Fred Shero - Playing Career

Playing Career

As a 17 year old Shero was signed by the New York Rangers to a professional contract. He spent the first year of his contract in the minors splitting time between the New York Rovers and the Brooklyn Crescents in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. The following season Shero served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, although he continued to play hockey for the Navy as a member of the HMCS Chippawa. Upon returning to the Rangers organization, Shero continued to play in the minors for another two seasons before reaching National Hockey League (NHL). On October 16, 1947 he made his NHL debut at the Montreal Forum against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens in the 1947–48 season opener. However, he only played 19 games with the Rangers that year while splitting time with the St. Paul Saints in the United States Hockey League. It was during this time that he would first garner the nickname "The Fog". Although more often associated with his loner personality and propensity for being lost in thought, the nickname actually began during a 1948 game in St. Paul, Minnesota. High humidity on indoor ice surfaces can result in fog. One night in St. Paul the fog was so thick that Shero was the only player who claimed to be able to see the puck thus earning him the name "Freddy the Fog".

The 1948–49 season saw Shero become a regular in the Rangers line up as well as his first NHL post-season action. The following season Shero set career highs in games played, assists, and points, while the Rangers qualified for the post-season in the fourth and final position. Despite being the lowest seeded team, the Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals by upseting the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. In the Finals the Rangers met up with the Detroit Red Wings, and on April 23, 1950 the Rangers lost game seven in double overtime. It was the last NHL game Shero ever played. On May 14, 1951 the Rangers traded Shero to the American Hockey League's (AHL) Cleveland Barons. Upon his return to the minors Shero enjoyed team success as a player winning back-to-back Calder Cups with the Barons in 1953 and 1954. Shero was also named an AHL Second Team All-Star in 1954. However, he only played one more season with the Barons before moving to the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Winnipeg Warriors for the 1955–56 season. Shero captained the Warriors to the WHL championship, in his first season with the club. He played with the Warriors again during the 1956–57 season, but moved to the Quebec Hockey League (QHL) where he played for the Shawinigan Cataracts in 1957–58. During the 1957–58 QHL season Shero first began coaching. He served as a player/assistant coach for the Cataracts and helped them capture the QHL championship. He retired from playing in 1958.