Robert Nelson “Old Poison” Stewart One of the greatest NHL players you’ve likely never heard about

“On a crisp fall walk through Pine Hills Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the grave of Nels ‘Old Poison’ Stewart — a name that might not ring bells for many today, but one that once echoed through NHL arenas with reverence and fear.”

Nels Stewart was one of the NHL’s most dominant players before World War II. He won the Hart Trophy as league MVP multiple times, including once as a rookie — a rare and remarkable feat. From 1937 to 1952, he held the NHL record for career goals, a testament to his staying power and scoring touch.

Nels with his wife and interacting with the Boston fans. 

Stewart wasn’t known for dazzling speed or elegant skating. What he had was grit, balance, and a deadly sense for the net. His uncanny eye-hand coordination and strength around the crease made him nearly impossible to move off the puck — hence the nickname, Old Poison.

He was the first player in NHL history to score 300 goals, finishing with 324 — and he still shares the record for the fastest two goals scored in a game: just four seconds apart.

Nels Stewart was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952, and in 1988, The Hockey News ranked him 51st on their list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players of all time.

He died at his cottage in Wasaga Beach, Ontario on August 21, 1957. He was 57.