Glenn Hall

Glenn Hall
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1975
Born	October 3, 1931 Humboldt, SK, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	AHL Indianapolis Capitals NHL Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks St. Louis Blues
Playing career	1951–1971

Glenn Henry "Mr. Goalie" Hall (born October 3, 1931) 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.^[1]

Professional playing career

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.

Blackhawks

Glenn Hall 1963 trading card

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 for goaltenders that is unlikely to ever be broken.

He never wore a goaltending mask or helmet during the streak, only doing so late in his career. It is rumoured that Hall threw up before each game, then drank a glass of orange juice.

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, and setting a then-Blues' record of 13 shutouts.

Retirement

Glenn Hall in 2011

He had retired after the 1968–69 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, and 1969 NHL All-Star Games.
• Selected to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1969.
• Selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1956, 1961, and 1962.
• Vezina Trophy Winner in 1963, 1967, and 1969.
• Conn Smythe Trophy Winner in 1968.
• Stanley Cup Championship in 1952, 1961, and 1989 (as goaltender coach).
• Holds NHL record for most consecutive games started by a goaltender with 502 games.^[2]
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
• In 1998, he was ranked number 16 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1947–48	Humboldt Indians	N-SJHL		5	5	0	0	300	17	0	3.40
1948–49	Humboldt Indians	N-SJHL		24	13	9	2	1420	86	1	3.63
1949–50	Windsor Spitfires	OHA		43	31	11	1	2580	152	0	3.53
1950–51	Windsor Spitfires	OHA		54	32	18	4	3240	167	6	3.09
1951–52	Indianapolis Capitals	AHL		68	22	40	6	4190	272	0	3.89
1952–53	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		63	27	27	9	3780	207	2	3.29
1952–53	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		6	4	1	1	360	10	1	1.67
1953–54	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		70	29	30	11	4200	259	0	3.70
1954–55	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		66	38	18	10	3960	187	5	2.83
1954–55	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		2	2	0	0	120	2	0	1.00
1955–56	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	30	24	16	4200	147	12	2.10
1956–57	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	38	20	12	4200	156	4	2.23
1957–58	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	24	39	7	4200	200	7	2.86
1958–59	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	28	29	13	4200	208	1	2.97
1959–60	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	28	29	13	4200	180	6	2.57
1960–61	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	29	24	17	4200	176	6	2.51
1961–62	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	31	26	13	4200	185	9	2.64
1962–63	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		66	30	20	15	3910	166	5	2.55
1963–64	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		65	34	19	11	3860	148	7	2.30
1964–65	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		41	18	17	5	2440	99	4	2.43
1965–66	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		64	31	24	7	3747	164	4	2.63
1966–67	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		32	19	5	5	1664	66	2	2.38
1967–68	St. Louis Blues	NHL		49	19	21	9	2858	118	5	2.48
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
NHL totals				906	407	326	162	53,544	2230	84	2.49

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1947–48	Humboldt Indians	N-SJHL		2	0	2	0	120	15	0	7.50
1948–49	Humboldt Indians	N-SJHL		7	3	4	0	420	36	0	5.14
1949–50	Windsor Spitfires	OHA		11	6	5	0	660	37	0	3.36
1950–51	Windsor Spitfires	OHA		8	—	—	—	480	30	0	3.75
1952–53	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		15	10	5	0	905	53	0	3.51
1953–54	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		13	7	6	0	783	44	2	3.37
1954–55	Edmonton Flyers	WHL		16	11	5	0	1000	43	1	2.58
1955–56	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		10	5	5	—	604	28	0	2.78
1956–57	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		5	1	4	—	300	15	0	3.00
1958–59	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		6	2	4	—	360	21	0	3.50
1959–60	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		4	0	4	—	249	14	0	3.37
1960–61	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		12	8	4	—	772	26	2	2.02
1961–62	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		12	6	6	—	720	31	2	2.58
1962–63	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		6	2	4	—	360	25	0	4.17
1963–64	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		7	3	4	—	408	22	0	3.24
1964–65	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		13	7	6	—	760	28	1	2.21
1965–66	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		6	2	4	—	347	22	0	3.80
1966–67	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		3	1	2	—	176	8	0	2.73
1967–68	St. Louis Blues	NHL		18	8	10	—	1111	45	1	2.43
1968–69	St. Louis Blues	NHL		3	0	2	—	131	5	0	2.29
1969–70	St. Louis Blues	NHL		7	4	3	—	421	21	0	2.99
1970–71	St. Louis Blues	NHL		3	0	3	—	180	9	0	3.00
NHL totals				115	49	65	—	6899	320	6	2.78

See also

• Butterfly style
• List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins

References

1. "Topic Galleries". Chicago Tribune.
2. Chaves, Kevin. "The Best Non-Gretzky Records in NHL History". nhl.com. Retrieved 4 June 2012.

External links

• Glenn Hall's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Glenn Hall biography
• Glenn Hall's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Legends of hockey - Glenn Hall video on YouTube
• Profile of Mr. Goalie at The Hockey Writers