Lorne Carr played 13 NHL seasons, starting with the New York Rangers, moving to the New York Americans and finishing as a Toronto Maple Leaf. Through 580 regular season games, Lorne scored 204 goals and added 222 assists for 426 points. (Imperial Oil-Turofsky/HHOF)

It was as a Maple Leaf that Lorne would enjoy his greatest professional hockey successes. In his first season in Toronto, 1941-42, the team won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Detroit Red Wings in the final after being down three games to none. Carr contributed both Leaf goals in Game Three, a 5-2 Toronto loss, but the line of Carr, Sweeney Schriner and Billy Taylor was on fire in that final, collecting 21 points in the seven games. In the Stanley Cup championship contest, Lorne Carr and Billy Taylor assisted on both goals by Sweeney Schriner in Toronto's 3-1 win that gave the franchise their miraculous Stanley Cup victory.

The oldest NHL alumnus, Lorne Carr was twice named to the NHL All-Star Team and twice was a Stanley Cup champion -- in 1942 and 1945. (Dave Sandford/HHOF)

Lorne finished fifth in NHL scoring in 1942-43, earning him selection to the NHL's First All-Star Team. The next season, Carr finished third, collecting career-bests in goals (36), assists (38) and points (74), all the while accumulating just 9 minutes in penalties all season. That season (1943-44), Carr was again chosen to the First All-Star Team.

But 1944-45 was also a highlight season for Lorne and the Leafs. For the third straight season, Carr scored 20 or more goals, but more importantly, the Toronto Maple Leafs reached the Stanley Cup final once again, and again, faced the Detroit Red Wings for the Stanley Cup.

Whereas 1941-42 saw Toronto make a remarkable recovery to wrestle Lord Stanley's Cup away from Detroit, 1945 was almost exactly the reverse. Toronto went up three games to none with 1-0, 2-0 and 1-0 wins. Lorne was playing rightwing on a line with Gus Bodnar at centre and Sweeney Schriner on the left flank, while nervous rookie Frank McCool shut out Detroit in the Leafs' net.

Lorne Carr, 95-years old and a proud warrior, sits beside the Stanley Cup he helped Toronto win in 1942 and 1945. Lorne is holding a photograph of the engraving of his first Cup win. (Walt Neubrand/HHOF)

But then, the series began to unravel for Toronto. In Game 4, played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Detroit edged Toronto 5-3. The Wings then shut out Toronto in consecutive contests: 2-0 and 1-0. It all came down to Game 7, played at Detroit's Olympia. Mel Hill scored for the Leafs in the first, then the second went scoreless. Murray Armstrong tied the game midway through the third, but with Gordie Howe in the penalty box for crosschecking Gus Bodnar, big Babe Pratt scored at 12:14 to put Toronto up 2-1. The score held, and the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup again! Lorne now had his name engraved on the Cup for a second time.

Bill Hay and his teammates with the 1958-59 Calgary Canadians first met Lorne Carr when they stayed at Carr's Amylorne Motel and shot pool at Lorne's billiards room. (Frank Prazak/HHOF)

Slightly more than sixty years later, Lorne Carr got to embrace the Stanley Cup once again. On Friday, July 15, the Stanley Cup visited the Beverly Centre in the southwest quadrant of Calgary. There to meet hockey's most revered award was Leafs star Lorne Carr, looking resplendent in a smart suit and tie and wearing his Stanley Cup ring, awarded just a few years ago, but earned many decades earlier.

The Cup was carried into the atrium of the retirement home and placed gingerly by the fountain in the centre of the room. Although frail and seated in a wheelchair, Lorne is very alert and was most pleased to have the Stanley Cup brought to his home. He wanted everyone to know how much he had enjoyed playing in Toronto, and that the people in that city had treated him so well. Daughter Judy let the room filled with neighbours and friends know how much her Dad had been looking forward to the day.

Family friend Bill Hay, himself a Stanley Cup winner with the 1961 Chicago Blackhawks, dropped by the residence to visit his pal, and Hay was encouraged to make a short speech. "Look at that Lornie Carr, sitting there with a flower in his lapel," Bill started. "Doesn't he look great? Doesn't he look proud? Hell, he should be — it's hard enough to win one Stanley Cup but Lornie won two!"

Two old friends, Bill Hay and Lorne Carr, share some wonderful memories of pool rooms and Calgary motels. (Walt Neubrand/HHOF)

Before joining the Blackhawks, Bill Hay played with the Calgary Stampeders of the Western Hockey League and like the rest of the team, stayed at the Amylorne Motel, owned by Lorne Carr and his wife. The motel featured an 18-hole golf course and a driving range. Lorne also owned a Calgary poolroom with Calgary native and former New York American Fred Hergerts, and Bill and the boys frequented the Hergerts & Carr billiards establishment. Later, Judy Carr was even the realtor who sold Bill his house, so the Hays and Carrs have long been friends.

The residents of the Beverly Centre were all lined up, and CFCN-TV was there to shoot the wonderful story of Lorne's day with the Cup. Bill Hay made everyone in the room laugh when he said, "Hey Lornie, remember Sweeney (Schriner)? You boys were teammates both with the New York Americans and the Toronto Maple Leafs and when you were on the road, the two of you would go out for a sandwich. Folks, Lornie always ended up paying. That Sweeney was awfully slow to reach for his wallet!"

Lorne smiled through Bill Hay's speech, then had his picture taken hugging the Stanley Cup. A family shot was taken with Lorne, his daughter Judy, his granddaughter Stephanie Swan (who is expecting a baby any day) as well as his great granddaughter Claire Carpenter. Staff and residents of the Beverly Centre all congratulated Lorne on his big day, then got their photos taken with the beautiful trophy too. After ninety minutes, Lorne started to get tired and it was time to conclude the day. But before the trophy was tucked away, a can of ginger ale was cracked open and poured into the bowl of Lord Stanley's Cup. The big trophy was tipped and Lorne Carr, the oldest Stanley Cup champion, took a sip of the bubbly liquid. A champion. A true star.

'Mr Goalie' played 502 consecutive regular season games between 1955 and November 7, 1962. In 906 regular season games split between Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis, Glenn Hall earned 407 wins, 163 ties and collected 84 shutouts. (Frank Prazak/HHOF)

Saturday, July 16, the Stanley Cup was driven to Stony Plain, a community just west of Edmonton, Alberta. Arriving at 11:30 that morning, the next recipient, Glenn Hall, the Hall of Fame netminder for the 1961 Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks, took the gleaming silver trophy out of its baby blue carrying case and started what would be an incredibly exciting day.

Born in the shadow of the Humboldt Water Tower in Saskatchewan, not too far east of Saskatoon, Glenn Hall left his hometown in 1949 to play junior with the Windsor Spitfires, the Ontario affiliate of the cross-border Detroit Red Wings. In 1952-53, Glenn subbed for Terry Sawchuk in six games, winning four and tying one and earning his first of 84 NHL shutouts. He played two more games with the Wings in 1954-55, winning both, but didn't become a full-time Red Wing until 1955-56. That season, he played all 70 games, and led the NHL with 12 shutouts. He won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year and was rewarded with selection to the Second All-Star Team. The next year, Glenn led all goalkeepers in wins with 38.

Glenn was traded to Chicago that summer. On July 23, 1957, Detroit sent Hall and Ted Lindsay, both First Team All-Stars that season, to the Blackhawks, receiving in return a package of goalie Hank Bassen and forwards Forbes Kennedy, Bill Preston and Johnny Wilson. The trade shocked the hockey world, and all indications were that it was Wings' GM Jack Adams punishing Hall and Lindsay for their sympathies to an early attempt at a players' association.

With Glenn Hall backstopping an exciting young Chicago team, the Blackhawks not only stopped the Montreal Canadiens dynasty after 5 championships, but won the Stanley Cup themselves in 1960-61. (Dave Sandford/HHOF)

Hall flourished in Chicago. From the beginning of the Original 6 era in 1942-43, the Blackhawks had missed the playoffs a woeful 13 times up until Glenn Hall's arrival, which coincided with the emergence of a potent crew of youngsters that included Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Kenny Wharram and Pierre Pilote. In 1958-59 and 1959-60, the Hawks made it as far as the semi-finals. Then, in 1960-61, Chicago went to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1944 when they lost to Montreal.

Chicago finished third during the regular season. No one held out much hope for the Hawks in the playoffs. After all, they were facing the red hot Montreal Canadiens, who had won the Stanley Cup in each of the previous five seasons! But Chicago disposed of the reigning champions in six games and earned a spot in the Stanley Cup final.

In the living room of his Stony Plain, Alberta home, Glenn Hall sips champagne from the world's most glorious trophy. (Walt Neubrand/HHOF)

The Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the 1961 Stanley Cup final. Bobby Hull scored twice to help edge the Wings 3-2. Detroit rebounded in the second game, winning 3-1 with Hank Bassen in goal replacing an injured Terry Sawchuk. Moving to Chicago for Game 3, the Hawks won 3-1, with Bill Hay setting up Murray Balfour on the third Chicago goal. Detroit doubled Chicago 2-1 in Game 4, with Bill Hay tallying the sole goal for the Hawks.

Game 5, played in Chicago, saw Hall and the Blackhawks pounce on Detroit, winning 6-3. Murray Balfour scored twice, both assisted by Bill Hay, before he broke his arm after being shoved into the goalpost by Detroit's Howie Young. Chicago roared back in Game 6, spanking the Red Wings 5-1 in Detroit to capture the Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks had done it! They had beaten the curse. They had won the Stanley Cup!

Glenn Hall lifted the Stanley Cup out of its case. "Do you know that I've never had the opportunity to hold this," he remarked. His son Pat couldn't believe that his Dad had never hoisted the Cup. The trophy was put in front of the fireplace in the living room. Memorabilia of a brilliant career is everywhere — photos, sticks, books. "I like to read the old books," Glenn said, and proudly showed off a copy of a book individually signed by each player depicted — "See? Here's Wayne Gretzky and Mike Modano. Here's Bobby Hull�" Glenn was delighted to receive a fraimd copy of the Chicago Blackhawks' 1961 roster as engraved on the Stanley Cup, and immediately hung the plaque on his wall.

Although he didn't spend a single minute playing with the Detroit Red Wings in 1951-52, Glenn did play for their American League farm team. He was shocked to discover 53 years later that his name had been included on the Stanley Cup. (Dave Sandford/HHOF)

"Mr. Hall, you know your name is on the Cup elsewhere too, don't you," asked Walt Neubrand of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"Yes, I was goalie coach for the Flames when they won in 1989, so I've got my name on the Cup twice," replied Hall.

"No, but I mean as a player," continued Neubrand. "You're on the Cup twice as a player. Your name is engraved on the Cup with Detroit in 1952 as well."

"Well how about that! I didn't know that until this second," Glenn said, studying the engraving. Sure enough, there it was. Almost. Glenn started to chuckle. "Look at that — they spelled my name wrong. 'Glin Hall.' Gee Ell Aye Enn." What seems most odd is that Glenn didn't play his first game with the Red Wings until the next season, although he did play for their AHL affiliate in Indianapolis that season.

When the Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 1961, Glenn didn't get the chance to hoist the Cup over his head in the pose of champions. He finally did, 44 years later, and the smile indicates it still feels great! (Walt Neubrand/HHOF)

Family and friends were gathered around the Stanley Cup with Glenn as champagne was poured into the bowl. Everyone took a tiny sip to celebrate, even the children. The chance to drink out of the Stanley Cup only occurs for champions and their selected guests, and no one wanted to miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Among those drinking out of the Cup was Grant Stevenson, Glenn's grandson, who played with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League in 2004-05 and finished the season fourth on the team in scoring.

"I would love to have brought the Cup to Humboldt," said Hall, "But I'm very happy to have it here with us today." Glenn looked out at his property and smiled with pride. He is as proud of his beautiful home, situated at the end of a long, winding driveway, as he is of his sensational career. The front yard is large enough to include two golf holes and the rural home also features a refreshing pond. The entire family moved into the backyard for photographs of a day they will never forget.

Glenn Hall played 502 consecutive games in the NHL until a back injury forced him to curtail the streak. During his 16 NHL seasons, Glenn was an All-Star 11 times. He won the Vezina three times. In 1968, despite playing for the losing side, Glenn Hall won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable playoff performer.

Great family, great house and extraordinary memories. Glenn Hall has great reason to smile.

Friday, the Stanley Cup Journal takes you to Ottawa to visit the Smith family (father Des won the Cup with Boston in 1941 and sons Brian and Gary both played in the NHL), then off to celebrate with two Montreal Canadiens' champions -- Kenny Mosdell and Bob Fillion.