Eric Nesterenko

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CanadaCanada  Eric Nesterenko Ice hockey player
Eric Nesterenko
Date of birth October 31, 1933
place of birth Flin Flon , Manitoba , Canada
Nickname Sonja
size 185 cm
Weight 84 kg
position center
Shot hand Right
Career stations
1949-1953 Toronto Marlboros
1953-1956 Toronto Maple Leafs
1956-1972 Chicago Black Hawks
1972-1973 Lausanne Hockey Club
1973-1974 Chicago Cougars
1975-1976 Trail Smoke Eaters

Eric Paul "Sonja" Nesterenko (born October 31, 1933 in Flin Flon , Manitoba ) is a former Canadian ice hockey player and coach of Ukrainian origin, who played 1343 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago during his active career between 1949 and 1974 Black Hawks in the National Hockey League and 29 more for the Chicago Cougars in the World Hockey Association on the position of the center . Nesterenko, who participated twice in the NHL All-Star Game , celebrated his greatest career success in the service of the Chicago Black Hawks by winning the Stanley Cup in 1961 .

Career

Nesterenko was born to parents of Ukrainian origin who emigrated to Canada. His parents valued his education, and he also enjoyed playing ice hockey on Manitoba's lakes in his free time. At the age of eleven, he and his parents angered him when he went to Toronto, where he played organized ice hockey for the first time. It was there that Conn Smythe , the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs , became aware of him. With his talent, he stood out in his age group and was considered Toronto's counterpart to Montréals Jean Béliveau .

After good performance with the Toronto Marlboros in the Ontario Hockey Association , he came in the 1951/52 season for his first use in the National Hockey League . The following year he was still commuting between the Marlboros and Maple Leafs before finally making the breakthrough. However, he could not meet the great expectations that were placed in him. For his part, he accused the Maple Leafs of being squeezed too much into the system and not being given any space to develop his potential and creativity. In this dispute, those responsible sent him to the Winnipeg Warriors in the Western Hockey League , with whom he could win the league title.

After the season was over, the Maple Leafs and Harry Lumley sold him to the Chicago Black Hawks for $ 40,000 . Nesterenko believed that this was the end of his career and enrolled at the University of Toronto . In addition, he took part in the training camp of the Toronto Argonauts, a Canadian American football team, who also offered him a contract as a professional. After the Black Hawks insisted on having him on their team, an extraordinary agreement was reached in January 1957. Nesterenko only played for the Black Hawks on the weekends and did his studies during the week. This made his integration into the team difficult and the trainers were not enthusiastic about the circumstances. From the following season he was then fully available to the Black Hawks. He got a new role in the team and was retrained as a defensive attacker. Here he became a valuable player for Chicago and was one of the best outnumbered players of his time. In a row with Tod Sloan and Ron Murphy , he helped bring the Stanley Cup back to Chicago after more than 20 years in the 1960/61 season . Beyond the ice rink, he was an unusual ice hockey player who attended theaters, operas, and museums. In 1968 he was also very active in the peace movement. After the 1971/72 season he ended his career in the NHL and moved to Switzerland. There he was active as a player-coach for the Lausanne Hockey Club and was also able to pursue his hobby, skiing, to a greater extent.

Once more he turned to professional hockey. In the newly formed World Hockey Association he played for the Chicago Cougars , who were looking for players who were popular in Chicago. He played 29 games for the Cougars.

Last but not least, his passion for skiing drew him to the American ski resort of Vail , where he lives today, at the end of his active career .

Achievements and Awards

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
season team league Sp T V Pt SM Sp T V Pt SM
1949/50 Toronto Marlboros OHA Jr. 1 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
1950/51 Toronto Marlboros OHA Jr. 46 28 22nd 50 90 13 7th 9 16 27
1951/52 Toronto Marlboros OHA Jr. 52 53 42 95 133 6th 2 6th 8th 12
1951/52 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1 0 0 0 0 - - - - -
1952/53 Toronto Marlboros OHA Jr. 34 27 21st 48 46 - - - - -
1952/53 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 35 10 6th 16 27 - - - - -
1953/54 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 14th 9 23 70 5 0 1 1 9
1954/55 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 62 15th 15th 30th 99 4th 0 1 1 6th
1955/56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 40 4th 6th 10 65 - - - - -
1955/56 Winnipeg Warriors WHL 20th 8th 6th 14th 27 14th 3 7th 10 22nd
1956/57 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 24 8th 15th 23 32 - - - - -
1957/58 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 20th 18th 38 104 - - - - -
1958/59 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 16 18th 34 81 6th 2 2 4th 8th
1959/60 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 61 13 23 36 71 4th 0 0 0 2
1960/61 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 19th 19th 38 125 11 2 3 5 6th
1961/62 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 15th 14th 29 97 12 0 5 5 22nd
1962/63 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 67 12 15th 27 103 6th 2 3 5 8th
1963/64 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 7th 19th 26th 93 7th 2 1 3 8th
1964/65 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 56 14th 16 30th 63 14th 2 2 4th 16
1965/66 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 67 15th 25th 40 58 6th 1 0 1 4th
1966/67 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 14th 23 37 38 6th 1 2 3 2
1967/68 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 71 11 25th 36 37 10 0 1 1 2
1968/69 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 72 15th 17th 32 29 - - - - -
1969/70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 67 16 18th 34 26th 7th 1 2 3 4th
1970/71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 76 8th 15th 23 28 18th 0 1 1 19th
1971/72 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 38 4th 8th 12 27 8th 0 0 0 11
1972/73 Lausanne HC NLB Statistics not known
1973/74 Chicago Cougars WHA 29 2 5 7th 8th - - - - -
1975/76 Trail Smoke Eaters WIHL 40 10 25th 35 38 - - - - -
OHA Jr. total 133 108 85 193 269 19th 9 15th 24 39
NHL overall 1219 250 324 574 1273 124 13 24 37 127

( Legend for player statistics: Sp or GP = games played; T or G = goals scored; V or A = assists scored ; Pkt or Pts = scorer points scored ; SM or PIM = penalty minutes received ; +/− = plus / minus balance; PP = overpaid goals scored ; SH = underpaid goals scored ; GW = winning goals scored; 1  play-downs / relegation )

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Nesterenko, Eric
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Nesterenko, Eric Paul (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian ice hockey player and coach
DATE OF BIRTH October 31, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH Flin Flon , Manitoba , Canada