By: Andrew Lindroth | Follow me on Twitter! @andrewlindrothh
Ed Harrison was born on July 25th, 1927, in Mimico, Ontario, Canada. He began playing as a 17-year-old forward for the St.Michael’s Buzzers (OHA-Jr. B) and quickly racked up 16 goals and 30 points in just 11 games during the 1944-1945 season. His stellar performance earned him a promotion to the St. Michael’s Majors (OHA-Jr.) and finished the season with suiting up for one game and scoring a goal. Ed went on to help the team to win the Memorial Cup in 1945. He finished the post-season with a jaw-dropping 17 goals and 29 points in 11 games.
Ed continued to dominate in juniors, tallying 16 goals and 30 points in 22 contests during the 1945-1946 campaign and carrying his team to the Memorial Cup Finals for a second year straight but failed to win the series. At this point, NHL scouts were chomping at the bit for Ed’s final year in juniors. He did not disappoint as he was one of the top scorers in the league during the 1946-1947 season, flashing an impressive 29-25-54 statline in 29 games. The 19-year-old center once again leads his team to the Memorial Cup Finals, winning the championship in 1947. Ed finished his final post-season run with an astounding 11 goals and 19 points in nine playoff games.
The Boston Bruins immediately sought out the promising 20-year-old forward and later agreed on a four-year deal. As a result, Ed’s services were directly requested the following season in 1947, officially making his NHL debut as #16 on the Boston Bruins. The 6’0, 165-pound center suited up for 52 games his rookie year, primarily played with the bottom-six forward group, and finished with six goals and 13 points. Although the Bruins did not reach the Stanley Cup Finals, Ed was able to record his first career playoff goal.
The following season, Ed continued to serve as a bottom-six forward, appearing in 59 games with the Bruins. Unfortunately, he failed to rekindle his scoring touch from his junior days and translate it to the NHL as he finished the season with five goals and 10 points. His offensive skills drastically improved during the 1949-1950 season, as he skated alongside players such as Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart and played most of the year as a right-winger. Ed went on to appear in all 70 games that season, notching 14 goals and 26 points.
The final year of his contract with Boston kicked in as the 1950-1951 season began, suiting up for what would be his last eight appearances as a Bruin. On November 16th, 1950, the Boston Bruins traded Ed Harrison and Zellio Toppazzinni to the New York Rangers in exchange for Dunc Fisher. Ed played just five games with the Rangers before being re-assigned to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears. He finished the remainder of the season with Hershey, recording 24 goals and 38 points.
Ed continued playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) the following season, signing as a free agent with the Cincinnati Mohawks and posting a 20-9-29 statline. In 1952, he took his talents to the Western Hockey League (WHL) for a handful of games and quickly returned to the AHL for two appearances with the Syracuse Warriors and 10 with the St. Louis Flyers. However, the 1952-1953 season didn’t stop for him there as he packed his bags for the EAHL, where he would play 17 games with the Washington Lions. His final pit-stop of the season would end up in the QMHL with the Quebec Aces.
From 1953-1954, Ed went on to play his last professional hockey season, splitting his time between the Quebec Aces (QHL) and the Sudbury Wolves (NOHA). He spent the next eight years lacing up for the Woodstock Athletics (OHA-Sr. B) and eventually retired from the game in 1962.
During his four-year tenure in the NHL, the versatile forward played 194 career NHL games and recorded 27 goals with 51 points. Ed Harrison passed away on February 10th, 2012, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
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