Frank J . Selke Francis Joseph Aloysius Selke ( May 7 , 1893 – July 3 , 1985 ) was a Canadian manager in the National Hockey League . He was a nine - time Stanley Cup champion with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens and a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee . Executive career . Early career . Born in Berlin , Ontario ( now Kitchener ) , Selke was managing the Iroquois Bantams in his hometown at the age of 14 . He coached the Berlin Union Jacks junior team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1912 – 1915 , reaching the finals of the league championship in his final season . In 1919 , he coached the University of Toronto Schools hockey team to the first Memorial Cup title . He coached the St . Mary ' s junior OHA team to its third - straight SPA junior championship in the 1924 - 25 season , with a team that included future Toronto Maple Leafs star Joe Primeau . In 1926 – 27 , the team became the Toronto Marlboros , and again won the junior SPA championship . Eventual Hall of Famer Red Horner was a star defenceman on the Toronto team . During his time with the organization , Selke also coached the Marlboros senior team . In 1927 – 28 , Selke became coach and manager of the Toronto Ravinas of the Canadian Professional Hockey League , with Primeau as the team ' s leading scorer . The team was bought by the Toronto Maple Leafs and renamed the Toronto Falcons mid - season . Late in the year , the team played some home games in Brantford , Ontario , after drawing poor crowds in Toronto . Rejoining the Marlboros in 1928 – 29 , Selke helped lead the team to the 1929 championship . Hired by the Leafs . Selke became the top assistant to Maple Leafs managing director Conn Smythe in September 1929 — a position he would hold until 1946 . He helped raise funds for the construction of Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931 . While Smythe served in World War II , Selke filled in as acting manager of the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens . He did such a good job in that role that some of the directors of the company wanted him to remain in charge after Smythe returned . Selke and Smythe clashed when Selke traded Frank Eddolls to the Montreal Canadiens for the rights to Ted Kennedy in 1943 . Kennedy would go on to become one of Smythe ' s favourite Leafs , but at the time he was a big supporter of Eddolls and was upset that he hadn ' t been consulted before Selke made the deal . Once Smythe returned to Toronto , there was tension between the two , particularly after Selke wouldn ' t back Smythe ' s bid to become president of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd . With his working conditions becoming intolerable , Selke turned in his resignation in May 1946 . Joins the Canadiens . Two months after resigning from the Leafs , Selke was hired as manager of the Montreal Forum and became general manager of the Montreal Canadiens . He took over a Montreal team that had just come off two Stanley Cup championships in the previous three seasons , but was in financial trouble . Regardless , he signed a great deal of players and created an extensive farm system . Anchored by Hall of Famers Maurice Richard , Elmer Lach , Doug Harvey and Jacques Plante , Selke won his first Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1953 . By the mid - 1950s , the farm system that Selke had established really began to put life into the Canadiens , producing additional Hall of Famers Jean Béliveau , Dickie Moore , Tom Johnson and Henri Richard . After falling to the rival Detroit Red Wings in seven games in consecutive years , 1954 and 1955 , the Canadiens won a record five consecutive Cups from 1956 - 1960 . Selke retired after the 1963 – 64 season , turning the reins over to Sam Pollock . He died in 1985 at the age of 92 in Riguad , Quebec . Honours . A nine - time Stanley Cup champion ( 1932 , 1942 , 1945 with the Maple Leafs ; 1953 , 1956 - 1960 with the Canadiens ) , Selke was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960 . A while after his retirement , in 1978 , the NHL inaugurated the Frank J . Selke Trophy that is awarded annually to the best defensive forward in the league . In the QMJHL , the Frank J . Selke Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the league ' s most gentlemanly player . Frank D . Selke Jr . . Selke ' s son , Frank Selke Jr . , was also a noted executive and Publicity Director from 1951 , 1965 . He was part of 6 Stanley Cup winning pictures 1953 - 56 - 57 - 58 - 59 - 60 . However , his name does not appear on the Stanley Cup . He was the intermission host on Montreal Canadiens broadcasts for much of the 1960s and was president of the Oakland Seals ( later known as the California Golden Seals ) . He became vice - president of the Canadian Sports Network , producers of Hockey Night in Canada .