Sweeney Schriner

Who was Sweeney Schriner?

David "Sweeney" Schriner was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1934–35 and was the NHL scoring leader in 1935–36 and 1936–37. Schriner was named to honorary all-star teams in numerous leagues throughout his career and played with the NHL All-Stars in the Howie Morenz Memorial Game in 1937. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Maple Leafs, in 1941–42 and 1944–45. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Though his family emigrated to Canada when he was an infant, Schriner was the first Russian-born player in NHL history. He grew up in Calgary, where he played baseball in addition to hockey, and returned to the city following his career. He often assisted players at the University of Calgary; the Canada West Universities Athletic Association awards the David "Sweeney" Schriner Trophy to its top scorer each season.