Douglas Allen "Diesel" Mohns (December 13, 1933 - February 7, 2014) was a professional ice hockey player who played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1953-54 until 1974-75. Mohns twice won the most coveted prize in junior hockey, the Memorial Cup. He played on the 1951 and 1953 Barrie Flyers teams.
Playing career
Mohns played 1390 career NHL games, scoring 248 goals and 462 assists for 710 points, as well as compiling 1250 penalty minutes. Mohns played both forward and defence in his career. Mohns joined the Boston Bruins in 1953, where he became a versatile cornerstone of that franchise for 11 seasons. An early slapshot expert, Doug Mohns would combine skating speed & breakout passing skills with rugged reliability. Mohns starred with Bruins captain and blueline Stalwart Fern Flaman on defence and longtime teammate, smooth Centre Don McKenney on offence, during the Bruins' halcyon years of the late 1950s. Doug Mohns became an Alternate Captain of the Boston Bruins in 1960. He remained a team pillar during the difficult reconstruction period of the early 1960s.
Doug Mohns achieved much of his later career success with the Chicago Black Hawks. He 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 finished his 22 season long career as the captain of the expansion Washington Capitals. He was one of the first players to wear a helmet.
Mohns’ marriage to Jane Foster ended with her death in 1988. In addition to his wife, Tabor Ansin Mohns, he is survived by a sister, Erma Wilson; a son, Douglas Jr.; a daughter, Andrea Brillaud; a stepson, Greg Ansin; a stepdaughter, Lisa Ansin; and nine grandchildren. Mohns was heavily involved with charity activities, including serving on the board of the Dianne DeVanna Center in support of family health, and with the local food pantry.
He died on February 7, 2014 at the age of 80, of myelodysplastic syndrome.
Career statistics
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1951-52 | Barrie Flyers | OHA | 53 | 40 | 36 | 76 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1952-53 | Barrie Flyers | OHA | 56 | 34 | 42 | 76 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1953-54 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
1954-55 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 82 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
1955-56 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 64 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1956-57 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 68 | 6 | 34 | 40 | 89 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
1957-58 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 54 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 18 | ||
1958-59 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 47 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||
1959-60 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1960-61 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1961-62 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1962-63 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 68 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1963-64 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1964-65 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 49 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 84 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21 | ||
1965-66 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 22 | 27 | 49 | 63 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
1966-67 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 61 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 58 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | ||
1967-68 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 65 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 53 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | ||
1968-69 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 65 | 22 | 19 | 41 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1969-70 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 66 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 15 | ||
1970-71 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 39 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1970-71 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 17 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | ||
1971-72 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 78 | 6 | 30 | 36 | 82 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
1972-73 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 67 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 52 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
1973-74 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 28 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1974-75 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 75 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
NHL totals | 1390 | 248 | 462 | 710 | 1250 | 94 | 14 | 36 | 50 | 122 |