Absurd Goalie Monday: Clarence Dolson

This week's AGM is a guy who actually has a record with one of the greatest organizations in the NHL. However, since it was in the pre-Original Six days, he's rarely mentioned or even thought about. Though he played under 100 games for a bad franchise, he left what he could on the ice. This week, the profile of Clarence "Dolly" Dolson.

Dolson started his career with the Galt Garrison in the 1915-16 season, going 3-3-0 in six games before not having any records until the 1919-20 season with the Galt Terriers in the OHA, where he would play until the 1922-23 season. Dolson then moved into the OHA-Senior league, playing for the Stratford Indians starting in the 1923-24 season, where he would go 9-2-1 in 12 games, then 3-1 in four playoff games. With the Indians in the 1924-25 season, Dolson played in 20 games and finished with a 12-8-0 record, then posted a 1-1 record in two playoff games. The 1925-26 season was a shabby one for Dolson, going 6-13-1 in 20 appearances, while getting a call to play for the Montreal CNR, going 1-0-0 in both the regular season and playoffs.

The Canadian Pro League came calling for Dolson in the 1926-27 season, as he played for the Stratford Nationals and go 19-11-0 in 30 appearances, but went 0-2 in the playoffs. Back with the Nationals for the 1927-28 season, Dolson went 24-12-5, with 11 shutouts, then 4-0-1 in the five playoff games he played.

With those impressive showings, Dolson got a NHL call and was claimed by the Detroit Cougars in the 1928-29 season and played in 44 games, posting a 19-16-9 record with 10 shutouts and a 1.37 GAA (still a Cougars/Falcons/Red Wings record), then went 0-2 in the playoffs. The 1929-30 season had Dolson only play five games with Detroit (0-4-1) before being sent to the International American League's London Panthers, where he would play 31 games. The Cougars would change their name to the Falcons and Dolson would be back up with the team in the 1930-31 season, playing in 44 games and posted a 16-21-7 record.

The Falcons would move Dolson to the International American League's Cleveland Indians for the 1931-32 season, going 2-9-3 in 13 games, then play another ten games in the 1932-33 season before retiring from the games. Dolson's whereabouts after hockey are unknown to where I looked, but he did pass away in August of 1978.

He wasn't a big name or someone that's much remembered, but Dolson left his mark in a short career. However, in a time where jobs were sparse and it was all about proving yourself on a nightly basis, Dolson was lost in the fold. While his Senior and Minor career was decent, he couldn't hang in the NHL for too long with a team that was very disorganized until they became the Red Wings.