Ice hockey player Frank Makhovlich: interesting facts from life

Frank Machovlich is a former Canadian senator and NHL player who was a member of the six Stanley Cup teams . In 1981 he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Ridiculous Star

Perhaps Mahovlich was the most talented person who ever wore the Maple Leafs blue and white sweater. But every time he jumped over the side, he was booed. Always, when he touched the puck, there was a rumble of disapproval. Even when he scored goals, he was not accepted.

On November 1, 1967 the fans filled the "Maple Leaf Gardens" tribunes to support all but one player. The third period ended, the team won, and Frank Machovlich (photo is given further in the article), the match star, remained on the ice alone, physically and emotionally drained. In the game with the "Montreal Canadiens" he brought his team three points from the total score of 5: 0, but the ruthless crowd once again threw him an abuse and ridicule.

Demented by the fans and his coach, Mahovlich was a gentle superstar in the city who wanted him to be more than a great player. It does not matter whether he led the team forward, picking the puck from Gordie Howe, undressing Jacques Plante, or claiming Henry Richard's records - Mahovlich was the most underrated ice hockey player, the "Leafs" that the fans loved to hate. And so they did what they considered necessary. They booed him until he broke.

Nervous breakdown

The next day the Leafs took the train to Detroit. Mahovlich was among his teammates who were waiting for their turn to take off. But then he suddenly disappeared.

Friday newspapers reported the problem, but only told a part of the story. "Frank Machovlich, the leading attacker of the Toronto Maple Leafs attack, has undermined the mysterious disease," the Canadian press wrote. - He felt bad on Wednesday night after a three-pointer performance. The 29-year-old left-handed Toronto striker was in top form in his 11-year career in the NHL, scoring four goals and making seven assists in nine games. "

One of the greatest hockey players ever played for the Maple Leafs, had a nervous breakdown, and he turned to a general hospital in Toronto for psychiatric help. The cause of his ailments were perennial ridicule from disappointed fans and a heated relationship with the coach "Leafs" Panchhem Imlachem. Never before did the future of Big M look so gloomy.

Dizzy career

The son of Croatian emigrants Frank Machovlich (photo NHL) got into the team thirteen years earlier as a teenager-prodigy. After leaving his native Timmins and moving to Toronto, he quickly won the recognition of the fans of St. Petersburg. Mike's Majors and received the nickname that remained with him throughout his career. A great virtuosic attacking player won his place on the sports pages even before he reached the NHL rink.

When he joined the "Leafs" at the age of 19, the sports press began to advertise him as one of the greatest players that the city had not yet seen. A rookie of the same year as Bobby Hull, he overtook him in the fight for the trophy of Caldera. The first three seasons Frank scored an average of 20 goals per year, securing a place among the most powerful team scorers. Then, in the season of 1960-61, he managed to do what all expected of him. In 56 games, he hit the opponent's gate 48 times. Frank Mahovlich, whose game statistics exceeded all expectations, in the remaining 14 meetings could become the second person in the history of the NHL, who scored 50 goals in a season.

Fans rejoiced when he plied on the left wing with his long step, making throws past the unlucky goalkeeper and ahead of the ranking of the scorers of such celebrities as Howe, Belivo and Richard. But when February was replaced by March, the big M seemed to run dry. In the remaining 14 matches, "Leafs" scored 43 times, but Mahovlich failed to throw a goal in the opponent's goal. Suddenly, the player began to look lazy.

Cruel game

Not knowing how to motivate his star, Imlach began to expose him to ridicule, deliberately distorting his name, calling him "Maholovic" and remembering journalists all the lost goals and spoiled games.

Despite the ridicule, the hockey player remained an integral part of the four teams that won the Stanley Cup. But all this did not matter to the fans, who seemed to appreciate it less and less every year. Then, on a single November day, when Big M should play 10 matches of their best season, the fans found out that the person they were booing went to the hospital.

The club was filled with letters in support of the victim of the inexorable coach and the unreasonable expectations of the city. By the time the player returned to the team, the bullying stopped. But the sympathy was short-lived, and five months later, during one of the largest deals in the history of hockey, Mahovlich was sent to the Red Wings.

The fans pounced on the organizers of the transition, fearing that this would play a negative role in the fate of the team. But the hockey player was happy to leave. Success came to him immediately. Frank Machovlich, hockey player of Detroit, scored the best in his career 49 goals. And after moving to Montreal, he won two more Stanley Cups. The next time he wore a maple leaf uniform in the Canadian team during the USSR Super Series - Canada.

Mahovlich was one of the most refined men who ever achieved success in the game. Even Imlach later admitted that in the cruel kind of sports this outstanding hockey player always remained a gentleman.

Frank Machovlich: interesting facts

Big M, blowing up the left flank, instilled fear into the souls of the goalkeepers from the moment he made his debut in the National Hockey League at the Toronto Maple Leafs club in 1956, and until the day he broke up with skates at Birmingham Bulls after The 1977-78 season.

For the 1972-73 season. Frank played at five Stanley Cup championships, eight times in the NHL star team and played 15 seasons in professional hockey - 1 with Toronto, 3 with Detroit and one and a half with Canadiens. In addition, he took part in the winning series of games with the USSR team. Although Mahovlich played in six games, scoring a goal and making an effective transfer, even before the trip to the Soviet Union, he fell ill. "I started a severe allergy, which forced me to ask for medical help," Frank admitted. "I stayed in Canada a couple of days before the team returned. This allergy was so strong that the swollen eyes could not be opened. Only two or three years later I learned that the reason for this was ambrosia. "

At the peak of his career

Frank Makhovych returned from the USSR and went straight to the Montreal Canadiens training camp. It was a very good season for a hockey player and even better for his club. Frank scored 38 goals and made 55 assists, which earned him 93 points and ninth place in the NHL bombing race. Team "Canadiens" lost just 10 times and finished the season of 1972-73 in the first place with a stunning 120 points, 13 points ahead of the closest rival "Boston".

In the quarterfinals, "Montreal" relatively easily knocked out "Buffalo", securing three victories in four matches. Frank Mahovlich scored 2 goals and made 2 assists. In the semifinals, the team withdrew from the struggle, "Philadelphia Flyers", gaining four wins in five games. On account of the Big M were 2 goals and 4 assists.

Stanley Cup Finals

In the final match, "Montreal" fought against the "Chicago Black Hawks". "Canadiens" attacked them in the first game, securing a victory with a score of 8-3. Machovlich made an assist. In the next match, he scored in an empty net and helped win with a score of 4: 1. "Chicago" responded with a victory in the third meeting with a score of 7: 4, although Frank recorded on his score a goal and an assists. In the fourth final game, "Montreal" dealt with his opponent, throwing 4 washers dry.

Two future members of the Hall of Fame during the fifth match felt themselves targets in the dash. The victory of Chicago 8: 7 did not look particularly successful either for Tony Esposito from the Hawks, or for Ken Dryden from Montreal. Big M to the efforts of his team added an abandoned puck and 2 assists.

In the 6th game Mahovlich scored on his own goal and the resultant transfer, and his club won the Stanley Cup with six goals scored against four. For "Montreal Canadiens" it was the 17th victory in this competition. For Machovlich, the trophy became the sixth. His contribution was great - 23 points in 17 playoff matches. Returning to his homeland, the hockey player drove through the city in a yellow Mustang with a cup in his hands.

In 1998, Frank became a senator in Ottawa. He no longer returned to hockey to ride with Yashin and Alfredsson, and worked in the Senate of Canada from 1998 to 2013.

Celebrations in Timmins

Frank was the last champion to be given one day to enjoy the victory with the Stanley Cup, and he decided to do something special. Returning to his hometown Timmins, Ontario, Senator Mahovlicha was accompanied by another famous former local resident - the world-famous architect Frank Gehry. The namesake arrived on Saturday 16 September. Each brought with him his most famous hockey trophy - the World Cup and the Stanley Cup.

The plane arrived in Timmins only in the afternoon, and Mayor Vic Power, a delightful man and an excellent defender of his city, came to the airport to personally meet the guests. Frank and his wife Marie brought the Stanley Cup to the nearby boarding house for the elderly "Golden Manor", the inhabitants of which were delighted.

Celebrities accompanied by the parade followed through the city and arrived at the legendary arena "McIntyre." Mahovlich traveled with the Cup in the yellow Mustang, and Gehry went to the Lincoln with the hockey World Cup.

The arena, built in the likeness of the Maple Leaf Gardens, was one of three facilities in Ontario that could boast artificial ice since its inception. The object became a source of NHL players, including Pete Babando, Bill Barilco, Real Chevrefils, Les and Murray Costello, Bep Gvidolin, three brothers Hannigan, Bob Nevin, Allan Stanley and brothers Peter and Frank Makhovlici.

Visit to the Stanley Cup

Private reception is held on the second floor in the banquet hall over the hockey field. Both Cups were presented to the public and Frank Gehry and Frank Mahovlich celebrated the city of Timmins. At two o'clock the long queue of excited fans got the opportunity to be photographed with the Stanley Cup and meet with NHL stars Gus Morts, who with Toronto, Chicago and Detroit in 1940-50. Joined the team of all stars, and Jim Mair, who played for Flyers, Islanders and Canucks in the 1970s.

The same evening, a reception was held in the banquet hall "McIntyre". More than 200 invited - captains of the industry, hockey elite and politicians - joined the celebration of Senator Mahovlich and Frank Gehry. The reception at Timmins became an elegant end to the 2005 summer Stanley Cup tour, when he visited some of the oldest champions.

Frank Mahovlich: personal life

Mahovlich is married to Marie Devani, the couple has two sons - Michael and Edward, and the daughter of Nancy. Frank's older brother Pete was also a successful professional in the NHL.

Mahovlich was awarded the Order of Canada for achievements in hockey both as a player and sportsman.

In the Senate of Canada, he represented Toronto and worked in two committees: on agriculture and forestry, as well as foreign affairs and international trade.

Frank Machovlich, interesting facts from the life of a hockey player are depicted in the book of his son Ted "Big M: The History of Frank Macholovitch", which was published in 1999. The author talked with outstanding sportsmen of the era such as Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Guy Laughlaire and Henry Richard, To recreate one of the best careers in the NHL of all time.