Frank Nighbor

Frank Nighbor
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1947
Nighbor with the Vancouver Millionaires in the 1913–14 season.
Born	(1893-01-26)January 26, 1893 Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
Died	April 13, 1966(1966-04-13) (aged 73) Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Toronto Blueshirts Vancouver Millionaires Ottawa Senators Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1912–1930

Julius Francis "Pembroke Peach" Nighbor (January 26, 1893 – April 13, 1966) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey Association (NHA) and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA and Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). An excellent defensive forward, his poke check, backchecking and bodychecking abilities thwarted enemy forwards' scoring attempts. For his somewhat high penalty totals, he was a clean player and one of the last 60 minute hockey players. For his contributions on the ice, Nighbor was the first player ever to be awarded the Hart Trophy and the first to be awarded the Lady Byng Trophy.

Nighbor first played professionally for the Port Arthur Bearcats of the Northern Ontario Hockey League in 1911. Fellow Pembroke native Harry Cameron was invited to play for Port Arthur but refused to go without Nighbor. The club agreed to bring Nighbor along, but they left him on the bench until injuries gave him an opportunity to play. He made the most of his opportunity by registering six goals in his first appearance.

In 1912, he joined the new Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA where he scored 25 goals in 18 games. He only played the one season in Toronto, jumping to Vancouver of the PCHA the following season for two seasons, and was an important member of the Millionaires team which won the Stanley Cup over the Ottawa Senators in 1915.

He returned east after the Stanley Cup series and joined the Senators, whom he would play for until 1930, an important part of the dynasty of the 1920s winning four more cups in 1920, 1921, 1923, and 1927. He had his best season in 1916–17, scoring 41 goals in 19 games, finishing tied for the league lead with Joe Malone. In 1919–20 he scored 26 goals and 15 assists in just 23 games, then had a further 6 goals in 5 playoff games and led the Senators to their first Cup in the NHL. Nighbor would win the Stanley Cup again with Ottawa in 1921, 1923, and 1927.