1942/43 Toronto Army Daggers

Cliff Simpson
During the Second War, the Senior Ontario Hockey Association included several full teams of players enlisted in the Canadian Military and stationed in and around the Toronto area. One of the squads was the Toronto Army Daggers who's photos I found on the Toronto City Archives website. The Daggers finished third in 1942/43 with a record of 4-7-1 but still qualified for the OHA Senior playoffs. They played the Niagara Falls Cataracts winning in two straight games by scores of 4-1 and 9-2.

The Daggers were then dumped in the Semi-finals by the RCAF Flyers by scores of 7-6 and 11-1. Cliff Simpson (above) would lead the Daggers in playoff scoring with 6 goals and 9 points in the 4 games. Simpson, 19 years old at the time would go on to play bits of two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and in 1947/48 scored 110 points in 68 games for the AHL's Indianapolis Capitals.

Buck Davies (below) had 4 points in 10 games for the Daggers this season and went on to play one NHL playoff game for the 1948 New York Rangers before a decade in the AHL. 
Buck Davies
Doug Adam
Doug Adam, another 19 year old played 5 total games for the Daggers and 1 assist in 4 games for the 49/50 New York Rangers. Adam starred in the old PCHL/WHL until through the mid-1950s, twice leading the league in goals. With the EHL Charlotte Clippers in 56/57 Adam led the loop with 65 goals in 63 games. He would coach the Rochester Americans of the AHL for half a season in 1971/72 before being replaced by...Don Cherry.

Lloyd Finkbeiner was one of the few Daggers to have already played in the NHL before the 42/43 season having put in two games with the 40/41 New York Americans.
Lloyd Finkbeiner
Victor Grigg
Victor Grigg topped the circuit in PIM's this season of 42/43 as he had 42 in 11 games. The defenceman also chipped in 6 goals and 15 points. Greg would never make the NHL with his peak being a 35 point campaign for the AHL's St. Louis Flyers in 1950/51. John Holata was a rare case on the Daggers as he had actually played in the NHL this very same season in 12 games for the Detroit Red Wings, scoring 2 goals. He played 3 more games for the Wings three years later in his only other NHL stint and would lead the AHL in goals with 52 for the 46/47 Cleveland Barons. Holata tragically died in 1951 as he suffered a heart attack while driving a car in Denver where he was playing for the Denver Falcons.
John Holata




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