Albert George Demarco Sr.

Ab Demarco Sr. started and ended his hockey playing career in North Bay. In between, he played the game for 27 years, including 14 seasons in professional ranks where he scored 309 goals and amassed 830 points. He played almost 800 games as a pro and another 300 contests in seven seasons in senior ranks. A canny centre, he learned many of his skills playing juvenile and junior hockey in North Bay on open air rinks and further developed playing OHA Junior in Barrie and Senior in Falconbridge and Baltimore. He then spent much of the next five seasons in the American Hockey League before graduating to the NHL where he played over 200 games in all, mostly with New York Rangers although he also spent time with Chicago, Toronto and Boston. Twice he scored 20 or more goals in a season and in 1945 he tied for fifth in league points with 54. He returned to the AHL in 1947 where he picked up 425 points in his last five years in the pro game. Demarco won a scoring title, League MVP Award and first team All Star berth with Buffalo in 1950-51 with 113 points and he also placed second in 1949-50 with 94 points and third with 77 points in 1951-52 – his last year as a pro. He also helped Cleveland to the Calder Cup in 1948-49. He spent his last five playing years with the North Bay Trapper Seniors, winning an NOHA Senior ‘A’ scoring title with 92 points in 1953-54 and helping the Trappers win the NOHA Senior ‘A’ crown in 1956-57 when he was 41. He also coached hockey for seven years in Scotland, U.S. and North Bay.