HELGE BOSTROM
Date of Death: 1977-01-25Date of Birth: 1894-01-09
Date of Induction: 2025-12-20
Helge Bostrom was born in Winnipeg in 1894. A late bloomer by professional standards, Bostrom would not debut in the NHL until age 36, but his path reflects the challenges faced by players in hockey’s early days.
Before turning professional, Bostrom played in patriotic military leagues in Winnipeg and served overseas in the First World War with the Fort Garry Horse. After returning from service in Europe, he played amateur hockey in Saskatchewan before joining the Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) in 1921. A physical defenceman with a booming shot, Bostrom helped Edmonton win the WCHL title in 1923, losing the Stanley Cup Final to Ottawa.
He later played four seasons with the Vancouver Maroons alongside legends like Frank Boucher and Hugh Lehman. With the collapse of top-tier hockey in the west after 1926, Bostrom joined the Minneapolis Millers of the American Hockey Association and spent three seasons there before finally making it to the NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks in January 1930.
Despite his age, Bostrom made an immediate impact. Over four seasons, he became a fan-favourite known for his hard-nosed style. On November 24, 1931, he suffered a serious injury during a game against the New York Rangers. A skate blade from Earl Seibert accidentally sliced Bostrom’s ankle, severing several tendons. The injury required surgery and as many as 142 stitches. Though doctors feared he might never play again, Bostrom returned to action by February 1932 and even played in that season’s playoffs. He was named captain of the Black Hawks—at the time, the oldest player in the league.
After his NHL days ended, Bostrom served as a player-coach with the St. Paul Greyhounds and later with the Kansas City Greyhounds. He returned to the NHL in 1934 as an assistant coach for Chicago and stayed with the organization into the early 1940s, managing the team’s defence.
Helge Bostrom passed away in 1977 at the age of 83.