This is Gerry Odrowski. At 22 years old he was a regular on the blueline with the Detroit Red Wings and stayed in the lineup for two full seasons before falling back to the minors (that happened to lots of players in the original 6).After 138 games with the Wings 60-62, he spent several years in the minors before landing another big league job with the expansion Oakland Seals in the fall of 1967. By all accounts I've read, he was one of the more successful penalty killers (while playing forward) for the Seals and he once again last two years (and 116 games) in the big leagues.
By the fall of 1969 he was back in the minors and this time, over 30, there was a real chance he wouldn't make it back to the NHL.
But he did. Odrowski played for St. Louis in 1971-72 after starting the season in the minors.
In the summer of 1972 he signed with the new WHA and spent 4 years on the blueline for various teams (LA Sharks, Phoenix Roadrunners, Winnipeg Jets and then Minnesota Fighting Saints).
One time when playing for the Seals in New York, Odrowski suffered a fairly severe injury. He was taken from Madison Square Garden to the nearest hospital for observation. And there he stayed.
The Seals forgot to send for him.
Thanks for the memories of my one-time beloved Winnipeg Jets LT, always loved the look of those jerseys. Especially the one Teemu wore in his first season.
ReplyDeleteJesus that looks like Honus Wagner all over again.
ReplyDeleteBetween this guy and MacLeish's brother, LT, you're compiling a compilation of the ugliest hockey players of all time. Or at least the 70s.
Funny story though.
When I read the quote..."At 22 he was...." I was shocked because I originally thought you meant he was 22 in that picture. ha ha....it's been a long day.
ReplyDeleteBlack Dog your an ASSHOLE. This man had cancer while in his younger life.
ReplyDeleteHe can't look any worse than you because you look like A FUCKING TROLL.