In this clip from 1977, three of the greatest goalies in NHL history - Jacques Plante, Johnny Bower and Glenn Hall - talk about each other's styles, quirks and achievements. For more classic clips, go to www.cbc.ca/archives
Wow, classic gentlemen that played one of the most dangerous jobs in sports with out masks for part of their careers. Very humbling. I had tears in my eyes by the end. Johnny ends it with a classic. Great men, all of them.
Three of the best that ever played. All were heroes then and now too. Even now, nearing age 60, I wish I could buckle on the pads, lace up my skates, lower my mask, tap my posts, ready myself into a goalie crouch and play just one more game. To just once more hear my skates cut the ice; to feel perspiration run down my cheeks under my mask and the puck hit the leather of my pads; to taste the cold air of the arena or pond; to see the whirl of colours sweaters make as players speed past my crease; to taste the thrill of a shutout or save one last time. To just once more play the game of Jacques, Johnny, and Glen. To once more be young and play just one more game.
Too bad the goalies today haven't learned that art. If there were shoot-outs then, Bower would never have let players get in as close as they do now in their deke attempts. He'd have poked that puck away.
What is preventing you from putting the skates back on? After a 30 year absence, I went back to playing 5 years ago at age 55. It was very tough but where there is a will there is a way. Not sure where you live but here in Mtl there is no shortage of groups of senior citizens looking for someone willing to strap on the pads.
Love this! Former goalie here. I read Jacques Plante's book on goaltending which definitely helped me cut down angles. I also read a great book in my youth, "Save! Hockey's Brave Goalies". They chronicled goalies from Georges Vezina to the top 70's goalies. I remember a great story about Gerry Cheevers early in his career. The Bruins got hammered 10-2 and the GM burst into the locker room and asked Gerry what the hell happened out there. Gerry calmly replied, "Roses are red, violets are blue, they got 10 and we got 2."
The GM sounds like Hap Emms, who predated Schmidt and Sinden. In Derek Sanderson's book, he said the Bruins hated Emms, who ended up going back to junior hockey.
I remember Plante being traded from the Leafs to the Bruins and shutting out my Blackhawks in his first game with his new team. I’m glad I got to see those greats Like Plante, Worsley, Hall, Sawchuck, and Bower play.
You got that right Joey. Today if they break a nail, they go on the 15 day 'disabled' list. Back then, they played bloody, hurt, it didn't matter. A lot more 'guts' back then.
From what I read he strained his back breaking in new shin.pads. He let an easy goal get by him and took himself out of the game and then missed his next start. Who knows how long that record could have been if he doesn’t hurt his back.
There was more goaltending greatness in those three than in most of the NHL today combined. Add in Sawchuk, Worsley, and Parent, and I'll say in all the NHL today.
I read a story about Plante when he was with Rangers, he discovered at whatever Madison Square Garden they were playing at the time, the Rangers were defending the goal for the 1st and 3rd period farthest from their bench. He felt as the home team it should be the opposite. Ranger management didn’t see it that and kept it as is. Plante felt if a delayed penalty was called he could get to the bench a little quicker at least for two of the three periods. He was a great student of the game. I’m glad I got to see him play.
I still find it amazing that Johnny Bower signed with the Leafs when he did in 1958. He was 34 I believe, and he had only previously had one season of NHL experience with the Rangers before they sent him back to Cleveland in the AHL.
After two seasons in St Louis, Plante would spend the majority of three seasons with the Leafs, along with eight games in Boston. After spending the 1973-1974 season as the coach/GM of the Quebec Nordiques in the WHA, he would come out of retirement one more time the following season to play in 31 games for the Edmonton Oilers.
"Any way you can stop the puck you do it" - Johnny Bower, the man who once made two consecutive face saves. If you've never seen that, search for 'Leafs Legend Johnny Bower Game Action"
In my time as a goalie, I tried to incorporate certain aspects of all three, and others, Sawchuck, Esposito too. Positioning, handling the puck, poke check, rebound control.
The scar on bowers forehead that curves like the edge of a puck gets me every time. Regardless of if that was actually from a puck it just suits him, especially with that famous clip of him taking a puck directly to the face against the flyers.
it's sad the argument for best goalie never includes Glenn Hall , to me it's obvious look up his stats and his iron man status puts him right there at the top, imagine if Glenn Hall played for the Leafs or the Habs.
The last of the real goaltenders, 3 real cowboys : Jacques Plante looks like Elvis in "Love me Tender", Johnny Bower looks like John Wayne and Glenn Hall looks like Roy Rogers. What can i ask for more ?!
Hall in my mind came second to Sawchuk in the greatest of all time as a Goalie, I mean Plante never Played 502 Consecutive Games Without a mask. But still those three are still among the Greatest Goalies of all time.
Three Great goalies when hockey was hockey. These guys played 60 to 70 games a season with no backup in the early years. Now, today, they get more days off and the season goes on and on, not including that sissy by week .
Sawchuk wasn't the first or even the second. He was, however, very important in giving the mask credibility by being the second REGULAR goalie (after Plante) to wear it on a consistent basis. Benedict tried wearing a bizarre mask that didn't last long. Plante wore the first mask in the modern era, followed soon after by Don Simmons, then Sawchuk and Hodge.
