Phil Samis Explained

Position:Defence
Played For:Toronto Maple Leafs
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:9
Weight Lb:175
Birth Date:December 28, 1927
Birth Place:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Death Place:Greater Napanee, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1947
Career End:1953

Philip Lawrence Samis (December 28, 1927 – January 11, 2022) was an ice hockey defenceman. He played two regular season games in the National Hockey League during the 1949–50 season and five playoff games in 1948, when he won the Stanley Cup, all with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1947 to 1953, was mainly spent in the American Hockey League. Samis was the last surviving member of the Maple Leafs' 1948 Stanley Cup team.

Playing career

Junior career

Samis started playing minor hockey in his hometown for the Edmonton Maple Leafs in 1943–44. The next season, he moved to Toronto to attend St. Michael's College and play for the St. Michael's Majors. He helped the team win the 1945 Memorial Cup. Along the way he played with future NHLers like Les Costello, Johnny McCormack, Jim Morrison, Gus Mortson, Tod Sloan and Jimmy Thomson. He was coached by Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Primeau. He would spend the next two seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the OHA.

Professional career

He turned professional in 1948, signing a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was assigned to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL. He was called up to the NHL for the playoff run that spring. He played 5 games for the Maple Leafs, helping them win the 1948 Stanley Cup. He was sent back to Pittsburgh at the start of the 1949 season. He did not return to the NHL until 1950 when he was called up for 2 games as an injury replacement. After that, he spent the rest of his career playing in the AHL for the Pittsburgh Hornets and the Cleveland Barons. He helped Cleveland win the Calder Cup in 1951. He retired from hockey in 1953. He briefly came out of retirement and played one season for the Montreal Royals of the QSHL.

Later life and death

After his retirement, Samis became a dentist, studying at McGill University Faculty of Dentistry where he played for the Montreal Royals and was a top student and a Gold Award winner. Additionally, he was Editor-in-Chief of the Dental Review. He died in Greater Napanee, Ontario on January 11, 2022, at the age of 94.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1943–44Edmonton Maple LeafsEJrHL
1944–45St. Michael's BuzzersOHA-B9 7 10 17 811 4 6 10 32
1944–45St. Michael's MajorsOHA9 7 10 17 89 3 6 9 36
1944–45St. Michael's MajorsM-Cup2 0 0 0 2
1945–46Oshawa GeneralsOHA27 11 9 20 8312 1 3 4 18
1946–47Oshawa GeneralsOHA27 5 20 25 1205 0 0 0 20
1947–48Pittsburgh HornetsAHL68 4 10 14 1812 0 2 2 2
1947–48Toronto Maple LeafsNHL5 0 1 1 2
1948–49Pittsburgh HornetsAHL60 3 7 10 91
1949–50Toronto Maple LeafsNHL2 0 0 0 0
1949–50Pittsburgh HornetsAHL66 2 11 13 139
1950–51Cleveland BaronsAHL64 3 14 17 10511 2 3 5 21
1951–52Cleveland BaronsAHL60 11 14 25 1175 1 1 2 13
1952–53Cleveland BaronsAHL1 0 0 0 0
1952–53Montreal RoyalsQSHL56 4 11 15 7615 0 1 1 15
AHL totals319 23 56 79 63318 3 6 9 36
NHL totals2 0 0 0 05 0 1 1 2

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://memorials.directcremationservices.ca/philip-samis/4826063/index.php Dr. Philip Lawrence Samis