Alex Faulkner obit

N.L. hockey pioneer Alex Faulkner passes away

 

He was not on the list.

Alex Faulkner, who paved the way for generation of hockey players from this province, has died.

The Bishops Falls native became a hockey pioneer in 1961, earning a one-game call up to play with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the first player from this province to skate in the National Hockey League, making the jump all the way from the provincial Senior Circuit to Maple Leaf Gardens.

Although he skated just one game with the Leafs, Faulkner played a starring role for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1962-63 playoffs, leading the Wings in scoring with five goals in the postseason.

He was one of several Faulkner brothers who earned hockey fame in this province. His brother George was our first pro, playing for the Montréal Canadiens’ farm team. He also played for the national team in the 1966 world championship.

Alex Faulkner would win numerous Herder Memorial Trophies and was inducted into the provincial hockey Hall of Fame.

His legacy lives on in the many aspiring players from this province destined for the NHL.

He was the first National Hockey League (NHL) player from Newfoundland and Labrador. He played in the NHL from 1961 to 1964 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1952 to 1976, was mainly spent in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League.

Faulkner had four hockey-playing brothers, Lindy, George, Seth and Jack, and two sisters (Marie and Elizabeth). His parents were Lester, born in Bishop's Falls, and Olive who was a native of Point Leamington. Lester's mother (Svea) was born in Burträsk, Sweden and his father (William) was born in Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. Alex first learned to play hockey with his brothers on the Exploits River in Bishop's Falls. His brother George was the first Newfoundlander to play professional hockey.

Before entering the National Hockey League, Alex Faulkner was a star player in Newfoundland for the Conception Bay All Stars or Cee Bees, a team that was, for the most part, formed by his brother George. Faulkner led the league in both goals and points for two seasons.

Faulkner's big break came when the team played an exhibition game in 1960 against a St. John's senior team coached by former Toronto Maple Leafs player Howie Meeker. Meeker recommended Faulkner to the Toronto assistant general manager King Clancy.

Faulkner was invited to practise with the Leafs and was offered a contract with the Leafs' American Hockey League farm team, the Rochester Americans. In his second season in Rochester, Faulkner registered 73 points in 65 games. He was called up to the Leafs for one NHL game that season.

Faulkner's chances of landing a regular spot in the Leafs' lineup at centre were limited—the team already had Dave Keon, Red Kelly, Bob Pulford and Billy Harris at that position. The Leafs did not protect Faulkner, and he was claimed by the Detroit Red Wings in the Intra-League Draft on June 4, 1962.

That season, Faulkner found a place in the NHL on the Red Wings' third line with Larry Jeffrey and Bruce MacGregor. In his rookie season, Faulkner scored 10 goals and 20 points in 70 games while playing on the checking line.

It was in the playoffs in 1963, however, that Faulkner stood out. André Pronovost replaced Jeffrey on the line and, in that combination, Faulkner scored 5 goals in 8 playoff games, including three (two game-winners) against Chicago's Glenn Hall in the semi-finals. The underdog Red Wings eliminated the favoured Black Hawks to earn a berth in the Stanley Cup finals against Faulkner's former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Faulkner played a pivotal role in Detroit's only win in that series, picking up two goals in the third game, including the game-winner.

When Faulkner returned to Newfoundland in the off-season, the province declared "Alex Faulkner Day." Schools were closed for a parade and ceremony hosted by Premier Joey Smallwood, who presented Faulkner with a pair of gold cuff links.

Faulkner returned to Detroit for the 1963–64 season, but a broken hand and ankle-ligament damage limited his season to 30 games. Detroit asked Faulkner to start the 1964–65 season in the minor leagues, but he instead returned to Conception Bay for the next two seasons.

When the NHL announced expansion starting with the 1967 season, Faulkner returned to minor professional hockey in the United States with the Red Wings farm teams, the Memphis Wings, and then for three more seasons with the San Diego Gulls.

At the beginning of his fourth season with the Gulls, Faulkner decided to return to Newfoundland, where he finished his career with the St. John's Capitals, retiring after the 1971–72 season.

Faulkner returned home to work in life insurance and later ran a senior citizens' home in Bishop's Falls. He continued playing amateur hockey well into his 60s and was inducted into the Newfoundland Hall of Fame.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season             Playoffs

Season Team            League            GP            G            A            Pts            PIM            GP            G            A            Pts            PIM

1951–52            Bishop's Falls Juniors            GFSHL          8            2            4            6            0            5            11            11            22            2

1951–52            Bishop's Falls Juniors            CA-HS            9            9            6            15            0            5            11            12            23            4

1952–53            Bishop's Falls Woodsmen            GFSHL          12            13            11            24            2            —            —            —            —            —

1952–53            Bishop's Falls Woodsmen            NLSHL          3            3            4            7            0            2            0            4            4            0

1952–53            Grand Falls All-Stars            NLSHL          1            3            1            4            0            —            —            —            —            —

1953–54            Bishop's Falls Woodsmen            GFSHL          14            13            17            30            5            2            1            2            3            0

1953–54            Grand Falls Bees            NLSHL          2            0            0            0            2            2            0            3            3            2

1954–55            Bishop's Falls Woodsmen            GFSHL          11            18            11            29            0            5            5            5            10            4

1954–55            Grand Falls All-Stars            NLSHL          9            10            12            22            0            4            4            2            6            4

1955–56            Bishop's Falls Kinsmen            GFSHL          12            20            17            37            8            —            —            —            —            —

1955–56            Grand Falls Andcos            NLSHL          5            6            3            9            0            3            4            6            10            4

1956–57            Bishop's Falls Kinsmen            GFSHL          12            20            17            37            8            —            —            —            —            —

1956–57            Grand Falls Bees            NLSHL          —            —            —            —            —            4            8            8            16            4

1957–58            Bishop's Falls Kinsmen            GFSHL          12            38            22            60            9            5            9            9            18            0

1957–58            Grand Falls Bees            NLSHL          —            —            —            —            —            12            14            11            25            4

1958–59            Conception Bay Cee Bees            NLSHL          25            103            49            152            32            8            23            13            36            6

1959–60            Conception Bay Cee Bees            NLSHL          19            47            36            83            33            11            41            45            86            18

1960–61            Conception Bay Cee Bees            NLSHL          —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —            —

1960–61            Rochester Americans            AHL            41            5            13            18            6            —            —            —            —            —

1961–62            Toronto Maple Leafs            NHL            1            0            0            0            0            —            —            —            —            —

1961–62            Rochester Americans            AHL            65            19            54            73            26            2            1            1            2            0

1962–63            Detroit Red Wings            NHL            70            10            10            20            6            8            5            0            5            2

1963–64            Detroit Red Wings            NHL            30            5            7            12            9            4            0            0            0            0

1963–64            Cincinnati Wings            CHL            11            4            8            12            6            —            —            —            —            —

1963–64            Pittsburgh Hornets            AHL            8            1            4            5            2            —            —            —            —            —

1964–65            Conception Bay Cee Bees            NFSHL          19            22            57            79            52            11            23            22            45            12

1965–66            Conception Bay Cee Bees            NFSHL          5            5            16            21            4            6            4            13            17            10

1966–67            Memphis Wings            CHL            70            28            60            88            32            7            2            5            7            14

1967–68            San Diego Gulls            WHL            71            26            41            67            32            7            2            2            4            2

1968–69            San Diego Gulls            WHL            73            17            51            68            16            7            2            4            6            4

1969–70            San Diego Gulls            WHL            60            17            48            65            14            6            0            6            6            4

1970–71            San Diego Gulls            WHL            4            1            1            2            0            —            —            —            —            —

1970–71            St. John's Capitals            NFSHL          36            26            47            73            18            11            9            21            30            —

1970–71            Grand Falls Cataracts            Al-Cup            —            —            —            —            —            5            3            4            7            2

1971–72            St. John's Capitals            NFSHL          24            18            42            60            52            4            2            3            5            2

1971–72            Grand Falls Cataracts            Al-Cup            —            —            —            —            —            4            0            3            3            0

1973–74            Gander Flyers            NFSHL          9            5            8            13            4            —            —            —            —            —

1975–76            Grand Falls Cataracts            NFSHL          8            6            10            16            4            7            10            8            18            14

NHL totals            101            15            17            32            15            12            5            0            5            2