He was the Hart Trophy winner in 1941-42. There is much significance to this honour bestowed upon Tommy Anderson. That year, Anderson moved to defense after an NHL career at forward. He led the Brooklyn Americans in scoring, despite his position at the point, in what was the final year for the franchise. Brooklyn finished last in the seven team league.
Anderson was the last Hart Trophy winner from a non Original 6 team until Bobby Clarke won the award in 1972-73 with the Philadelphia Flyers. He is also just one of only two eligible players to win the Hart Trophy but be denied a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The other, Al Rollins, goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Minor Career
NHL Career
Hockey Cards
Career Stats
Tommy Anderson – Minor Pro
The Edinburgh, Scotland born Tommy Anderson played four years for the Philadelphia Arrows in the CAHL (Can-Am League) from 1930-31 to 1933-34. The Can-Am League was an ancestor of the present day American Hockey League.
In 1932-33, the Arrows finished first in the six team league. Philadelphia lost in the finals to the Buck Boucher coached Boston Cubs. Anderson finished tied for third with 24 assists and sixth in the overall scoring race with 35 points.
The follow year, 1933-34, Anderson tied for second in the CAHL with 20 goals. His 25 assists were the most in the league. Tommy also tied for the overall scoring lead with 45 points, equaling Arrows teammate Connie King.
His 1934-35 season was split between the Detroit Olympics in the IHL and the NHL Red Wings. The following year was also split between the two leagues with Anderson appearing with the Cleveland Falcons and New York Rangers.
After his Hart Trophy winning season with the Brooklyn Americans, Anderson played three years with Calgary Currie Army in the Alberta Inter Services League. In all three years, 1942-43 to 1944-45, the team finished first overall and were crowned playoff champions.
On those wartime teams in Calgary, Tommy was teamed with former NHLers Max and Reg Bentley, along with goalie Frank McCool. The team was named for the Currie Barracks at the Canadian Army Base in Calgary, Alberta.
After the war, Anderson did not return to the National Hockey League but did return to pro hockey. In 1945-46, he played for the Providence Reds in the American Hockey League.
1946-47 was his last hurrah, appearing with the Hollywood Wolves in the PCHL. The team finished first overall in the eleven team league but lost in the semi-finals to the Los Angeles Monarchs. The significance of that team was a defenseman named Bill Barilko. Barilko would be in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the end of the season.
Tommy Anderson – NHL
Between 1934-35 and 1941-42, Tommy Anderson played 319 regular season games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and the New York/Brooklyn Americans. He appeared in just 27 games with Detroit in 1934-35 before spending the rest of his career in New York.
Over his NHL career, Anderson scored 62 and assisted on 127 for 189 points. In 16 playoff games, he added nine points. In 1938-39, Tommy finished fifth in the NHL with 27 points. His 40 points tied him for sixth with Syl Apps of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Of course, 1941-42 was the pinnacle of Tommy Anderson’s NHL career. The team captain of the Americans scored 12 and assisted on 29 for 41 points while playing the full 48 game schedule. Tommy led the Americans in assists and points.
Anderson tied for sixth with Eddie Wares of the Red Wings for assists. His 41 points tied him for eighth in the NHL with Syl Apps and Gordie Drillon, both of the Maple Leafs. Tommy’s 64 penalty minutes tied him for eighth in the league with John Mariucci of the Blackhawks.
The Americans finished seventh in the seven team league, just four points behind the sixth place Montreal Canadiens. That left Brooklyn out of the post season and the team would never again return to the National Hockey League.
As mentioned, Tommy Anderson was the last Hart Trophy winner from a non-Original 6 team until Bobby Clarke in 1972-73. Him and Al Rollins are the only winners of the Hart, eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame that are not enshrined.
Tommy Anderson – Hockey Cards
Tommy Anderson’s NHL career came right in the middle of the dark ages in the hockey card world. However, there is cardboard memorabilia to be found. Anderson is included in the 1935-36 Diamond Match set, the 1934 to 1943 Bee Hive Photo set and the 1939-40 O-Pee-Chee V301-1 set. On all three, he is shown with the New York Americans.
On the back of his 1935-36 Diamond Match card, it states, “Played first hockey with Drumheller Miners in 1930. Joined Philadelphia Arrows of Can-Am League, same season. Moved to Detroit Olympics in 1933 and to Detroit Red Wings in 1934. Tommy stepped a good season with the Wings last year and was promptly purchased for the Americans 1935-36 campaign.”
Tommy Anderson Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1930-31 | Philadelphia Arrows | CAHL | 38 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 89 |
| 1931-32 | Philadelphia Arrows | CAHL | 26 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 36 |
| 1932-33 | Philadelphia Arrows | CAHL | 45 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 49 |
| 1933-34 | Philadelphia Arrows | CAHL | 40 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 46 |
| 1934-35 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 27 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 |
| 1934-35 | Detroit Olympics | IHL | 15 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 14 |
| 1935-36 | Cleveland Falcons | IHL | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 49 |
| 1935-36 | New York Americans | NHL | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 20 |
| 1936-37 | New York Americans | NHL | 45 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 24 |
| 1936-37 | Cleveland Barons | IAHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17 |
| 1937-38 | New York Americans | NHL | 45 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 22 |
| 1937-38 | New Haven Eagles | IAHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 1938-39 | New York Americans | NHL | 47 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 14 |
| 1939-40 | New York Americans | NHL | 48 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 22 |
| 1940-41 | New York Americans | NHL | 35 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 8 |
| 1941-42 | Brooklyn Americans | NHL | 48 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 64 |
| 1945-46 | Providence Reds | AHL | 47 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 12 |
| 1946-47 | Hollywood Wolves | PCHL | 60 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 42 |
| NHL Totals | 319 | 62 | 127 | 189 | 190 |