# Johnny Gottselig

Johannes “Johnny” Gottselig (Russian: Иван Гоцелиг) (June 24, 1905 – May 15, 1986) was a professional ice hockey left winger who played 16 seasons for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1928 and 1945. He was the second player born in the Russian Empire to play in the NHL. Emil Iverson was the first European-born Chicago Blackhawks head coach in 1932 (Copenhagen, Denmark) and John became the second approximately 13 years later.
He was the second European-born captain of a cup-winning team in the league's history (Scotland-born Charlie Gardiner was the first in 1934). He won two Stanley Cups in his playing career: in 1934, and 1938 (as captain). He was also with Chicago in 1961, as Director of Public Relations, when the Black Hawks won their third Stanley Cup. Gottselig was included on the team, but his name was not engraved onto the Stanley Cup.

## Background

Gottselig was born along the banks of Dnieper River in a tiny German Catholic village of Klosterdorf in the Swedish district in the Kherson Governorate of the Russian Empire and emigrated to Canada the same year. He grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. In later years, he would say he was from the better-known city of Odessa which was the largest centre in the general vicinity of his birthplace. His parents were Albert Gottselig and Margarethe Weber.

## Career

He played junior hockey with the Regina Pats before joining Chicago. Gottselig's entire NHL career was with Chicago, playing 589 career NHL games, scoring 176 goals and 195 assists for 371 points. After his hockey playing career was finished, he became the team's head coach. After coaching, he stayed on as the team's Director of Public Relations.
Gottselig also served for several years as a manager of women's baseball teams in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. He guided the Racine Belles in 1943–1944, the Peoria Redwings in 1947 and the Kenosha Comets in 1949–1950. He later became an executive with the Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company.

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1923–24 | Regina Pats | S-SJHL | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1924–25 | Regina Pats | S-SJHL | 5 | 18 | 2 | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1924–25 | Regina Victorias | S-SSHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1925–26 | Regina Victorias | S-SSHL | 16 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1926–27 | Regina Capitals | PrHL | 32 | 23 | 7 | 30 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1927–28 | Winnipeg Maroons | AHA | 39 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1928–29 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 44 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1929–30 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 39 | 21 | 4 | 25 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1930–31 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 42 | 20 | 12 | 32 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1931–32 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 44 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1932–33 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 41 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1933–34 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 48 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| 1934–35 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 48 | 19 | 18 | 37 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1935–36 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 40 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1936–37 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 47 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1937–38 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 48 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| 1938–39 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 48 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1939–40 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 39 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1940–41 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1940–41 | Kansas City Americans | AHA | 13 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 1941–42 | Kansas City Americans | AHA | 40 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| 1942–43 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1943–44 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 45 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1944–45 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 589 | 176 | 195 | 371 | 203 | 43 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 18 |
| AHA totals | AHA totals | AHA totals | 92 | 49 | 45 | 94 | 48 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 |

## NHL coaching record

| Team | Year | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Postseason |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1944–45 | 49 | 13 | 29 | 7 | 33 | 5th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1945–46 | 50 | 23 | 20 | 7 | 53 | 3rd in NHL | Lost in semi-finals (0-4 vs. MTL) |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1946–47 | 60 | 19 | 37 | 4 | 42 | 6th in NHL | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 1947–48 | 28 | 7 | 19 | 2 | 16 | (fired) | — |
| NHL Total | NHL Total | 187 | 62 | 105 | 20 | 144 | | 0-4 (.000) |

## AAGPBL Managerial record

| Team | Year | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason |
| Team | Year | Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result |
| Racine Belles | 1943 | 54 | 30 | 24 | .556 | 1st in AAGPBL | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Won AAGPBL championship (3-0 vs. KEN) |
| Racine Belles | 1943 | 54 | 29 | 25 | .537 | 3rd in AAGPBL | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | Won AAGPBL championship (3-0 vs. KEN) |
| Racine Belles | 1944 | 60 | 28 | 32 | .467 | 4th in AAGPBL | – | – | – | – |
| Racine Belles | 1944 | 57 | 25 | 32 | .439 | 5th in AAGPBL | – | – | – | – |
| Racine total | Racine total | 225 | 112 | 113 | .498 | 1 league title | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 championship |
| Peoria Redwings | 1947 | 111 | 54 | 57 | .486 | 5th in AAGPBL | – | – | – | – |
| Peoria total | Peoria total | 111 | 54 | 57 | .486 | – | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Kenosha Comets | 1949 | 113 | 58 | 55 | .513 | 4th in AAGPBL | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost in AAGPBL quarter-finals (1-3 vs. MUS) |
| Kenosha Comets | 1950 | 109 | 63 | 46 | .578 | 3rd in AAGPBL | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost in AAGPBL semi-finals (1-3 vs. RFD) |
| Kenosha Comets | 1951 | 107 | 36 | 71 | .336 | 6th in AAGPBL | – | – | – | – |
| Kenosha total | Kenosha total | 329 | 157 | 172 | .477 | – | 2 | 6 | .250 | – |
| Total | Total | 665 | 323 | 342 | .486 | 1 league title | 5 | 6 | .455 | 1 championship |