Legendary former Blackhawks goalie Glenn Hall, a Stanley Cup-winning innovator considered one of the greatest goalies of all time, died Wednesday. He was 94.
Hall’s No. 1 hangs retired in the United Center rafters — one of eight Hawks with that distinction — and his influence on the sport and his position places him in an equally small, elite group of players in NHL history.
The Saskatchewan native mastered and popularized the butterfly stance, which became revolutionary for goalies across the world. He also holds the league’s goaltending ironman record of 502 consecutive starts for the Red Wings and Hawks.
That’s a record that will doubtlessly never be broken, given the way starts are divided between starters and backups in modern hockey. And he did it all without a mask — something else unfathomable by modern standards. His nickname, “Mr. Goalie,” was well-deserved.
“I’ve always said, ‘You’ve got to be a little sick to be a goalie,’” Hall told the Sun-Times in 2002.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman described Hall as “sturdy, dependable and a spectacular talent in net” in a statement Wednesday.
“Glenn was a true star whose career was filled with accomplishment and accolades,” Bettman said. “From the moment he stepped foot in an NHL crease, Hall excelled. He won the Calder Trophy with the Red Wings, earned every win for the Blackhawks in their run to the 1961 Stanley Cup and captured a Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing in the Final with the St. Louis Blues.
“A seven-time, first-team NHL All-Star — an honor bestowed on him more than any other goalie — Hall is an honored member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and was selected as one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players.
“The NHL family mourns the passing of a legend of the game and sends our heartfelt condolences to Glenn’s children Pat, Lindsay, Tammy, and Leslie as well as the entire Hall family.”
Hall joined the Hawks in 1957-58 and was a staple in Chicago Stadium crease for 10 seasons, ultimately playing 618 of his 906 career games for the Hawks. He posted a 276-229-107 record, .916 save percentage and 2.60 goals-against average for the franchise.
“The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Glenn Hall, one of the greatest and most influential goaltenders in the history of our sport and a cornerstone of our franchise,” Hawks chairman Danny Wirtz said in a statement.
“On behalf of the Wirtz family and the entire Chicago Blackhawks organization, we extend our deepest condolences to Glenn’s family, friends, and the countless teammates and supporters who loved him. We are grateful for his extraordinary contributions to hockey and to our club, and we will honor his memory today and always.”
Hall’s comment about playing goalie requiring being “a little sick” was literal in his case. He was known for throwing up before every game due to nervousness about the upcoming battle.
“I got sick before every game, but I never made a big deal out of it,” Hall said in 2002. “When it was time, I quietly got up and went to the bathroom. I was fine after that. I felt guilty if I didn’t get sick. I thought it was normal, that getting sick made you better.
“I’m surprised more guys didn’t do it. I talked to a young goalie once who said he whistled during a game. I can’t imagine whistling with pucks flying by.”
Hall also admitted during that 2002 interview that he received about 250 stitches, “mostly in the face,” during his career — which he also considered normal for the time.
He retired in 1971 after a late-career stint with the Blues and lived out his later years on a farm in Alberta.
It has been a rough week for prominent former Hawks. Former coach and general manager Bob Pulford died Monday at age 89.
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