Glenn Hall

Glenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall (born October 3, 1931, in Humboldt, Saskatchewan) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed a game and was a consistent performer, winning the Vezina Trophy three times, and the Calder Memorial Trophy. Nicknamed "Mr. Goalie", he was the first goaltender to develop and make effective use of the butterfly style of goalkeeping.

Detroit stints
After finishing his junior years playing for the Humboldt Indians and the Windsor Spitfires, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 1949. The first few years of his NHL 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 Cup, before he had ever played his first NHL game. He finally made the Red Wings' lineup as their starting goalie in the 1955–56 season, displacing Terry Sawchuk. Hall played in every game of his first full season with the Red Wings, recording twelve shutouts, and winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. He seemed erratic during the Stanley Cup Finals against Montreal. During his second full season with Detroit, he again played every game, but at season's end, found himself traded to the Chicago Black Hawks along with NHL Players' Association co-organizer Ted Lindsay. Hall continued his stellar play in the Windy City, playing every regular-season game as well as every playoff game. In 1961, Hall backstopped the Black Hawks to their first Stanley Cup Championship since 1938 over Detroit. On November 8, 1962, the record streak finally came to an end against the Boston Bruins, as Hall had back problems. Denis DeJordy 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. He never wore a goaltending mask or helmet during the streak, only doing so late in his career.

Later success
Despite winning the Vezina Trophy in 1967, Hall was left unprotected for that summer's NHL expansion draft. The 36-year-old veteran was chosen by the St. Louis Blues. 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 the Western Division playoffs in two seven-game series. 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 fourth trip to the finals, and his goaltending was the most outstanding contribution to the surprisingly good performance of the Blues against the Montreal Canadiens. 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 Trophy as the playoffs' Most Valuable Player, an award rarely going to a player from a losing team. In 1968, veteran goaltending legend Jacques Plante joined the Blues, sharing duties with Hall. The two put together a fine season in 1968-69, winning the Vezina Trophy.

Retirement
He had retired after the 1968–69 season season, but Hall came out of retirement to play 18 games in 1969–70 season. Hall's 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 Fame. Hall won his third Stanley Cup as the goaltender coach with Calgary Flames in 1989.

Legacy
Hall ended his career with 407 wins, 84 shutouts, a career GAA of 2.49, and was voted to eleven 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 achieved while playing the same era as other greats, Sawchuk and Plante—as well as other Hall of Famers, such as Johnny Bower and Gump Worsley. In 1998, he was ranked number 16 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, currently the highest rank for a living former goaltender (No. 13-ranked Jacques Plante died in 1986, and No. 9 Terry Sawchuk in 1970). In 2005, the City of Humboldt, Saskatchewan 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.

Awards and Achievements

 * Calder Memorial Trophy Winner in 1956.
 * Played in 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 NHL All-Star Games.
 * Selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969.
 * Selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1956, 1961, 1962.
 * Vezina Trophy Winner in 1963, 1967, 1969.
 * Conn Smythe Trophy Winner in 1968.
 * Stanley Cup Championship in 1961, 1989 (as goaltender coach.
 * Most consecutive games started with 502 games.
 * In 1998, he was ranked number 16 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Trivia

 * According to NHL lore, Hall threw up before each game, then drank a glass of orange juice.
 * Hall was the goalie in Bobby Orr's famous 1970 Stanley Cup winning goal. The goal came off a give-and-go pass with Orr's teammate Derek Sanderson at the 40-second mark of the first overtime period in Game Four, helping to complete a sweep of Hall's St. Louis Blues. The subsequent image of a horizontal Orr flying through the air, his arms raised in victory – as he made the shot, he had been tripped by Blues' defenceman Noel Picard while watching the puck pass by goaltender Hall – became a prize-winning photograph and is arguably the most famous and recognized hockey image of all time.