Tommy Anderson (ice hockey)
# Tommy Anderson (ice hockey)

Thomas Linton "Cowboy" Anderson (July 9, 1910 – September 15, 1971) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League between 1934 and 1942 for the Detroit Red Wings and the New York/Brooklyn Americans. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and raised in Drumheller, Alberta and spent his final years in Sylvan Lake, Alberta.

## Playing career

Anderson played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1934 to 1942. He played his first season for the Detroit Red Wings and his last seven for the New York/Brooklyn Americans.

For the 1941–42 season, Anderson switched positions from left wing to defence. The Americans finished last in the NHL, but Anderson had 41 points to set the league record for a defenceman. He also won the 1942 Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, becoming the first player to win the award while on a team that missed the playoffs. That was Anderson's last season in the NHL as he enlisted in the Canadian military at the onset of World War II.

He was the last Hart Trophy winner to play for a non-Original Six team until 1973, when Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers won the award. Anderson, José Théodore, and Al Rollins are the only winners of the Hart Trophy who have not been selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the only skater of the three.

## Career statistics

### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1929–30 | Drumheller Miners | ASHL | 16 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930–31 | Philadelphia Arrows | Can-Am | 38 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1931–32 | Philadelphia Arrows | Can-Am | 26 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1932–33 | Philadelphia Arrows | Can-Am | 45 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 49 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| 1933–34 | Philadelphia Arrows | Can-Am | 40 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 46 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 1934–35 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 27 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1934–35 | Detroit Olympics | IHL | 20 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1935–36 | New York Americans | NHL | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1936–37 | New York Americans | NHL | 45 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1936–37 | Cleveland Barons | IAHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1937–38 | New York Americans | NHL | 45 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 1937–38 | New Haven Eagles | IAHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1938–39 | New York Americans | NHL | 47 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939–40 | New York Americans | NHL | 48 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1940–41 | New York Americans | NHL | 35 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1941–42 | Brooklyn Americans | NHL | 48 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1942–43 | Calgary Currie Army | CNDHL | 16 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 1942–43 | Calgary Currie Army | Al-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1943–44 | Calgary Currie Army | CNDHL | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1944–45 | Calgary Currie Army | CNDHL | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1945–46 | Providence Reds | AHL | 47 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | Hollywood Wolves | PCHL | 60 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 319 | 62 | 127 | 189 | 180 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
