Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Shoot: R
Born: 17 Aug 1949, Warroad MN (d. 2009)
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Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
| year | team | |||||||||||
| 1972-73 | New York | |||||||||||
| 1975-76 | Calgary | |||||||||||
| Totals: |
• Member, United States Olympic Team, 1972.
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Wally Olds Hears a Different Drummer • by John Gilbert • The Hockey Spectator • November 17, 1972
When a hockey defenseman is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, it is automatically assumed he also has blood in his eye and a bit of saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. And then along comes Wally Olds. A physical-fitness and health fanatic, Olds has all the size and mobility that a hockey player could want. The only moves he lacks are things like cross-checks, elbows, high-sticks and spears. And he doesn't like to take a run at an opponent without a sound motive. That style of thoughtful, disciplined play can lead to all sorts of frustrations for professional hockey. Especially in view of a typical 6-2, 200-pounder who will throw his body through a brick wall if he thinks it might impress somebody. But Wally Olds has never been typical. He was born and grew up in Baudette, a town in the far-off frozen north of Minnesota. He was a high school star, although Baudette was never big enough to go very far in tournament play. Then he went to the University of Minnesota, where he played for coach Glen Sonmor, now the General Manager and Coach of the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the World Hockey Association. Sonmor used to call Olds "Wally Orr" because of his flashy play, and Olds was an All-American when the Gophers won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association title three years ago. Last year, Olds played defense for the United States Olympic team, which won the silver medal behind only Russia. Wally's "trouble" stems from his head. He's a genius. He whizzed through electrical engineering at the U of M with straight-A grades. Near the end of his schooling, however, his conscience dictated that he would never be able to dedicate his life to a career which would help pollute our already troubled atmosphere. A lot of people used to say Wally was too smart to play pro hockey. And it looked to all the world that Wally Olds might not play for the New York Raiders. He doesn't shy away from physical contact, mind you, it's just that he would rather rub a player into the boards or move someone away from in front without drawing a penalty, and only when the bodycheck will either give his side possession of the puck or won't leave a teammate with two foes and the puck to contend with in front of the net. The Raiders' frustration reached the point where they sent Olds to play two games with minor league Long Island Ducks, a name which strikes the same amount of fear into foes as the Toledo Mudhens. Olds put up with his demotion philosophically. He knew he would be back. And so it came to pass that the Raiders set out on a road trip and went to Minnesota, Wally Olds was given the chance to start. The Raiders were going to give him every chance to prove he could play before making a decision they might always regret. Olds darted around a defenseman in the second period, took a pass and, zap, scored the tying goal against Sonmor and the Saints and went on to score a 4-2 victory. Olds, without a doubt, was the best player New York had on the ice, including the spectacular Sheehan, whose best play of the game was a clean shot from the right side — he partially fanned and it looked more like a pass to goalie Mike Curran than a shot. The question now is, can the Raiders live with their All-American Boy, which they call him with varying degrees of venom, depending on how many stitches or scars they have. Olds, you see, can (and does) inform his teammates about food, drink, and other assorted hazards of everyday living. He's a health-food freak and doesn't hit the booze. The classic of his play came in that Saints game. A typical brawl was going on and Olds paired off with George Konik. Wally gripped Konik by the arms. Konik complained that he was holding too tightly, and tried to throw several punches. Each punch, though, was stillborn. Wally had a hold like a vise and Konik couldn't move. It showed hockey fights for the absurdity they are. Yes, Wally Olds is ready for pro hockey. But, is pro hockey ready for him? In a town famous for its Joe Namaths and Bobby Sheehans? |
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