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Tony Esposito
Tony Esposito was one of the first players of the modern era to reach the NHL after playing American college hockey. One of the reasons he went this route was to deliberately delay his professional debut. When he started there was only 6 NHL teams and the use of one goalie was still common place - hence only 6 jobs. But just around the corner the NHL would double in size due to expansion, and carrying a backup goalie would soon become an accepted practice. He played three seasons with the Michigan Tech Huskies while studying business. He signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 1967.
The Habs assigned Tony to the WHL Vancouver Canucks for the 67-68 season, where he continued to dominate, leading the league in games played, minutes played, shutouts, and amazingly both wins and losses. Esposito felt that his time in Vancouver was a great hockey education for him. He had only played 20 or so games in the college schedule, but would face lots of ice time and shots in 63 games
Tony O played part of the 1968-69 season with the Montreal Canadiens and earned his only Stanley Cup ring there while serving as the backup goalie. His first NHL game came against brother Phil's Boston Bruins and resulted in a 2-2 tie. In total that season Esposito would only get into 13 contests, with a 5-4-4 record. He did post 2 shutouts, including a 0-0 tie against Phil and the Bruins.
The following year he was acquired by Chicago. The Canadiens had to choose between the young Esposito and the veteran legend Gump Worsley. While the Habs did have Ken Dryden a couple of years away, the move could have proved to be disastrous if Dryden hadn't emerged. Tony inherited Glenn Hall's position in Chicago and played phenomenally for the next fifteen years.
His first full season saw him win the Calder and Vezina Trophies as he posted a 2.17 GAA and 15 shutouts in 63 games. The 15 shutouts is a modern day record for most in one season. He would go on to win or share 3 Vezinas, and five All Star berths. He thrived on a heavy work load. In fact, over 8 year stretch he averaged 68 games a season.
Despite Esposito's incredible play, the Hawks were never able to achieve elite status, which probably holds Tony Esposito back when it comes to discussions about the game's greatest goalies. He was clearly an elite goalie though, and was chosen to play in the 1972 Summit Series with Team Canada. He played in 4 games and by most accounts outplayed number one goalie Ken Dryden.
Tony O also played in the 1981 Canada Cup, but not for Canada. He had acquired his US Citizenship just in time for the tournament, and agreed to play of Team USA since he wasn't invited to Canada's training camp. Tony O instantly gave Team USA some credibility, but ultimately wasn't able to give them enough wins to make a splash in the tournament.
Tony would play past the age of 40, retiring as a Hawk in 1984. He would later go on to NHL management positions with Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.
He was a bit of an unorthodox goalie. He would play the butterfly style to stop shots, which back then was not as common as it is today. He often would cheat to one side when facing a shooter, displaying extra room and forcing the shooter to shoot, but then would quickly take it away with his quick glove hand. A noted poke-checker, the only thing more active than Esposito's stick was his mouth. He was a loud and talkative goalie, always yelling directions to his defensemen.
One thing is for sure - Tony was an exciting goalie to watch!
5 comments:
Tony O was the best goalie in the league when the blackhawks had the worst teams,the mid to late 70s.
Tony played his college hockey at Michigan Tech, where a new phenom is on the scene, namely Pheonix Copley. The Blackhawks should make a play for this fabulous goalie as soon as possible. He had back-to-back shutouts with the Michigan Tech Huskies in their winning the GLI championship last December in Detroit. We need help, and Copley could be the answer to our future success.
Whereas Tony’s first game was against his brother, Phil, and the score was a tie, it wasn’t 2-2. Tony started the Sat., Dec. 21, 1968 game against the Bruins, which was broadcast from the Montreal Forum on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and ended in a 0-0 draw. The game the following night, in Boston, ended in a 2-2 draw, and Phil scored both goals for the Bruins.
Tony O is my Favorite Goalie of all time, I believe he still leads the Blackhawks in Shutouts, He had one of the Best Glove Hands in the league. In the Summit Series, he led in wins, Best G.AA, he was the best in the series and was underplayed, i think there Wouldn't have been such a Dramatic Ending in 1972, had he been in net instead of Dryden, He was superb in the series as was Tretiak, Tony showed how good he was when he played in game 2 and Won it, with only one Goal against, and the Soviets peppered him, but he laid a brick wall which stopped the Soviets in there tracks.
Never in the history of goalie comparisons was there a better stage than the 72 Summit Series. Tony 0 or Dryden ? Espo won more games with a better GGA and save % than Dryden. Each playing 4 games with basically the same team vs the same talent. Case closed.
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