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Walt Atanas
Walt Atanas Walt Atanas was a standout in minor hockey that played with the New York Rangers of the NHL in the mid-1940s. Born in Hamilton in 1922, Atanas played with the Hamilton Whizzers in Junior A during the 1942-43 season, and the winger was one of the top players for the squad. “Heading the goal parade was Walter Atanas,” noted a Hamilton Spectator story during a game between the Whizzers and Toronto’s Saint Michaels, “who skated rings around the opposition for three periods and then fell by the wayside for lack of condition. But when going a top speed Atanas was the game’s standout. He outfooted every other player on the ice and whizzed rubbers at the enemy net-tender so fast that he did not have a chance to save.” Atanas scored four times to lead Hamilton to an 8-7 win over Toronto. He was once again front and center during a Junior A contest where Hamilton was pitted against Brantford: “Big scorer of the evening was Walter Atanas, speedball right winger, who dented the twine behind Coulson in the Brantford nets on four occasions and assisted in one other counter for a total of five points.” It was noted that Atanas scored the game-winning overtime goal, leading Hamilton to a 6-5 victory. The efforts of Atanas were recognized early in his career, and Eddie Shore scouted him to play with the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL for the 1943-44 season. Known as “Ants,” he scored 16 goals for the Bisons in 46 games. The next season he played with the New York Rangers, and in 49 games scored 13 times. But regular Ranger players were beginning to return from WWII, Atanas was released after the 1944-45 season, and he returned to the minors, playing for Minneapolis in the USHL, Buffalo once again, Victoria of the PCHL, and the AHL teams of Syracuse and Springfield. He finished his career playing in North Bay in 1957. Atanas remained with hockey, and was a linesman in the NHL in the 1960s. He died in 1991.
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