As part of the American Hockey League’s 70th anniversary this season, theahl.com will be taking a look at some of the legendary careers that have been carved in the AHL over the last seven decades.
A reliable defenseman for the Springfield Indians, Hershey Bears and Pittsburgh Hornets, Bob McCord excelled at both ends of the ice, winning championships and personal accolades in a career that spanned 21 professional seasons.
McCord made his debut with the Indians in 1954 and went on to spend nine seasons in Springfield, serving as a key member of the only team in AHL history to win three consecutive Calder Cups. McCord won the Eddie Shore Award in 1961 when he put up career highs in goals (12) and points (48).
McCord’s time with the Indians resulted in his first crack at the NHL when he joined the Boston Bruins in 1963. He was back in the AHL with Hershey a year later, and in 1967 McCord won his fourth Calder Cup and second Eddie Shore Award, leading Pittsburgh to the title in what would be his final appearance in the American Hockey League.
McCord earned a total of five postseason All-Star Team berths in his 12 AHL campaigns, including two First Team selections and three Second Team nods.
| Career AHL Statistics – Bob McCord | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1954-55 | Springfield Indians | 52 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1955-56 | Springfield Indians | 57 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1956-57 | Springfield Indians | 59 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1957-58 | Springfield Indians | 41 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1958-59 | Springfield Indians | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1959-60 | Springfield Indians | 70 | 11 | 28 | 39 | 114 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 1960-61 | Springfield Indians | 69 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 51 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 1961-62 | Springfield Indians | 66 | 8 | 29 | 37 | 62 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 16 |
| 1962-63 | Springfield Indians | 69 | 11 | 35 | 46 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964-65 | Hershey Bears | 24 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 44 |
| 1965-66 | Pittsburgh Hornets | 62 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 1966-67 | Pittsburgh Hornets | 61 | 8 | 26 | 34 | 40 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| AHL Totals | 635 | 81 | 252 | 333 | 551 | 59 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 89 | |
