Does Harry “Hap” Holmes Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Hap Holmes appears to have some pretty mediocre regular season numbers – pedestrian GAAs and losing records in two of the four professional leagues he played in.

However, Holmes won a Stanley Cup in four professional leagues he played in. He is the only player in Stanley Cup history to win a Cup with four different teams. (Which makes him the only one to do it in four different leagues.) He was the starter on all four of those teams. Between 1917 and 1920 he was in the Stanley Cup final every single year, regardless of what team he was on.

Was he just lucky? Listen to us talk about Hap Holmes’ Hall of Fame case here.

Hap Holmes’ Career:

• NHL:
  • 1917-18, 1926-28; 4 seasons, 3 as a starter
  • Totals:
    • 39W (9th All Time at his retirement)
    • 54L (6th All Time at his retirement)
    • 10T (7th All Time at his retirement);
    • 17 Shutouts (8th All Time at his retirement) in
    • 6409 Minutes (7th All Time at his retirement) over
    • 103 Games (7th All Time at his retirement);
    • 15.7 Point Shares (10th All Time at his retirement)
  • Average:
    • 2.47 GAA (11th All Time at his retirement – doesn’t actually qualify for the leader-board)
  • Era: not really applicable because his four seasons are spread out over 11 years
  • Season average: 10-14-3; 4 SO in 26 Games; 3.9 PS
  • 82-game average: 31-43-8; 14 SO; 12.5 PS
  • 3-year peak doesn’t apply
  • Trades: Loaned and transferred in and out of the league, but never traded
• NHA:
  • 1912-15; 3 seasons, all as starter
  • Totals:
    • 27W
    • 26L;
    • 2 SO in
    • 3201 Minutes over
    • 55 Games
  • Averages:
    • 3.88 GAA
  • Era: not enough information available
  • Season average: 9-9; 1 SO in 18 Games
  • 20-game average: 10-9, 1 SO
  • Never traded
• PCHA:
  • 1915-17, 1918-24; 9 seasons, all as a starter
  • Totals:
    • 101W
    • 89L
    • 2T;
    • 14 SO in
    • 11808 Minutes over
    • 192 Games
  • Averages:
    • 2.97 GAA
  • Era: not enough information
  • Season average: 11-10-0; 2 SO in 21 Games
  • 30-game average: 16-14-0; 2 SO
  • Trades: loaned into and out of the PCHA a few times
• W(C)HL:
  • 1924-26; 2 seasons, both as starter
  • Totals:
    • 31W
    • 23L
    • 4T;
    • 7 SO in
    • 3577 Minutes over
    • 58 Games
  • Averages:
    • 2 GAA
  • Era: not enough data
  • Season average: 16-12-2; 4 SO in 29 Games
  • Trades: Transferred into the NHL when the WCHL folded

Hap Holmes’ Accomplishments:

• NHL:
  • Top Player:
    • Top 5 Goalie (by GPS) twice (‘18, ‘19)
    • Top 10 every season he was in the league (‘27, ‘28)
  • Wins:
    • Top 5 in Wins twice
    • Top 10 three times
  • Shutouts:
    • Top 5 in Shutouts once
    • Top 10 twice
  • GAA:
    • Top 5 in GAA once
    • Top 10 three times
  • Minutes:
    • Top 5 in Minutes three times
    • Top 10 every season he was in the league
• NHA:
  • Unknown
• PCHA:
  • Unknown
• W(C)HL:
  • Unknown

Hap Holmes’ Great Teams:

• NHL:
  • Starter (played every minute) on one Stanley Cup Champion (‘18 Toronto)
• NHA:
  • Starter (played every minute?) on one Stanley Cup Champion (‘14 Blueshirts/Torontos)
• PCHA:
  • Starter (played every minute) on one Stanley Cup Champion (‘17 Metropolitans), one Stanley Cup Finalist (‘19 Metropolitans) and one Stanley Cup Runner Up/PCHA Champion (‘20 Metropolitans)
• W(C)HL:
  • Starter (played every minute) on one Stanley Cup Champion (‘25 Cougars) and one Runner Up/WCHL Champion (‘26 Cougars)