Enio Sclisizzi - Athlete (Ice Hockey) - Class of 2017
E
nio Sclisizzi's family emigrated from Italy in 1920 and settled in a section of town known as Red Hill. The Sclisizzi's were 1 of 15 Italian families in the community. As an adult, Enio often spoke about sneaking off to Mill Pond to play hockey when he was supposed to be doing his chores. It was his love of the game and learning to skate on speed skates that provided the small statured man an opportunity that many only ever dream of, to play in the National Hockey League.
nio Sclisizzi's family emigrated from Italy in 1920 and settled in a section of town known as Red Hill. The Sclisizzi's were 1 of 15 Italian families in the community. As an adult, Enio often spoke about sneaking off to Mill Pond to play hockey when he was supposed to be doing his chores. It was his love of the game and learning to skate on speed skates that provided the small statured man an opportunity that many only ever dream of, to play in the National Hockey League.
From 1946-1952 Enio would spend time in the American Hockey League (AHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL). Highlights of Enio's days in the AHL and WHL are numerous. He had six AHL seasons with at least 18 goals and 45 points, and was both an American Hockey League and Western Hockey League first-team All-Star. In 1950, Sclisizzi was a member of the AHL's Calder Cup champions, the Indianapolis Capitals.
At the age of 21, Enio became Milton's first player in the National Hockey League on April 5, 1947. He joined the Detroit Red Wings as a left winger for a playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. With a name that was too difficult to pronounce at the time, Sclisizzi was nicknamed Jim Enio by legendary announcer Foster Hewitt.
The World War 2 Navy veteran played in 81 NHL regular season and playoff games (recording 12 goals and 11 assists) and was part of the Detroit Red Wings' 1952 Stanley Cup championship win. He would play six years in the Original Six era, doing so alongside greats such as Gordie Howe, Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay.
An injury in 1952 during an exhibition game with the Chicago Blackhawks would result in the end of his NHL career but certainly not his love for the game. In the early 1950s he'd return to Milton with his wife Helen to raise their three children. He coached the Junior A Milton Merchants in the mid-1960s and was always willing to discuss what it was like to play in the NHL or share fond memories.