Bill Beveridge Explained

Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:8
Weight Lb:170
Played For:Detroit Cougars
Ottawa Senators
St. Louis Eagles
Montreal Maroons
New York Rangers
Birth Date:July 1, 1909
Birth Place:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1929
Career End:1943

William Stanley Beveridge (July 1, 1909 - February 13, 1995) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Cougars, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Eagles, Montreal Maroons and New York Rangers.

Playing career

The Ottawa Senators first signed Beveridge, but he broke in as an NHL rookie on loan to the Detroit Cougars in the 1929–30 NHL season. His season with Detroit was not successful and he was returned to the Senators shortly afterwards.

He first received playing time for the Senators during the 1930–31 season, playing eight games. The Senators were not a good team that year and his goals against average (GAA) was 3.69.

When Ottawa suspended operations for the 1931–32 season, Beveridge found himself in the minors with the Providence Reds, and led the Canadian–American Hockey League in wins that year.

Ottawa resumed play in the NHL for 1932–33 and Beveridge was back with the Senators as a backup to Alex Connell. After Connell injured his knee in a December game against Chicago, Beveridge had a chance to play regularly. He got three shutouts in his first eight games but following Connell's return, Beveridge only played if Connell struggled.

He played one more year for the Senators and stayed with the team when it relocated as the St. Louis Eagles. In April 1935 Beveridge was one of several former Eagles and Senators who took part in an exhibition game in Ottawa, in which players sported either Eagles of Senators uniforms as they played each other.[1] When the Eagles folded after one season, the players were dispersed in a dispersal draft and he was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens for $4000.[2] However, he never played for the Canadiens, being sold to the Montreal Maroons, again replacing Alex Connell following his retirement.

In 1935–36, the Maroons obtained Lorne Chabot from Chicago, and Beveridge could not get back in the line-up after Chabot took over goaltending duties. However, Chabot retired at 35 after the season, seemingly giving Beveridge another chance.

In 1936–37, Alex Connell returned to the Maroons, and Beveridge was his back-up yet again. Connell struggled and then Beveridge replaced Connell for a third time. This time Beveridge played well and the Maroons finished second in the Canadian Division, and defeated the Boston Bruins in opening round of the playoffs. Their opponent in the next series, the New York Rangers, were led by former Maroon goalie Dave Kerr who shut them out twice. This was the Maroons' final playoffs and Beveridge's only NHL playoff experience.

He played for minor league teams until the 1942–43 season when he received a call-up to the New York Rangers to replace the injured Jimmy Franks.[3] He played in 17 games and recorded a shutout. After the season, he joined the Canadian Army.

After his service, he finished his playing days playing senior league hockey for the Ottawa Commandos (as the amateur Ottawa Senators were named during World War II) of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL).

After hockey

After retiring from hockey for good in 1945, Beveridge became a coach at Carleton University. He also became a city councillor.[4]

As one of the last surviving Ottawa Senators, he was present at the opening game in 1992 for the new Ottawa Senators. He died on February 13, 1995. He is interred in Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa.[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP W L T Min GA GAAGP W L T Min GA SO GAA
1924–25Ottawa ShamrocksOJCHL5 2 3 0 300 12 0 2.40
1924–25Ottawa ShamrocksOCHL6 3 3 0 400 23 0 3.45
1925–26Ottawa ShamrocksOCHL15 5 10 0 900 41 2 2.73
1926–27Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL5 3 2 0 300 4 2 0.80
1927–28Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL15 10 4 1 900 27 1.80 6 3 3 0 360 9 2 1.50
1928–29Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL15 9 6 0 900 17 7 1.13 2 2 0 0 120 6 0 3.00
1929–30Detroit CougarsNHL39 14 20 5 2410 109 2 2.71
1930–31Ottawa SenatorsNHL9 0 8 0 520 32 0 3.69
1931–32Providence RedsCan-Am40 23 11 6 2510 108 5 2.58 5 5 0 0 310 6 1 1.16
1932–33Ottawa SenatorsNHL33 7 19 7 2063 89 5 2.59
1932–33Providence RedsCan-Am5 2 3 0 300 10 1 2.00
1933–34Ottawa SenatorsNHL48 13 29 6 3000 143 3 2.86
1934–35St. Louis EaglesNHL48 11 31 6 2990 144 3 2.89
1935–36Montreal MaroonsNHL32 14 13 5 1970 71 1 2.16
1936–37Montreal MaroonsNHL21 12 6 3 1290 47 1 2.19
1937–38Montreal MaroonsNHL48 12 30 6 2980 149 2 3.00
1938–39Syracuse StarsIAHL4 3 1 0 240 11 1 2.75
1938–39New Haven EaglesIAHL50 13 25 10 3000 144 5 2.88
1938–39Providence RedsIAHL2 0 2 0 120 9 0 4.50 5 2 3 0 360 15 1 2.50
1939–40Syracuse StarsIAHL56 20 27 9 3450 169 3 2.94
1940–41Buffalo BisonsAHL55 19 27 9 3470 172 3 2.97
1941–42Cleveland BaronsAHL31 16 12 2 1870 73 7 2.34 5 3 2 0 310 12 0 2.32
1942–43New York RangersNHL17 4 10 3 1020 89 1 5.24
1943–44Ottawa CommandosQSHL1 0 1 0 60 12 0 12.00
1944–45Ottawa CommandosQSHL3 180 16 0 5.33
NHL totals295 87 166 41 18243 873 18 2.875 2 3 0 300 11 0 2.20

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wernig . Darin . Gateway City Puckchasers: The History of Hockey in St. Louis . 1 October 2014 . Wernig Media, LLC . 978-0-9907232-0-2 . 41 . 30 December 2022 . en.
  2. Book: Fischler . Stan . The Handy Hockey Answer Book . 13 October 2015 . Visible Ink Press . 978-1-57859-567-9 . 59 . 30 December 2022 . en.
  3. Book: Rosenman . Mark . Karpin . Howie . New York Rangers by the Numbers: A Complete Team History of the Broadway Blueshirts by Uniform Number . 23 January 2018 . Simon and Schuster . 978-1-68358-178-9 . 30 December 2022 . en.
  4. Book: Podnieks, Andrew . Players: The Ultimate A-Z Guide of Everyone Who Has Ever Played in the NHL . Doubleday Canada . 2003 . 0-385-25999-9 . 66.
  5. Web site: Historical Portraits . Beechwood . Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery & Cremation Services . 30 December 2022 . 2017.