The "Teen" Years
Frank Calder
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/5165999.jpg?109)
Frank Calder guided the NHL into a fully fledged sports entity, as league president from 1917-18 until he died of a heart attack in February 1943. He was elected to the Hall of Fame four years later. Calder is the second longest serving President in NHL history. He bought the Calder Trophy, which is now the Calder Memorial Trophy and is awarded to the NHL's top rookie each season.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia via The Storied Province of Quebec by William Wood, p. 116.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia via The Storied Province of Quebec by William Wood, p. 116.
Clint Benedict
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/8642570.gif?106)
Clint Benedict was the NHL's first great goaltender and among the best from any era. Benedict won four Stanley Cups, three with Ottawa and a fourth with the Montreal Maroons in 1926. He was important in the 1918-19 rule change that allowed goaltenders to leave their skates to make a save. He was also the first goaltender to wear a mask. Benedict was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1965.
Photo courtesy of hockeygoalies.org
Photo courtesy of hockeygoalies.org
The Twenties
Art Ross
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/9598673.png?115)
Ross may be most remembered for donating the Art Ross Trophy to the NHL, the trophy that honors each years scoring champion. However his contributions to the game are best commemorated in every minute of play - on the puck that bears his design. In 1940 he beveled the edges to make the vulcanized rubber disk truer, faster, and safer. It bears his signature. Ross's legacies are his innovations: strategies such as "kitty bar the door" hockey, and inventions such as the B-shaped goal frame and puck-trapping net. He won the Stanley Cup as a defenseman with the Kenora Thistles in 1907 and 1908 and as a coach-manager of the Boston Bruins in 1929, 39, and 41.
Photo courtesy of hockeygods.com
Photo courtesy of hockeygods.com
Georges Vezina
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/1208572.jpg?121)
Vezina never missed a game in 15 years as pro hockey's no. 1 goaltender, leading the Canadiens to their first two Stanley Cups. He played in 367 consecutive games until he collapsed on the ice, bleeding from the mouth, suffering chest pains and dizziness. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and never played again. He died on march 26, 1926 at the age of 37. A legend in his time, he became immortalized when the Canadiens established the Vezina Trophy, making the trophy named after him, the highest honor a goaltender can win each year.
Photo courtesy of legendsofhockey.net
Photo courtesy of legendsofhockey.net
The Thirties
King Clancy
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/6781519.jpg?117)
Clancy wasn't known for his stats or for his toughness on the ice. He was is known only in stories. Often called "135lb. of muscle and conversation, the best stories revolved around Clancy cutting the great Eddie Shore down to size with his words. Once the Bruins defenseman dropped his gloves to fight Clancy. Clancy dropped his as well but for the purpose of grabbing Shore's hand and pumping a handshake. Clancy played in the NHL for 15 years and then had an 11 year stint as a referee, serving as the NHL's head of officials.
Photo courtesy of goaliesarchive.com
Photo courtesy of goaliesarchive.com
Dick Irvin
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/7249521.jpg?121)
Irvin retired from playing in 1930 due to a skull fracture, he became the coach of the Black Hawks. He retired in 1956. During his career he won 693 games and went to an amazing 16 Stanley Cup Finals, although he lost 12 of those. During his career he coach the Black Hawks (twice), the Maple Leafs, and the Montreal Canadiens.
Photo courtesy of eyesontheprize.blogspot.com
Photo courtesy of eyesontheprize.blogspot.com
The Forties
Turk Broda
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/4082416.png?121)
Broda won the Veezina Trophy only twice and was a First Team All-Star just twice during his 14-year career. However, come playoff time he was the most dominat goaltender in NHL history. Between 1942 and 1951 he backstopped the Toronto Maple Leafs to 5 Stanley Cups, 4 of them coming in a 5 year run. His 1.98 goals-against average remains the NHL playoff record. He had 13 playoff shutouts which was an NHL record until 1970.
Photo courtesy of hockeytalkwithcoutney.com
Photo courtesy of hockeytalkwithcoutney.com
Ted "Teeder" Kennedy
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/6376994.jpg?117)
He was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the same time as Turk Broda and won 5 Stanley Cups between 1945 and 1951. He was a fan favorite. As he lined up for faceoffs, Maple Leaf Gardens would echo with the fans battle cry of "Come on, Teeder! Come on, Teeder!" He became captain of the Maple Leafs in 1948. In that role he is best remembered for the photograph of him welcoming Princess Elizabeth to the Gardens for a game in 1951.
Photo courtesy of findagrave.com
Photo courtesy of findagrave.com
The Fifties
Gump Worsley
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/3505829.jpg?139)
Lorne "Gump" Worsley who got his nickname as a kid because of a resemblance to a comic-strip character won the Calder Trophy as a rookie in 1953. He backstopped the Rangers for 7 seasons and then in 1963 he was sent to Montreal in a blockbuster trade involving Jocques Plante. The Gumper helped the Habs win the Stanley Cup in 65, 66, 68, and 69. In the third playoff run he went 11-0 with six shutouts. He shared the Vezina Trophy twice and he joined the trinity of Sawchuk, Plante, and Hall as the Hall of Fame goalies of the Golden Age.
Photo courtesy of hhof.com (hockey hall of fame)
Photo courtesy of hhof.com (hockey hall of fame)
Danny Gallivan
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/2807919.gif?135)
Gallivan only entered the Montreal dressing room twice in his life, however he would become as legendary as the Canadiens he helped make famous. He broadcasted nearly 2,000 games and was the link bridging 16 of the dynasty's Stanley Cup champions. He arrived on the same opening night as TV made its forum debut. Gallivan made a name for himself in the 1951-52 season as the radio and TV voice of the Habs and Hockey Night in Canada. After 32 years behind the microphone, he would share hockey broadcasting's pantheon with only Foster Hewitt.
Photo courtesy of nhldigest.com
Photo courtesy of nhldigest.com
The Sixties
Eddie Johnston
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/6364730.jpg?141)
What Eddie Johnston is most known for happened during the 1963-64 season. Johnston is the last goalie to play every single game and every single minute for his team. He played in all 70 games and 4,200 minutes for the Boston Bruins that season. He won two Stanley Cups during his career and finished with a career record of 234-257-80 with 32 shutouts.
Photo courtesy of boston.sportsthenandnow.com
Photo courtesy of boston.sportsthenandnow.com
Henri Richard
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/4127850.jpg?138)
Being the brother of Maurice "The Rocket" Richard wasn't always easy but Henri Richards was no ordinary hockey player. He used his skillful skating and playmaking to help the Montreal Canadiens to a record 11 Stanley Cups, five during the 1960s alone! He was only 5ft. 7 in. and was nicknamed "The Pocket Rocket." He twice lead the league in assists and made 9 All-Star teams. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Photo courtesy of cbc.ca
Photo courtesy of cbc.ca
The Seventies
Gilbert Perreault
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/8636174.jpg?138)
Perreault was the first player drafted by the expansion Buffalo Sabres in 1970. Perreault was the first star of the Sabres and played his entire 17 year career there, retiring in 1986. He never won a Stanley Cup, losing in his only chance 4 games to 2 in 1975 to Philadelphia. However he was rookie of the year in 1971, the Lady Byng winner in '73, and played for Canada in the famous Summit Series of 1972 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com
Gerry Cheevers
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/3187859.jpg?137)
Cheevers is most well known for an eerie mask he wore depicting stark black stitches painted in places where pucks would have cut his face had the mask not been there. In 1972, Cheevers won 33 straight games, an NHL record that still stands. Cheevers finished his career with a record of 230-102-74.
Photo courtesy of goaliesarchive.com
Photo courtesy of goaliesarchive.com
The Eighties
The Sutter Brothers
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/4561196.jpg?190)
In some cases, considered the "first family" of hockey. There are six brothers in all: Brian, who was the first Sutter to play in the NHL in 1976. The others were Darryl, Duane, Brent, Rich and Ron. Brent and Duane were part of the Islanders dynasty with Brent winning two Cups and Duane four. Brent had the most successful playing career,s coring 363 goals and 829 points. Brian, Darryl, Duane and Brent have been NHL head coaches and DArryl has long been a GM.
Photo courtesy of greatesthockeylegends.com
Photo courtesy of greatesthockeylegends.com
Dino Ciccarelli
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/5153752.png?145)
Dino Ciccarelli is a true underdog story who made himself great. He was never drafted because of a knee injury but Ciccarelli is one of the top goal scorers of all time, retiring in 1999 with 608. He scored a rookie-record 14 playoff goals for the '81 North Stars, leading them to the Stanley Cup finals. Most of Ciccarelli's goals were the result of his persistence around the net, it cost him hundreds of facial stitches and numerous injuries. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Photo courtesy of prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com
Photo courtesy of prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com
The Nineties
Brett Hull
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/3730972.jpg?136)
Brett Hull was a natural scorer. His 86 goals in 1990-91 rank third all-time behind only Wayne Gretzky's seasons of 92 and 87. Hull scored 741 career goals, ranking him third on the all-time list. The biggest goal of his career was scored in the 1999 Stanley Cup finals, where his goal in the third overtime of Game 6 gave the Cup to Dallas. He won the Cup in Detroit a few years later as well. He and his father, Bobby Hull remain the only Father-Son combo to each score over 600 goals in their careers.
Photo courtesy of sikids.com (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
Photo courtesy of sikids.com (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
Jaromir Jagr
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/4287862.jpg?147)
Jagr was the natural fit to succeed his teammate Mario Lemieux and did so very well. He started his career by winning two Stanley Cups ('91, '92) He was unrivaled in skill and strength and ran off four straight scoring titles from 1998-2001, a streak that is only behind Wayne Gretzky. Before he was 30 years old he owned five Art Ross Trophys, one Hart Trophy, and the most points in a season by a right wing (149). He did not play his whole career in Pittsburgh though. He also played for the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals. He also left the NHL for a few years to return to play in Europe, returning to the NHL in 2011. He has worn the No. 68 throughout his career in honor of the 1968 Prague Spring uprising.
Photo courtesy of pensburgh.com
Photo courtesy of pensburgh.com
The 21st Century
Martin Brodeur
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/9/13795991/4428945.jpg?147)
Brodeur grew up idolizing Patrick Roy. Brodeur not only copied Roy's style and succeed him as the NHLs best goalie, he shattered Roy's NHL record of 551 victories in 2008-09. As of 2011-12 Brodeur has 656 victories and 119 shutouts...and he is still playing. Neither record is likely to be broken for a very long time. He won a Gold Medal for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games and has been awared the Vezina Trophy 4 times.
Photo courtesy of nhlsnipers.com
Photo courtesy of nhlsnipers.com