By: Steve McClure | Follow me on Twitter / X @stmcclure1993
Happy birthday to former Boston Bruin standout Ralph ‘Cooney’ Weiland. The Seaforth, Ontario native was born in 1904 and played for the team from 1928-29 through 1931-32 and again from 1935-36 through 1938-39.
Weiland immediately became a full-time contributor to the Boston lineup in 1928-29 as a rookie, scoring eleven goals in 42 games. He also chipped in two goals against Montreal in the Stanley Cup finals that postseason, leading the Bruins to their first championship. In his sophomore campaign, the 5’7” center popped in 43 goals in 44 games—which would stand as his career high—and was third in the Hart Trophy voting behind teammate Lionel Hitchman and Montreal Maroons winner Nels Stewart.
After chalking-up 25 goals in 1930-31, Weiland’s goal-production decreased to fourteen the following season, and management traded the center to Ottawa for right-wing Joe Lamb and cash considerations. He spent a short time with Ottawa and then Detroit before returning to Boston in the summer of 1935. During his second go-around with the Bruins—from 1935-36 through 1938-39—Weiland produced at a 38-44-82 clip over 189 regular season games.
His final season in Boston, just like his very first, ended with a Stanley Cup title, as Boston bested Toronto four games to one. The 1938-39 team boasted a star-studded team, led by hall-of-famers Milt Schmidt, Eddie Shore, Bill Cowley, Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart, and goalie Frank Brimsek. Weiland, too, would be named to the NHL hall of fame in 1968. In order to appreciate Weiland’s production during the early decades of the NHL, it would favorably match the output of modern superstars like Alexander Mogilny or Henrik Sedin.
After a successful NHL playing career, Weiland found further accomplishment as a head coach, leading the Bruins to another Stanley Cup win in 1941, sweeping the Red Wings in the finals. Weiland also coached at the AHL level—twice named ‘coach of the year’—and later on coached at the collegiate level, leading Harvard University to 315 victories over 21 years.
Cooney Weiland scored 131 goals while dressing in 365 career regular season games for Boston. His overall NHL career boasts a line of 173-162-335 in 509 contests, and he added twelve more goals during playoff competition. His name appears on the Stanley Cup twice as a player and one time as head coach. Weiland passed away in 1985 at the age of 80.
Happy birthday to NHL hall-of-famer Ralph ‘Cooney’ Weiland!
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