• OHL Alumni Classics: Art Stratton

  Filed under Ontario Hockey League
  Oct 10
  

  

  Picture courtesy of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

  Art Stratton is not yet an honoured member of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame. Considering members only began being inducted in 2006, the AHL can be excused. It won’t be long before Stratton is elected in. He is currently a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

  Art played one season in the OHA, 1955-56, with the St. Catherines TeePees (predecessor to the current Saginaw Spirit). The TeePees finished first in the OHA that season but did not fare well in the playoffs. Stratton scored 37 and added 42 assists for 79 points in 48 games. The 79 points were good for second on the team, four points behind Ab McDonald.

  Art played 95 NHL games over his professional hockey career. Before the 1967 NHL expansion, Stratton was used very sparingly by the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. In the first year of the expansion era, Art played the bulk of his NHL career with 58 games in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey and 12 with the Philadelphia Flyers. Stratton put up decent numbers that season with 41 points in 70 games but would never play an NHL game again in his career.

  Twice, Art was awarded the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s MVP. His first time came in 1964-65 as a member of the Buffalo Bisons. He not only led the Bisons in total points that season but the whole league which put the Sollenberger Trophy on his mantle, as well. The second time he won the Cunningham was 1973-74 with the Rochester Americans. He was the Americans team leader in points (95) and he also was the league leader in assists (71).

  Last appearing in the AHL during the 1974-75 season has done nothing to erase Art Stratton’s name from the league’s record books. He still sits 16th in career points with 766 and fifth in career assists with 555. On March 17, 1963 against Pittsburgh, Art had a nine point night for the most points in a single AHL game. This feat still stands and may stand for a long time to come. All nine points were assists which is, of course, also a record for most assists in a game. Stratton was the league leader in assists on four different occasions which stands as an AHL record, as well. He has been an AHL all-star on four occasions and was a member of the 1962-63 Buffalo Bisons Calder Cup winning team after a four games to three victory over the Hershey Bears.

  For two seasons, 1965-66 and 1966-67, Art played for the St. Louis Braves of the old Central Professional Hockey League. With point tallies of 94 and 90 points, he was the league’s scoring champion each season. Stratton was also the league’s Most Valuable Player and an All-Star both years with St. Louis.

  Eight times during his pro career, Art was his team’s leading point-getter. This includes his final season when he played for the Hampton Gulls of the Southern Hockey League at 41 years of age.

  Art had a short lived coaching career with the Syracuse Eagles of the AHL during the 1974-75 season. He was replaced mid-season after a dismal record and finished out the season playing for the Richmond Robins of the AHL.
  Tagged as: art stratton, les cunningham award, Ontario Hockey League, sollenberger trophy, st. catherines teepees
  
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