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Frank
Mahovlich is synonymous with the golden age of hockey. With his graceful
skating, and powerful shots, the Big M led the Toronto Maple Leafs to four
Stanley Cup victories. A fifteen time NHL All-Star, he was a natural choice
for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981. But, as this biography reveals, Mahovlich
never fit the stereotype of the NHL player. Shy and sensitive, he bristled
at hockey’s rigid culture of conformity and paid a high price for
hockey glory.
The documentary features interviews with hockey greats Ken Dryden, Henri Richard, Johnny Bower and Jean Beliveau, plus game highlights from the Big M’s 22-year career, including footage from the legendary 1972 Canada-Russia series.
The cameras follow Mahovlich to his hometown of Schumacher Ontario where he grew
up the middle son of Croatian immigrants. Watching his father toil in the
gold mines, young Frank nurtured a dream – to play in the NHL. By
age 13, he was a hockey prodigy and it wasn’t long before the Toronto
Maple Leafs came calling. The club groomed him for greatness on their Junior
A team. When he turned pro with the Leafs in 1957, the 19-year-old Mahovlich
was heralded as the team’s saviour. The Big M delivered – the
Leafs moved from cellar dwellers to Stanley Cup champions.
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Johnny Bower |
Mahovlich may have been a superstar, but trouble was brewing. Leaf Coach Punch Imlach was a stern taskmaster, who considered the Big M’s fluid style a sign of laziness. The tyrannical coach made Mahovlich his whipping boy, putting him through punishing workouts.
The autocratic team owners denied their star player a well-deserved raise and tried to trade him to Chicago for a million dollars. When the deal fell through, Punch Imlach began bad mouthing Mahovlich to the press. As the Big M’s production sagged, the fans started booing him. Eventually, Mahovlich snapped. He was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with severe depression. But a month later, he was back on the ice, helping the Leafs win their fourth Stanley Cup.
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Frank and his wife, Marie |
The Big M would go on to hockey glory with the Detroit Red Wings and the
Montreal Canadiens, before ending his career with the Toronto Toros and
the Birmingham Bulls. Then, in 1988, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
appointed Mahovlich to the Senate. But even in the halls of power, Senator
Mahovlich is asked to sign autographs – by fans who will always remember
him as The Big M.
Links
Legends of Hockey: Frank Mahovlich
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