Those Were The Days

Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province takes a surprising turn from his usual work, and catches up with Clint Smith, the oldest living member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He uses a walker now and if you stood him still for a measurement there's no way Clint Smith would stand over five feet.

He's 92 and the sleek physique that allowed him to be the third-youngest player in history to turn pro in 1932 at age 16 has felt the ticking of the clock. But his mind and sense of humour are still very much on top of their game.

Memories? He could write a few books and probably should, particularly about playing in the second-largest arena in the country in the '30s, the old Denman Street one where he donned the colours of the Vancouver Lions for three seasons after signing with the New York Rangers.

Smith tells a great of the NHL-first that he accomplished: He was the first player to score into an empty net. Full Story

Over at NHL.com Doug Ward continues their Unforgettable series with a look back at Flyers goalie Ron Hextall:

The record books tell us history was made the night of Dec. 8, 1987, but Ron Hextall says it was really more a matter of destiny. Sooner or later, Hextall says, he was bound to make his way into hockey folklore by becoming the first goalie in NHL history to actually score a goal.

Full Story including his comments on his sometimes over-the-top competitiveness.

On a slightly belated note, Earl McRae of the Ottawa Sun has an interview with 89 year old Roy Giesebrecht, a center with the Detroit Red Wings from 1939-1942 who was forced to retired due to injuries suffered in WWII.