Bryan Hextall
A powerful and relentless right-winger for the New York Rangers whose scoring prowess defined the team's identity in the 1940s.
1913–1984 (age 71)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: July 31·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bryan Hextall emerged from the prairie town of Grenfell, Saskatchewan, with a hard-nosed, goal-scoring style that made him a cornerstone of the New York Rangers for a decade. He wasn't just a scorer; he was a force, known for his powerful shot and willingness to battle in the corners. His arrival in the NHL coincided with the Rangers' last period of dominance before a long drought. Hextall led the league in goals twice and in total points once, forming the heart of the famous 'Bread Line' with Phil Watson and Lynn Patrick. His most iconic moment came in 1940, when he scored the overtime goal that clinched the Stanley Cup for the Rangers—a championship the franchise would not win again for 54 years. Injuries eventually slowed him, but his impact was indelible, leaving a standard of toughness and offensive production that defined Rangers hockey for a generation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bryan was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bryan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Bryan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1984Died at 71
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
Key Achievements
- Scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime for the New York Rangers in 1940.
- Led the NHL in goal scoring in the 1940-41 and 1941-42 seasons.
- Won the Art Ross Trophy in 1942 as the league's leading point scorer.
- Named a First Team NHL All-Star three times (1940, 1941, 1942).
Did You Know?
He is the patriarch of a three-generation NHL family; his son Dennis and grandsons Ron and Brett all played in the league.
Hextall worked on his family's farm in Saskatchewan every offseason during his NHL career.
He served as a physical training instructor in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
His number 24 was unofficially retired by the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, where his grandson Brett played.
“You don't score fifty goals in this league by being polite; you go to the net and you shoot.”
