Armand "Bep" Guidolin (December 9, 1925 – November 24, 2008) was a Canadian National Hockey League player. He was born in Thorold, Ontario. He and Eleanor, his wife of 62 years, had four children.

Guidolin stood 5'8" at 175 lbs, and was left shooting left winger in the NHL. He later went onto a coaching career. He was nicknamed "Bep" because his mother spoke Italian and very little English. Armand was the baby of the family and his mother pronounced baby as "beppy". The nickname stuck and was shortened to "Bep".

[edit] Playing career

Guidolin played junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals of the OHA, playing in the Memorial Cup in 1942. Later that year he became the youngest player (16 years, 11 months) to play in an NHL game, November 12, 1942. (Toronto 3, Boston 1).

His quick rise to the NHL was a direct result of World War II. The Boston Bruins were in dire need of replacements to fill the roster holes created by so many players leaving for military service. In 1944, his eligibility for military service brought a one-year break from his NHL career.

Guidolin also played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks. Armand was an ardent support for the formation of a players' union, which led to an early demise to his NHL career in 1952. He played for nine years in the minors, then retired to a coaching career.

[edit] Coaching career

Guidolin coached the Belleville McFarlands, winning the Allan Cup in 1958, and the World Championship in 1959. In 1965 he became the coach of this former junior team the Oshawa Generals, featuring 17 year old future Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman Bobby Orr. He led the Generals to the Memorial Cup finals in 1966 versus the Edmonton Oil Kings. Guidolin later coached the London Knights of the OHL, Boston Bruins and the Kansas City Scouts of the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association, and the Boston Braves and Philadelphia Firebirds of the American Hockey League.

[edit] Career statistics

                                             --- Regular Season ---  ---- Playoffs ---- Season   Team                        Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM  GP   G   A Pts PIM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1942-43  Boston Bruins               NHL    42    7   15   22   53   9   0   4   4  12 1943-44  Boston Bruins               NHL    47   17   25   42   58  --  --  --  --  -- 1945-46  Boston Bruins               NHL    50   15   17   32   62  10   5   2   7  13 1946-47  Boston Bruins               NHL    56   10   13   23   73   3   0   1   1   6 1947-48  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    58   12   10   22   78   2   0   0   0   4 1948-49  Detroit Red Wings           NHL     4    0    0    0    0  --  --  --  --  -- 1948-49  Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    56    4   17   21  116  --  --  --  --  -- 1949-50  Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    70   17   34   51   42  --  --  --  --  -- 1950-51  Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    69   12   22   34   56  --  --  --  --  -- 1951-52  Chicago Blackhawks          NHL    67   13   18   31   78  --  --  --  --  -- 1952-53  Syracuse Warriors           AHL    23    1    8    9   24   3   0   0   0   8 1952-53  Ottawa Senators             QSHL   43    9   24   33   54  --  --  --  --  -- 1953-54  Ottawa Senators             QHL    71   18   38   56  148  --  --  --  --  -- 1954-55  Ottawa Senators             QHL    19    5   12   17   77  --  --  --  --  -- 1954-55  North Bay Trappers          NOHA    0    0    0    0    0  --  --  --  --  -- 1956-57  Belleville McFarlands       OHASr   0   16   29   45  156  --  --  --  --  -- 1957-58  Windsor Bulldogs            OHASr   7    2    6    8   24  --  --  --  --  -- 1957-58  Belleville McFarlands       OHASr   0   12   18   30   60  --  --  --  --  -- 1958-59  Kingston Merchants          OHASr   0    0    0    0    0  --  --  --  --  -- 1960-61  Omaha-Indianapolis          IHL    64   14   33   47   63  --  --  --  --  -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------          NHL Totals                        519  107  171  278  616  24   5   7  12  35 

[edit] Coaching statistics

 Season  Team                     Lge Type        GP  W  L T OTL  Pct        Result  1964-65 Windsor Spitfires       OHA-B Head Coach              1965-66 Oshawa Generals         OHA   Head Coach 48 22 18 8   0 0.542   1969-70 London Knights          OHA   Head Coach 54 22 25 7   0 0.472   1970-71 London Knights          OHA   Head Coach 62 19 35 8   0 0.371   1971-72 Boston Braves           AHL   Head Coach 76 41 21 14  0 0.632 Lost in round 2  1972-73 Boston Bruins           NHL   Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season--------       1973-74 Boston Bruins           NHL   Head Coach 78 52 17 9   0 0.724 Lost in Finals  1976-77 Edmonton Oilers         WHA   Head Coach 81 34 43 4   0 0.444 Lost in round 1  1978-79 Philadelphia Firebirds  AHL   Head Coach 80 23 49 8   0 0.338 Out of Playoffs  1978-79 Colorado Rockies        NHL   Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season--------      1981-82 Brantford Alexanders    OHL   Head Coach --------Replaced Mid-Season-------- 

[edit] External links

• Bep Guidolin's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Bep Guidolin's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database