(March 6, 1904 – October 21, 1968) Andy Aitkenhead brought the National Hockey League to Portland after having been a goaltender for the New York Rangers and helped the original Portland Buckaroos build a fan base in the Rose City.
Born in Scotland, Aitkenhead grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada, and began playing minor league hockey at age 17. Just 5-foot-8, he developed his skills over the course of the next ten years with a variety of teams, including the 1924 Saskatoon Nationals, and 1926 Saskatoon Empires, both of which played for the prestigious Allan Cup.
Aitkenhead moved to Portland to play for the Buckaroos of the Pacific Coast Hockey League in 1929 and played two seasons before being signed by the Rangers and assigned to the Bronx Tigers for the 1931-32 season. He moved up to the Rangers the next year.
During his rookie season, the Rangers won the Stanley Cup with Aitkenhead in goal for all eight playoff games. He started in goal the next season but became a reserve in 1934-35 and returned to Portland that season. His record for 106 NHL games was 47-43-16. Andy was known as the "Glasgow Growler" and "The best goalie you've never heard of".
Andy Aitkenhead started in goal for the Buckaroos from the end of the 1935 season until his retirement in 1940. He is credited with having played 303 games in Portland, winning 148.