BELIEVED to be the current oldest-living former National Hockey League player, Steve Wojciechowski continues to stand the test of time.
Born over a century ago, back on Christmas Day, 1922, the diminutive forward got his first taste of elite-level competition when he had some on-ice sessions as part of the then New York Americans NHL camp that they held in Port Arthur, back in 1938.
Going on to be dubbed Wochy, he was often labelled with the shortened monicker by teammates, hockey scribes, and the like, throughout his career.
After a solid rookie run locally, as a 15-year-old, with the Westfort Maroons junior side, that saw him share the team-lead in goals, assists and points, he later joined the Port Arthur West End Bruins.
Over the course of the next three seasons with the Bruins, Wojciechowski would pace his club offensively, leading them in scoring each year, collecting a total of 125 points in 50 overall outings, including notching 54 goals.
At 19 he was also picked up by the famed Port Arthur Bearcats in their 1942 playoff run that saw them fall just one victory short of an Allan Cup Canadian senior crown.
From there, stints with the St. Catharines Saints and a Royal Canadian Army team based out of Winnipeg, his continued stellar play had caught the attention of the legendary Jack Adams, the head coach and general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
After signing in the Motor City, he made his NHL debut on October 29, 1944 in a 7-1 Red Wings’ romp over Boston at the Detroit Olympia.
Then four nights later, Wojciechowski notched his first NHL goal, seven and a half minutes into the second period, as part of a 10-3 home-ice drubbing of the New York Rangers.
In fact, his tally proved to be the game-winner, and he went on to score once more late in the proceedings to round-out the night’s scoring in the rout.
Appearing in 49 of 50 games that season, Wojciechowski ended up tied for fifth on the squad in points with 39, on 19 tallies and 20 helpers.
At the time his totals were a Red Wings’ rookie record.
He did also receive some votes for the Calder Trophy, emblematic of NHL Rookie of the Year, but it was Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frank McCool who garnered the accolades.
That snapped a back-to-back set of Calder wins by local players as Gaye Stewart and Gus Bodnar earned the honours in 1943 and ’44 respectively.
Edgar Laprade then won it in 1946 while Pentti Lund did likewise in ’49.
Ironically the number Wojciechowski wore in his time in Detroit was 10, which would later go on to be made famous, and eventually retired, by Lakehead legend and Hockey Hall of Fame honoured member, Alex Delvecchio.
However, Wojciechowski appeared to have fallen out of favour with Adams in the playoffs, that only saw him dress for only six of Detroit’s 14 postseason contests, that concluded with a Game 7 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Final.
Regarded as being as ruthless as they come with players at times, especially as the Red Wings’ GM, Adams moved past the forward’s impressive first season and shipped him to the minors for 1945-46.
He started with the Indianapolis Capitols of the American Hockey League, where he was over a point-per-game provider.
Next came a stop in the United States Hockey League and the Omaha Knights.
There he played alongside the iconic Gordie Howe, before Mr. Hockey made his eventual jump to Detroit the following campaign.
A brief five-game return to the Red Wings in October of 1946 proved to be Wojciechowski’s final appearance in the NHL.
Following that, it was a combined eight seasons in the AHL with the Philadelphia Rockets, Cleveland Barons and the Buffalo Bisons.
Registering solid numbers for most of his time there, the majority of Wojciechowski’s success came in Cleveland.
In his four-year term with the Barons, they won two Calder Cup league championships, and also had one appearance in the finals.
Statistically, he led the AHL in goals in 1951-52 with 37 and was named a first team all-star.
Wojciechowski then added another 37 markers the next season, which was just one off the league lead.
After two seasons in Buffalo, he wrapped up his playing career in 1955 with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Senior Hockey Association.
Also on that squad were fellow local products Lund and Steve Wywrot.
The trio’s efforts helped the Soo win the league and advance all the way to the semifinals of the eastern Canadian playdowns, where they were edged out in seven thrilling games by the eventual Allan Cup champion, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen.
The team that the Dutchmen defeated in that Allan Cup Final – The Fort William Beavers.
An offensive scoring talent throughout his career, Steve Wojciechowski provided more points than overall games played on the ice, with 789 in 737 outings, featuring 384 tallies.
Still going at 100 years of age, his contributions have definitely etched its place in the annals among the hockey legends from the Lakehead.
