Ehrhardt Heller
Ehrhardt Henry "Ott" Heller (June 2, 1910 – June 15, 1980) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. Originally a right wing, Heller learned to play as a defenseman early in his career.[1]
| Ehrhardt Heller | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 2, 1910 Berlin, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Died |
June 15, 1980 (aged 70) Kitchener, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
NHL New York Rangers AHL Cleveland Barons Indianapolis Capitals New Haven Ramblers | ||
| Playing career | 1929–1956 | ||
Career
Heller started his National Hockey League career with the New York Rangers in 1931, signing with the team as a free agent on November 2, 1931.[1] He would his entire career with the Rangers and retire after the 1946 season. In 1941, he was a member of the NHL All-Star Team. He won 2 Stanley Cups in 1933 and 1940. He served as Captain of the Rangers from 1942 to 1945.
Coaching
After leaving the Rangers in 1946, Heller had several head coaching stints in the minors, where he often had the dual role of player-coach. He led the Indianapolis Capitals to the Calder Cup as a player-coach during the 1949-50 AHL season, a team that had future Hockey Hall Of Fame goaltender Terry Sawchuk in net for 61 out of a possible 70 games.
Heller finished his career with the Chatham Sr. Maroons in 1956, scoring two assists in seven games.
Death
Heller died on June 15, 1980 in his hometown of Kitchener, less than two weeks after his 70th birthday.
Legacy
In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Heller at No. 25 all-time of the 901 New York Rangers who had played during the team's first 82 seasons.[2]
Awards and accomplishments
- 1932–33, Stanley Cup champion (New York Rangers)
- 1936–37, Most Penalty Minutes (New York Rangers - tie with Joe Cooper)
- 1938–39, Most Assists (New York Rangers)
- 1939–40, Stanley Cup champion (New York Rangers)
- 1940–41, NHL Second All-Star Team
- 1942–45, Team Captain (New York Rangers)
- 1946–47, AHL Second All-Star Team
- 1947–48, AHL First All-Star Team
- 1949–50, Calder Cup champion (Indianapolis Capitals)
- 1953–54, IHL Second All-Star Team
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1928–29 | Kitchener Empires | OHA-Jr. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1929–30 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 26 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1930–31 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 38 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 85 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | ||
| 1931–32 | Springfield Indians | Can-Am | 21 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1931–32 | New York Rangers | NHL | 21 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1932–33 | New York Rangers | NHL | 40 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1933–34 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1934–35 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1935–36 | New York Rangers | NHL | 43 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1936–37 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 1937–38 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 68 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1938–39 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 0 | 23 | 23 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1939–40 | New York Rangers | NHL | 47 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 26 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 1940–41 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1941–42 | New York Rangers | NHL | 35 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1942–43 | New York Rangers | NHL | 45 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1943–44 | New York Rangers | NHL | 50 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1944–45 | New York Rangers | NHL | 45 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 34 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | St. Paul Saints | USHL | 16 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1946–47 | New Haven Ramblers | AHL | 64 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1947–48 | New Haven Ramblers | AHL | 67 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 40 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1948–49 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 55 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1949–50 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 30 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1950–51 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 48 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1951–52 | Indianapolis Capitals | AHL | 48 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | New Haven Nutmegs | EAHL | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Kitchener Dutchmen | OHA-Sr. | 24 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1953–54 | Marion Barons | IHL | 64 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 70 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1954–55 | Valleyfield Braves | QHL | 18 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1954–55 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1954–55 | Chatham Maroons | OHA-Sr. | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 318 | 27 | 104 | 131 | 186 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 26 | ||||
| NHL totals | 647 | 55 | 176 | 231 | 465 | 61 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 61 | ||||
References
- "Rangers.NHL.com: Ott Heller Profile Page". Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2013-02-19.
- Cohen, Russ; Halligan, John; Raider, Adam (2009). 100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470736194. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Art Coulter |
New York Rangers captain 1942–45 |
Succeeded by Neil Colville |
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Picture of Ehrhardt Heller's Name on the 1940 Stanley Cup Plaque
- New York Rangers Biography of Ehrhardt Heller
- Ehrhardt Heller at Find a Grave