How I Became a Rangers "Insider" And Got My First Scoop

Nowadays there are hockey people who make good bucks by essentially doing virtually nothing and they are called "insiders." (The Maven can think of better things to call them; but not now.)

The trick for these "insiders" is to know almost everything before almost anyone else and then tell everyone else that Manny Cotman will be traded whenever. Stuff like that and if you like stuffing, tune in to Ellotte (Spelled Right) Friedman.

This 54-year Toronto lad is "The Insider's Insider" and if he can't tell you when Connor McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers, nobody can; with the possible exception of Mrs. Lauren Kyle McDavid, and she's not talking.

Because Friedman is so good at what he does, you have to figure that at least 2,315 NHL pipelines are directly connected to his itsy-bitsy cellphone. 

But I got news for you and Sir Friedman: The Maven was 60 years ahead of Elliotte; and that goes for Kevin Weekes, Darren Dreger and any other of the "current" insiders.

In 1965 I was Rangers beat writer for the New York Journal-American, Hearst's flagship evening broadsheet, having followed award-winning Dave Anderson into that role.

During those glorious NHL Original Six years, the expression "insider" didn't exist, except that my sports editor Max Kase did run an appetizing gossip column called "Briefkase, so that must have made him the first of the species.

As for The Maven, my job was to write up Rangers games, pre-game stuff and trades when they were announced. I didn't think much of getting a scoop or beat as we called them until I met an American Hockey League writer named Charlie Barton.

Charlie was a bachelor from St. Catherines, Ontario and – before NHL expansion – covered the AHL Buffalo Bisons for the Buffalo Courier-Express. The other important things to know about Charlie is that he was Jewish and desperately wanted to find and marry a nice Jewish girl.

One day, Charlie said, "Stan, maybe you can help me." And I did. I fixed him up with

Sheila from Brooklyn  and he liked Sheila but the duet didn't last long. So, I tried Natalie and Susan and, again, it didn't work out.

As it happened, in addition to covering the AHL Bisons, Charlie was tuned into the NHL better than anyone and one day he phoned me. "You tried hard to find me a wife," he said, "and I owe you one."

Then, a pause: "I got a hot tip that the Rangers are going to get this very good Providence goalie, Ed Giacomin, in a big trade. I can't use it but you can; and it's guaranteed. It's gonna happen. Run with it."

Dilemma. BIG dilemma. I never had a scoop before and I didn't know if i could trust Charlie, but he assured me ten times over that it would happen so I gambled and the J-A ran the story big while The Maven held his breath.

Sure enough, the next day the Rangers announced the Giacomin deal and I had my first Rangers beat.

Of course, Blueshirts GM Emile Francis was fit to be tied and couldn't figure out how I got the scoop. Meanwhile, Charlie Barton was still single and needed more dates so I matched him with Jane, Barbara and Muriel. Still, nothing clicked but at least I was trying.

Meanwhile, Charlie fed me at least three more legit beats even after the Sabres were welcomed to the NHL fraternity. "Practically everybody in pro hockey knew Charlie," said Windsor Star columnist Jack Dulmage.

Though assailed by cancer, Charlie stayed on the Sabres beat even filling out the NHL All-Star battle a few weeks before he died. He remained a bachelor living with his Mom in St. Catherines so in that case I failed him.

But looking backward, it was Charlie Barton who really was the first pro hockey insider. The Maven was merely the recipient and I never stopped thanking him for it!