Bep Guidolin

Armand "Bep" Guidolin (December 9, 1925 – November 24, 2008) was a Canadian National Hockey League player. He was born in Thorold, Ontario. He and Eleanor, his wife of 62 years, had four children.
Guidolin stood 5'8" at 175 lbs, and was a left shooting left winger in the NHL. He later went onto a coaching career. He was nicknamed "Bep" because his mother spoke Italian and very little English. Armand was the baby of the family and his mother pronounced baby as "beppy". The nickname stuck and was shortened to "Bep".
==Playing Career==
Guidolin played junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the OHA, playing in the 1941-42 Memorial Cup Final. Later that year he became the youngest player (16 years, 11 months) to play in an NHL game, November 12, 1942. (Toronto 3, Boston 1). 
His quick rise to the NHL was a direct result of World War II. The Boston Bruins were in dire need of replacements to fill the roster holes created by so many players leaving for military service. In 1944, his eligibility for military service brought a one-year break from his NHL career.
Guidolin also played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks. Armand was an ardent supporter of the formation of a players' union, which led to an early demise to his NHL career in 1952. He then played for nine years in the minors, then retired to a coaching career.
==Coaching Career==
Guidolin coached the Belleville McFarlands, winning the 1957-58 Allan Cup Final, and the World Championship in 1959. In 1965 he became the coach of his former junior team the Oshawa Generals, featuring 17 year old future Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr. He led the Generals to the 1965-66 Memorial Cup Final versus the Edmonton Oil Kings. Guidolin later coached the London Knights of the OHL, Boston Bruins and the Kansas City Scouts of the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association, and the Boston Braves and Philadelphia Firebirds of the American Hockey League.
==Career Statistics==
 --- Regular Season --- ---- Playoffs ----
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
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1942-43 Boston Bruins NHL 42 7 15 22 53 9 0 4 4 12
1943-44 Boston Bruins NHL 47 17 25 42 58 -- -- -- -- --
1945-46 Boston Bruins NHL 50 15 17 32 62 10 5 2 7 13
1946-47 Boston Bruins NHL 56 10 13 23 73 3 0 1 1 6
1947-48 Detroit Red Wings NHL 58 12 10 22 78 2 0 0 0 4
1948-49 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- --
1948-49 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 56 4 17 21 116 -- -- -- -- --
1949-50 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 70 17 34 51 42 -- -- -- -- --
1950-51 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 69 12 22 34 56 -- -- -- -- --
1951-52 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 67 13 18 31 78 -- -- -- -- --
1952-53 Syracuse Warriors AHL 23 1 8 9 24 3 0 0 0 8
1952-53 Ottawa Senators QSHL 43 9 24 33 54 -- -- -- -- --
1953-54 Ottawa Senators QHL 71 18 38 56 148 -- -- -- -- --
1954-55 Ottawa Senators QHL 19 5 12 17 77 -- -- -- -- --
1954-55 North Bay Trappers NOHA 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- --
1956-57 Belleville McFarlands OHASr 0 16 29 45 156 -- -- -- -- --
1957-58 Windsor Bulldogs OHASr 7 2 6 8 24 -- -- -- -- --
1957-58 Belleville McFarlands OHASr 0 12 18 30 60 -- -- -- -- --
1958-59 Kingston Merchants OHASr 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- -- -- --
1960-61 Omaha-Indianapolis IHL 64 14 33 47 63 -- -- -- -- --
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 NHL Totals 519 107 171 278 616 24 5 7 12 35
==Gallery==
1943-Scherza-Gallinger-Guidolin.jpg|Chuck Scherza, Don Gallinger, Bep Guidolin, November 1943.
1946-Egan-Clare_Martin-Crawford-Pratt-Henderson-Guidolin.jpg|Egan, Clare Martin, Crawford, Pratt, Henderson and Guidolin in 1946.
19Mar1946-Lumley_Guidolin_Gallinger.jpg|#12 Bep Guidolin and #11 Don Gallinger challenge Red Wings goalie Harry Lumley in Game 1 of the 1946 Semi-finals, March 19, 1946.
Coach Bep Guidilon.jpg
==Coaching Statistics==
Season Team Lge Type GP W L T OTL Pct Result 
1964-65 Windsor Spitfires OHA-B Head Coach 
1965-66 Oshawa Generals OHA Head Coach 48 22 18 8 0 0.542 
1969-70 London Knights OHA Head Coach 54 22 25 7 0 0.472 
1970-71 London Knights OHA Head Coach 62 19 35 8 0 0.371 
1971-72 Boston Braves AHL Head Coach 76 41 21 14 0 0.632 Lost in round 2 
1972-73 Boston Bruins NHL Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season-------- 
1973-74 Boston Bruins NHL Head Coach 78 52 17 9 0 0.724 Lost in Finals 
1976-77 Edmonton Oilers WHA Head Coach 81 34 43 4 0 0.444 Lost in round 1 
1978-79 Philadelphia Firebirds AHL Head Coach 80 23 49 8 0 0.338 Out of Playoffs 
1978-79 Colorado Rockies NHL Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season-------- 
1981-82 Brantford Alexanders OHL Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season--------
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==External Links==
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Category:Born in 1925
Category:Dead in 2008
Category:Boston Bruins coaches
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Edmonton Oilers coaches
Category:Kansas City Scouts coaches
Category:London Knights coaches
Category:Oshawa Generals alumni
Category:Oshawa Generals coaches
Category:Toronto Army Daggers players
Category:Syracuse Warriors players
Category:Ottawa Senators (senior) players
Category:North Bay Trappers (senior) players
Category:Belleville McFarlands players
Category:Allan Cup winners
Category:Kingston Merchants players
Category:Omaha Knights (IHL) players
Category:Windsor Spitfires coaches
Category:Boston Braves coaches
Category:Philadelphia Firebirds (AHL) coaches
Category:Colorado Rockies coaches
Category:Brantford Alexanders coaches
Category:Retired in 1961