McEachern, William Oliver "Bud"

BORN FEBRUARY 9TH 1921 at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada [14] and died April 11th, 1997 at Melbourne, Victoria, when he was 77 years-old. [11] McEachern (pronounced Mick-urk-ren) played Right Wing in the Maritime Senior Hockey League of Canada, and in the Britsh National League for twenty years, 1936-1956. [40] He became coach at age 39 of the 1st Australian Olympic Ice Hockey Team and the 1964 Olympic Qualification Team in Japan.

McEachern played in Nova Scotia's Maritime Senior Hockey League (MSHL), and for Sydney Millionaires in the Cape Breton Senior Hockey League (CBSHL), when they became Maritime Champions in 1940 and Allan Cup Runners-up to Regina Rangers in 1941. [19] The 1913 Millionaires team of locals was the only Maritime team ever to play for the Stanley Cup, and although they lost to the Quebec Champions, they did go on to greatness in hockey arenas throughout Canada.

The Sydney Millionaires 1941 Allan Cup finalists were one of the strongest teams to come out of Cape Breton (note 1 below). It, and the Halifax Navy team of NHL players, are considered the two finest teams ever from the Atlantic Provinces. The Millionaires are considered by many as the greatest amateur hockey team in Nova Scotia's history; the most famous hockey name anywhere in Eastern Canada; and one of the most-respected clubs in Canada. Sydney defeated Hull Volants in three straight games to advance to the Eastern final against the Montreal Royals.

The Royals, with future NHLer Bill Durnan in goal, tied Sydney 3–3, won the second game 3-1, before dropping the next three games to the Millionaires. Sydney then travelled to Regina to meet the Regina Rangers, the Western champions. The Millionaires won the first two games 8-6 and 8-3, and the third tied at 1–1. Regina then completed the comeback with tree straight victories, 5–4, 3–2 and 3–0 to claim the title.

The 1941 Millionaires team were Keith Langille, Mel Snowden, Ray Powell, Bud McEachern, Jack Fritz, Grant Hall, Steve Latoski, Jack Atchison, Remi Van Daele, Judd Snell, Bobby Walton, Johnny McCready, Dick Kowcinak, Bill Dickie, Art Bennett (Trainer), Bill Gill (Coach), Ed Tucker (Trainer). [19] Coach Bill Gill played for Moncton Hawks in New Brunswick, Canada, including both their Allan Cup wins (1933–4; notes 1 and 2 below). McEachern then played semi-pro at age 25 for Truro Bearcats IHC (1946–7), still in the MSHL (1946–50).

He moved to England in 1947, the year after Ken Kennedy returned to Australia and, like Kennedy, joined Clubs that were part of the biggest amateur league in the world at the time. Many recruited their players direct from North America with newspaper advertisements. He played three seasons 1947–9 in the English National League for Streatham IHC, which had earlier been managed by Dunbar Poole, and against his native Canada on 20th March, 1948. Canada were represented by their 1948 Olympic Gold Medal team — RCAF Flyers. [13] The Streatham club, originally founded in 1932, played as Streatham Royals during this period, later changing their name to Streatham Redskins (1974).

In the 1947–8 ENL season, McEachern scored 56 goals to become 4th-ranked league goal-scorer and 10th overall on 80 points. In the 1948-9 season, Streatham Royals were Runners-up to Harringay Greyhounds. In the Autumn Cup that year, McEachern scored six hat tricks, but that was four fewer than Winnipeg-born Victor 'Chick' Zamick (1926–2007) of Nottingham Panthers who was top point scorer on 40 points. Zamick also finished top point scorer in the International Tournament with 41. He was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1951, as well as the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. McEachern was his closest rival in the late-1940s. Another Hall-of-Famer, Art Hodgins, played for Streatham while McEachern was there. Hodgins was arguably the best defenceman to play in Britain in the post-war era, and many believe he could have made the NHL.

When assembling his Streatham Dream Team Allan Palmer wrote: "Who one should choose to partner Gordie (Knutson) on his right flank is a real problem; not because of lack of choice but, rather, too much. Could it be George Drysdale, one of the fastest, hardest shooting wingers to play in the English league? Or perhaps Knutson's actual partner during his one season in England, Gene Miller? Or speedy Kenny Little, from the 1951-52 squad? Fine players all. But no, I'm going for Bud McEachern from the late-40s teams. Bud was a burly fellow who could face the toughest defenders and still thrive. He was quick for a big man and...this is the point, he was absolute poison round the net. Phil Drackett once observed that Zamick was a "snapper up of ill-considered trifles" and so he was, but Bud McEachern was not that far behind..."

McEachern left Streatham for the ENL's Earls Court Rangers early in the 1949-50 season, coached by Keith "Duke" Campbell (1909– ), the first inductee to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, with a record at the time of 359 consecutive league and cup appearances in the ENL. McEachern moved to the Rangers in the same season as British Hall of Famer, Les Anning, who was voted to the All-star team twice in his 3 seasons at the club. McEachern played the 1950–1 season for Harringray Racers IHC returning to the Rangers in 1951–2 for his last BNL season at age 30. Earls Court Rangers IHC played their home games at Earls Court Arena in West London, England, and disbanded in 1953.

In 1951, the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association appointed McEachern as head coach, replacing Trygve Holter who had led the team for most of its existence (since 1937). McEachern is said to have brought with him a physical style that suited the players of that generation well. Norway defeated the United States and Great Britain to finish fourth overall at the 1951 World Championships. He then coached their first olympic team in Group A at home in 1952. Although Norway continued to challenge the strongest hockey nations in the decade that followed, none of McEachern's successors were able to repeat his results. [399]

He emigrated to Melbourne Australia in 1951-2, [399] where he won the Goodall Cup representing Victoria in 1952 at age 31, and again in 1954. He had become a coach in foreign lands like many other British League pros of the time. He was appointed coach of the 1st Australian World Championship and Olympic Ice Hockey Team in 1960, at the age of 39, with Doc Carson as Team Manager. He was also coach of the next Olympic Qualification team in Japan in 1963-4. Bud McEachern had played with and was coached by some of the hockey legends of his era, and he brought to Australia a wealth of hockey experience from North America and Europe. He lived in Melbourne for more than half his life and died there on April 11th, 1997, at age 77. He was made a Life Member of the national association in 2000.