Gord Pettinger

The Pettinger family had quite the impact on hockey in Regina and in the National Hockey League considering all four of their hockey playing sons were born in England. They did not take up the game until they settled in Saskatchewan.

Dick, Bill, Eric (popularly nicknamed "Cowboy") and Gord (dubbed "Gosh" because he liked to say it a lot) all would star on the crowded junior hockey scene in Regina. Eric and Gord would make it to the big leagues.

Gord, born in Harrogate, England, was the youngest, but, by gosh, the most successful at least in terms of NHL games played. He was a lanky center with deceiving strength. His tousled-headed hair was unmistakable to the fans in attendance.

After graduating from the Regina Pats junior squad in 1930, Gord was a regular NHL player by 1932. After a season with the New York Rangers he played parts of five more with Detroit and another three with Boston. He would win four Stanley Cups - one in New York, two in Detroit and one in Boston.

Interestingly, Gord was out of the NHL by 1940. He continued playing in the minor leagues, but considering NHL rosters were becoming decimated by military duty through out team rosters, it seems odd that a veteran like Gord was not called upon back at the NHL level.

Gord was putting up decent numbers with Hershey down in the AHL. A playmaker more than a scorer, Pettinger's NHL totals were 42 goals, 74 assists and 116 points over 292 career games.

Gord's own military duty saw him miss the entire 1942-43 season. He briefly returned but his hockey career was essentially over.