"Montreal Canadiens" Bert Olmstead Hand Signed 3X5 Card JG Autographs COA

Description

Up for auction the
"Montreal Canadiens" Bert Olmstead Hand Signed 3X5 Card.
This item is certified authentic by JG Autographs and comes with their Certificate of Authenticity.
ES-4770E
Murray Albert Olmstead
(September 4, 1926 – November 16, 2015) was a Canadian professional
ice hockey
left winger
who played for the
Montreal Canadiens
,
Chicago Black Hawks
and
Toronto Maple Leafs
in the
National Hockey League
(NHL). Olmstead began his career with the Black Hawks in 1949. In December 1950, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens via Detroit. Olmstead had his best statistical years playing for Montreal, leading the league in assists in 1954–55 with 48, and setting a league record for assists with 56 the following season. Olmstead was claimed in an Intra-League Draft by Toronto Maple Leafs in 1958, and played there until his retirement in 1962. In the 1967–68 season, Olmstead served as coach of the expansion
Oakland Seals
. Olmstead played in the
Stanley Cup
final
in 11 of his 14 seasons in the NHL, winning it five times. He won it four times with Montreal, in 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, and once with Toronto, in 1962, which was his last season. He was inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1985. Olmstead was born in
Sceptre
,
Saskatchewan
, a small village with a population of less than 200, in southwestern Saskatchewan. In 1944, at the age of 18, he moved to
Moose Jaw
, Saskatchewan, to play junior hockey. In his first year, Olmstead and the Moose Jaw Canucks challenged for the
Memorial Cup
, after finishing the playoffs with a 15–1 record. They were unsuccessful in the series against the
St. Michael's Majors
. Olmstead had 10 goals and eight assists in the 17 playoff games he played. He played another season in Moose Jaw, before being assigned to the Kansas City Pla-Mors of the
United States Hockey League
(USHL) by the
Chicago Black Hawks
.
Olmstead and the Canadiens appeared in the Stanley Cup finals again in the 1951–52 season, losing to the Detroit Red Wings; after recording 35 points in 69 regular season games, Olmstead was limited to an assist in 11 playoff games. In his third season with the Canadiens, Olmstead won the
Stanley Cup
for the first time. Earning 45 points in 69 games, he was named to the Second All-Star Team. On the last game of the season, Olmstead bodychecked
Gordie Howe
, stopping him from tying Maurice Richard's record of 50 goals in a season.
[5]
Olmstead played all the 70 games in the next two seasons, scoring 52 and 58 points in the 1953–54 and 1954–55 seasons, respectively. The Canadiens lost to the Red Wings once more in the Stanley Cup finals, in both seasons. In the 1954–55 season, Olmstead led the league in assists, with 48, as Montreal lost another Stanley Cup Final to Detroit.
The 1955–56 season saw the start of Montreal's five consecutive Stanley Cup championships. In that season, Olmstead played on a line with
Jean Béliveau
and
Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion
. He set a record for assists, with 56, and also scored
eight points in game
, recording four goals and four assists, tying Rocket Richard's record. This record would be broken in 1976 by
Darryl Sittler
, who scored six goals and four assists, for ten points. As well as winning the Stanley Cup, Olmstead was again named to the Second All-Star Team.
Olmstead won two more Stanley Cups in the 1956–57 and 1957–58 seasons. After the conclusion of the 1957–58 seasons, doctors informed him that he had no strength left in his knees, and that he should contemplate retirement. As a result of this prognosis, the Canadiens left Olmstead unprotected in the Intra-League Draft, and he was claimed by
Billy Reay
, the head coach of the Canadiens' chief rival, the
Toronto Maple Leafs
.