Joe Jerwa

Part one of the NHL players born in Poland series begins with the first player to play in the NHL that had origins in the Kielbasa capital of the world in Joe Jerwa.  Born in Warsaw in 1907, he, like many other Polish-born players who followed, would move to North America as a child.  His first NHL season was in 1930-31 with the New York Rangers.  In that season, he would split time between the Rangers and Springfield Indians of the CanAm League.  A trade to the Boston Bruins the following year began a time in which he spent most of the four years in the Bruins system playing for the Boston Cubs of the CanAm League.  He would suit up for the Bruins for a time in the 1931-32 and 1933-34 seasons.  In 1935, he was traded to the New York Americans, where he would spend a year there before going back to the Bruins the following year.  His return to Boston was short-lived however, as he went back to the Americans in the middle of the 1936-37 season.  His last NHL season was in 1938-39 with the Americans.  He would finish his playing career with the Cleveland Barons of the AHL.  In all, he would go on to play over 200 games in the NHL, and his best year would be his first stint with the Americans, amassing 9 goals and 12 assists.  For more information on Jerwa, the Hockey Hall of Fame site is a good place to go.