Glenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall (born October 3, 1931, in
HumboldtHumboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan, 113 km east of Saskatoon at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 20...
,
SaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of and a population of 1,023,810 , mostly living in the southern half of the province. Of these, 233,923 live in the province's largest city, Saskatoon, while 194,971 live in the provincial capital, Regina...
, Canada) is a former professional
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
goaltenderThis article is about the goaltender in ice hockey. For the similar position in other sports, see goalkeeper. For the basketball foul, see goaltending....
. During his
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
career with the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
,
Chicago Black HawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won three Stanley Cup Championships and thirteen division titles since their founding in 1926...
, and
St. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues," and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the
Vezina TrophyThe Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
three times, and the
Calder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The award has been awarded 72 times since its beginnings in 1937...
. Nicknamed "Mr. Goalie", he was the first goaltender to develop and make effective use of the
butterfly styleIn ice hockey, a butterfly style refers to a style of goaltending whose most distinguishing feature has the goaltender guarding the lower part of the net by dropping to the knees to block attempts to score. The butterfly style derives its name from the resemblance of the spread goal pads and hands...
of goalkeeping.
After finishing his junior years playing for the Humboldt Indians and the
Windsor SpitfiresThe Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953...
, he signed with the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
in 1949.
Glenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall (born October 3, 1931, in
HumboldtHumboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan, 113 km east of Saskatoon at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 20...
,
SaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of and a population of 1,023,810 , mostly living in the southern half of the province. Of these, 233,923 live in the province's largest city, Saskatoon, while 194,971 live in the provincial capital, Regina...
, Canada) is a former professional
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
goaltenderThis article is about the goaltender in ice hockey. For the similar position in other sports, see goalkeeper. For the basketball foul, see goaltending....
. During his
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
career with the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
,
Chicago Black HawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won three Stanley Cup Championships and thirteen division titles since their founding in 1926...
, and
St. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues," and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the
Vezina TrophyThe Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
three times, and the
Calder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The award has been awarded 72 times since its beginnings in 1937...
. Nicknamed "Mr. Goalie", he was the first goaltender to develop and make effective use of the
butterfly styleIn ice hockey, a butterfly style refers to a style of goaltending whose most distinguishing feature has the goaltender guarding the lower part of the net by dropping to the knees to block attempts to score. The butterfly style derives its name from the resemblance of the spread goal pads and hands...
of goalkeeping.
Detroit stints
After finishing his junior years playing for the Humboldt Indians and the
Windsor SpitfiresThe Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953...
, he signed with the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
in 1949. The first few years of his
NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
career were spent playing in Detroit's minor system. In the 1952 playoffs he was called up from the minors to be the backup goalie in the finals, but did not play for Detroit. Detroit still put Hall's name on the
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club cup trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion. It has been referred to as The Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, before he had ever played his first NHL game. He finally made the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings is a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL....
lineup as their starting goalie in the 1955–56 season, displacing the great
Terry SawchukTerence Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Playing career:During his career, Sawchuk...
. Hall played in every game of his first full season with the Red Wings, recording twelve shutouts, and winning the
Calder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The award has been awarded 72 times since its beginnings in 1937...
as rookie of the year.
During his second full season with Detroit, he again played every single game, but at season's end, found himself traded to the
Chicago Black HawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won three Stanley Cup Championships and thirteen division titles since their founding in 1926...
along with NHL Players' Association co-organizer
Ted LindsayRobert Blake Theodore "Ted" Lindsay is a former professional ice hockey forward who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks. During his playing career, he helped to organize the National Hockey League Players' Association. He scored over 800 points in his career, won the Art Ross...
. Hall continued his stellar play in the Windy City, playing every single regular-season game as well as every playoff game. As his consecutive game streak continued, his legend grew with it. In 1961, Hall backstopped the Black Hawks to
their first
Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club cup trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion. It has been referred to as The Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Championship since
1938The 1937–38 NHL season was the 21st season of the National Hockey League . Eight teams each played 48 games. The Chicago Black Hawks were the Stanley Cup winners as they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs three games to one in the final series.-League business:...
(the second of Hall's career) — over, of all teams, Detroit. On November 8, 1962, the record streak finally came to an end against the
Boston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, entering the league as the first United States-based expansion franchise...
; Hall had back problems.
Denis DeJordyDenis DeJordy , is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played goal for four NHL teams, most notably the Chicago Black Hawks.-Playing career:...
replaced him during the game. Hall managed to play 502 consecutive complete games, which spanned eight seasons, an NHL record that will probably never be broken. Even more amazingly, he never wore a goaltending mask or helmet during the streak. It was only late in his career that he wore a mask.
Later success
Despite winning the
Vezina TrophyThe Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
in 1967, Hall was left unprotected for
that summer's NHL expansion draftThe 1967 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1967, in the ballroom of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's six expansion teams for the 1967–68 season: the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars,...
. The 36-year-old veteran was chosen by the
St. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues," and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
. The Blues, one of six expansion franchises in their first year in the league, stocked themselves with veteran talent including Red Berenson and Phil Goyette, and won first place in the new division. Hall's play led them all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. Most hockey fans expected an utter rout when the established Canadiens faced the 1st-year expansion Blues. But this was Hall's third trip to the finals, and his goaltending was the most outstanding contribution to the surprisingly good performance of the Blues against the
Montreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The team is a member of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Blues lost the best-of-seven series getting swept 4–0, but in 4 exciting 1-goal games (3–2 (OT), 1–0. 4–3 (OT), and 3–2). Hall's remarkable play was recognized by the award to him of the
Conn Smythe TrophyThe Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 44 times to 38 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as the playoffs' Most Valuable Player, an award rarely going to a player from a losing team.
In 1968, veteran goaltending legend
Jacques PlanteJoseph Jacques Omer "Jake the Snake" Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He grew up in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, and began to play hockey in 1932. He became a goaltender at a young age since his asthma impaired his skating ability...
joined the Blues, sharing duties with Hall. The two put together a fine season in 1968-69, winning the
Vezina TrophyThe Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
.
Retirement
He had retired after the 1968–69 season season, but Hall missed his buddies on the Blues and came out of retirement to play 18 games in 1969–70 season.
Hall's great career ended after the 1970–71 season when he announced his retirement at the age of 40. In 1975 he was elected to the
Hockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. Hall won his third Stanley Cup as the Goaltender Coach with
Calgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the Calgary...
in 1989.
Legacy
Hall ended his brilliant career with 407 Wins, 84 Shutouts, a career GAA of 2.49, and voted to 11 All-Star Games. Hall is widely regarded as one of the first NHL goalies to master the butterfly style of goaltending. He is thought of by many as one of the best goalies to ever play the game. Hall still holds the record for the most First Team All-Star selections (7) which he did while playing the same era as other greats, Sawchuk and Plante (as well as other Hall of Famers, like
Johnny BowerJohn William "Johnny" Bower , nicknamed "The China Wall", is a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie.-Playing career:...
,
Gump WorsleyLorne John "Gump" Worsley was a professional ice hockey goaltender. Born and raised in Montreal, he was given his nickname due to friends deciding he looked like comic-strip character Andy Gump.-Career:...
, and
Roger CrozierRoger Allan Crozier was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals....
).
In 1998, he was ranked number 16 on
The Hockey NewsThe Hockey News, commonly abbrieviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been perhaps the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, currently the highest rank for a living former goaltender (No. 13-ranked
Jacques PlanteJoseph Jacques Omer "Jake the Snake" Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He grew up in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, and began to play hockey in 1932. He became a goaltender at a young age since his asthma impaired his skating ability...
died in 1986, and No. 9
Terry SawchukTerence Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Playing career:During his career, Sawchuk...
in 1970).
In 2005, the City of
Humboldt, SaskatchewanHumboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan, 113 km east of Saskatoon at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 20...
erected a permanent monument to Hall's career in Glenn Hall Park on Highway #5 (Glenn Hall Drive). The tribute included highlights of his career from his junior days in Humboldt until his retirement from the NHL.
Trivia
- According to NHL lore, Hall threw up before each game, then drank a glass of orange juice.
Career statistics
|
|
| Season In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1st through October 1st; in European football , it is generally from August until May In an...
|
Team |
League |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
MIN |
GA |
SO |
GAA Goals against average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and football that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender. It is calculated by dividing the number of minutes played by 60 minutes then dividing the goals against by that figure...
|
SV% Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops. It is calculated by dividing the number of saves by the total number of shots on goal.Although the statistic is called "save percentage", it is given as a decimal...
|
| 1947–48 |
Humboldt Indians |
THL |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3.40 |
0 |
| 1948–49 |
Humboldt Indians |
N-SJHL |
24 |
13 |
9 |
2 |
— |
— |
1 |
3.63 |
— |
| 1949–50 |
Windsor SpitfiresThe Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953...
|
OHA The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
|
43 |
31 |
11 |
1 |
— |
— |
0 |
3.53 |
— |
| 1950–51 |
Windsor Spitfires |
OHA |
54 |
32 |
18 |
4 |
— |
— |
6 |
3.09 |
— |
| 1951–52 The 1951–52 AHL season was the 16th season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 68 games each in the schedule. The Pittsburgh Hornets won their first F. G...
|
Indianapolis Capitals The Indianapolis Capitals was an American Hockey League professional ice hockey team based in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1939–1952. The Capitals were a farm team for the Detroit Red Wings. Indianapolis won the Calder Cup in 1942 and 1950. They played in the Pepsi Coliseum.There was also a Central...
|
AHLThe American Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League . 28 of the 30 NHL teams have exclusive affiliation agreements with one of the AHL's 29 active clubs...
|
68 |
22 |
40 |
6 |
— |
— |
— |
3.89 |
— |
| 1952–53 |
Edmonton Flyers The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time...
|
WHL The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League...
|
63 |
27 |
27 |
9 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1952–53 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
360 |
10 |
1 |
1.67 |
— |
| 1953–54 |
Edmonton Flyers |
WHL |
70 |
29 |
30 |
11 |
— |
— |
0 |
3.70 |
— |
| 1954–55 |
Edmonton Flyers |
WHL |
66 |
38 |
18 |
10 |
— |
— |
5 |
2.83 |
— |
| 1954–55 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
120 |
2 |
— |
1.00 |
.967 |
| 1955–56 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
70 |
30 |
24 |
16 |
4200 |
147 |
12 |
2.10 |
.922 |
| 1956–57 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
70 |
38 |
20 |
12 |
4200 |
156 |
4 |
2.23 |
.927 |
| 1957–58 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
70 |
24 |
39 |
7 |
4200 |
200 |
7 |
2.86 |
.909 |
| 1958–59 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
70 |
28 |
29 |
13 |
4200 |
208 |
1 |
2.97 |
.897 |
| 1959–60 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
70 |
28 |
29 |
13 |
4200 |
180 |
6 |
2.57 |
.918 |
| 1960–61 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
70 |
29 |
24 |
17 |
4200 |
176 |
6 |
2.51 |
.920 |
| 1961–62 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
70 |
31 |
26 |
13 |
4200 |
185 |
9 |
2.64 |
.913 |
| 1962–63 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
66 |
30 |
20 |
15 |
3910 |
166 |
5 |
2.55 |
.915 |
| 1963–64 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
65 |
34 |
19 |
11 |
3860 |
148 |
7 |
2.30 |
.929 |
| 1964–65 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
41 |
18 |
17 |
5 |
2440 |
99 |
4 |
2.43 |
.922 |
| 1965–66 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
64 |
31 |
24 |
7 |
3747 |
164 |
4 |
2.63 |
.917 |
| 1966–67 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
NHL |
32 |
19 |
5 |
5 |
1664 |
66 |
2 |
2.38 |
.921 |
| 1967–68 |
St. Louis Blues |
NHL |
49 |
19 |
21 |
9 |
2858 |
118 |
5 |
2.48 |
.918 |
| 1968–69 |
St. Louis Blues |
NHL |
41 |
19 |
12 |
8 |
2354 |
85 |
8 |
2.17 |
— |
| 1969–70 |
St. Louis Blues |
NHL |
18 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
1010 |
49 |
1 |
2.91 |
— |
| 1970–71 |
St. Louis Blues |
NHL |
31 |
13 |
11 |
8 |
1761 |
71 |
2 |
2.42 |
.916 |
| NHL totals |
906 |
407 |
326 |
162 |
53,544 |
2230 |
84 |
2.49 |
— |
External links