Smiley Meronek

This is William "Smiley" Meronek. He was a sensational hockey star in his native Manitoba. He moved to Verdun in 1937 and continued to star with the Maple Leafs of the QSHL, capturing the attention of the Montreal Canadiens.

Meronek agreed to a contract in both the 1939-40 and 1942-43 seasons. However in that 1943 season he would only play home games. He refused to travel with the Canadiens for road games due to his day job at a war plant in the city. Alex Smart was signed under the same circumstances at the same time.

All told, Smiley Meronek played parts of two NHL seasons, totalling 19 games. He scored 5 goals and 13 points.