Frank Finnigan Francis ' Frank ' Arthur Clarence Finnigan ( July 9 , 1900 – December 25 , 1991 ) was a Canadian professional forward who played in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) from 1923 to 1937 . During this time , he played for the Ottawa Senators , Toronto Maple Leafs , and St . Louis Eagles , and was nicknamed the " Shawville Express . " His younger brother Eddie Finnigan also played in the National Hockey League . His daughter Joan Finnigan became a published writer . Personal life . Frank Finnigan was born in 1900 in Shawville , Quebec , a town in Quebec , located northwest of Ottawa along the Ottawa River . He retained a home in Shawville after becoming a professional hockey player . Finnigan suffered a heart attack on December 18 , 1991 and he died on Christmas Day in 1991 in Shawville Hospital . . The ' Bring Back The Senators ' campaign . When the NHL planned to expand in 1989 , the consortium to obtain a franchise for Ottawa signed Finnigan to be part of the ' Bring Back The Senators ' campaign team . Finnigan along with his son Frank Jr . , made public appearances on behalf of the campaign . Finnigan was also part of the presentation team to the NHL expansion committee in December 1990 . The group was successful and the new Ottawa Senators team began play in the 1992 – 93 NHL season . Unfortunately , Mr . Finnigan died before the new team would play its first game in 1992 , for which he was scheduled to drop the puck for the ceremonial face - off . Instead , on opening night the honour went to his son , Frank Jr . to drop the puck . On that night , the team honoured him by retiring the # 8 jersey , making him one of three players in NHL history to have his uniform retired by a team for which he never actually played . The street in front of the main entrance to the Ottawa Senators ' arena - Scotiabank Place is named Frank Finnigan Way in his honour . There is also a restaurant inside Scotiabank Place named ' Frank Finnigan ' s ' . A banner honouring his retired number hangs from the rafters also . At the time of his death , Finnigan was the last surviving member of the Senators Stanley Cup - winning team from the 1926 – 1927 season , the final season of the 1919 – 27 Ottawa Senators dynasty and one of only a handful of players still alive from the NHL Senators days . He was also the oldest living NHL player and was scheduled to appear at various NHL functions . Playing career . Finnigan learned at an early age that there was money to be made in hockey . He received his first fee for playing hockey when he was 13 , playing for Quyon against Fitzroy Harbour , for which he received $ 10 . Finnigan first played senior - level hockey for the University of Ottawa in the Ottawa City Senior League ( OCSL ) in nearby Ottawa in 1921 – 22 . According to Finnigan , he was paid to play for the University and did not have to submit any assignments . As he had to take the train from Shawville to Ottawa , he picked up the nickname of " Shawville Express . " He played two more seasons for teams in the OCSL , with the University and the Ottawa Montagnards before joining the Ottawa Senators in the 1923 – 24 season . Finnigan was an integral member of the 1927 Stanley Cup champion Senators team , playing on a line with Hec Kilrea and Frank Nighbor . He later served as the Senators captain from 1930 – 1933 , and scored a high of 21 goals in the 1929 – 30 season . When the Senators suspended operations for the 1931 – 32 NHL season , Finnigan played for the Toronto Maple Leafs , winning the Stanley Cup for a second time , returning to the Senators the following season . Finnigan scored the final Senators goal in the final season that the NHL Senators played in Ottawa . He scored an unassisted goal at the 1 minute , 7 second mark of the second period on March 15 , 1934 . The following season , he moved with the other Senators players to play for the transferred franchise in St . Louis , Missouri known as the St . Louis Eagles in the 1934 - 35 season . He was sold by the Eagles to the Maple Leafs before the season ' s end in February 1935 and he finished his career with several seasons with the Maple Leafs as a " defensive specialist . " In 1937 , Finnigan retired from the NHL . He returned to Ottawa and played ice hockey for various amateur teams , including the Ottawa RCAF Flyers while he was in the Air Force . NHL Statistics . Regular Season This was the NHL ' s first all - star game , held as a benefit for Toronto player Ace Bailey . The first official NHL All - Star Game was held in 1947 .