George Pierce "Gerry" Geran - Born August 3, 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts - Died September 1981 in Brooklyn, New York was a American Ice Hockey centre.

Geran played two years at Dartmouth College with the Big Green Hockey team from 1915 to 1917.

Geran was the first player born in the United States to make the National Hockey League / NHL. He made his NHL debut on December 19, 1917 with the Montreal Wanderers vs the Toronto Arenas at Montreal Arena (Westmount Arena) on the NHL's inaugural night of play in a 10-9 Montreal win. This was 1st game played in the new NHL and only 5 assists were put on paper for the 19 goals scored in the game.......it is possible that Geran assisted on a goal, but nothing written down. A French language newspaper ad re-discovered in 2017 established that the Montreal game started at 8:15 pm, ahead of another game that same night in Ottawa scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm, confirming this as the 1st NHL game ever played.

Geran played in the four Wanderers' games, 3 at their home, the Westmount Arena and 1 game in Ottawa at Dey's Arena to start the NHL season

Unfortunately for the Wanderers, their opening-night victory was their last. They lost their next three games before a fire burned Westmount Arena to the ground on January 2, 1918. The Montreal Canadiens, who also used Westmount as their home, moved into the 3,250-seat Jubilee Rink in the city's east end; the Wanderers elected to fold.

NHL records from those days, have Geran's name as Jerry Geran.

Geran then played for the Boston Navy Yard of the United States Navy Hockey League to finish the season, and then the Boston Shoe Trades Hockey team of the United States Amateur Hockey Association / USAHA until 1921.

On April 29, 1920 he won a silver medal with the (11-member) U.S. ice Hockey team at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. In spite of his previous professional experience, he was nevertheless allowed to play in the Olympic Games. He played in just 2 games, scoring 3 goals vs Sweden on April 27.

Geran played 1 season in France for the French Flying (Paris Francais Volants) during the 1921-22 season. Stats show Geran scoring 88 times in 8 games for the Volants.

Geran returned to the United States for the 1922-23 season, playing again in the USAHA for the Boston A.A. Unicorns / Boston Athletic Association. Geran played for the Unicorns for 3 seasons.

Geran signed as a free agent by the NHL Boston Bruins, November 23, 1925, and played 33 games for the Bruins, scoring just 5 goals, 1 assist. His 1st NHL goal was scored on Roy Worters of the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 11, 1925 at 3:25 of the 1st period at Duquesne Garden in a 5-3 Pittsburgh win. This was a historic goal, as Geran became the the first United States born player to score a goal in an NHL game....he had 2 in the game.

Geran then finished his Hockey career with the American Hockey League St. Paul Saints during the 1926-27 season.

Upon his retirement from the NHL, he was the last active player from the Montreal Wanderers roster.

NOTE
Geran was involved in a attempt to form a union for professional Hockey players and referees, starting in the 1940-41 NHL season. It was called the Association of Professional Hockey Players / APHP and Geran was listed as secretary. NHL President Frank Calder did not allow the union to form, and along with World War II happening, the union never happened.