Guyle Fielder

Guyle Abner Fielder (born November 21, 1930) is a retired American-born Canadian professional ice hockey center. He is the fourth-leading scorer in professional hockey history, behind only Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe, and holds the career records for minor-league hockey for the most games played, assists and points scored.

Playing career

Fielder moved to Nipawin, Saskatchewan with his Canadian parents at an early age and played junior hockey in Prince Albert and Lethbridge before turning pro.

A preeminent playmaker, Fielder's NHL career was short and not notable—he played a total of fifteen games for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Red Wings—but his minor league career was anything but. He played a total of twenty-two seasons in the Western Hockey League, principally for the Seattle Totems, as well as for the New Westminster Royals, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles and the Portland Buckaroos. He also played a single season for the St. Louis Flyers of the American Hockey League and had short stints with the Quebec Aces and the Edmonton Flyers.

In an era where there were only six teams in the NHL, thus barring many talented players from a shot at the big time, Fielder was the WHL's greatest star. After winning rookie-of-the-year honors with New Westminster in 1952, he was a six time league MVP (including winning the award four years straight between 1957 and 1960), the league scoring leader nine times (including two stints of three straight) and a three-time honoree as most gentlemanly player. His one season in the AHL in 1953, unusually enough, won him rookie-of-the-year honors in that loop as well. He was drafted by the Houston Aeros of the WHA in 1972, but chose to remain out west, playing his final season for the Buckaroos in 1973 before retiring.

Among Fielder's scoring feats were four seasons of more than 100 points—his mark of 122 in 1957 broke the professional record - and ten seasons of seventy assists or more. He retired having scored 438 goals and 1491 assists for 1929 points. His point total set a professional record, exceeding even Gordie Howe's output to that point, and is still the all-time minor league mark. His assist total is likewise first all-time in the minor leagues, and is half again that of his nearest rival. Fielder also played in 1487 games, also the all-time minor league record.

Career achievements

• Ed Bruchet Trophy (awarded to the MVP of the WCJHL) (1949–50)
• WHL Rookie Of The Year (1951–52)
• Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award winner; awarded to the AHL Rookie Of The Year (1952–53)
• 9x WHL Leading Scorer: 1953-54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67
• 6x George Leader Cup winner (awarded to the WHL MVP): 1956-57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1966–67
• 3x Fred J. Hume Cup winner; awarded to the most gentlemanly player in the WHL, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69
• AHL First All-Star Team (1953)
• WHL First All-Star Team (1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1967)
• WHL Second All-Star Team (1961, 1965, 1966, 1968)