the players

London Lions

The hockey league that never was (part 1)

The team

The players

The games

The hockey league that never was (part 2)

The next generation

# Player Name GP G A Pts PIM
10
16
7
21
20
24
15
18
14
4
19
3
11
23
22
24
12
5
17
30
30
30
1		 Ulf Sterner
Earl Anderson
Rick McCann
Dennis Johnson
Brian McCutcheon
Tord Lundstrom
Brian Watts
Nelson Pyatt
Dennis Polonich
Ron Simpson
Charlie Shaw
Murray Wing
Duffy McCarthy
Ray Bibeau
Mike Korney
Rick Newell
Mike Jakubo
Terry Clancy
Tom Mellor
Bill McKenzie (G)
Terry Richardson (G)
Tim McQuiston (G)
Leif Holmqvist (G)
 64
70
70
70
71
45
70
61
67
68
66
71
66
65
31
17
24
35
6
2
14
16
49		 27
62
25
39
47
38
34
35
17
13
10
21
21
6
15
12
13
6
2
0
0
0
0		 88
48
55
37
28
31
30
28
43
32
33
21
17
21
10
11
9
13
5
0
0
0
0		 115
110
80
76
75
69
64
63
60
45
43
42
38
27
25
23
22
19
7
0
0
0
0		 71
41
28
24
75
24
32
4
57
126
40
24
12
71
38
63
4
22
20
0
0
0
0
Totals 433 433 560 1003 776
Goalies
Bill McKenzie
Leif Holmqvist
Terry Richardson
Tim McQuiston
 GP
2.00
49.00
14.00
16.00
 Min
120
2554
710
690
 GA
6
129
37
50
 GAA
3.00
3.03
3.12
4.34
 W
0
0
0
0
 L
0
0
0
0
 T
0
0
0
0
 Svs
0
0
0
0
 Pct
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
 EN
0
0
0
0
 SO
1
2
0
1

# 1 Leif Holmqvist (SWE)
Goalie. Born 12 November 1942 in Gävle, Sweden. Played 49 games for the Lions. During the 60s and 70s, he played 202 international games for Sweden. In 1968, Holmqvist participated in Boston Bruins' training camp but he never signed any contract. A third attempt as a professional came in 1975-76 when he played 19 games in the WHA. He was destined for AVCO Cup Champions Houston Aeros (where the legendary Gordie Howe was playing at the time) but as the Aeros ran into financial trouble, Honken was handed over to the Indianapolis Racers (which a couple of years later became Wayne Gretzkys first pro-team). He retired as player in 1978 and worked a couple of years as coach after that.

# 3 Murray Wing (CAN)
Right Defenceman. Born 14 October 1950 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He started at the University of North Dakota, moved to the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League, the Boston Braves of the American Hockey League, and the San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League. Wing dreamed of playing in the NHL and came close with Boston, playing six exhibition games one year. At the end of the 1973-74 season, after playing with the Lions, he got his chance. On 7 April 1974 he played one game with Detroit (against the Chicago Black Hawks). "I got an assist on a Mickey Redmond goal. I remember it well. It was a pass from outside our blue line up to Redmond outside their blue line. He just took it in and scored. I did all the work on that goal," Wing later said with a laugh. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1971 to 1977, was spent in the minor leagues.

# 4 Ron Simpson (CAN)
Left Defenceman. Born 4 March 1949 in Islington, Ontario. Simpson came to Virginia for the 1972-73 season after three years at Cornell University. He played 68 games for the Lions and was also assistant captain in the club. In 1974-75 he was back in Virginia.

# 5 Terry Clancy (CAN)
Right Wing. Born 2 April 1943 in Ottawa, Ontario. Son of legendary Toronto Maple Leafs player and leader King Clancy, Terry played for Canada in the Olympic Games in 1964 and went on to play 93 NHL-games for Oakland Seals and Toronto Maple Leafs during 1967-73. He played 35 games for the Lions. He later worked in the insurance industry and participated in fund-raising events arranged by the Maple Leafs and/or NHL-alumni, like golf tournaments and veteran hockey games.

# 7 Rick McCann (CAN)
Centre. Born 27 May 1944 in Hamilton, Ontario. McCann captained the Lions and played 70 games for the club. He participated in the 1966 World Championships for Canada and played 43 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings between 1967 and 1975. Over the years, McCann played in most of Red Wings' affiliates. He passed away on 3 September 2013

# 10 Ulf Sterner (SWE)
Centre. Born 11 February 1941 in Deje, Sweden. Sterner was assistant captain in the club and played 64 games for the Lions. He represented Sweden in the 1960 and 1964 Olympics, and participated in most of the World Championships from 1961 to 1973. In 1964-65 Sterner was the first European player in the NHL, playing 4 games for the New York Rangers. Before joining the Lions, Sterner played a couple of pre-season games with WHA-Chicago Cougars in 1972-73. Sterner returned to Sweden after the season with the Lions but never played in the top league nor the national team again. During the 80s and 90s he was coaching teams in the lower divisions, and he even played a couple of games in the early 1990s - his 5th decade in senior hockey, making him something of a Swedish equivalent of Gordie Howe.

# 11 Duffy McCarthy (CAN)
Centre. Born 21 February 1951 in Mississauga, Ontario. McCarthy played 66 games for the Lions and he also played professional lacrosse. After his athletic careers, McCarthy has worked in Mississauga with the Fire Department and as a contractor. About the London Lions, he wrote to me in 2004, saying: "I have nothing but fond memories of the whole experience."

# 12 Mike Jakubo (CAN)
Left Wing. Born 7 July 1949 in Sudbury, Ontario. Jakubo played seven games for the Los Angeles Sharks in the WHA in 1972-73 and started the 1973-74 season with the Virginia Wings before joining the Lions in Austria in February 1974. Smooth-skating Jakubo was the one player the Wembley fans took to during the spring series. He made 22 points (13 goals, 9 assists) in his 24 games with the Lions and - most importantly for the British fans - spent only four minutes in the penalty box. On 19 April 2004, Mike Jakubo wrote me and said "it was the best time of my hockey career." He later worked for the City of Greater Sudbury in Ontario, Canada and passed away on 4 April 2019.

# 14 Dennis Polonich (CAN)
Centre. Born 4 December 1953 in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan. Polonich played 67 games for the Lions and was the one London Lion who was to make an impact on the NHL, scoring 59 goals during his 390 games for the Detroit Red Wings 1974-83. He contacted me on 13 May 2004: "I was only 19 yrs. old when we traveled over there so it was quite a thrill as I said. Detroit had so many players under contract then and they sent mostly single or young couples over. I didn't care I just wanted to play but I did think I was getting further from the NHL not closer at the time. We started at Wembley for a month and half the a 3 month road trip to 11 different countries then back for a month and a half. Travel mostly by bus with a trailer in tow for equipment and luggage."
Polonich worked as General Manager and head coach for the Yorkton Terriers in the SJHL from 1986 to 1992 before joining the WHL as GM for the Medicine Hat Tigers (1992-96) and Prince George Cougars (1996-98). He later settled with his family in Calgary and worked as a NHLPA Certified Player agent.

# 15 Brian Watts (CAN)
Left Wing. Born 10 September 1947 in Hagersville, Ontario. Watts played 70 games for the Lions and four NHL-games for the Detroit Red Wings in 1975-76. In 1976-77 he went to Sweden to play, making 8 points during 25 games for Björklöven, the Birch Leaves of Umeå.

# 16 Earl Anderson (USA)
Right Wing. Born 24 February 1951 in Roseau, Minnesota. He was a member of the American team in the 1973 World Championships and then played 70 games for the Lions. Between 1974 and 1977 he played 109 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins 1974-77. After that he worked for Bryan Erickson Auto Sales in Roseau.

#17 Tom Mellor (USA)
Defenceman. Born 27 January 1950 in Cranston, Rhode Island. Tom Mellor was in the American National team from 1971 to 1973, including the 1972 Olympics. He played six games for the Lions in December-January and 26 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings between 1973 and 1975. For the 1975-76 season Mellor joined Gothenburg-based team Västra Frölunda in the Swedish Elite League, making 16 points in 34 games. He wrote me on 3 May 2004: "I remember the wonderful ovations that Honken Holmqvist and Ulfie Sterner received when we toured with the Lions. Ulfie was so good with the puck, he used to bounce it off his stick a couple of times and would actually 'head' it a teammate...an old fotball skill!! Following my year with Vastra Frolunda in Goteborg, I joined my former Detroit Red Wing coach, Ted Garvin, with the Toledo Goaldiggers in the International Hockey League (IHL). Ted named me the assistant playing coach and we had a fun year advancing to the 7th game in the finals, but losing to Saginaw.".
Mellor later settled in Marlborough, Massachussets and opened his own firm, Windham Capital Group, in downtown Boston.

# 18 Nelson Pyatt (CAN)
Right Wing. Born 9 September 1953 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Pyatt played 61 games for the Lions and went on to play 296 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals and Colorado Rockies from 1973 to 1980. He later worked as a fire fighter in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

# 19 Charlie Shaw (CAN)
Left Defenceman. Born 7 July 1951 in Toronto, Ontario. Shaw played 66 games for the Lions. He later worked with VP Business in Markham, Ontario.
He sent me a quick note on 29 October 2004: "One of those old London Lion's checking in. I have a lot of info and material from this road trip. Glad to share...".

# 20 Brian McCutcheon (CAN)
Right Wing. Born 3 August 1949 in Toronto, Ontario. He played 71 games for the Lions. In all, McCutcheon played 37 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings 1974-77. He retired as player in 1978 but started to coach in 1987, first for the Cornell University and teams in AHL, IHL and ECHL before spending ten years (2001-2011) as assistant coach for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. His coaching career ended with two years in Italy (HC Bolzano 2011-13) and another two years in Germany (Kölner Haie 2014-15 and Füchse Duisburg 2015-16)

# 21 Dennis Johnson (USA)
Left Wing. Born 14 January 1952 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Johnson played 70 games for the Lions. He later worked for Bryan Erickson Auto Sales in Roseau, Minnesota.

# 22 Mike Korney (CAN)
Right Wing / Defenceman. Born 15 September 1953 in Dauphin, Manitoba. Korney played 31 games for the Lions during the first part of the season. In a three-year span he was shipped to 12 minor league teams and his pro career ended with Syracuse of the American Hockey League in 1980 after having played a total of 77 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers. In the 1990s Korney worked as a helicopter pilot. After piloting fire fighting choppers in Canada, he went to Qatar in 1992 where he was flying workers and equipment to offshore oil rigs in the Persian Gulf. He has changed his last name to Korey, which is closer to the spelling used by his grandfather, a Ukrainian immigrant.

# 23 Ray Bibeau (CAN)
Left Defenceman. Born 10 April 1953 in Rouyn, Quebec. He played 65 games for the Lions but never made it to the NHL.

# 24 Rick Newell (CAN)
Defenceman. Born 18 February 1948 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Newell played 17 games during October-November 1973 before going back to Virginia Wings in the AHL. During his career, Newell played 7 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings (1972-74) and 25 WHA-games for Phoenix Roadrunners (1974-75). He wrote me on 5 November 2004:
"I was in London briefly after suffering a broken jaw in training camp in Detroit and as you probably know I went back to Virginia in the AHL after a couple of months in London. The next year I joined the Phoenix Roadrunners in the WHA and played against some of the earlier Swedes, Anders Hedberg, Kent Nilson etc. We have remained in Phoenix and still call it home. Business wise I have my own investment firm specializing in real estate land investments."

# 24 Tord Lundström (SWE)
Left Wing. Born 4 March 1945 in Kiruna, Sweden. He played for Sweden in most of the World Championships and Olympics between 1965-75 and in the first Canada Cup in 1976. During his career he also won 9 Swedish Championships. Detroit spotted Lundström already in 1966 when he toured North America with the Swedish national team, but he didn't sign until 1973 (after also being offered a contract by the ill-fated New York Golden Blades in the WHA). Lundström started the 1973-74 season playing 11 NHL-games for Detroit but after a shoulder injury he joined the Lions in December and played 45 games for the team during the latter part of the season. He retired as hockey player in 1980 and then worked as head coach for another ten years. After that he worked at the local real estate company in Gävle. And although we've never met, I'm related to Tord since his father Göte Lundström and my paternal grandfather Conrad Uhlin were first-cousins.

# 30 Bill McKenzie (CAN)
Goalie. Born 12 March 1949 in St Thomas, Ontario. McKenzie was in the team when they played against Toledo and Austria but was then called to Virginia to replace Terry Richardson who had been sent to Detroit. Between 1973 and 1980, McKenzie played 91 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings, Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies. He later settled in Columbus, Ohio, where he's been assistant coach and goaltending coach for the Ohio State University hockey team as well as broadcaster for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL.

# 30 Tim McQuiston (USA)
Goalie. Born 3 October 1951 in Wesleyville, Pennsylvania. When McKenzie was sent to Virginia, McQuiston became his replacement in London after just one game in Port Huron Wings. It could have been the other Port Huron goalie Kevin Neville just as easily, but he had just become a father and McQuiston who was single was selected.
"I'd love to go, but I'd love to stay. For me it would be a hell of an experience", McQuiston said at the time.

# 30 Terry Richardson (CAN)
Goalie. Born 7 May 1953 in Powell River, British Columbia. Richardson replaced McQuiston during the latter part of the season and played 14 games for the Lions. Between 1973-79 he played 20 NHL-games for Detroit Red Wings and St Louis Blues. In the Lions' match programme #8, Richardson's first three matches at Wembley were described as "little short of sensational", to which he commented in an e-mail on 3 November 2004: "...the London experience was nothing short of fantastic!!"
He has worked as fire fighter and from 2009 to 2019 he was amateur scout for the Washington Capitals.

Doug Barkley (CAN)
Coach and General Manager. Born 6 January 1937 in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Barkley played in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks from 1957. He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1962-63 but his playing career was ended when an on-ice accident on 30 January 1966 left him without vision in his right eye. After his injury, Barkley joined the Detroit front office, working in public relations. He turned to coaching in 1968 and over the years he coached the Wings' farm teams in Fort Worth, Norfolk and London. He took over as the Red Wings' head coach for the final 40 games of the 1970-71 season and lasted through the first 11 games of the 1971-72 season before being fired. Barkley got a return engagement as the Wings' coach at the start of the 1975-76 season, lasting 26 games before being fired again. Barkley eventually settled in Calgary. Regarding the London Lions, Barkley has said: "Other than the years I played in Detroit, that trip was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in my life."

Al Coates (CAN)
Trainer and assistant coach. Born 3 December 1945 in Listowel, Ontario. Coates played hockey at and graduated with a business administration degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. He then worked with Jim Bishop when the Oshawa Green Gaels won the 1969 Canadian Junior lacrosse championship. Coates went to Europe in the early 70s to play hockey in Austria but ended up in the Netherlands where he launched a hockey program in a new rink in Utrecht. Detroit then gave him the job of launching their franchise in Virginia as its business manager. After the experiences in Virginia and London, Coates spent the next five years as a part of the Red Wings front office staff. In 1980-81 he joined the Calgary Flames after the franchise moved from Atlanta. He was the general manager of the Flames from 1995-2000. After three years as General Manager of the NY Rangers affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, Coates served as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks 2004-2008. He returned to Europe as GM for Team Canada in Spengler Cup 2005 and after that he was Director of Player Personnel in the Toronto Maple Leafs 2008-09, GM for Team Canada U20 in 2011-12 and pro scout for the New Jersey Devils 2019-20.


© Mikael Uhlin