Eddie Shore Edward William " Eddie " Shore ( November 25 , 1902 – March 16 , 1985 ) was defenceman in the National Hockey League , principally for the Boston Bruins , and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League , iconic for his toughness and defensive skill . Named to the NHL All Star team for eight of the first nine seasons the league named such teams , Shore is the only NHL defenceman to win the Hart Trophy as the league ' s most valuable player four times . Only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe have won the Hart Trophy more times than Shore . A bruiser known for violence , Shore set a then - NHL record for 165 penalty minutes in his second season . Playing career . Born in Fort Qu ' Appelle , Saskatchewan , Shore played with the Regina Capitals of the Western Canada Hockey League in 1925 . His team finished last in the league and folded at the end of the season . Shore moved to the league champion Edmonton Eskimos in 1926 , where he converted from Forward to defence . When the Western Hockey League ( renamed from the WCHL ) folded in 1926 , Shore was sold to the Boston Bruins of the NHL . As a rookie , he scored twelve goals and six assists for a total of 18 points and accumulated 130 penalty minutes . Shore helped the Bruins win their first Stanley Cup in 1929 . In the 1925 – 26 season , Billy Coutu and Sprague Cleghorn of the Montreal Canadiens were traded to the Boston Bruins . During their first practice with the Bruins , Shore strutted back and forth in front of Coutu and Cleghorn . Coutu body - slammed Shore , head - butted , elbowed , and tried to torment Shore . Coutu picked up the puck and made a rush at Shore . The two players collided . Shore held his ground and Coutu flew through the air violently crashing to the ice . Shore ' s ear was almost ripped off but he barely noticed it . Coutu was out cold and was out of commission for a week . Shore visited several doctors who wanted to amputate the ear , but found one who sewed it back on . After refusing Anesthesia , Shore used a mirror to watch the doctor sew the ear on . Shore claimed Coutu used his hockey stick to cut off the ear , and Coutu was fined $ 50 . Shore later recanted and Coutu ' s money was refunded . On January 24 , 1933 , during a game against Montreal , Shore accidentally punched NHL referee - in - chief Cooper Smeaton during a fight with Sylvio Mantha and was fined $ 100 . In Boston on December 13 , 1933 , Shore ended the career of Toronto Maple Leafs star Ace Bailey when he charged Bailey from behind . When Bailey ' s head hit the ice he was knocked unconscious and went into convulsions . In retaliation , Leafs tough - guy Red Horner punched Shore , whose head hit the ice as he fell from the blow . Shore was knocked out and required seven stitches but wasn ' t seriously injured . Bailey was rushed to hospital in critical condition with a fractured skull . He was operated on for more than four hours and there were fears he could die . Shore apologized to Bailey after the game . Shore and Bailey shook hands at centre ice before a benefit game in Bailey ' s honour on February 14 , 1934 . Shore and the Bruins won their second Stanley Cup in 1939 . Shore retired and bought the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League , where he was player - owner in 1939 – 40 . He was persuaded to rejoin the Bruins and played four games for the team before being traded to the New York Americans on January 25 , 1940 . He stayed with the Americans through their elimination from the playoffs , and was simultaneously playing with the Indians in their playoff games . Retirement and the Indians . Although Shore had played his last NHL game , he played two more seasons in Springfield . The Indians halted operations during World War II , and Shore moved his players to Buffalo where he coached the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL to the Calder Cup championship in 1943 and 1944 . After the war , the Springfield Indians resumed play in 1946 and Shore returned . As an owner , Shore could be cantankerous and was often accused of treating players with little respect . During the 1967 season , the entire Indians team refused to play after Shore suspended without pay three players , including future NHL star Bill White , for what he said was " indifferent play . " When the team asked for an explanation , Shore suspended the two players who spoke for the team , one of whom was Brian Kilrea . Alan Eagleson , then a little known lawyer and sometime politician , was brought in to negotiate with Shore on the players ' behalf . The battle escalated for months , ending with Shore giving up day - to - day operations of the club ; the genesis of the National Hockey League Players ' Association stems from that incident . Shore continued to be owner until he sold the team in 1976 . On February 28 , 1985 , Shore checked into a Springfield hospital . His condition gradually deteriorated , and he died on March 16 , 1985 at age 82 . Shore was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947 . The Boston Bruins retired his number " 2 " . The Eddie Shore Award is given annually to the AHL ' s best defenceman . In 1998 , he was ranked number 10 on " The Hockey News " ' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players , making him the highest - ranked pre - World War II player . Cultural references . In the film Slap Shot , Eddie Shore ' s name , along with Toe Blake and Dit Clapper , is considered synonymous with " Old - time hockey " .