35 and immediately showed himself to be one of the league's top defenders. Playing on a rebuilding Montreal team, he was said to have played every minute of every game for the Canadiens, a feat that earned him the nickname of "the ironman of hockey". He was named the winner of the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player, nine votes ahead of Bill Cook of the New York Rangers. , Gardiner remains the second-oldest player to ever win the award after Eddie Shore, and along with Wayne Gretzky is one of only two players to be named most valuable in their first year in the league. Gardiner again appeared in all 44 games the Canadiens played in 1927–28, but was loaned to the Chicago Black Hawks to start the 1928–29 season. Serving as a player-coach in Chicago, Gardiner appeared in 13 games as a player, but posted a dismal 5–23–4 record as coach. Montreal recalled him from Chicago in February 1929 and he finished his NHL career with the Canadiens. His rights were sold to the Boston Bruins following the season, before he was purchased by the Philadelphia Arrows of the Canadian–American Hockey League who named him as their head coach. Gardiner remained with the team, renamed the Philadelphia Ramblers in 1935-36, who subsequently joined the American Hockey League as an affiliate of the New York Rangers. He led the Ramblers to the Calder Cup finals in 1937 and 1939. Gardiner continued coaching until 1946. In 1947, efforts were made to relocate the suspended Montreal Maroons franchise to Philadelphia. The organization named Gardiner the general manager of the proposed Philadelphia Maroons but the team was never launched. He remained in Philadelphia following his retirement, living in the city until his death in 1972. Gardiner was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958. He is also in the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Coaching record College † Gardiner coached the Penn team for 1 games before turning control over to William Farson. References External links 1891 births 1972 deaths Calgary Tigers players Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian ice hockey coaches Canadian ice hockey defencemen Canadian military personnel of World War I Canadian Expeditionary Force soldiers Chicago Blackhawks coaches Chicago Blackhawks players Hart Memorial Trophy winners Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Ice hockey player-coaches Montreal Canadiens players Penn Quakers men's