Battleship Leduc

Bob Kelly of 1970s Philadelphia Flyers fame wasn't the first player to be nicknamed "Battleship." "Battleship" Leduc of the Montreal Canadiens was so synonymously known by his nickname many people did not know his actual first name was Albert.

Leduc joined the Montreal Canadiens in 1925-26, but he was strictly a substitute defenseman. Back in those days the top players played most of the game, only spotted by the substitutes for short rests or for penalties. Leduc was said to be "far from a polished skater and his crude style did not suggest he was qualified to be a regular."

Despite his reserve status, he was a fan favorite. "His aggressive scrambling play made him very popular with the fans and his appearance on the ice drew lots of applause," wrote Charles Coleman in Trail of the Stanley Cup. "When he got up a full head of steam it seemed uncertain if he could be stopped or stop himself. This is how he earned the sobriquet of Battleship."

Leduc played most of his 10 year NHL career with Les Canadiens, scoring 56 goals and earning 552 penalty minutes in 383 games. He was a big part of Montreal's back to back Stanley Cup championships in 1930 and 1931.

After retiring in 1935 he became a coach in Quebec and Providence before returning to his hometown of Valleyfield he financed his own team and helped the town build a new arena. He would give Toe Blake his first coaching job.

Leduc reportedly became a rather wealthy man, making a good part of his fortune in the distillery business. He was not afraid to share his wealth as he helped out down-on-their-luck former Montreal players like hooley Smith and Dunc Munro.

He retired to Miami late in life, dying in Montreal on July 31st, 1990.

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Randy Exelby

Backup goaltenders make a lot of relief appearances, but none quite like Randy Exelby.

Exelby was a 5'9" 170lb goaltender from Toronto. A late bloomer, Exelby starred at Lake Superior State. Never drafted, the Montreal Canadiens acquired him in the now-defunct supplemental draft in 1986.

Assigned to the Canadiens AHL team in Sherbrooke in 1987, Exelby soon took the league by storm. By his second year as a pro he was named the AHL's top goaltender, winning the "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award, thanks for 31 wins and 2.98 GAA. He also shared the Hap Holmes trophy for fewest goals against, along with teammate Francois Gravel.

But the highlight of Exelby's dream 1988-89 season was his first call up to the National Hockey League. That being said, Exelby never would have guessed how he would see his first NHL game action.

Exelby was called up for a few games as Patrick Roy was out with tonsillitis. Exelby backed up Brian Hayward until Hayward came down with his own flu. Roy came back to action early, allowing Exelby to back up Roy for a game in Buffalo. Exelby sat on the bench for the game, except for 3 minutes in the second period.

Roy was medicated and frequently hydrating, so much so that he needed to go to the bathroom. Exelby had to go into the game.

"He told the referee, who relayed the message to the coach (Pat Burns)," Exelby explained to Dick Chubey of The Hockey News at the time. "Burns started laughing and told me to get in there."

Exelby's stint lasted all of three minutes.

He even faced one shot.

"One from Rick Vaive that hit me on the pad, and a defenseman (Rick Green) took it up the ice."

As for being nervous, Exelby said "I didn't have time to be."

Despite his excellent season in the AHL, the Canadiens traded Exelby to Edmonton prior to the 1989-90 season. Talk about bad luck. Exelby was going from a team with Patrick Roy to a team with two excellent goalies in Grant Fuhr and Bill Ranford.

When Exelby was demoted to the Oiler's AHL affiliate in Cape Breton, Exelby actually chose to retire. He had a change of heart and was dispatched to Phoenix of the IHL for the season. It was a wise decision, as his patience allowed him to get his first NHL start.

With Fuhr injured and Ranford in need of a rest, the Oilers started Exelby in Pittsburgh on February 2nd. Unfortunately for Exelby, Mario Lemieux was red hot, despite his ailing back.

Lemieux scored three goals and four points, extending his point-scoring streak to 41 games. The Pens beat the Oilers 6-3.

Despite the loss, Exelby enjoyed his opportunity.

"It was okay, certainly a thrill to get in there and play against the caliber of guys like Lemieux and Paul Coffey," he said.

On Lemieux's two second-period power play goals, Exelby said "he's got a quick release, but I did come close to both of them. He doesn't hesitate. The puck can be four feet of either side of him and he snaps it right away with great accuracy.

Exelby returned to the minor leagues, bouncing around in 1990-91. That would prove to be his final season in professional hockey.

Beginning in 1994 Exelby opened his own chain of hockey equipment stores in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Gerry Carson

The Carson family remains legendary in Parry Sound, Ontario. Patriarch D. M. Carson was a lumber baron in the area, moving from Bracebridge in 1905. He built a beautiful Victorian home on 33 Church Street and raised four sons, three of whom went on to play in the National Hockey League in the 1920s and 1930s. The family home still stands in Parry Sound. It is now a bed and breakfast simply known as The Carson House.

"Doc" Bill Carson was perhaps the most famous of the three NHL brothers. He was the first player in Toronto Maple Leafs history to score 20 goals and later returned home to become long time dentist.

Frank Carson played seven season in the NHL. He was noted for his defensive play as well as his premature grey hair.

Gerald "Stub" Carson played in 261 NHL games, mostly with the Montreal Canadiens, but the defenseman scored just 12 goals. He was part of Montreal's Stanley Cup championship team in 1930.

He was known as both Gerry and Jerry, although I am uncertain as to the origins of his nickname "Stub." He was really hampered by injuries, most notably a serious knee injury that required an operation which caused him to miss the entire 1935-36 season. Ultimately it would end his career after a brief come back attempt with the Montreal Maroons in 1936-37.

Gerry settled in Grimsby, Ontario and worked as a salesman for a brewery company. He died in 1956, having just turned 51 years old.

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