AS a star in both junior and senior hockey, Danny Lewicki’s on-ice contributions would see him become one of the top players the Lakehead has ever produced.
A pivotal performer, as a pick-up, from the Fort William Columbus Club by the 1948 Memorial Cup-winning Port Arthur West End Bruins and equally stellar in leading the Toronto Marlboros to the Allan Cup in 1950, Lewicki had won two major Canadian championships as a teenager.
Pacing the Bruins and Marlboros in playoff goals and points in those runs, he next set out to accomplish something that has never been done before, or since, and that’s win a Memorial, Allan and Stanley Cup while still being junior-hockey eligible.
Still only being a 19-year-old, Lewicki earned himself a one-way contract and a roster spot on the roster of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 1950-51 campaign.
His initial NHL tally came on October 28, 1950 at Maple Leaf Gardens as he opened the scoring, then later assisted on two others, including helping set-up the game-winner as Toronto doubled up the Boston Bruins 4-2.
A solid start to his NHL tenure saw him score 16 times and dole out 18 assists in 61 outings had him in contention for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, however his regular season ended prematurely due to a fairly severe lower body injury.
Hockey Hall of Fame honoured member Terry Sawchuk would go on to garner Calder laurels while Lewicki would finish third overall in the final balloting.
Although not fully healed by the time the playoffs began, it’s reported that then Maple Leafs’ general manager Conn Smythe all but insisted Lewicki play in the postseason.
So getting taped up and receiving freezing to quell the pain from the Toronto medical and training staff prior to each game, he went on to suit-up in nine contests.
Unable to provide his usual offensive talents, Lewicki was put into a checking role, where despite not being nowhere near 100%, he contributed mightily in shutting down their opponents top skaters.
After the Leafs downed the Boston Bruins in semifinal play in five match-ups, plus one that ended in a tie due to a city time curfew, they took on the rival Montreal Canadiens in the final.
That best-of-seven affair was one for the ages as all five match-ups went to overtime before ending with the fabled Game 5 OT winner by Bill Barilko.
With that, Lewicki established the presently unmatched mark of winning the three titles, while still junior aged.
Over the next three seasons, he would split time with Toronto and their AHL affiliate, the Pittsburgh Hornets, after being out of favour with the hard-nosed Smythe.
Then despite finishing eighth in AHL scoring in 1953-54 and leading the Hornets offensively with an 81-point campaign, Lewicki was sold by Smythe and the Maple Leafs to the New York Rangers.
Buoyed by the change of scenery, the skilled forward produced the best NHL campaign of his career with 53 points, including 29 tallies, in 70 games.
His contributions saw him named a second team NHL all-star at left wing.
He was also selected to appear in the 1955 NHL All-Star Game, in a match-up against the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
Going on to put up solid numbers on Broadway, Lewicki would join the Chicago Blackhawks in 1958-59, which would be his final year in the league.
He then wrapped up his pro career in the AHL with both the Buffalo Bisons and Quebec Aces before retiring in 1963.
In all, Lewicki dressed in 461 NHL contests and 930 games in total throughout his stellar career, amassing 755 points on 337 goals and 418 assists.
Buoyed by that, as well as setting the mark of winning that trio of prolific championship titles, Dashin’ Danny Lewicki was enshrined in the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.