Edward George Gerard (February 22, 1890 – August 7, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, he played professionally for 10 seasons for his hometown Ottawa Senators. He spent the first three years of his playing career as a left winger before switching to defence, retiring in 1923 due to a throat ailment. Gerard helped the Senators win the Stanley Cup three times in four years between 1920 and 1923. He won it again in 1922 as an injury replacement player with the Toronto St. Patricks, becoming the first player to win the Cup four years in a row. After his playing career he served as a coach and manager, working with the Montreal Maroons from 1925 until 1929, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926. Gerard also coached the New York Americans for two seasons between 1930 and 1932, before returning to the Maroons for two more seasons. He ended his career coaching the St. Louis Eagles in 1934, before retiring due to the same throat issue that had ended his playing career. He died from complications related to it in 1937.\n', '

Renowned as a talented athlete in multiple sports, Gerard first gained prominence as a halfback for the Ottawa Rough Riders rugby football club from 1909 to 1913, though he left the sport when he moved to hockey. Outside of hockey he worked initially for the Canadian government as a printer, before working in the Geodetic Survey, ultimately becoming chief engineering clerk. Well-renowned during his hockey-playing career, he was regarded as one of the best defenders of his era, and gained notice for being a tough player, though not considered violent or dirty. Gerard was one of the original nine players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame when it was founded in 1945. He is also an inductee of Canada\'s Sports Hall of Fame.\n', '

Gerard was born and raised in Ottawa, one of seven children (four brothers and two sisters). His father, William, was of Scottish descent. His middle name, George, was in honour of George Washington, who shares the same February 22 birthday. Gerard lived in Ottawa\'s New Edinburgh neighbourhood, and grew up with future NHL players Aurèle Joliat and the four Boucher brothers: Billy, Bobby, Frank, and Georges. (Joliat, Frank, and Georges would later be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.) Gerard was married to Lillian Mackenzie and had two daughters, Alisa and Margaret.\n', '

Return to Eddie Gerard Autograph Profile