Daniel Vladimir Lewicki (March 12, 1931 – September 25, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1950s and early 1960s. Before becoming a professional, Lewicki was at the center of a dispute over professional hockey signing practices. , Lewicki is the only player to have won the Allan Cup, Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup while still a junior.
Early life
Born in Fort William, Ontario, Lewicki was one of eight children in the family of Michael and Anastasia (Chorna) Lewicki. Both Michael and Anastasia were born in Ukraine and emigrated to Canada where they met in Fort William. The family lived in the area known as the "Coal Docks", an immigrant enclave near the docks in Fort William. The family shared a home with six boarders. In an abusive marriage, Anastasia left Michael when Daniel was two years of age. Two of the children were sent to Geraldton, Ontario where the eldest sister lived with her husband. Daniel, his mother, a sister and brother and a boarder lived in a two-room shack by .
Lewicki started skating at age five, first with bob skates, then a used pair three sizes too large. Until age twelve, Lewicki learned to play hockey by playing shinny on outdoor rinks. Organized hockey started at age twelve and Lewicki joined the Bantam Elks. This he did in secret, as his mother was strongly opposed to his playing hockey. Lewicki would hide his hockey equipment outside under the backyard stairs. The next season, Lewicki played for the North Star Bantams, moving up to the Midgets at age fourteen a year early, to play against boys sixteen and older.
Hockey career
Junior
At age fifteen, Lewicki got his first taste of junior hockey with the Columbus Juniors in their playoffs against the Winnipeg Monarchs. Lewicki returned to the Columbus Juniors the following season. That season, Lewicki led the Fort William league in scoring, and started attracting the attention of pro scouts from Toronto, New York and Detroit. Lewicki did not sign with any team, but was placed on the negotiating list of the Providence Reds by his coach, Leo Barbini, who did some scouting for the Reds. Barbini somehow managed to put Lewicki on the Providence list before Toronto and New York, who had filed at 12:01 am on Lewicki's sixteenth birthday.
The following season, Columbus was defeated by the Port Arthur West End Bruins. After the series, Lewicki was invited to join the Bruins as they continued in junior series playoffs. The Bruins defeated Winnipeg to advance to the Western title series against Lethbridge, Alberta. Port Arthur and Lethbridge were tied 3–3 in a best-of-seven series. Lethbridge refused to play the seventh game in Port Arthur and the game was moved to Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. The large ice surface favoured the Bruins and they defeated Lethbridge 11–1 to advance to the 1948 Memorial Cup final against the Barrie Flyers. The Bruins defeated the Flyers in four straight to win the Cup and Lewicki scored the series-winning goal. The club had an impressive array of talent. Eight players from the Bruins would go on to play in the NHL. Lewicki was the top scorer in the playoffs, recording 40 points.
After the Cup, the Toronto Maple Leafs bought the rights to Lewicki for a record price of $35,000 and a player. In the fall, Lewicki left Port Arthur to join the Stratford Kroehlers, coached by Barbini, his old coach. Before the regular season started, Lewicki was ordered to join the Toronto Marlboros by the Maple Leafs. Unbeknownst to Lewicki, Barbini had signed Lewicki to a "C" Form, which bound Lewicki at age eighteen, and not simply signed Lewicki to a negotiating list.
Lewicki refused to play for Toronto, but was told that he had to play for the Marlboros, or nowhere else. Lewicki received a telegram from NHL President Clarence Campbell advising him that he was suspended. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association took up Lewicki's case, but the CAHA stopped backing Lewicki short of any legal action. Stratford did as well, in the face of pressure from the Maple Leafs. Lewicki decided to join the Marlboros. The "C" Form, which Lewicki signed, became an issue in the Canadian Parliament, and was abolished a few years later.