Whirlwind romance of Murrays worked out OK

Murray Oliver scored 20 goals as an NHL rookie for the Detroit Red Wings in 1959-60. The Red Wings were loaded at center, and 46 games into the next season, he was traded to the Boston Bruins.

The Bruins finished last in the six-team league. Four made the playoffs, so Murray was home in Hamilton, Ontario early in the spring of 1961. He spent a hunk of the offseason playing what was called "inter-county'' baseball in Canada.

A player on the same team introduced his 18-year-old sister-in-law, Helen Murray, to Oliver.

"You won't believe it, but that was my maiden name – Murray,'' Helen said. "Murray and I met in May, and we were married the next April, and for most of the time in between, he was gone, playing in the NHL. You could say it was a whirlwind romance.''

It worked out OK. Murray Oliver and Helen (Murray) were married for 52 years.

Murray played six-plus seasons for the Bruins, then three years for the Maple Leafs. The NHL had expanded to 12 teams in 1967, and Oliver was traded to one of the new six -- the Minnesota North Stars – before the 1970-71 season.

Oliver played five seasons for the North Stars and scored 83 of the 274 regular-season goals that he would put in the net in his 16-season career. By the time we was done playing, the Olivers had found their place to raise a family.

She was in the Edina home on Sunday night, with children Sue and Mike, with grandchildren, and with spouses. They were exchanging warm memories of the good times that took place in that house, in Minnesota, and with Murray.

In a brief phone conversation with Helen, it sounded as if there were equal parts sadness and gratitude as the family talked of a husband, a father and a grandfather.

Murray Oliver had a fatal heart attack late Sunday morning. He was 77, and had some heart issues earlier, "but we thought those were behind us,'' Helen said.

Fifty-two years of marriage, and the last 42 in the same house in Edina.

"We were just talking, 'What if he had not been traded to the North Stars in 1970, what if it had been somewhere else, and we never had this home in Minnesota?' '' Helen said. "And even my grandkids were saying, 'That would've been terrible.' ''

We don't have many Murrays here in Minnesota, and thus not many Muzzes. For over 40 years, all that was required in this state's hockey sphere was to say "Muzz,'' and everyone knew it was a reference to Murray Oliver.

Lou Nanne has countless friends in hockey, and, oh, perhaps, 100,000 more away from the game, but Oliver held a place of distinction on Louie's massive list.

"I'd say Muzz is my best friend,'' Louie said Sunday, still talking in the present.

Helen said the family had made no decisions on a service. "We're going to wait until after Thanksgiving, I think,'' she said. "I talked to Cesare [Maniago] and it probably would be easier if we let everyone have their holiday, and did something next week.''