Ray Powell

This is Ray Powell, a lanky offensive minded center. He only played 31 NHL games, all with Chicago in the 1950-51 season. But he was a long time hockey player blessed with speed and passing ability. Tall and wiry at 6'0" and 160lbs, he probably was a bit of 1950s version of Wayne Gretzky.

Born in Timmins, Ontario in 1925, Powell moved around the minor leagues quite a bit, but put up impressive numbers everywhere. He starred with Kansas City of the USHL in the final years of the 1940s. In his last two seasons in KC he put together remarkable campaigns of  48 goals, 58 assists and 106 points in 61 games, and 27 goals, 84 assists and 111 points in 61 games.

The Blackhawks gave Powell his NHL chance the following season. He chipped in with 7 goals and 22 points in 31 games, but was dispatched there after.

Powell went on to lead the American Hockey League in scoring (with 97 points) in the 1952 season. He also beat out popular goaltender Johnny Bower for the league's most valuable player award, the Les Cunningham trophy.

Powell would play one more season in the AHL before moving on to several seasons of senior hockey in Quebec and British Columbia. His career came to an end after breaking his leg in a game with the Kelowna Packers.

Powell would remain in Kelowna after his hockey career was over, coaching the Packers until 1960 when he resigned in a pay dispute. He died in the Okanagan city in 1998.

He starred everywhere he went. So why did Ray Powell not stick in the NHL longer than he did? His lack of size was likely a determining factor, as old school hockey men dismissed the slight star before he even hit the ice. One has to wonder if that was a mistake. We will never know.