Ivan Mitchell Explained

Position:Goaltender
Played For:Portland Rosebuds
Toronto St. Patricks
Catches:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:180
Birth Date:9 July 1893
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Death Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Career Start:1914
Career End:1922

Ivan Gladstone "Mike" Mitchell (July 9, 1893 — May 8, 1942) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played three seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto St. Patricks. Before playing in the NHL, Mitchell played the 1914–15 season with the Portland Rosebuds of the PCHA, and then served with the Canadian forces in World War 1.

In 1922, Mitchell was injured during the second game of the season and then missed the rest of the season due to illness. He is still credited with winning the Stanley Cup that season.

Military duty and illness

Between 1915 and 1919 Mitchell was on military duty, fighting with the Canadian forces in World War 1. A notice in the Vancouver Daily World on November 19, 1917, claimed Mitchell had succumbed to his wounds in a London hospital,[1] but the information turned out to be inaccurate as he was still alive.[2]

Mitchell was living in Hamilton, Ontario at the onset of the 1921–22 season, but was loaned to the Toronto St. Patricks to cover for an injured John Ross Roach.[3] Later in the season, in early February, he had become seriously ill and was confined to the General Hospital in Hamilton, suspected of suffering from a tumor of the brain, due to being gassed overseas in World War 1, and was given little hope of survival.[4] [5] However, later in February, Mitchell had recovered, being operated on for an abscess on the brain, and was said to be going west to convalesce.[6]

Mitchell died on May 8, 1942, in his hometown of Winnipeg.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP W L T Min GA GAAGP W L T Min GA SO GAA
1912–13Phoenix Hockey ClubBCBHL7 6 0 1 420 18 0 2.57— — — — — — — —
1913–14Phoenix Hockey ClubBCBHL10 4 6 0 610 32 0 3.15— — — — — — — —
1914–15Portland RosebudsPCHA18 9 9 0 1113 83 0 4.47— — — — — — — —
1915–16Military duty— — — — — — — —— — — — — — — —
1916–17Military duty— — — — — — — —— — — — — — — —
1917–18Military duty— — — — — — — —— — — — — — — —
1918–19Military duty— — — — — — — —— — — — — — — —
1919–20Toronto St. PatsNHL16 6 7 0 830 60 0 4.34— — — — — — — —
1920–21Toronto St. PatsNHL4 2 2 0 240 22 0 5.50— — — — — — — —
1921–22Toronto St. PatsNHL2 2 0 0 120 6 0 3.00— — — — — — — —
PCHA totals18 9 9 0 1113 83 0 4.47— — — — — — — —
NHL totals22 10 9 0 1190 88 0 4.44— — — — — — — —

Notes and References

  1. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77693892/coast-hockey-player-succumbs-to-wounds/ "Coast hockey player succumbs to wounds"
  2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77693821/may-still-be-alive/ "May Still Be Alive – Relatives Have Had No Advices Concerning Death of Hockey Star"
  3. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-st-pats-refuse-t/176983480/ "St. Pats Refuse to Allow Forbes to Help Locals"
  4. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-mike-mitchells-c/176982779/ "Mike Mitchell's condition serious"
  5. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-expositor-hams-goal-keeper-is-lying/176982827/ "Hams' Goal-Keeper Is Lying at Death's Door"
  6. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-random-notes-on-current/176982895/ "Random notes on current sports"