Bruins Alumni: Happy Birthday Jack Shewchuk

By: Andrew Lindroth | Follow me on Twitter @andrewlindrothh

Jack Shewchuk was born on June 19th, 1917, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He began playing juniors as an 18-year-old defenseman, splitting his time between the Sudbury Cub Wolves (NOJHA) and Copper Cliff Jr. Redmen (NOJHA) from 1935-1937. After graduating from junior hockey, the Boston Bruins took a chance on the 6’1, 190-pound defender and signed him to a deal in October of 1937. Shewchuk was assigned to play for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Reds, suiting up in 42 games with a statline of 4-3-7 with 69 PIM.

The following season, Shewchuk continued for most of the 1938-1939 season developing with Providence but was rewarded his first National Hockey League action, playing in three games that season. The Bruins would go on to winning the Stanley Cup that season, making Shewchuk a Stanley Cup champion at the age of 21. Shewchuk proved to be a reliable and fierce defender and cemented his position in the line-up for the 1939-1940 season. He went on to play 47 games while contributing two goals and four assists with 55 PIM.

After a successful rookie campaign, Shewchuk began the 1940-1941 season with the Hershey Bears (AHL), playing in 31 games before being called back up to the Bruins and finishing the season with four points in 20 games played. The Bruins went on to dominate the playoffs and won the Stanley Cup again after sweeping the Detroit Red Wings in 1941. Shewchuk played a pivotal role on the blue-line despite the number of games he played that year and contributed to the Bruins immensely with his fearless style of play.

The Ontario-native started the 1941-1942 season with the Hershey Bears (AHL) before getting called back up to the Bruins, this time suiting up in 22 games while collecting two goals. He also appeared in five playoff games and ended up collecting his first and only NHL playoff point. The gritty and tenacious defender solidified his position in the line-up the next season, contributing 2-6-8 numbers with 50 PIM in 48 games. Shewchuk appeared in nine games during the playoffs before the Detroit Red Wings swept the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.

After taking off the 1943-1944 season due to joining the military for World War II, Shewchuk returned for one more season with the Bruins in 1944-1945, suiting up for 47 games and putting up 1-7-8 numbers with 31 PIM. After his tenure with the Bruins ended, he played two more seasons with the St.Louis Flyers (AHL), tallying 23 points with 92 PIM in 116 games played. For the next few years, Shewchuk played for the Kitchener Dutchmen (OHA-Sr.) and Brantford Redmen from 1946-1952. Shewchuk retired from the professional hockey world at the age of 35.

Jack Shewchuk passed away on May 15th, 1989, at the age of 71, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Throughout his six-year NHL career, Shewchuk finished with 9-19-28 numbers with 160 PIM in 187 games. Happy Birthday, Jack Shewchuk!

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 183 that we recorded below on 6-14-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!

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