Bobby Dawes, who was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on November 29th, 1924, played both defense and centre during his lengthy hockey career. Dawes played his first year of professional hockey in the American Hockey League then made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1946-47 season.
Dawes played one game that year then after spending the next season entirely in the minors returned to the Maple Leafs for five more games in the 1948-49 campaign. Dawes played 11 games with Toronto the following year and was able to score a goal and three points. That would be the end of his time with the Maple Leafs organization, but Dawes did have one more NHL opportunity and that came in 1951 with the Montreal Canadiens.
Dawes played 15 games with Les Habitants after they acquired him and he enjoyed his most productive run putting up five points in that time. Though this signaled the end of his NHL career Dawes would play 14 more seasons of hockey in the minors and the Senior loop.
After a year in minor pro Bobby Dawes missed the entire 1952-53 campaign due to injury and when he returned to the game the next year, he did so as a coach, stepping behind the bench of the Galt Black Hawks. His coaching stint didn't last long and he was soon back on the ice. Dawes bounced between Senior clubs and minor pro organizations with his longest run coming with the Johnstown Jets. In 1962, after four seasons with the Jets, Dawes left pro hockey for good and returned to Saskatchewan and played three years of Senior hockey then retired to once again serve as a coach.
Dawes coached the Yorkton Terrier of the Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League, the last team he played for, but after one year behind the bench elected to return to the ice for a final campaign.
Dawes last season came in 1966-67 and after producing 13 points in 16 games he retired for good.
