Foyston was born in Minesing, Ontario, in 1891. From 1908 to 1910, he played for the Barrie Athletic Club in the OHA Jr. league. In 1908–09, he scored 17 goals in 6 games. In 1910–11, Foyston played for the Barrie Athletic Club in the OHA Sr. league and scored 14 goals in 6 games. The following season, he played for the Toronto Eaton's, scoring 15 goals in 6 games in the regular season and 5 goals in 4 games in the playoffs.
Toronto Blueshirts
Foyston began his professional hockey career with the National Hockey Association's Toronto Blueshirts in 1912–13. In his first season with Toronto, he scored 8 goals in 16 games. The following year, he scored 16 goals in 19 regular season games and 1 goal in 2 playoff games to help the Blueshirts win the NHA championship. In the 1914 Stanley Cup Finals against the PCHA's Victoria Cougars, Foyston scored two goals, including the series-clincher for Toronto. The following season, he had 13 goals and 9 assists in 20 games.
Seattle Metropolitans
At the beginning of the 1915–16 season, Foyston signed with the PCHA's Seattle Metropolitans, where he would play for nine seasons, leading the league in goals twice. In his first season with Seattle, he had 13 points in 18 games. The following season, he had 36 goals and 12 assists in 24 games. Seattle played in the 1917 Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens, and Foyston had 7 goals and 3 assists to help the Metropolitans win the Stanley Cup in four games. It was the first time an American team had won the Cup. At the end of the season, Foyston was voted the "Champion All-Around Hockey Player" in the PCHA. In 1918–19, Foyston scored 15 goals in 18 regular season games and 3 goals in 2 playoff games, as Seattle advanced to the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals against the Canadiens. Foyston scored 9 goals in 5 games before the series was abandoned due to the influenza epidemic. The Stanley Cup was not awarded that year. The following season, in 1919–20, Foyston scored 26 goals in 22 regular season games and 3 goals in 2 playoff games, as Seattle advanced to the 1920 Stanley Cup Finals. In the Finals, he had 6 goals in 5 games.
Victoria and Detroit
Foyston played with Seattle until 1924. After the franchise folded, he signed with the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League. In 1924–25, he had 11 points in 27 regular season games and 2 points in 4 playoff games. In the 1925 Stanley Cup Finals against the Canadiens, he scored 1 goal in 4 games to help the Cougars become the last non-NHL team to win the Cup. He played in the 1926 Stanley Cup Finals the following year but had no points. The Victoria franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League's Detroit Cougars, and Foyston played for the team during the next two seasons.
Coaching career
In 1928–29, Foyston was a player-coach for the Detroit Olympics of the Canadian Professional Hockey League. He had 24 points in 42 regular season games and led the team to a 27-10-5 record. His playing career ended after the season. In 1930–31, he coached the Syracuse Stars, and in 1931–32, he coached the Bronx Tigers. Foyston then became the first coach and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks of the North West Hockey League. In 1934–35, he led the Seahawks to a 20-9-3 record and a first-place finish, but the team lost in the playoffs.
Legacy
Foyston is one of 11 players who have won Stanley Cups with three or more different franchises. He was capable of playing well at center, left wing, and right wing, and rover, and in 1958, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Foyston died in Seattle, Washington, in 1966.
