Doug McMurdy (February 9, 1926 – May 16, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, and coach. He played both centre and defence, and skated for 376 games in the American Hockey League, mostly with the Springfield Indians. McMurdy was the inaugural winner of the Red Tilson Trophy, as the most outstanding junior player in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in 1945.
Amateur career Doug McMurdy was born on February 9, 1926, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was brought to the St. Catharines Falcons for the 1943–44 OHA season by fellow Manitoban and coach Rudy Pilous. In his second year of junior hockey, McMurdy won the inaugural Red Tilson Trophy for the 1944–45 OHA season as the most valuable player, and was the top scoring defenceman in the league.
Professional career McMurdy signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1945, for a salary of $5000 and bonus of $1200. He was converted to a centre by Leafs coach Hap Day, and assigned to the minor leagues. His first season in the AHL was played with the Pittsburgh Hornets, then two seasons with the Tulsa Oilers in the United States Hockey League.
McMurdy was traded to Springfield in 1948, and played the next nine seasons under the control of team owner, Eddie Shore. Teams in the National Hockey League inquired about McMurdy, but Shore declined offers to sell or trade him. When Shore moved his AHL team to Syracuse, he assigned McMurdy to the farm team in Springfield partway though the 1951–52 season. McMurdy was named the player–coach for the Springfield Indians for the next two seasons. He led the Springfield Indians to the Walker Cup as regular season champions in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League in 1952–53, but the Indians lost in the playoff finals to the Johnstown Jets. McMurdy and the Indians moved up to the Quebec Hockey League for the 1953–54 season. The team struggled and finished last place. Shore returned his AHL team to Springfield in 1954, and McMurdy played the next three seasons in the AHL with the Indians. He finished his AHL career in Springfield with 85 goals, 182 assists, and 267 points in 286 games.
McMurdy played the 1957–58 season with the Trois-Rivières Lions in the QHL, then finished his career playing defence for New Haven Blades in the 1958–59 season.
Later life and honours McMurdy was inducted into Springfield Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000. He died on May 16, 2010, in West Brookfield, Massachusetts.
Playing statistics Career statistics as a player.
Regular Season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM1943–44St. Catharines FalconsOHA——————————1944–45St. Catharines FalconsOHA2011253621—————1945–46Pittsburgh HornetsAHL42725326603321946–47Tulsa OilersUSHL5919345343—01101947–48Tulsa OilersUSHL6520406035—11201948–49Springfield IndiansAHL5727396614307701949–50Springfield IndiansAHL6617335025230301950–51Springfield IndiansAHL22210120—————1951–52Syracuse WarriorsAHL 4822133522—————1951–52Springfield IndiansEAHL121116274—————1952–53Springfield IndiansEAHL1713152833743761953–54Springfield IndiansQHL6915385378—————1954–55Springfield IndiansAHL5219395832403321955–56Springfield IndiansAHL4214334722—————1956–57Springfield IndiansAHL476283420—————1957–58Trois-Rivières LionsQHL1015612—————1958–59New Haven BladesEHL56823314850110 AHL totals 37611422033414115313164 USHL totals 124397411378—1230 EAHL/EHL totals 8532548685124486 QHL totals 7916435990—————
Coaching statistics Career statistics as a player-coach. Season Team League Regular season Playoffs G W L T Pts Finish Result 1952–53 Springfield Indians EAHL 60 39 19 2 80 1st in EAHL Lost in finals 1953–54 Springfield Indians QHL 72 25 40 7 57 7th in QHL Missed playoffsTotal 132 64 59 9 137 1 division title
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