LAURIE LANGRELL
Date of Birth: 1039-02-11Date of Induction: 2024
After winning a title with his hometown Warren Bantams, Laurie Langrell made the move to play with Winnipeg's West End Orioles hoping to play the best hockey he could find.
The tall and athletic Langrell started out as a defenceman with a knack for putting the puck in the net. This was in an era when coaches frowned on their defence venturing beyond the opponents blueline.
Making the jump to Junior in 1956 with the Winnipeg Barons of the MJHL, he would join the Winnipeg Braves in 1957 earning league all-star status, as a forward.
In 1958/59 Langrell was again a league all-star and the Braves leading scorer with 42 goals, including a six-goal game to add to his 63 points.
Playing on the highly productive 'L Line' with Bobby Leiter and Al LeBlanc, the Braves captured the MJHL title. Knocking off Fort William Canadiens and the Edmonton Oil Kings to win the west, the Braves would meet the Peterborough Petes in the 1959 Memorial Cup final.
After losing game one, Langrell would step into the driver's seat, and his three straight 2-goal games helped propel the Winnipeg Braves to the series win and the national junior crown.
During his pro career from 1959/60 until 1965/66, he played a season in the EHL and then headed to the IHL with St. Paul, Minneapolis, Port Huron and Des Moines. A consistent scorer, Langrell also had short stints in the WHL with the Winnipeg Warriors and the Seattle Totems.
Following his pro career, Langrell would return home and lead the Warren Mercurys to the Provincial Intermediate C final. He'd then join the Selkirk Fishermen in the Manitoba Senior League, before becoming the playing-coach for Morden in the Southeastern League while also earning a spot on the league all-star squad.
Putting away his skates, Langrell stepped behind the bench of the St. James Canadians of the MJHL in 1971/72 and 1972/73.
Laurie Langrell is also an Honoured member of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.