Walter Edward "Turk" Broda (May 15, 1914 — October 17, 1972) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. A goaltender, Broda played his entire career for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1936 and 1951, taking a brief hiatus from 1943 to 1946 to fight in the Second World War. The 1940-41 season saw him win his first Vezina Trophy with a GAA of 2.00 to go along with being named to the NHL First All-Star Team. The following season saw him backstop the team to the Stanley Cup championship, recording a shutout and a record of 8-5.
Broda added another Vezina Trophy and First All-Star Team selection in 1948 while winning four more Stanley Cups. He was the first goaltender to reach 300 wins, doing so in 1950.[1] After retiring from active play, Broda coached minor league and junior ice hockey teams. In 2017 Broda was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.[2]
Personal life
Broda was born in Brandon, Manitoba to a Ukrainian family.[3][4][5][6] Although he is commonly referred to as Polish by mistake (to the extent of him being inducted in the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame[7] in 2005), Publicity Director Stan Obodiac of the Maple Leafs, who knew Broda, dispelled this and confirmed Broda's Ukrainian origin.[3]
Broda acquired the nickname of "Turkey Egg" during his school days in Brandon because of his many freckles. "Turkey Egg" soon became "Turk", and the name followed him.[3]
Playing career
Early career
Broda started his playing career with the Brandon Athletics and the Brandon Native Sons. After playing a few years with them he played for the Winnipeg Monarchs, Detroit Farm Crest and the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. In 1933–34, the Detroit Red Wings invited Turk Broda to their training camp. But with Normie Smith and John Ross Roach already in Detroit, there was no way Broda could start in the NHL. Instead, he started his professional career with the Detroit Olympics.
In 1933 Broda also appeared in goal for the Riding Mountain Relief Camp All-Stars, a group of hockey players from various Depression work camps around the lake by Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.[8][9]
NHL career
In 1935–36, he was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs for $7500.[10] Broda emerged as one of the league's top goaltenders in the 1940–41 season, as he led the league in wins with 28 in 48 games. In 1942, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Leafs, who came back from being down three games to none against the Detroit Red Wings in one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history.
In 1942–43, Broda joined the army for two and a half years during World War II. In 1945–46, Turk Broda returned to the Maple Leafs roster and was instrumental in the team's Stanley Cup victories in 1947, 1948, 1949 and in 1951. Turk Broda retired in 1951–52, at 38 years of age.
"Battle of the Bulge"
The "Battle of the Bulge" was a battle between him and the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs Conn Smythe about Broda losing weight. This argument brought a lot of attention from the media in Toronto, Ontario. Smythe ordered Broda to lose 10 pounds (4.5kg) in a week[11] and brought Al Rollins and Gilles Mayer from the minor leagues just to pressure Broda into losing weight. If Broda could not lose weight, then he would be removed from his goalkeeping duties. In the end, Broda lost enough weight to keep his job, though Broda admitted years later that the scales were rigged in his favour.[citation needed]
↑Forum, Issues 90-94. Ukrainian Fraternal Association. 1994. p.34. The Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto has recognized a number of Ukrainian hockey players like [...] Turk Broda
