Ex-NHLer Prystai dead at 85

SASKATOON — While centre Metro Prystai carved out a brilliant junior hockey career during the late 1940s, a budding young Saskatchewan goaltender followed his progress with interest.

Glenn Hall was four years younger than Prystai, so he never shared the older player’s exploits from icelevel — at least during those junior years.

“I remember watching him in junior, and he was such a great, great player,” says Hall, the Hall of Fame goaltender who received a phone call Wednesday from David Prystai with bad news — David’s father, Metro, had passed away a month shy of his 86th birthday.

“I always said he was the best junior ever to come out of Saskatchewan, until Gordie Howe came along. He was unbelievable.”

The two Saskatchewan men — Hall from Humboldt, and Prystai from Yorkton — eventually became teammates on the Detroit Red Wings.

But before that, Prystai lit up the city of Moose Jaw, where he starred on the SJHL’s powerhouse Canucks between 1944 and 1947. In his final season there, he collected 71 points in 22 regular-season games, and 40 more points in 21 post-season contests including the Memorial Cup finals.

Hall calls Prystai a “tremendously skilled” player, who “could give you the puck or score himself.”

Prystai went on to play 674 regular-season NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Red Wings, winning two Stanley Cups with the latter team.

In the Cup-clinching win in 1952, Prystai scored two goals and added an assist during a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

His final NHL season was 1957-58, and he later settled with his family in Wynyard.

Prystai was inducted into the newly formed Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural 2012 class. He was also a talented baseball player who spent several seasons as a playermanager with the Yorkton Cardinals, and was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

Prystai’s memorial service is Tuesday, 1 p.m., at Sacred Heart Church in Wynyard. He’s predeceased by daughter Merrill, first wife Evelyne and second wife Mavis, and leaves behind children David, Karen, Michael and James, along with four grandchildren.

Hall, now 82, said he’s saddened to see another friend from his hockey days pass on.

“In the last two months, I’ve had four teammates die, including Metro. That moves my name up quite high on the list,” Hall said.

“He was a good friend and an enjoyable guy to be with. I’m going to miss him, because we did keep in touch. And hopefully we’ll meet again.’’