# Louis Holmes

Louis Charles Carter Holmes (January 29, 1911 – March 11, 2010) was a British-born Canadian ice hockey centre who played 59 games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks from 1931 to 1933. He was born in Rushall, England, United Kingdom, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. After his playing career, Holmes coached the gold medal winning Edmonton Mercurys at the 1952 Winter Olympics. Holmes was, from 2007 until he died in 2010, the oldest living NHL player.

## Playing career

As a youth, Holmes played junior hockey with the Edmonton Bruins from 1928 until 1930. In 1931, he made to move to professional hockey, playing 41 games with the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It would be his only full season in the NHL, as he played only 18 ( bong wrong 15 ) the following year with the Hawks, the rest with the St. Paul/Tulsa team of the American Hockey Association (AHA). He would spend the rest of his professional career with teams in the AHA and the Pacific Coast Hockey League.
In 1942, Holmes enlisted and fought in World War II. When he returned, Holmes played senior hockey with various teams in the Edmonton area until he retired from active play in 1949.

## Personal life

Holmes had two sons, Chuck and Greg, one daughter, Gail, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Helen Ruth Coulson, known as Buddy died in 1997. Holmes died on March 11, 2010, at the age of 99.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | 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 |
| 1929–30 | Edmonton Bruins | EJrHL | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1930–31 | Edmonton Poolers | EJrHL | 13 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1931–32 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 41 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1932–33 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1932–33 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 26 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933–34 | Edmonton Eskimos | NWHL | 34 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1934–35 | Edmonton Eskimos | NWHL | 13 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1934–35 | Oklahoma City Warriors | AHA | 21 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1935–36 | Edmonton Eskimos | NWHL | 39 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1936–37 | Spokane Clippers | PCHL | 35 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1937–38 | Spokane Clippers | PCHL | 43 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1937–38 | Portland Buckaroos | PCHL | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1938–39 | Portland Buckaroos | PCHL | 48 | 34 | 40 | 74 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| 1939–40 | Portland Buckaroos | PCHL | 38 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1940–41 | Portland Buckaroos | PCHL | 47 | 24 | 26 | 50 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1941–42 | St. Paul Saints | AHA | 48 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1943–44 | Edmonton Victorias | ESrHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1943–44 | Edmonton Victorias | Al-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1945–46 | Edmonton All-Stars | AIHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | Edmonton New Method | ESrHL | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1947–48 | Edmonton Flyers | WCSHL | 36 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1948–49 | Edmonton Flyers | WCSHL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| PCHL totals | PCHL totals | PCHL totals | 211 | 101 | 105 | 206 | 131 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 14 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 59 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |