Jim Henry entered the National Hockey League with a bang in 1941-42, playing between the pipes for all 48 regular season games for the New York Rangers. The Frank Boucher coached Rangers placed first overall in the seven team league. Yet, Henry was denied the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year with it instead going to Rangers teammate Grant Warwick. The following year, Sugar was involved in higher cause, serving in the Canadian military during World War II. He didn’t return to the NHL until 1945-46.
Jim Henry – Minor Pro / Military
Henry was a two time Allan Cup champion, a trophy that goes to the top senior amateur team in Canada each year. In 1940-41, before his debut in the NHL, Jim was goaltender for the Regina Rangers of the SSHL. The Rangers won the Allan Cup, defeating the Sydney Millionaires in the finals.
In 1942-43, the year after his smashing debut with New York, Henry was playing goal for the Ottawa Commandos, a collection of Canadian soldiers. The Commandos competed in the QSHL and became Allan Cup champions after defeating Victoria Army in the finals.
Once the second coming of the National Hockey League career was over, Jim was once again a goaltender in the senior amateur circuit. With the Winnipeg Maroons in 1957-58, he helped the team to the Western Playdown finals of the Allan Cup before falling to the Kelowna Packers. Two years later, in his final year as a player, the Maroons fell in the Western quarter-finals to the Saskatoon Quakers.
Throughout his career, Henry had stints in the minors, appearing in the AHL, USHL and IHL. He was head coach of the Toledo Mercurys of the IHL for one season, 1961-62. Toledo placed last in the seven team IHL with just 17 wins and a tie, along with 50 losses over the 68 game schedule.
Jim Henry – NHL
As mentioned, Henry’s first year in the NHL was 1941-42 with the New York Rangers. Appearing in all 48 games for Frank Boucher’s Rangers, he helped the club to a first overall finish in the seven team NHL. However, New York was bounced from the playoffs in the opening round by the Toronto Maple Leafs, losing the series in six games.
Jim Henry Collection
After the war, Henry returned to the Rangers but was reduced to a backup role to Chuck Rayner for the 1945-46 and 1946-47 seasons. In 1947-48, the roles reversed with Jim playing 48 of the team’s 60 games while Rayner backed him up.
In October, 1948, just before the 1948-49 NHL season began, Henry was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for Emile Francis and Alex Kaleta. In that 1948-49 season, Jim played all 60 games for the Blackhawks. Chicago placed fifth in the six team league with just 50 points over 60 games and just three points ahead of last place Boucher and the Rangers.
His stay in Chicago was limited to one season. In July, 1949, Jim was traded to the Detroit Red Wings but never played for the club. The deal was a blockbuster with nine players changing sides. Bob Goldham, Metro Prystai and Gaye Stewart joined Henry on the way to Detroit while Pete Babando, Al Dewsbury, Harry Lumley, Jack Stewart and Don Morrison moved to Chicago.
After a full year in the minors, Jim’s NHL career was resurrected with the Boston Bruins in 1951-52. For three years from 1951-52 to 1953-54, Henry played every game for the Bruins (70 game schedule). Over the three years, Jim recorded 22 shutouts for Boston. In 1952-53, he came as close as would get to a Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins reaching the finals before falling to the Montreal Canadiens.
Henry’s final year in the NHL was 1954-55. He was reduced to a backup role with the Bruins behind John Henderson. It turned out that it was Henderson’s only season in the National Hockey League.
Jim Henry – Rookie Card
The Jim Henry rookie card appears as number 19 in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set. With the decade long absense of hockey cards, Henry was never featured as a member of the Rangers or Blackhawks. Instead, his rookie card shows him as a member of the Boston Bruins. The card is valued at around 2.5 times that of a common card.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | A | PIM | SO | GAA |
| 1941-42 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.90 |
| 1945-46 | New York Rangers | NHL | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.04 |
| 1946-47 | New York Rangers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 |
| 1947-48 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.19 |
| 1948-49 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.52 |
| 1951-52 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2.51 |
| 1952-53 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2.46 |
| 1953-54 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2.59 |
| 1954-55 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 27 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.06 |