 He spent most of the 1954–55 season in the Western Hockey League with the Edmonton Flyers—Detroit's farm team, whose roster included future Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Bucyk, Norm Ullman, Glenn Hall, Al Arbour, and player-coach Bud Poile.He then played one season with the Brandon Regals before being hired by the Seattle Americans as player-head coach in 1956.He retired as a player in 1957 to become a full-time coach.