Recently, we looked at Larry Regan, a player who won the Calder Memorial Trophy then had a NHL career that quickly fizzled out. Keeping in the spirit, we’re now looking at Jim McFadden.
McFadden was also a winner of the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. His story is a bit different from Regan’s. He won the trophy quite late, at 27 years old. A lot of this was due to time spent in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II. Jim had a bit longer NHL career at 412 regular season games and did capture a Stanley Cup championship along the way.
Jim McFadden – Minor Pro
McFadden started his career in the PCHL with the Portland Buckaroos in 1939-40. Two years later, he would make a massive move to Montreal to play for the Senior Canadiens in the QSHL. Jim then got involved with the military and spent three years playing for the Winnipeg Army team from 1942-43 to 1944-45.
Jim McFadden Collection
With the war over, he returned to the QSHL to play for the Ottawa Senators. In 1945-46, he finished ninth in the league with 25 goals, sixth with 32 assists and sixth with 57 points. Out of character, he finished ninth with 57 penalty minutes.
The following year, he caught the eye of a National Hockey League club. After spending the 1946-47 regular season split between the QSHL Senators and the Buffalo Bisons in the American Hockey League, the Detroit Red Wings called him up for four Stanley Cup playoff games.
After his time in the NHL, he returned to the minor to play in the WHL for the Calgary Stampeders. In 1953-54, after starting the year with the Chicago Blackhawks, McFadden helped the Stamps to a playoff championship, beating the Vancouver Canucks in the finals.
In 1954-55, Jim and the Stampeders fell in the finals to the Edmonton Flyers, the minor league club of his former club in Detroit. The Flyers were stacked with the likes of Bronco Horvath, John Bucyk and Norm Ullman. In net was future Hall of Famer Glenn Hall. McFadden tied for eighth that year in the WHL with 31 goals.
Jim McFadden would finish out his hockey career in the WHL with Calgary, playing his final games in 1956-57.
Jim McFadden – NHL
McFadden was an overnight National Hockey League success. However, it didn’t happen until he was 27…
Between 1946-47 and 1953-54, Jim played in 412 regular season NHL games, scoring 100 and assisting on 126 for 226 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he played in 49 games and added 19 points. His career started with the Detroit Red Wings and ended with the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 1946-47, McFadden saw his first NHL action, called up for four games in the playoffs by the Red Wings. He made an impact and started the 1947-48 season with Detroit. That turned out to be his career year.
Jim rammed his way into the league in 1947-48. Over 60 regular season games, he scored 24 and assisted on 24 for 48 points in his rookie season. He was second on the team in goals and points, behind Ted Lindsay and ahead of a young Gordie Howe. His 24 goals tied him for ninth in the NHL with Buddy O’Connor and Tony Leswick, both of the New York Rangers.
In the 1947-48 Stanley Cup playoffs, Detroit reached the finals but was upset by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Over ten playoff games, McFadden scored five and totaled eight points. The whole package earned him the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.
Until Sergei Makarov came along in 1989-90 and won the Calder at the age of 31, Jim was the oldest recipient. He remains the second oldest and probably always will hold that position with new rules implemented after Makarov’s win.
In his second full season, the Red Wings again lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Maple Leafs. The following year, 1949-50, McFadden would get his lone championship. The team, led by Sid Abel, defeated the New York Rangers in the finals.
In August of 1951, Jim was traded to the Blackhawks with Hully Gee, Jim Peters, Clare Raglan, Clare Martin and Max McNab for cash and a player to be named later. That player to be named later turned out to be Hugh Coflin. Coflin would never play for the Red Wings, instead finishing out his pro career playing eight years with Detroit’s WHL affiliate, the Edmonton Flyers.
1952-53 was the last significant season in McFadden’s National Hockey League career. He led the Blackhawks with 23 goals and 44 points. His former Detroit teammate Sid Abel was now the head coach in Chicago. Jim tied for sixth in the NHL for goal scoring with Johnny Wilson of the Red Wings. He tied for tenth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with Fleming Mackell of the Boston Bruins.
Jim McFadden – Rookie Card
Being a player that started in the 1940’s, the Jim McFadden rookie card was number 44 in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set, well after his career had started. He is shown with the Chicago Blackhawks. It was his first year with Chicago after his offseason trade from the Red Wings.
McFadden’s hockey cards are rare. He appeared in just two more sets, the 1952-53 and 1953-54 Parkhurst collections.
Jim McFadden Career Stats
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1946-47 | Detroit Red Wings | Playoffs Only | ||||
| 1947-48 | Detroit Red Wings | 60 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 12 |
| 1948-49 | Detroit Red Wings | 55 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 10 |
| 1949-50 | Detroit Red Wings | 68 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 8 |
| 1950-51 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 10 |
| 1951-52 | Chicago Blackhawks | 70 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 14 |
| 1952-53 | Chicago Blackhawks | 70 | 23 | 21 | 44 | 29 |
| 1953-54 | Chicago Blackhawks | 19 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| NHL Totals | 412 | 100 | 126 | 226 | 89 | |