Clem Loughlin

Clem Loughlin
Born	(1892-11-15)November 15, 1892 Carroll, Manitoba, Canada
Died	January 28, 1977(1977-01-28) (aged 84) Viking, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Winnipeg Monarchs Winnipeg Strathconas Portland Rosebuds Victoria Aristocrats / Cougars Detroit Cougars Chicago Black Hawks Kitchener Millionaires London Panthers London Tecumsehs
Playing career	1910–1932

Clement Joseph Loughlin (November 15, 1892 – January 28, 1977)^[1] was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played hockey for the Victoria Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League, and the Detroit Cougars and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League. He was captain when the Victoria Cougars won the Stanley Cup in 1925. After the 1926 season the WCHL folded and the Victoria Cougars were purchased by a Detroit group and became the Detroit Cougars (forerunner to the Detroit Red Wings). Clem was named the first captain in Detroit hockey history that first season, 1926-27. He also coached the Chicago Black Hawks for three seasons starting with the 1934–35 season.

His younger brother Wilf Loughlin was also a professional hockey player and the two played together on the Victoria Aristocrats and Victoria Cougars teams in the PCHA.

CLEM LOUGHLIN STORY

Clement Joseph Loughlin was the first-born of seven brothers, an eighteen-year professional hockey player, an NHL coach, a hockey scout and consultant, a hotel owner and an Alberta farmer.

On the ice, Clem was a fast skating defenceman, also known for his great poke-checking ability. He was more often than not, not only the fastest skater on his team, but one of the fastest skaters in the league. Later in his career, with his many years of experience, he was known as one of the smartest players on the ice, often out-smarting the opposition. He was acknowledged as having a gentlemanly and quiet demeanor, on and off the ice, and was always known to have extra gas in the tank when everyone else was struggling. At a time when off-season conditioning was not a common practice, Clem was always in tip-top shape, due to his farming activities. In a newspaper story he was coined the "Iron Man" a term that is used for the most durable of athletes. Clem played and coached with and against the greatest hockey players of the time, many of whom are in the Hockey Hall of Fame and many that have become legends.

In the off-season, early in his career, he was a .300+ hitting shortstop for his semi-pro baseball team, in Winnipeg. He also claimed that his first sports love was actually lacrosse. After his hockey career, he was among the top curling talent in Northern Alberta.

Away from the ice, Clem was a hard-working farmer and hotel owner, and enjoyed the simpler things in life. He was known as a true gentleman and lived a clean life, not partaking in drink or smoke.

Amateur Hockey

Sainte-Boniface College --

Clem attended Sainte-Boniface College, in Winnipeg, from age 14-16 (1906-1909). From the archives: "The Commercial Course was open to those who wished to prepare for the various branches of business, such as bookkeeping, banking, civil service, or any kind of office work. At the time Mr. Loughlin attended the college, the course had a duration of three years, and comprised all the subjects commonly taught in Business Colleges and similar institutions. After completing the Commercial Course, pupils would receive a Diploma of Accountant, which Mr. Loughlin received in June, 1909."

Clem also played on the Sainte-Boniface College hockey team. Unfortunately there is no information of his hockey career since all records and documents were destroyed in a fire in 1922.

Brother Leo Loughlin also attended the school.

Winnipeg Monarchs --

Clem played six years of senior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs and Strathconas (Captain) from 1910-1916. The Winnipeg Monarchs hockey club was organized in 1906 and played their games at a rink on the corner of Sargent Avenue and Furby Street in west-end Winnipeg. In those days hockey was played with six skaters: center, right wing, left wing, rover, point and cover point. The first two years Clem was listed as a left winger on the Winnipeg roster, but then was moved to cover point, which would be a defenceman in today's game.

In the 1914-15 season he was the Monarchs starting cover point, as they won the coveted Allan Cup, awarded to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. The trophy was donated in 1908 by Sir H. Montagu Allan as a trophy for amateur teams, to replace the Stanley Cup, whose tournament had become a professional competition. Among the players on that team were Hockey Hall of Famers George Hay, Fred "Steamer" Maxwell and Dick Irvin Sr. Irvin went on to coach 27 years in the NHL, winning a Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs and 3 Cups with the Montreal Canadiens.

Professional Hockey

Portland Rosebuds --

Clem began his professional hockey career with the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). There were two major professional hockey leagues in North America at the time, battling for the best hockey talent on the continent, the PCHA in the west and the National Hockey Association (became the NHL in 1917) in the east. The two league champions challenged for the Stanley Cup. Clem played in Portland for two years, 1916-17 and 1917-18. There were two Hockey Hall of Famers on those Portland teams. Tommy Dunderdale and Clem's defence partner, the famous Ernie "Moose" Johnson.

Victoria Cougars --

The team that Clem's hockey career would be identified with the most, was in the city of Victoria, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the Victoria Cougars.

He spent 8 years with the hockey club. The first 4 were as the Victoria Aristocrats and then 4 more glorious years as they changed their name to the Victoria Cougars. The best years of Clem's hockey career were spent with Victoria, being named to the 2nd All-Star team 3 times and the 1st All-star team in 1923-24. The first 5 years in Victoria Clem and his brother Wilf were often paired as defence partners on the ice.

In one game, against the Seattle Metropolitans, which was designated as "Moose" Johnson night, in honor of his brilliant hockey career, both Clem and Wilf scored goals in the game, which was tied 4-4 after regulation. After 3 overtime periods and no scoring, the longest game ever played up to that time, was finally called due to the exhaustion of the players, playing 6 complete periods. Back in those days there were very few substitutions. Teams played their best players the full game. Clem was the only skater to play all 120 minutes of the game.

Clem was named Captain of the Victoria Cougars by Lester Patrick, who combined the roles of PCHA league builder, owner, manager, coach and part-time player of the Victoria Cougars.

In the 1924-25 season Clem led and captained the Victoria Cougars to the Western League Championship and then defeated the NHL Champion Montreal Canadiens 3 games to 1 to win the Stanley Cup in the best of 5 series. The Montreal Canadien roster was littered with talent, Howie Morenz, Aurel Joliat, Billy Boucher, Odie and Sprague Cleghorn, Sylvio Mantha and goalie Georges Vezina. The following year, 1925-26, the Cougars again won the Western League Championship, but lost the Stanley Cup to the NHL Champion Montreal Maroons.

The 1925-26 season was the last year for the western league. Brothers Lester and Frank Patrick had formed the league 15 years earlier. They built the league with money from their father, Lumber tycoon, Joe Patrick. Joe earned a fortune from his lumbering company, which he had recently sold. But, in the end, the western league couldn't match the salaries that the eastern clubs were paying their players. Realizing they were going to lose their best players to the NHL, they decided to fold the league and recoup what money they could. The Victoria Cougars and the Portland Rosebuds were sold to the Detroit and Chicago NHL expansion franchises respectively, for $100,000 a piece. The rest of the best players from the other teams in the west were bought and dispersed throughout the NHL, with the majority going to Boston and New York.

There were 5 Hockey Hall of Famers on the 1924-25 Victoria Cougars: Lester Patrick, Frank Fredrickson, Frank Foyston, Jack Walker, and goalie Harry "Hap" Holmes.

Detroit Cougars --

The Detroit Athletic Club purchased the Victoria Cougars for $100,000 in 1926, from the WCHL, and Clem became a Detroit Cougar, with the new Detroit NHL franchise, which would become the Red Wings in 1932, when James Norris purchased the team.

Clem played for the Detroit Cougars for two years and wore the #2 sweater. The first year, the 1926-27 season, was played at Border Cities Arena (present day Windsor Arena 1924 - present) in Windsor, across the river, while Olympia Stadium was being constructed. Two months into that first season, Clem was elected to become the first captain in Detroit hockey history. The next year Clem would play in the first hockey game at the new Olympia Stadium. That same year the Cougars also brought in Jack Adams, who would be Detroit's coach or General Manager for the next 36 years, and also have a major NHL trophy (Best Coach) named after him.

During Clem's tenure in Detroit he was befriended by gangster, Al Capone's brother. Gangsters loved to hang out with athletes, because they admired them. Athletes were smart enough to not rebuff their friendship, so Clem was his guest at a party in Windsor, Ontario.

Hockey Hall of Famers on those first two Detroit teams were Duke Keats, Frank Frederickson, Frank Foyston, Jack Walker, Hap Holmes, George Hay, Reg Noble and coach Jack Adams.

The 1927-28 season was the rookie season for Larry Aurie. His #6 sweater was the first to be retired in Detroit.

Chicago Black Hawks (now Blackhawks) -- as player

Clem was traded, for cash ($3,000), by Detroit to Chicago before the 1928-29 season. Playing for the Hawks that year were Hockey Hall of Famers Dick Irvin (Clem also played with him on the Allan Cup winning Winnipeg Monarchs 1915), Herb Gardiner, Duke Keats and goalie Charlie Gardiner. Clem played 24 games for the Hawks, more than half the season, before being sent to the Kitchener Millionaires in the Can-Pro league, where he finished the season. But, that wouldn't be the last he saw of Chicago. He would return a few years later in a different role...as coach.

London Tecumsehs --

Clem was purchased outright by the London Panthers/Tecumsehs of the International Hockey League, in 1929, and played his last 3 years of professional hockey in the Ontario city. Almost halfway through the 1930-31 season Clem was handed the coaching reigns of a team in disarray. He finished that season and the whole next season as the Tecs player/coach. The players and the fans were very pleased with the coaching appointment of the popular and much experienced veteran. After the 1931-32 season he concentrated solely on coaching and took his team from the cellar to the IHL Championship in 1933-34. They finished with a record of 5-1 in a round-robin playoff, forcing a one-game showdown against the Detroit Olympics. The Tecs won in a 4-0 shutout in front of a crowd of 4,200 at London Arena to win the IHL Championship.

Chicago Black Hawks (now Blackhawks) -- as coach

The Chicago Black Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 1933-34, the same year Clem coached the London Tecumsehs to the IHL Championship. The Hawks coach Tommy Gorman did not return as coach because he had other commitments. Hawk owner, Major Frederic McLaughlin, had his eye on Clem Loughlin, who had successfully taken the London club from the cellar to the IHL championship in 3 years. So, Clem was hired as the new pilot of the Hawks. Unfortunately, their star goalie, Charlie Gardiner, had died over the summer. But, they were able to trade for the best and fastest player in the league, from the Montreal Canadiens, the great Howie Morenz (nicknames "Stratford Streak" and "Mitchell Meteor"). While Clem was with the Hawks he, along with Major McLaughlin's wife, designed the colors of the Black Hawk sweater. Clem also hired the Major's wife, who was a ballerina, to give the Hawk players ballerina lessons, a progressive idea at the time, to improve the players balance.

Clem coached the Hawks for 3 full seasons, 1934-37, and became the longest coach to occupy that position in Chicago, up to that time. He became the victim of the Major's wish to ice a team made up of totally American-born players.

Among the players he coached in Chicago were Hockey Hall of Famers Art Coulter, Howie Morenz, Earl Seibert and other stars Johnny Gotselig, Mush March, Paul Thompson and goalie Lorne Chabot.

Among the great players that Clem played and coached with and against were Hockey Hall of Famers, Jack Adams, Ace Bailey, Toe Blake, Frank Boucher, King Clancy, Dit Clapper, Odie and Sprague Cleghorn, Lionel and Charlie Conacher, Bill and Bun Cook, Art Coulter, Hap Day, Cy Denneny, Woody Dumart, Tommy Dunderdale, Red Dutton, Babe Dye, Frank Foyston, Frank Frederickson, Charlie Gardiner, Herb Gardiner, Ebbie Goodfellow, George Hainsworth, George Hay, Hap Holmes, Red Horner, Dick Irvin, Busher Jackson, Ching Johnson, Moose Johnson, Aurel Joliat, Duke Keats, Newsy Lalonde, Hughie Lehman, Herbie Lewis, Steamer Maxwell, Howie Morenz, Frank Nighbor, Reg Noble, The Norris Family, Harry Oliver, Lester and Frank Patrick, Babe Pratt, Joe Primeau, Art Ross, Milt Schmidt, Sweeney Schriner, Earl Seibert, Eddie Shore, Babe Siebert, Joe Simpson, Hooley Smith, Conn Smythe, Fred 'Cyclone' Taylor, Tiny Thompson, Georges Vezina, Jack Walker, Cooney Weiland, Roy 'Shrimp' Worters.

Clem also had good friends in managerial roles. Frank J. Selke was long time General Manager of some of the great Toronto Maple Leaf and Montreal Canadien teams. The Frank Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player voted the best defensive forward. Frank also nominated Clem for the Hockey Hall of Fame, but sadly, nothing ever became of it.

Clarence Campbell was another good friend of Clem's. Clarence was the third, and longest serving, President of the NHL (1946-1977). Clem orchestrated Clarence's entry into the NHL. He wrote in, and signed a book for Clem, which unfortunately arrived 2 days after Clem's death.

Both Selke and Campbell are in the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builders category.

Career statistics[edit]

Regular season and playoffs[edit]

Coaching record[edit]

Awards and achievements[edit]

• Allan Cup Championship – 1915 with the Winnipeg Monarchs
• PCHA Second All-Star Team – 1921, 1922 and 1923
• PCHA First All-Star Team – 1924
• Stanley Cup Championship – 1925 with the Victoria Cougars of the WCHL
• Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Clem Loughlin at Find a Grave