Goaltender Errata and Minutia

[Canadiens1958]

Interesting situation here as I've been trying to untangle some of my game logs. Gary Laskoski is listed in all current media as having signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings on October 22, 1982. The problem with that date is that Laskoski debuted for the Kings on October 6, and had played five NHL games by October 22:

Gary Laskoski

So when did he actually sign? Interesting note from the Los Angeles Times, October 21:

View attachment 179473

(Newspapers.com oddly enough doesn't have Page 4, so I can't see the rest of this story). This is corroborated by stories around Laskoski's October 6th debut, suggesting that he was with the Kings on a tryout contract and didn't actually sign until what I believe to be October 21st (not the 22nd), since the story was in papers continent-wide on the 22nd. Saskatoon Star-Phoenix:

View attachment 179475

I'm not familiar with the league rules regarding contracts around this time - it appears that Laskoski was on a PTO (or whatever the analog was in 1982). I welcome anyone with citations or primary sources here.

Undrafted amateurs remained eligible for a five game try-out without losing amateur eligibility.

 

[svetovy poharu]

For what it's worth, here's the missing Page 4 story from the LA Times, Oct. 21, 1982:


If a problem develops and Laskoski doesn't sign today, he can renegotiate
with other teams. Adding to the uncertainty is that the Kings can ask for a
10-day extension of Laskoski's tryout agreement.

Laskoski had by far his poorest game against New Jersey Wednesday
night making several rookie mistakes. But he also stopped 30 shots
and killed two early power plays with a series of excellent saves.

"He's playing well," Dionne said. "He gets to the rebounds. If
they're going to score, they have to beat him."


The remainder of the article details the NJ-LA game account.

 

[Doctor No]

Thank you both - very interesting! I wonder if games backed up counted towards the five. The Kings also had Lessard and Blake on the roster, so perhaps when Laskoski wasn't playing, they had Lessard backing up Blake and vice versa (which seems like a reasonable strategy if backing up did count).

Laskoski's fifth game played was October 20 - Blake played on the 23rd, and Lessard and Blake both played on the 24th - and then Laskoski played again (sixth game) on the 27th.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Thank you both - very interesting! I wonder if games backed up counted towards the five. The Kings also had Lessard and Blake on the roster, so perhaps when Laskoski wasn't playing, they had Lessard backing up Blake and vice versa (which seems like a reasonable strategy if backing up did count).

Laskoski's fifth game played was October 20 - Blake played on the 23rd, and Lessard and Blake both played on the 24th - and then Laskoski played again (sixth game) on the 27th.

Five played games, did not have to be consecutive, could be spread over multiple seasons.

 

[Doctor No]

Here's an article on Laskoski that I found when researching this last night - I had All-Star Game photos queued up every half hour yesterday, so waited until today to post it.

 

[Sanf]

Thank you both - very interesting! I wonder if games backed up counted towards the five. The Kings also had Lessard and Blake on the roster, so perhaps when Laskoski wasn't playing, they had Lessard backing up Blake and vice versa (which seems like a reasonable strategy if backing up did count).

Laskoski's fifth game played was October 20 - Blake played on the 23rd, and Lessard and Blake both played on the 24th - and then Laskoski played again (sixth game) on the 27th.

Went through my notes regarding this matter and Los Angeles Times from 9th of October "This time, Lessard will be Blake´s backup while Laskoski will not dress".

I have no idea who was Lessard´s backup against Quebec in 15.

Though in 16. of October Blake started and Laskoski was backup. Because checking it from your site he replaced Blake in the start of the second.

So doesn´t really prove it either way . Backup games may have counted, but it could have been just rotation strategy.

Looking at my notes I had also problem with Blake. Sources like your page mention that he signed with Kings in Jan 5th 1982. I have mix of reliable sources mentioning that he did participate on 1981 Kings camp and was assigned to Saginaw. Now but when he was called to Kings (Lessard missing games due to personal reasons) in March Los Angeles Times had this. (May be a mistake). Nevertheless the Jan 5th is odd signing day.

March 29 1982
Blake isn´t even under contract with Kings. He was playing for Saginaw Perry´s old team in International League, until last tuesday when he was summoned on a tryout basis to replace Lessard...

 

[Doctor No]

There's a Saskatoon article (August 6, 1981) stating that the Kings invited Blake to training camp. I think he definitely played, since there's a Victoria article (September 19) saying that Blake made 37 saves for the "Blues" in a Blue/Gold scrimmage at the Memorial Arena in Victoria.

Binghamton's AHL season preview (October 8) talks about how Doug Keans will be one New Haven goaltender, while Paul Pageau or Mike Blake will be the other..

Wonder if he was on a similar tryout arrangement to what Laskoski was on.

 

[Doctor No]

I asked similar before (because the NHL did the same thing), but there's no reason on earth under NHL rules why Henrik Lundqvist should be credited with the victory in last night's ASG final:

Game Summary

The score was 5-0 when the goaltenders switched from Lundqvist to Holtby. The final score was 10-5, therefore the goaltenders in net for the sixth goal are the winner and the loser. Ergo, Holtby should be the winner, and Rinne the loser.

 

[Doctor No]

New York Daily News, November 10, 1966. Strong opinions on the Rangers' young goaltenders, Cesare Maniago and Ed Giacomin.

 

[Doctor No]

On November 23, 1966, Glenn Hall was inserted into the Black Hawks net to face a second period penalty shot (which he allowed), and then Denis DeJordy returned to the net.

 

[Canadiens1958]

1 GA in 0:00 playing time???

 

[DJ Man]

Yep. Hall-of-Famer had an infinite GAA for that game.

I remember that the Hawks pulled a similar move later in the season, pulling DeJordy for Hall, and the opposition scored another goal. This time, however, Hall stayed in the game for awhile.

Back then, the penalty shots were called so rarely that when one came up, they had to do some research to find the perevious one ... if they could.

 

[Doctor No]

Toronto 8, Boston 3, December 4, 1966. Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk both played for the Leafs, but I can't tell the exact time that Sawchuk played. Closest I can get is from the Boston Globe:

Current NHL boxscore has Sawchuk playing 21:09, so (if Bower did leave during the second period) then Bower didn't re-enter the game at the second intermission:

Toronto Maple Leafs - Boston Bruins - December 4th, 1966

Anyone with better news access who can pinpoint times of exit? Toronto's fourth goal was at 38:01, so the win (probably) goes to Sawchuk (the NHL does give the win to Sawchuk):

Terry Sawchuk Stats and News

 

[Doctor No]

I remember that the Hawks pulled a similar move later in the season, pulling DeJordy for Hall, and the opposition scored another goal. This time, however, Hall stayed in the game for awhile.

You have a good memory!

 

[svetovy poharu]

Regarding the Dec 4, 1966 TOR@BOS game, here's the explanation from the
Globe and Mail:

Leafs used both their veteran goaltenders against Boston.
Johnny Bower started but left at the 8:05 mark of the second
period and was replaced by Terry Sawchuk.

When Bower left, Leafs were clinging to a 3-2 lead. He
returned at the 9:42 mark of the third period when the
Leafs were coasting with a 7-2 lead. Bower was removed
because of an upset stomach.


The Lowell Sun's Frank Sargent game recap states:

TWO GOALIES

Oddly enough, while the Bruins could probably have used two
goalies, it was the Toronto club which used a pair of veterans
in the net to accomplish the win.

Johnny Bower opened the game for the Leafs, but left in the
second period because of illness, with Terry Sawchuk taking
over the chores.

Then, at the 9:42 mark of the third period Bower returned to
the cage. After the game, Toronto coach Punch Imlach explained
that Bower had suffered an attack of dysentery.

 

[Doctor No]

I greatly appreciate it - thank you! Entry/exit times (and reasons) seem to be the hardest thing to find these days.

Dysentery sounds like a fun escape reason. Reminds me of the end of Fred Willard's excellent monologue in "A Mighty Wind":

 

[greyraven8]

Gord Tumilson played in 3 games in goal for the WHA Jets.
He was their #3 goalie aka practice goalie.

The Winnipeg Tribune, 1972-12-02 (Page 33) | digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca

The Winnipeg Tribune, 1972-12-14 (Page 13) | digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca

The Winnipeg Tribune, 1973-04-02 (Page 17) | digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca

middle of the front row in this team photo:

http://www.northwoodcc.ca/Hall of Famers/Gord Tumilson/Gord Tumilson By Scott Taylor.pdf

Tribute Page

 

[Doctor No]

Large quantity of Mike Liut Cincinnati Stingers photos starts in a thread here:



Nine photos that I pulled from newspapers of the era. Bonus BGSU photo at the end.

 

[Sanf]

Large quantity of Mike Liut Cincinnati Stingers photos starts in a thread here:



Nine photos that I pulled from newspapers of the era. Bonus BGSU photo at the end.

Interesting that Liut had such designs when younger and then went to ever having any designs in his mask. Atleast I can´t remember him having any? Though I loved that decision too.

That Cincinnati mask is probably of one of the best of all time. And how well it fits to the jersey and other gear.

 

[Doctor No]

I agree - it gets forgotten because the Stingers weren't one of the teams to merge, but they had some great uniforms.

 

[Sanf]

Talking about Liut does anyone have answer to this.

I was going through Edmonton Oilers messy goaltending situations from their first NHL season when I noticed something that I did not know.

Before the NHL expansion shanigans there was held an WHA dispersal draft where the surviving WHA teams could select players from Racers, Stingers and Bulls. Oilers first round selection was Mike Liut. So at this point Liut´s rights were owned by Oilers. Now then became the NHL Reclamation part of the draft. Oilers lost 17 players and one of them was Liut. Now then was the priority selection part where the "expansion" teams could reclaim some of the players back that they lose to NHL teams. So Oilers priority selected Mio and Dryden. Why not Liut? Couldn´t they pick him because he wasn´t contracted with Oilers in WHA?

As a "very important" bonus trivia I noticed that after all the expansion shuffles Oilers roster included Ernie Wakely, Doug Favell and Dave Dryden (among others). Wakely retired and never even joined Oilers. Favell took part of the camp, but was rather poor and disinterest. So he retired. Dave Dryden lasted few months in the season before he retired. So the Oilers first season wasn´t even halfway through and 3 notable 70´s goalies had already retired as Oilers. Thats goalie graveyard.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Missing a chance.

October 15, 1949, Bill Durnan gets hurt late in the 3rd period of a home game but the house substitute goalie, Don McNiven is too small for Durnan's equipment. See ice chips section:

The Montreal Gazette - Recherche d'archives de Google Actualités

 

[Sanf]

Missing a chance.

October 15, 1949, Bill Durnan gets hurt late in the 3rd period of a home game but the house substitute goalie, Don McNiven is too small for Durnan's equipment. See ice chips section:

The Montreal Gazette - Recherche d'archives de Google Actualités

Nice find. Unlucky. Have seen the name in my spare goalie research, but never knew he was that close of getting playing time.

Apparently he was western product. Played in Regina Pats at WCJHL before he came to Montreal. Apparently not related to current Canadiens prospect Michael McNiven.

 

[Doctor No]

Agree - nice find! Was aware of Don as a Montreal house goalie but didn't realize that he was that close to seeing action.

Sanf - I don't have an answer regarding Liut on the Oilers, but it's on my list of things to (continue to) investigate.

 

[Doctor No]

Alright, here's something that's going to drive me nuts. I was just about to provide another example of the NHL's official box summaries having clear errors, with the February 29, 1964 Rangers-Canadiens game listed with Jacques Plante wearing #23:

New York Rangers - Montréal Canadiens - February 29th, 1964

Jacques Plante wearing #23? Ple...

...ase? This is from the Montreal Gazette, March 2 (no Sunday paper in Montreal, so no next-day summary on March 1st).

More Montreal Gazette, same day, different page:

So what the actual heck?

And just as quickly as it started, it went back the way it used to be - Plante was wearing #1 the following night versus Detroit (at home), could it have been a road sweater issue? The Rangers' next road game was in Montreal March 7th, and he was wearing #1 again.

Goaltenders and teams cared a lot less about sweater numbers in the 1960s, so perhaps it just wasn't a big deal. One anecdote - I was talking with Rob Whidden the other day about Gerry Cheevers wearing #1 with the Bruins briefly; Whidden's dad played goal with Cheevers in Cleveland and are friends - and Cheevers swore that he never wore #1 until he saw the photos.

Anyhow...this certainly qualifies as errata...