Brian Glennie
Encyclopedia
Brian "Blunt" Glennie (born 29 August 1946 in Toronto, Ontario
) is a retired professional ice hockey
defenceman who played in the NHL
from 1969 until 1979. Glennie was a master of the hip-check
.
of the Ontario Hockey Association
, eventually captaining
the team to the 1967 Memorial Cup
. As a PeeWee he was coached by future Toronto Maple Leafs coach Roger Neilson
.
After junior Glennie joined the Canadian National Team program run by Father David Bauer
for the 1967-68 season. He was a member of the Canadian team in the 1968 Olympics
which won the Bronze medal. This tournament was also representative of the IIHF
World Championship.
, scoring 14 goals and 100 assists for 114 points. Glennie, a defensive, hard-hitting defenseman was often paired with the offensively-skilled defensemen on the Leafs, such as Tim Horton
, Börje Salming
and more frequently former Marlboro team-mate Jim McKenny
. Glennie has described his playing style as "a standup guy who would take the guy out" and his partner would then "get the puck and start something happening." The Hockey News
ranked Glennie #6 on their list of the best all-time body checkers.
He was a member of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. While he did not have the opportunity to play against the Soviet Union, Brian played in two of the games against Sweden and Czechoslovakia. He counted the experience among the greatest of his life.
Bronze medal 1968 Winter Olympics
Inducted Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
in 2005.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) is a retired professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman who played in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
from 1969 until 1979. Glennie was a master of the hip-check
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
.
Amateur career
Glennie had an outstanding junior career with the Toronto MarlborosToronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association and Ontario Hockey League from 1904 to 1989...
of the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
, eventually captaining
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
the team to the 1967 Memorial Cup
1967 Memorial Cup
The 1967 Memorial Cup final was the 49th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Port Arthur Marrs of...
. As a PeeWee he was coached by future Toronto Maple Leafs coach Roger Neilson
Roger Neilson
Roger Paul Neilson, CM was a National Hockey League coach, and was responsible for many innovations in the game...
.
After junior Glennie joined the Canadian National Team program run by Father David Bauer
Father David Bauer
David William Bauer, OC, CSB , a native of the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario, was an ice hockey player, builder, and hockey pioneer who was ordained as a Catholic priest in the Congregation of St. Basil at the age of 29.-Hockey career:Bauer was the younger brother of hockey player Bobby Bauer...
for the 1967-68 season. He was a member of the Canadian team in the 1968 Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1968 Winter Olympics
At the 1968 Winter Olympics held in Grenoble, France, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. This tournament also counted as IIHF World Championship and IIHF European Championship...
which won the Bronze medal. This tournament was also representative of the IIHF
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
World Championship.
Pro career
As a pro Glennie went on to play 572 career NHL games, all but 18 with the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, scoring 14 goals and 100 assists for 114 points. Glennie, a defensive, hard-hitting defenseman was often paired with the offensively-skilled defensemen on the Leafs, such as Tim Horton
Tim Horton
Myles Gilbert "Tim" Horton was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in 24 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. He was also a businessman and a co-founder of Tim Hortons. He died in an...
, Börje Salming
Börje Salming
Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving...
and more frequently former Marlboro team-mate Jim McKenny
Jim McKenny
James Claude "Howie" McKenny is a retired NHL defenceman and a sports reporter for the Citytv television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He played 604 games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota North Stars. His nickname 'Howie' came from his resemblance to Howie Young...
. Glennie has described his playing style as "a standup guy who would take the guy out" and his partner would then "get the puck and start something happening." The Hockey News
The Hockey News
The Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
ranked Glennie #6 on their list of the best all-time body checkers.
He was a member of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. While he did not have the opportunity to play against the Soviet Union, Brian played in two of the games against Sweden and Czechoslovakia. He counted the experience among the greatest of his life.
Honours and awards
1967 Memorial Cup (captain)Bronze medal 1968 Winter Olympics
Inducted Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 2005.
External links
- Complete Stats Pro and Junior