The hockey world lost a great man and a pioneer of the game last week when "Mr. Goalie" Glenn Hall passed away. Not only was he a great pioneer he was one of the first great goalies of his time. Not an elite goaltender but he was consistent. A man gone too soon but his legacy in the game of hockey lives on.
Where it all began for Hall
Hall was born in HUmboldt, Canada, on October 3, 1931. He began skating at a young age when he became obsessed with the game. At the age of 20, he began playing pro hockey with the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League. He played well enough to sign with the Detroit Red Wings in 1951-52 and his careeer in the NHL had begun. He would remain with the Red Wings until the 1956-57 season when he was traded to the Chicago BlackHawks.
Hall's career took off as he set new career highs between the pipes for Chicago, setting personal best and setting career achievements. However, on June 6, 1967 he would be drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the expansion draft and this would be his last stop in the NHL. He would finish with 906 games played, a 407-326-164 record, a .918 save percentage, a 2.50 goals against average, and 84 shutouts.
Hall leaves behind some impressive stats
Mr. Goalie would spend many years in the NHL and left quite the impression on the teams he played on and the game itself. He would appear in 13 All-Star Games, capture the 1955-56 NHL Calder Memorial Trophy for the league's best rookie, the Vezina Trophy for the league's best goaltender three times (1962-63, 1966-67, 1968-69) and win the 1967-68 NHL Conn Smythe Trophy for the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs and was named one of the NHL's greatest players in 2017-18. Hall would win one Stanley Cup in 1961 while with the BlackHawks. During that playoff stretch, he posted a record of 8-4 with a .937 save percentage, a 2.02 goals against average, and two shutouts.
He is tied with Jonathan Quick for 12th place among goaltenders all-time with 407 wins and is fourth all-time in shutouts with 84. Hall is eighth all-time for on ice time with 53:449, while accumulating nine assists and 98 penalty minutes in his career.
Hall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1975. He had his #1 retired by Chicago in 1988 at the United Center. During his storied career, he became known as a player who gave his all. After his career ended he became kwown for two things. Those two things will never happen again in the NHL or the game of hockey. He holds the record for most consecutive starts with 502, a record that will never be touched. He was also an inventor. He was the first goaltender to use the butterfly style between the pipes, a style that is still used by goaltenders today. Not many goaltenders like him played the game like him but he will be known for the style invention and the streak. He was a great goaltender who many still talk about today.