Early life

Rayner was born August 11, 1920 in Sutherland, Saskatchewan.

Playing career

Playing his junior career for the Kenora Thistles of the Manitoba junior league, Rayner showed his skill early in backstopping the team to the Memorial Cup championship in 1940. The next season he turned professional for the Americans, spending most of the year with the Amerks' minor league affiliate, the Springfield Indians of the AHL. With the Indians, Rayner led the league in shutouts and goals against average and was named to the Second All-Star Team.

The following season Rayner was the leading goalie for the Americans' final season before the team folded. World War II interrupted Rayner's career, however, and he spent the next three years in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he played two seasons for naval teams based out of Victoria.

After the war, he signed as a free agent in 1945 with the Rangers. Rayner would be the starting goaltender for New York six of the next seven seasons, earning accolades for his play even though the Rangers' teams of the era were weak, and Rayner would never have a winning record. He was noted as a puckhandling goalie, attempting several times throughout his career to score a goal.

Even though he played on poor teams throughout his career, there was little doubt that "Bonnie Prince Charlie" was one of the best goalies of his era. The three years between 1948 and 1951 were his best, and he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1950, after leading the Rangers to overtime in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals.

Post-NHL career

In 1953, Rayner suffered a knee injury and lost his job as Rangers' starter to Gump Worsley. He played one more season in the minors for the Saskatoon Quakers of the Western Hockey League and a couple of brief stints in the senior leagues the two seasons thereafter before hanging up his skates for good.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973, the second goaltender in history to be inducted with a losing record.

Rayner died on October 6, 2002 of a heart attack.

Awards and achievements

• Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1940)
• AHL Second All-Star Team (1941)
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1949, 1950, & 1951)
• Hart Memorial Trophy Winner (1950)
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game (1949, 1950, & 1951)
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973
• “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
• Ranked No. 16 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1936-37	Saskatoon Wesleys	SJHL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1937-38	Kenora Thistles	MJHL		22	—	—	—	1350	103	0	4.58
1938-39	Kenora Thistles	MJHL		22	—	—	—	1350	64	0	2.84
1939-40	Kenora Thistles	MJHL		24	15	5	4	1480	66	1	2.68
1940-41	New York Americans	NHL		12	2	7	3	773	44	0	3.42
1940-41	Springfield Indians	AHL		37	17	13	6	2280	87	6	2.29
1941-42	Brooklyn Americans	NHL		36	13	21	2	2230	129	1	3.47
1941-42	Springfield Indians	AHL		1	1	0	0	60	4	0	4.00
1942-43	Victoria Navy	NNDHL		12	—	—	—	720	39	1	3.25
1943-44	Victoria Navy	PCHL		18	—	—	—	1080	52	1	2.89
1943-44	Halifax RCAF	HCHL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1945-46	New York Rangers	NHL		40	12	21	7	2377	149	1	3.76
1946-47	New York Rangers	NHL		58	22	30	6	3480	177	5	3.05
1947-48	New York Rangers	NHL		12	4	7	0	691	42	0	3.65
1947-48	New Haven Ramblers	AHL		15	7	6	2	900	40	0	2.67
1948-49	New York Rangers	NHL		58	16	31	11	3480	168	7	2.90
1949-50	New York Rangers	NHL		69	28	30	11	4140	181	6	2.62
1950-51	New York Rangers	NHL		66	19	28	19	3940	187	2	2.85
1951-52	New York Rangers	NHL		53	18	25	10	3180	159	2	3.00
1952-53	New York Rangers	NHL		20	4	8	8	1200	58	1	2.90
1953-54	Saskatoon Quakers	WHL		68	31	28	9	4045	204	6	3.03
1954-55	Nelson Maple Leafs	WIHL		2	—	—	—	120	4	0	2.00
1955-56	Nelson Maple Leafs	WIHL		6	—	—	—	360	18	0	3.00
NHL totals				424	138	208	77	25,491	1294	25	3.05

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1936-37	Saskatoon Wesleys	SJHL		3	3	0	180	4	0	1.33
1936-37	Saskatoon Wesleys	M-Cup		9	7	2	550	20	2	2.18
1939-40	Kenora Thistles	MJHL		9	—	—	540	18	0	2.00
1942-43	Victoria Navy	NNDHL		6	2	4	370	29	0	4.70
1943-44	Victoria Navy	PCHL		2	1	1	130	6	0	2.77
1943-44	Halifax RCAF	Al-Cup		2	1	1	130	6	0	2.77
1947-48	New York Rangers	NHL		6	2	4	360	17	0	2.83
1949-50	New York Rangers	NHL		12	7	5	775	29	1	2.25
1953-54	Saskatoon Quakers	WHL		6	2	4	360	23	1	3.83
1954-55	Nelson Maple Leafs	WIHL		1	1	0	60	2	0	2.00
NHL totals				18	9	9	1135	46	1	2.43

[ Source: Wikipedia ]