey League.

Emms started his career as a left winger playing junior ice hockey from 1921 to 1925.

He signed as a free agent with the Montreal Maroons on November 10, 1926.

He spent the next two seasons splitting time between the Maroons and the Stratford Nationals of the Canadian Professional Hockey League.

Emms then moved to the Windsor Bulldogs in the International Hockey League, for two seasons, and scored 21 goals both seasons.

Emms was traded to New York Americans on May 14, 1930.

In 1930–31, Emms played his first full NHL season at the age of 25, in 44 games with the New York Americans.

He started the 1931–32 season with Americans, was traded to the Detroit Falcons on December 29, 1931, then played briefly with New Haven Eagles in the Canadian–American Hockey League, before being called back up to the NHL.

He played three seasons in Detroit, but was not happy, and asked Jack Adams to release him.

Emms signed as a free agent by Boston Bruins on, October 28, 1934, and switched to playing defence.

He played only 11 games with the Bruins, and was traded to New York Americans on December 14, 1934.

He played three more seasons in New York, and was traded to Detroit on February 13, 1938, ending his NHL career.

Emms played on Detroit's farm team, the Pittsburgh Hornets in the IAHL for two seasons.

Emms joined the Omaha Knights in the American Hockey Association,

as a player-coach.

Emms scored 19 goals in the 1939–40 season, and led his team to the AHA finals.

Emms broke his leg part way through the 1941–42 season.

He remained on the team as coach, and led the Knights to the AHA championship.

After a couple years off from hockey, Emms returned to coach the St. Louis Flyers of the American Hockey League in the 1944–45 season, and played the final two games of his career.

After playing, Emms had a 33-year presence in the Ontario Hockey Association, as the owner of the Barrie Flyers, Niagara Falls Flyers, and St. Catharines Black Hawks between 1945 and 1978.

Teams that Emms coached or owned appeared in eight Memorial Cup tournaments, winning four Memorial Cups.

He was nicknamed "Happy Emms" due to the sour look on his face, which was later shortened to "Hap Emms".

Six games into the 1945–46 season, Emms left St. Louis to return home.

Emms founded the Barrie Flyers in his hometown of Barrie, in the Ontario Hockey Association.

From 1945 to 1960, Emms was head coach and owner of the Flyers, and the team was sponsored by the Boston Bruins.

Barrie won its first J. Ross Robertson Cup in the third season of play, defeating the original Windsor Spitfires in the finals.

In the Eastern Canada finals, the Flyers won the George Richardson Memorial Trophy versus the Montreal Nationales.

The Flyers played in the 1948 Memorial Cup, losing to the Port Arthur West End Bruins.

Barrie repeated as OHA champions the following season, defeating the Toronto Marlboros for the J. Ross Robertson Cup.

In the Eastern Canada finals, Barrie lost to the Montreal Royals.

Emms rebuilt the team in 1950, and then finished first place in the OHA in 1951.

The Flyers returned to the OHA finals, beating the Toronto Marlboros.

The Flyers won the Eastern Canada title versus the Quebec Citadels, and won the 1951 Memorial Cup versus the Winnipeg Monarchs.

The Flyers finished first place in the OHA in 1953.

Emms was involved in controversy during the OHA playoffs in 1953, when he refused to play a Sunday playoff game for religious reasons, and when he had a goal judge handcuffed and removed from Barrie Arena.

Despite the incidents, Emms' Flyers won its fourth J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1953, defeating the Toronto St. Michael's Majors, and then won its third George Richardson Memorial Trophy as Eastern Canada champions versus the Quebec Citadels.

Barrie won its second national title, defeating the St. Boniface Canadiens in the 1953 Memorial Cup.

Emms next seven seasons were not as successful, but his team did reach the 1956 OHA finals.

Some notable players Emms coached on the Barrie Flyers included brothers Dick Cherry and Don Cherry, Real Chevrefils, Marv Edwards, Ray Gariepy, Howie Glover, Leo Labine, Wayne Maxner, Gilles Mayer, Don McKenney, Paul Meger, Doug Mohns, Jim Morrison, Ron Stewart, Orval Tessier, Jerry Toppazzini, and Ed Westfall.