Clare Martin

There have only been three players in NHL history who have gone by the first name of Clare, which is short for Clarence.

Interestingly, two the Clares played defense together on two different teams. They were even traded together in a block buster trade.

Clare Drouillard played briefly with Detroit in the 1930s. Clare Martin and Clare Raglan would play the Red Wings in the early 1950s. On August 20th, 1951 the hapless Black Hawks orchestrated a trade for no fewer than six Detroit extra players for the exorbitant sum - at least at that time - of $75,000. The Hawks received George Gee, Jimmy Peters, Sr., Max McNab and Jim McFadden, plus the two Clares.

Clare Martin did not finish the season in Chicago, as he was traded to the New York Rangers for an undisclosed sum of money. It proved to be his final stop in a five year, 237 game NHL career.

It was a career full of success. He may have arrived in the NHL earlier had he not served in the Canadian Army in World War II. As it was he debuted with the Boston Bruins in 1941-42 and did not return until late in the 1946-47 season, scoring three goals in six games and participating in the playoffs.

Martin was a regular member of the Bruins in 1947-48 but found himself back in the minor leagues the following year. In the summer of 1949 he was included with Pete Babando, Lloyd Durham and Jimmy Peters, Sr in a trade to Detroit for Bill Quackenbush and Pete Horacek.

Martin would step into Detroit's line up immediately. The highlight of Martin's two seasons with the Red Wings was winning the Stanley Cup in 1950, playing in 10 of 14 playoff contests.

After Martin's split season in Chicago and New York, he left the pro game. But more success on the ice was to follow. He became captain of the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen senior hockey team, winning the Allan Cup as Canada's amateur champions in 1953 and 1955.

With the win in 1955 the Dutchmen represented Canada at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Italy. However Martin was not eligible to play because of his background as a professional.

Clare Martin would become a district sales manager with Molson Breweries. He passed away from cancer in 1980. He was just 58 years old.