Gord Fashoway — Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Profile of Gord Fashoway (1926–2012), a Canadian left winger who played in the NHL and WHL and later coached, winning trophies with the Portland Buckaroos.

Gordon "Gordie" Fashoway (June 16, 1926 – May 1, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Best known for a long career in the North American minor leagues, he also had a brief spell in the National Hockey League and later moved behind the bench, where he led successful teams in western leagues. Fashoway played as a left winger and was widely respected for his consistency and leadership on and off the ice.

Playing career

During the 1950–51 season Fashoway reached the NHL level and appeared in 13 games for the Chicago Black Hawks. The bulk of his playing career, however, unfolded in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he spent many seasons with clubs such as the New Westminster Royals, the Victoria Cougars and the Portland Buckaroos. While statistics from that era are distributed across multiple sources, Fashoway's steady presence on WHL teams made him a familiar figure to fans of Pacific Coast hockey.

Coaching and later career

After retiring as a player Fashoway transitioned into coaching. In 1968 he took the post of head coach of the Oakland franchise that competed in the NHL as the Golden Seals. His time in Oakland was relatively brief, and he soon returned to the Pacific Northwest, where he became head coach of the Portland Buckaroos. Under his guidance the Buckaroos remained one of the stronger clubs in the WHL and continued a tradition of competitive play through the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Achievements and honours

Fashoway's playing and coaching career included several notable milestones. He won the Fred J. Hume Cup in 1960 while a member of the Portland Buckaroos, an honour recorded in league histories. As a coach he steered the Buckaroos to significant success, including a championship campaign in the 1970–71 season when the team captured their third WCHL title. These accomplishments contributed to his reputation as both a capable player and a successful coach in western professional hockey.

Legacy and notable facts

Longtime figure in western Canadian and Pacific Coast professional hockey, both as player and coach.
Brief NHL experience with the Chicago Black Hawks during the 1950–51 season.
Winner of the Fred J. Hume Cup in 1960 while playing for the Portland Buckaroos.
Coach of the Oakland Golden Seals for a season and later of the Portland Buckaroos, leading them to a league championship in 1970–71.

Fashoway's career illustrates a common path in mid-20th-century hockey: a player who spent most of his years in regional professional leagues, made a brief appearance in the NHL, and then extended his contribution to the sport through coaching. His name remains part of the history of the WHL and of teams that were influential in building hockey interest on the West Coast of North America. For more detailed records and statistics consult contemporary team histories and league archives that document the eras in which he played and coached.

For further reading and team histories see archives and resources linked through historical summaries of professional ice hockey and club pages for the Chicago Black Hawks and the Oakland Golden Seals.