Guyle Fielder, Seattle's oldest living former professional hockey player, celebrated his 95th birthday following a rare knee replacement surgery last March. The former Seattle Totems star, known for his scoring prowess and lasting legacy, continues to enjoy life in retirement while his impact endures with the Seattle Kraken.
Guyle Fielder, who turned 95 on Friday, underwent knee replacement surgery in March, an procedure described as extremely rare for someone of his age. The surgery addressed pain in his knee dating back to the 1960s. 'The doctor said, “We don’t do a knee surgery when you’re over 90, but you look like you might be in pretty good shape – I think you can handle it,”' Fielder recounted. After an overnight hospital stay, he began rehabilitation two weeks later and now walks with a cane, hoping to dispense with it soon. 'They told me what exercises to do at home, so I went ahead and stuck with that,' he said. 'I’ll admit, I’ve gotten a little bit lazy with the exercises. But I’m doing the best I can.'
Fielder's hockey career highlights include amassing 2,037 points, ranking him fourth all-time in professional hockey behind Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Jaromir Jagr. He led the Seattle Totems to Western Hockey League titles in 1959, 1967, and 1968. Over seven years, he appeared in nine regular-season games and six playoff contests with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins before focusing on minor professional leagues for 15 seasons, retiring in 1973.
His legacy lives on in Seattle through the Kraken, who named an annual award after him for players exhibiting perseverance, hustle, and dedication to hockey. Jaden Schwartz has won the last three awards, while Yanni Gourde received the first. Fielder attended a ribbon-cutting for a replica of his Totems locker in 2019 and received the Royal Brougham Sports Legend Award two years ago. He was a guest of honor at a Kraken game against the Red Wings and received a private tour from CEO Tod Leiweke.
Now residing in an Arizona retirement community with companion Betty Johnson, Fielder plans a short trip to Laughlin, Nevada, for his birthday celebration, focusing on gambling and pool. He still plays pool three days a week at the community center. 'I’m feeling pretty good now,' he said, reflecting on his active life and enduring connection to Seattle hockey.