Player Inductees

Biography

One of the slickest players of his era, center Cooney Weiland tormented opposing defenses with his trickery. A magician with the puck, he helped the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 1929 as a member of the famous Dynamite Line with Dit Clapper and Dutch Gainor. And his offensive totals might have been even greater than they were had Weiland not also been such an adept penalty killer.

While learning the ropes as an NHL rookie with the Bruins in 1928-29, Weiland scored a respectable 11 goals in the regular season and contributed to the first Stanley Cup win in franchise history. The next year the league relaxed its forward-passing rules, and the changes were tailor-made for the Dynamite trio. Weiland registered an astounding 43 goals in 44 games, while linemate Dit Clapper scored 41 more. Not only did Weiland lead the league in goal- scoring, he also won the points title with 73, shattering Howie Morenz's single-season record of 51 points.

The Bruins dominated the NHL with a record of 38-5-1, including a streak of 14 consecutive regular-season victories that wasn't bettered until the New York Islanders strung together 15 wins in 1982. But their bid to repeat as Cup champs was blocked by the surprising Montreal Canadiens, who swept the best-of-three finals. During this time, many of Weiland's off-ice duties went unpublicized. He was, for instance, Art Ross's traveling secretary on road trips.

The Dynamite Line was broken up in 1932 when Weiland was traded to the Ottawa Senators because of conflicts with Ross. He led Ottawa in scoring, but the once proud franchise was decimated by the Great Depression and owner Frank Ahearn was forced to sell Weiland to the Detroit Red Wings. There he worked with talented wingers Larry Aurie and Herbie Lewis and put up the best numbers of his career since his glory days in Boston.

Their differences apparently resolved, Ross reacquired Weiland in June 1935. He played his last four NHL seasons with the Bruins and was often teamed with Dit Clapper and Charlie Sands. After the Kraut Line rose to prominence in Beantown, Weiland became a utility forward who often played with Ray Getliffe and Mel Hill.

Weiland retired in 1939 after contributing to a second Stanley Cup championship and immediately took over the team's coaching reins. He guided the club to another Cup in 1941.

Weiland was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971 and his contribution to hockey in the United States was recognized the following year when he was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy.