Gordon Arthur "Gordie" Drillon (October 23, 1913 - September 22, 1986) was a Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame ice hockey player. Born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, between 1936 and 1942 he was part of one of hockey's most prolific scoring lines as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Drillon played only seven seasons in the NHL, six with Toronto and one with the Montreal Canadiens. A left-winger noted for his deadly accurate shot, he created a specific style that made him a leading scorer. Strong enough not to be easily pushed aside by the opposition's defensemen, Drillon was able to park himself in front of the net and redirect shots past the goalie or pick up shot rebounds. His concept would earn him a league scoring championship and would be copied with great success by future stars such as Phil Esposito.
Traded to the Montreal Canadiens for the 1942-43 season he finished second in goal scoring on his team. At season's end, Drillon cut short his brilliant hockey career and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving for the remainder of World War II. After the war, he worked as a hockey coach and returned to his native New Brunswick where he was employed as a scout for the Maple Leafs, covering the Maritime provinces. He eventually accepted a job with the New Brunswick civil service. In 1975, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Gordie Drillon passed away in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1986 and was interred there in the Ocean View Memorial Gardens cemetery.
Awards
External link
