Pete Horeck

Peter "Pistol Pete" Horeck was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins between 1944 and 1952.

Early life

Horeck was born and raised in Massey, Ontario, a small town located about 100 km southwest of Sudbury, Ontario. He was one of eight boys in his family. He took up the sport of hockey in the town.

Horeck left his hometown to play for the Parry Sound Pilots along with Doug Orr, the father of Bobby Orr. After his tenure in Parry Sound, He played one year in the Eastern Hockey League and four years in the American Hockey League.

Horeck started his National Hockey League career with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1944. In his second season, he recorded a career high 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in all 50 games to make him one of the league's top scorers that year.
Horeck was traded midway through the 1946–47 season to the Detroit Red Wings, where he would spend another three years. He recorded 3 goals and 7 assists for 10 points in 10 games during the 1947–48 playoffs where Detroit would lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the final.
Horeck joined the Boston Bruins before the 1950–51 season. With his production starting to decline, He left the NHL after the 1951–52 season.

Horeck moved back up north to the Northern Ontario Hockey Association where he would play for five years for the Sudbury Wolves and the Soo Indians. He would then spend the rest of his career in various minor leagues until he retired from hockey in 1960.

After his retirement, Horeck would settle in Northern Ontario for the rest of his life until his death after a long battle with prostate cancer and neuropathy on Saturday, August 29, 2009, in Sudbury, Ontario. He is considered a hero in his hometown of Massey.