Allan Bester in 1987. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator.
Born Mar 26 1964 - Hamilton, ONT
Height 5.07 - Weight 155 - Shoots Left
Nickname: "Ernie", "Beast", "Beaster" and "Little
Beastie"
Sweater #30 #31 #35
The Goalie:
Allan Bester played two seasons of junior hockey for the Brantford
Alexanders. His second season there, 1983, was named to the Ontario
Hockey League All-Star First Team after posting 29 wins and
a 3.51 goals against average. Bester was not selected in 1982 NHL
draft despite being eligible. The following season was rated by
NHL Central Scouting Bureau as the No. 2 goaltender prospect for
the 1983 NHL draft. The Toronto Maple Leafs then drafted
him that summer in the third round, #48 overall. He made
up for his lack of size with quick reflexes
and self-assured attitude between the pipes. Bester went on to
win the Calder Cup and the Jack Butterfield Trophy as the
AHL Playoff MVP in 1992 while playing for the Adirondack
Red Wings (AHL).
At the NHL level of play he played for the Maple Leafs, the Detroit
Red Wings and the Dallas Stars for parts of eleven seasons.
He never thought that he would make it to the NHL. Bester
made his first NHL start in Toronto's January 12, 1984, game at
Minnesota against the North Stars at 19 years of age. He made 36
saves in a 5-4 overtime loss. That season he was runner-up
to Rick Vaive in the race for Toronto's 1983-84 Molson Cup
(Three-Stars Leader). Bester is also noted for being the only goalie
in the past half-century to stop more shots in a shutout
period. Playing for the Maple Leafs in the 1984, Bester made
32 saves in a period against the Hartford Whalers.
Bester also worked at Wendel Clark's hockey school in off-seasons
of his latter playing days in Toronto and was active in charitable
causes during his playing days, including work with Children's
Hospital in Toronto. Became active in Oldtimers' charity
hockey after his retirement, playing for Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni
team. He also played in the Heroes of Hockey Game at the
2000 All-Star Weekend. Bester was named to Team Canada roster
for 1989 World Championships, but missed the tournament after
stretching ligaments in knee during a pre-tournament exhibition
game in April 1989.
Allan Bester in 1992. Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Spectator.
Toronto traded Bester to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for
1991 sixth-round pick
(Alexander Kuzminsky) on March 5, 1991.
On September 9, 1993 Bester was signed as a Free Agent by the Anaheim
Ducks. He played two full seasons for their farm club in
the IHL, the San Diego Gulls, but never got the opportunity
to even play one game for Anaheim in the NHL.
Bester then made an unexpected return to the NHL with the Dallas
Stars late in his hockey career in 1995-96 when the Stars
were ravaged by injuries throughout their roster. Regular
goalies Andy Moog and Darcy Wakaluk were both out with injuries.
They signed the veteran netminder to a temporary contract.
He played ten games for them that season before being sent
down to the minors once more to play for the Orlando Solar Bears
where he capped off his hockey career and retired two years later
in 1997-98.
Bester led the IHL in playoffs games played (23) and playoffs minutes
played (1343) with the Orlando Solar Bears in the 1995-96
season. He officially announced his retirement, August 5,
1998.
Bester played in 219 NHL games, posted a record of 73-99-17, seven
career shutouts and a goals-against-average of 4.00. He had an
11-2-6 NHL playoff record.
Honours:
* 1983 - Named to Ontario Hockey League All-Star First Team, Brantford
Alexanders.
* 1992 - Jack Butterfield Trophy, Adirondack Red Wings, (AHL Playoff
MVP.)
* 1992 - Calder Cup winner, Adirondack Red Wings
* 2004 - Named to the ‘Heroes of Hometown Hockey’ All-Time
Team in Hamilton, Ontario
Personal:
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, where his father was a railway
engineer. Grew up idolizing Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens'
1970s dynasty.
What Bester had to say about how he got the "Ernie" nickname: "My
first year in Toronto, I walked in the rink one day with
my glasses on instead of my contacts. At that time I had
gold-rimmed glasses. And I walked in and Bill Stewart turned around
and looked at me and said, "You look just like Ernie
Douglas from My Three Sons". And that was it. They knew
I didn't like it, so it stuck".
On Friday, March, 26, 2004, Bester was named to the ‘Heroes
of Hometown Hockey’ All-Time Team in Hamilton, Ontario.
Seven individuals were named to the All-Time Team including:
goaltender Allan Bester; defencemen Harry Howell and Ric Nattress;
forwards Dave Andreychuk, Derek King and Murray Oliver; and
coach Pat Quinn. A banner was raised to honour the “Heroes
of Hometown Hockey” that
evening when the AHL Bulldogs hosted the St. John’s
Maple Leafs at Copps Coliseum.
Bester currently resides in Orlando, Florida working for the Marriott
hotel chain.
