Fred Speck

Fred Speck
Born	(1947-07-22)July 22, 1947 Thorold, Ontario, Canada
Died	February 10, 2011(2011-02-10) (aged 63) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Cleveland Barons Vancouver Canucks Minnesota Fighting Saints Los Angeles Sharks Michigan Stags
Playing career	1968–1978

Frederick Edmondstone Speck (July 22, 1947 – February 10, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. A centre, Speck had a brief major league career, playing in 28 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks, and 111 games in the World Hockey Association. For most of his career Speck played in the minor leagues, and in 1970–71, his first season in the American Hockey League, he was the top scorer, and was also named the most valuable player and rookie of the year.

Professional career

Minor league hockey

Speck was signed by the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL after a scout saw him playing junior hockey in Ontario. He was signed and played one game with the Hamilton Red Wings of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1963. He received more ice time the following season and began to produce offensively, scoring 8 points in 17 games. His totals increased the following year, with 34 points in 41 games. Over the next three seasons with Hamilton Speck's totals increased, and he scored 197 points between 1965–66 and 1967–68, including 85 points in his final season. In 1967–68 he made his professional debut, playing one regular season game and three more in the playoffs for the Fort Worth Wings of the Central Hockey League that season, scoring a goal and an assist in his first game, and scoring four points in the playoffs. Speck joined Fort Worth full-time for the 1968–69, recording 45 points.

Playing in the NHL

Speck made his National Hockey League debut with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1968–69 season, playing five games for them. He played another five games for Detroit in the 1969–70 season, but was held pointless. Still playing with Fort Worth, Speck scored 76 points in 1969–70. After CHL playoffs ended Speck joined the San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League for a two playoff games, and moved to the Baltimore Clippers of the American Hockey League in 1970–71. Speck scored 92 points and led the team to a first place AHL finish. Speck was named to the AHL first All-star team, and won three league awards: the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award, the John B. Sollenberger Trophy, and the Les Cunningham Award. On June 8, 1971, after the season ended the Vancouver Canucks claimed Speck in the Intra-League Draft. Speck joined the new NHL club for their first 18 games scoring one goal and two assists.

Finishing in the minors

The Canucks re-assigned Speck to the minor leagues, and he split the season between the Cleveland Barons of the AHL and the Seattle Totems of the WHL. The following season saw Speck sign with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association, where he played 47 games before being traded for Bill Young in February to the Los Angeles Sharks. He remained with the Sharks until 18 games into the 1973–74 season when the team moved to Detroit and became the Michigan Stags. Speck finished the season with the Greensboro Generals of the Southern Hockey League and began play in 1974–75 with the Syracuse Blazers of the North American Hockey League. Speck scored 34 points in 17 games and led the Blazers to a first place finish during the season. After Syracuse, Speck re-joined the Baltimore Clippers, leading the team in scoring with 75 points in 76 games for the 1975–76 season. After one season in Baltimore Speck joined the Brantford Alexanders of the upstart OHA Senior A Hockey League and played two seasons before retiring in 1977.

Personal

Speck met his wife while playing junior hockey with the Hamilton Red Wings. Fred and Linda had two children, son Wade and daughter Paige. After retiring from hockey in 1978, Speck became a sales manager, a career he continued until he became ill in November 2010. He started to lose weight and died of an unknown illness on February 10, 2011.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1962–63	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		17	2	6	8	20		—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		41	16	18	34	108		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		48	20	37	57	123		5	1	2	3	8
1966–67	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		39	23	32	55	67		13	4	6	10	14
1967–68	Hamilton Red Wings	OHA		52	31	54	85	115		11	6	8	14	15
1967–68	Fort Worth Wings	CHL		1	1	1	2	2		3	1	3	4	4
1968–69	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		5	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Fort Worth Wings	CHL		63	21	24	45	26		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		5	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Fort Worth Wings	CHL		67	30	46	76	47		7	0	3	3	7
1969–70	San Diego Gulls	WHL		—	—	—	—	—		2	0	0	0	0
1970–71	Baltimore Clippers	AHL		72	31	61	92	40		6	4	5	9	4
1971–72	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		18	1	2	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Seattle Totems	WHL		6	3	3	6	0		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Cleveland Barons	AHL		27	6	8	14	21		6	0	1	1	6
1972–73	Minnesota Fighting Saints	WHA		47	13	16	29	52		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Los Angeles Sharks	WHA		28	3	13	16	22		6	3	2	5	2
1973–74	Los Angeles Sharks	WHA		18	2	5	7	4		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Greensboro Generals	SHL		8	1	3	4	19		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Michigan Stags/Baltimore Blades	WHA		30	4	8	12	18		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Syracuse Blazers	NAHL		17	11	23	34	16		7	2	6	8	16
1975–76	Baltimore Clippers	AHL		76	23	52	75	93		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Brantford Alexanders	OHA-Sr		27	16	21	37	29		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Brantford Alexanders	OHA-Sr		38	17	35	52	57		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				123	22	42	64	96		6	3	2	5	2
NHL totals				28	1	2	3	2		—	—	—	—	—

Awards and achievements

• AHL First All-Star Team': 1970–71
• Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award, (AHL Rookie of the Year): 1970–71
• John B. Sollenberger Trophy, (AHL Leading Scorer): 1970–71
• Les Cunningham Award, (AHL MVP): 1970–71

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database