IMAGE INFORMATION
EditDouglas Allen "Diesel" Mohns - Born December 13, 1933 in v, Ontario – Died February 7, 2014 in Reading, Massachusetts was a professional ice Hockey player.
Mohns earned the nickname "Diesel" out of respect for the manner in which his piston-like legs could dig into the ice and propel him forward like a locomotive.
During his junior career with the Barrie Flyers of the OHA, Mohns played left wing rather than defense. It was there that, under the strict discipline of coach Hap Emms, the youngster learned the finer parts of the game. At the time, he liked Emms' strictness like a spoon of bad cough syrup but appreciated the lessons learned as he entered higher levels of the sport. And in the short term, he enjoyed two Memorial Cup championships in 1951 and 1953.
As he turned pro, Mohns managed to forego the customary developmental stint in the minors when the Bruins' Jack McIntyre went down with an injury at the start of the 1953-54 campaign. The junior standout was brought in and placed on defense as a two-week fill-in. Unfortunately for McIntyre, Mohns impressed the team so much that he won a permanent post with the club and McIntyre was sold to the Black Hawks.
Over the eleven seasons that followed, Mohns became an anchor on the Bruins' defense with his blueline partner, Fernie Flaman. Mohns' mobility and puckhandling skills made him a fan favourite with the Boston crowd. In 1959-60, he became only the second rearguard in NHL history to score 20 goals in a single season.
Mohns was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks on June 8, 1964, for Ab McDonald and Reggie Fleming, and played left wing on one of the greatest lines in NHL history, the "Scooter Line", with centre Stan Mikita and right wing Kenny Wharram. Their speed and puck handling ability fueled the Black Hawks' high-powered offence during this time period. Mohns was also known as an enforcer for Bobby Hull.
Mohns enjoyed his most prolific scoring seasons with the Black Hawks, the best being 1966-67, when he tallied 25 goals and 35 assists in 61 games. That was the first time the Black Hawks ever finished in first place, thus breaking the infamous “Curse of Muldoon.”
Though not primarily a scorer, Mohns was, in the early 1950s, among the first wave of players to adopt the slap shot, and he had four consecutive seasons with Chicago, from 1965-66 through 1968-69, in which he scored more than 20 goals
Mohns was traded to the Minnesota North Stars in 1971, and later also played with the expansion Atlanta Flames and Washington Capitals, for whom he served as captain.
One of the first individuals to wear a helmet, Mohns played 1,390 games in the NHL, amassing 248 goals and 462 assists and retiring after the 1974-75 season. A gritty sort, Mohns also logged 1,250 penalty minutes.
Mohns was chosen to seven all star teams, both as a forward and defenceman.