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Uploaded By: PRESIDENT on September 14th, 2016

John Allan "Al" Shields - Born May 10, 1907 in Ottawa, Ontario - Died September 24, 1975 was a Canadian professional ice Hockey defenceman and referee.

Shields played his junior Hockey with Hull Notre Dame, winning the Hull & District League championships in 1925 and 1926.

Shield joined the Ottawa Montagnards for the 1927-28 season, while also playing with the New Haven Eagles and making his NHL debut with the Ottawa Senators on March 3, 1928 vs the Chicago Black Hawks at Ottawa Auditorium in a 3-1 Ottawa win, also getting in 2 NHL playoff games.

Shields played in 42 game for the Ottawa Senators in the 1928-29 season, also playing in 6 games for the AHA St. Louis Flyers.

Shields scored his 1st NHL goal vs George Hainsworth of the Montreal Canadiens on November 13, 1929 at 13:30 of the 2nd period at Ottawa Auditorium in a 3-3 OT tie. He played another 46 games for the Senators during the 1929-30 season and then was traded to the Philadelphia Quakers by Ottawa with Syd Howe and Wally Kilrea for $35,000, November 6, 1930 to help liven up the team and attract more Quaker fans. Philly was in bad financial shape at the time and needed greater attendance to survive. With the assistance of Shields and company their games became "quite exciting", culminating with a Christmas Day game when the entire Philadelphia police force were called to quell a near riot. With the onset of the Depression, the team folded the following year. The Quakers set another near NHL record for games lost, however they were one of the more "lively" teams of the time.

Shields was claimed by the New York Americans from Ottawa for 1931-32 season in the Dispersal Draft, September 26, 1931, where he played 48 games.

Shields was back in a Senators jersey for two seasons from 1932 to 1934, and was traded to the Montreal Maroons by Ottawa for Irv Frew and future considerations (Normie Smith and Vern Ayres, October 18, 1934), September 20, 1934.

Shields was selected to play in the Ace Bailey Benefit Game for the NHL All-Stars Team February 14, 1934, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. This was the first all-star game in National Hockey League / NHL history.

After being traded to the Montreal Maroons for the 1934-35 season, Shields enjoyed a memorable playoff as the Maroons swept the Toronto Maple Leafs three games to none to take the 1935 Stanley Cup championship. This would be Shields' only Stanley Cup championship.

He spent one more season in Montreal, and played in the longest game in NHL history. Montreal Maroons vs. Detroit Red Wings, March 1936.

Shields was then loaned to the New York Americans for the 1936-37 season, who then in turn loaned him to the Boston Bruins for the remainder of the year. Shields was then returned to the Maroons where he played the 1937-38 season, his last in the NHL.

Shields went on to play in the American Hockey League / AHL for four more seasons, again playing with the New Haven Eagles from 1938 to 1941, including a quick stint with the Buffalo Bisons in late 1940, and finishing his pro Hockey career as a playing coach with the Washington Lions during the 1941-42 season.

Shields was selected to All-Star teams twice during his AHL career.

On a couple of occasions during his career, Shields had to fill in as a goalie. In those days no spare goalie was available and if the one and only was injured during a game one of the players had to fill-in.

Shields enlisted in the RCAF during the war, and while with the airforce he was playing coach for the RCAF Sabres stationed in Arnprior, Ontario.

After the war, Shields went on to Referee in the AHL from 1946 to 1948 and then hung up his skates permanently.

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