Hy Buller

Who was Hy Buller?

Hyman "Hymie" Buller was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. Nicknamed the “Blueline Blaster” because of his penchant for hitting opposing players above the skate toe and below the pads, Buller was one of two Jewish professional hockey players in the 1940s and 1950s.

He was on the Eastern Amateur Hockey League’s Second All-Star Team in 1943, the American Hockey League’s First All-Star Team in 1949 and 1951, the National Hockey League’s Second All-Star Team in 1952, and he played in the 1952 NHL All-Star Game. Buller was greatly admired by hockey legends Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard, and other contemporaries not only for his solid plays but also for his good sportsmanship. He played in five NHL seasons, first for the Detroit Red Wings and later for the New York Rangers, before retiring in 1954. Buller was married to Elaine Witten for 22 years and they had three sons—-Bob, Bruce, and Jeff. He died from cancer in 1968.