Max Bentley

Max Bentley was a Hockey Hall of Fame centre celebrated for his stickhandling, winning the Art Ross and Hart trophies with Chicago before winning three Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was born in Delisle, Saskatchewan in 1920. He won two Art Ross Trophies as scoring champion (1946, 1947) and the Hart Trophy as MVP in 1946 with the Chicago Black Hawks. He was then involved in one of the most famous trades in NHL history — traded to Toronto in November 1947 for five players, one of the largest trades in league history to that point. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1948, 1949). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. His nickname the Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle reflected his creative stickhandling and skating style — he was considered the most entertaining individual puck-handler of the mid-1940s. His brother Doug Bentley also played in the NHL. The Bentley brothers were part of Chicago's Pony Line with Bill Mosienko — one of the most celebrated lines of the era.

Bentley was celebrated for his extraordinary stickhandling skills and creative playmaking ability. Despite his relatively small stature, he possessed exceptional vision on the ice and could thread passes through the tightest spaces. His elusive skating style and ability to control the puck made him extremely difficult to check.

Bentley is remembered as one of the most skilled and creative centers of his era, helping establish the template for the modern playmaking center. His individual brilliance and team success cemented his place among hockey's all-time greats.

• Hockey Hall of Fame (1966)
• 3x Stanley Cup champion (1947, 1948, 1949)
• Art Ross Trophy (1946)
• Hart Trophy (1946)
• Lady Byng Trophy (1943)