Edgar Dey


Edgar Ernest Dey was an early amateur and professional ice hockey player, who may have been involved in the first trade involving professional hockey players, and an athlete in canoeing. A member of the Dey family of Ottawa, known for canoe building, athletics and arena operation, he died in 1912 from an injury while playing hockey. He was a canoeing champion of Canada. His father, Frank Edgar Dey, was a co-owner of the Dey boat-building and Dey's Arena businesses in Ottawa.

Playing career

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Dey played junior hockey for the Ottawa Aberdeens in 1900, moving up to the intermediate-level for two following seasons. Edgar started his senior ice hockey career with the Ottawa Capitals of the Federal Amateur Hockey League in 1904. He then moved out west to play in the Manitoba league, becoming a professional player in 1906. In 1907, he returned east to play in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Bankers of the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League. In what might have been the first trade involving professional hockey players, the Pittsburgh Pirates sent James MacKay, Dey and Dunc Taylor to the Bankers for Joseph Donnelly, Clint Bennest and a player named "McGuire" on January 28, 1908. In 1909, he returned home to play for the 1909 Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Hockey Club. He played one season for Haileybury of the National Hockey Association in 1910. In 1911, he played for Waterloo of the Ontario Professional Hockey League. In 1912, he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to play for the Halifax Crescents of the Maritime Professional Hockey League.
In February 1912, Dey was hit on the chest while playing a match in New Glasgow. He experienced pain on the return to Halifax. Upon arrival he checked into hospital and had a couple chest surgeries over the next few days. On February 13 Dey died from his injury. His body was returned by train for burial in Ottawa.

Career statistics