Through the generations, our relatively small country has produced many of the great goaltenders in the past, and they're still coming in the present. In this section of my web page I will tell of a few goaltenders and the contributions they made to their country and the NHL. Or like Jacques Plante's case, every goaltender that would strap on some pads and put on a mask.
Jacques Plante was born in Mont-Carmel, Quebec on January 17, 1929 and had made a mark very early in his career, his rookie year to be exact. That year he did not get to play in the regular season after his three-game-tryout at the beginning of it. But at playoff time in the semifinals against Chicago, the hawks were threatening to take over the series with a 3-2 series lead. Dick Irvin then gave the go to Plante to everyone's surprise, replace Gerry McNeil between the pipes for the sixth game. They won 3-0 and he went on to win the seventh led by Plante in the crease. He the ended off his year playing two games in the finals against the Bruins. Winning one but losing the other. But with Gerry McNeil's help winning the next three games, Plante won the best prize the NHL had to offer. One of an amazing record of six Stanley Cups in his career. A record only Ken Dryden has tied.
Ken Dryden was born on August 8, 1947 in Hamilton, Ontario. His outstanding reflex speed propelled him to be what many think to be the greatest goalie in history.
Dryden's career is indeed very impressive considering what a short career it was (it spanned 8 years). Although, he also had much support from his defencemen. Such stars in the day such as the "Big Three", which consisted of Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson.
But probably the most noticeable thing about Dryden which stands out in the minds of many hockey fans is his "signature pose". Whenever the play would stop for one reason or another, he would lean on the stick, shaft up straight, standing silent and unmoving.
Indeed Dryden along with Jacque Plante, are probably the two greatest goalies in the history of the Montreal Canadians. Together they both equal up to 12 Stanley Cups, 152 shutouts and 12 Vezina trophies! Proof that these are unquestionably indeed the greatest goalies who ever originated out of a Habs uniform right? Wrong. A lot of people argue that that title may belong to the superstar Patrick Roy.
But talent would prevail for Roy (as well as the superb training with Francois Allaire) when scouts saw that this guy had talent! That year he lead the Canadians to a surprising Stanley Cup (he even won the Con Smythe trophy that year, a accomplishment he would accomplish again the next year)
He was drafted by the Montreal Canadians and kept on improving. Honing his skills to be one of the best goaltenders, if not the best in the 80's until today. Everything was going in Roy's favor until one faithful night on Dec 5, 1995 when he wasn't doing as well as other nights for the Habs. So as a consequence, Roy was pulled.
Afterward the picture was spread nationwide of Roy's lips working in coordination to say he would never play another hockey game for Montreal in the NHL. A short time after this a meeting with the media was held where Roy's emotions got the best of him.
Roy's birth was on October 5th, 1965 in Quebec's capital (Quebec City), and before he joined the Montreal Canadians, his career started with the Granby Bisons (QJMHL). But because the team wasn't very good that year, his NHL dream's looked dim.
