Babe Pratt
Inducted:
1966
Player Stats
6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Born:
January 7, 1916
Stony Mountain, Manitoba, Canada
Died:
December 16, 1988
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Position:
Defence
College:
NA
Walter "Babe" Pratt was one of the most flamboyant and offensively gifted defensemen of the 1940s. A massive man for his era, Pratt combined size with a smooth skating stride and elite playmaking vision, essentially acting as a fourth forward on the ice. He was a key member of the New York Rangers' 1940 Stanley Cup championship team before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he reached the pinnacle of his career.
In 1944, Pratt became only the second defenseman in NHL history (after Eddie Shore) to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, leading all blueliners in scoring. While his career was briefly marred by a gambling suspension in 1946—which was quickly overturned—his impact on the ice was undeniable. He was a charismatic leader who revolutionized the "offensive defenseman" role long before the arrival of Bobby Orr. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.
Pratt's Awards and Record:
- 2x Stanley Cup Champion (1940, 1945)
- Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP) (1944)
- NHL First All-Star Team (1944)
- NHL Second All-Star Team (1945)
- Named to the Top 100 Maple Leafs of all time
NHL Teams
New York Rangers (1935-1943)
Toronto Maple Leafs (1943-1946)
Boston Bruins (1946-1947)
Number Worn:
3, 2
NHL Stats
Season Played:
12 (1935-1947)
Games Played:
517
Goals:
83
Assists:
209
Points:
292
Penalty Minutes:
473
Playoff Game:
63
Playoff Points:
29
Stanley Cups:
2 (1940, 1945)