Height: 5-8
Weight: 185
Shoot: L
Born: 16 Apr 1948, Naicam SK (d. 2014)
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Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
| year | team | |||||||||||
| 1972-73 | Winnipeg | |||||||||||
| 1973-74 | Winnipeg | |||||||||||
| Totals: |
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Okay, Whatever Happened to Swenson? • by Vic Grant • The Hockey Spectator • April 20, 1973
You're allowed to ask what ever happened to Cal Swenson? Cal's alive and well, thank you, as a member of Winnipeg Jets. Sure, you don't see the name Cal Swenson in headlines, dominantly portrayed in the scoring summaries, or for that matter, dominantly portrayed on the ice. When discussing the Winnipeg Jets you bring up names like Bobby Hull (always), Chris Bordeleau, Norm Beaudin, Ernie Wakely and Joe Daley and then you're stuck for names. Jets headed into the World Hockey Association playoffs with Minnesota Fighting Saints with their big guns primed for action. But, despite rumors to the contrary, you don't see Hull, Bordeleau or Beaudin playing 60-minute hockey games, which means someone else has to be out there at some time or other. Swenson was the blond bomber in Tulsa when he was setting fire to the Central League. Jets thought they got a bonus baby when they got Cal. He was a 30-35 minute man every game in Tulsa and his scoring log was something to behold. How's 82 points sound? What sounds worse now, though, is 28 points ... which was the sum total of Swenson's output in the WHA. All it did was point out the adjustment which was required after being a star in the Central League and just another body In the World Hockey Association. One of Cal's major adjustments this season was getting his posterior used to the trials and tribulations of sitting on a flat wooden bench. You don't bounce off the bench three times in a hockey game and become an instant star, you realize. So, Swenson didn't become a star in the WHA's first year but he isn't worried because there are still two years on his contract, ample time to prove anything. "As long as I get the chance to prove myself I'1l have no complaints," says Swenson. "The fact is, if you're not on the ice then it's hard to produce." Swenson backed up the preceeding statement witha sterling scoring performance as the reguiar season dies a slow death. It was a slow death for Jets because they had first place under lock and key, had established the longest win streak of the season, and finished the schedule with a performance that couldn't be considered sterling. Swenson, Garth Rizzuto and Billy Sutherland, all of whom spent more time on the bench than they did on the ice this season, just may be the playoff surprise as far as Jets are concerned. Coach Hull threw them together as an attacking unit for the final three games of the season and they showed the faith by recording 12 points in three games. "We, meaning the players who didn't see as much ice time as others, are just as prepared for the playoffs as the others. The big line is going to do its job during those playoffs but I'm certain you'll see other lines scoring important goals and doing the job expected. We, meaning again those guys who sat on the bench a bit more, realize the line of Huli, Bordeleau and Beaudin is the best line and it means they rate the ice time. They're also the guys the people want to see. I had the same thing going for me in Tulsa. I was getting the ice time, I was scoring goals, and we were winning." Swenson isn't the fastest skater in this league, nor the best body checker. Right now he isn't even rated among the top 10 centermen in the league. "But I definitely think Garth, Sudsie and myself can continue playing and contributing in the playoffs the same way we did in the final games of the season. An individual ean only do so much in this game. he needs a team to become successful. Regardless of the amount of ice time I get I'm still going to do the best I can when I am out there." It all comes down to depth again and how many times this season has it been said the Winnipeg doesn't have any? Let's wait and see during the playoffs. |
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