Incredible But True Blueshirts Stories: Salary Battles With The Boss

If I told you what hockey players were making 85 years ago you might think I was kidding you. But I'm not.

One of the best players on the 1939-40 Stanley Cup champions was Alex Shibicky, a forward on the hot "Bread Line."

A left wing, Shibicky worked with the brothers Neil (center) and Mac Colville. According to Alex's son, Alex Shibicky, Jr., his Dad's top salary was $5,000 for a season which, in those days of the Great Depression was not too bad.

The Rangers boss Lester Patrick was never one to toss around big dough if he could help it.

"As a matter of fact," Alex, Jr. told me, "my Dad and the Colvilles had a good line – "That Lester threw around dollars like they were manhole covers."

Since all three of the Breadliners shot from the same side, Patrick needed one of them to play on his "wrong" wing. That's how Alex Shibicky faked out Patrick for more dough.

Alex, Jr.: "At contract time, Dad went in to see Lester after Neil and Mac negotiated their deals. Dad had agreed to play the 'wrong' side of the line and decided to use that in his negotiation.

"Dad played the only card he had and used Lester's own words to his advantage saying, 'You told me that a good hockey player can play ANY position!' And with that Lester begrudgingly agreed to pay Dad a little bit more. It may have been one of the very few times that Lester was outsmarted at the bargaining table."

Ace defenseman Babe Pratt also was known for fiscal fencing with Lester. After Pratt and Patrick haggled over a deal and finally came to an agreement, Babe pulled off the perfect squelch:

As Pratt walked toward the door, he stopped, wheeled around and stung Lester with this line: "I'm having so much fun playing for you, Lester, I WOULD'VE PLAYED FOR FREE!"

"Babe," Alex, Jr. concluded "then walked out with a smile on his face!"