That Goalie Dressed for Them? (Goalies who ONLY backed up for a team)

[Doctor No]

I´m not sure if Forbes with St. Pats qualify. I would remember that he was suspended for the whole season and wasn´t with the team.

Good point about Forbes - I think I was initially using the "zero GP" mechanism as a way to keep track of things like this, but I should probably use my notes fields instead at this point. Thanks!

Ironstone should probably be handled similarly.

 

[Canadiens1958]

1953 NHL Playoffs

NHL playoffs. Seems that aligning playoff rosters in compliance with regulations governing movement from the minors/amateur leagues to the NHL and back was rather complex. The 1953 NHL playoffs offer a window on the situation. A few dates and rules remain to be established but certain generalities seem to be in place.

The basic narrative about the 1953 NHL playoffs has always focused on two facts.
Third place Bruins upset the first place Red Wings. Second place Canadiens down 3-2 in games going into game six in Chicago, see coach Dick Irvin make significant roster changes including replacing Gerry McNeil in goal with Jacques Plante. Led By Jacques Plante's shutout in game six, the Canadiens go onto win the series and then win the SC in five games, McNeil replaces Plante after game 2 in the finals.
SC semi-finals game six details linked below.:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gzIrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VpkFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=5083,902592

Jacques Plante's 1952-53 record:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=4310

Brief outline of Plante's 1952-53 season. Started the season with the QSHL Montréal royals, called up as an emergency injury replacement for three games for Gerry McNeil. Such callups were limited to three games. Canadiens had to use a depth goalie Hal Murphy for a game when McNeil was not ready to return.

Nothing in Hal Murphy's record screamed that he was deserving of an NHL chance:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=11435

Gerry McNeil was injured in late October 1952, Jacques Plante was called-up from the QSHL Royals for the first three November games but could not be used for the November 8th game in Chicago when McNeil was not ready to return so Hal Murphy played.

Plante call-up.Note strictly limited to three games Under lend-lease regulations:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=boMtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dZkFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=7229,49273

Hal Murphy call-up detailed here. He was a provincial league goalie BTW:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c4MtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dZkFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=5942,1050543

Plante was returned to the Royals, a QSHL contender. Then midseason the Royals were deprived of their best goalie when Jacques Plante was shipped to Buffalo of the AHL, a non-playoff AHL team. Too bad for the Royals, Jacques Plante but a necessary move to make Plante playoff eligible.

Also great for Hal Murphy who played and won an NHL game that no one ever expected.

 

[crump]

Leafs acquired Olaf Kolzig in March 2009. Never dressed though.

 

[Sanf]

Good point about Forbes - I think I was initially using the "zero GP" mechanism as a way to keep track of things like this, but I should probably use my notes fields instead at this point. Thanks!

Ironstone should probably be handled similarly.

Well I think there was difference. Ironstone was with the team and I guess spare with those days standards. But statistically I don´t know...

Here is clip from January 26. Ottawa Citizen about Battle Royal in Canadiens-Ottawa game. (1924-1925)

...Out from each bench came the subs, and even Joe Ironstone, overcoat and all rushed out. Joe had a mighty stick in his possession, a goal tender´s stick, in fact and he was ready to lay about him, but didn´t hit the target. It was an open scrap...

It needed the "bluecoats" to settle things down...

 

[Canadiens1958]

1954 Playoffs

Sub goalies during the 1954 NHL Playoffs. Canadiens McNeil and Plante shared the job so there was no playoff eligible call-up. Detroit in the finals had Dave Gatherum as their substitute, referenced in preview here:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E3gtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kZgFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=6902,904173

Dave Gatherum was the semi -regular goalie of the QHL Sherbrooke Saints, a playoff team, five games in the playoffs. Gatherum played only four, replaced by Jerry Cotnoir, who had played 19 regular season games.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0004241954.html

No information yet for Boston and Toronto.

 

[Canadiens1958]

1956 Playoffs

Semi-Finals, Canadiens vs Rangers game summary roster shows Charlie Hodge and Gordon Bell respectively. Bell got the start in the second game and was the winning goalie:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WzErAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WpkFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=6742,4114393

Not able to find Toronto and Detroit sub goalie info so far.

 

[Killion]

^^^ Interestingly in that linked newspaper archive, report from the WHL Playoffs with familiar names Ed Chadwick & Emile Francis in net for Winnipeg & Saskatoon of the Prairie Division.... skaters Fred Shero & Mike Nykoluk also playing, both of course who went on to Coach in the NHL.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Quality

^^^ Interestingly in that linked newspaper archive, report from the WHL Playoffs with familiar names Ed Chadwick & Emile Francis in net for Winnipeg & Saskatoon of the Prairie Division.... skaters Fred Shero & Mike Nykoluk also playing, both of course who went on to Coach in the NHL.

Eddie Chadwick brings up a very important point about the quality of the substitute goalies available for the playoffs especially in the early mid fifties.

Teams that had two regular season eligible goalies going into the playoffs, example Montréal with Plante and Hodge or McNeil, Boston with Henry and Henderson had an advantage over teams like Detroit where the second best goalie - Glenn Hall was involved in a minor league playoff forcing them to use distant depth goalies such as Payette and Gatherum.

Eddie Chadwick became the Leafs regular goalie the next season but he was not eligible for 1956 playoff action.

Seems that the NHL team playoff rosters did not always reflect the best talent that the team had.

 

[Killion]

^^^ Yeah, Chadwick caught in a tough spot when Imlach came in & took over. Still holds the record (140) for consecutive games played by a Leaf Goalie, had him as a Goalie Coach myself for a little while when I was a kid. He went on to become a Scout, long time with the Oilers, name engraved on the Stanley Cup 3X's in that capacity.

www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2011/11/10/chadwicks_days_numbered_after_the_leafs_signed_bower.html

 

[Doctor No]

I realize that this is tangential to the thread topic (since John Adams *did* play for the Bruins later on).

In the New York Times' box scores for 1967-68, they typically list all starting players and the alternates (which look to include the backup goaltender, although it's never directly stated as "Goaltender"). Based on what I know about goaltenders, the backup goaltender is either listed as the first alternate or the last alternate (it varies).

In late December 1967, both Gerry Cheevers and Ed Johnston are injured for the Bruins, and Andre Gill is the starter. In their December 27th game against Chicago, their lineup is listed as:

BOSTON - Goal, Gill; defense, Smith, Orr; center, Esposito; wings, Hodge, Williams. Alternates: Green, Bucyk, Sateher, Sanderson, Stanfield, Westfall, McKenzie, Shack, Doak, Awrey, Murphy, Adams.

So the backup goaltender isn't Green (that's hopefully obvious). Which means it must have been Adams, right? Is this John Adams? Adams was the regular in Dayton of the IHL that year, and did later play for the Bruins, so that's my guess. Any more support that Adams was Gill's backup in late 1967?

 

[DJ Man]

...
In the New York Times' box scores for 1967-68, they typically list all starting players and the alternates (which look to include the backup goaltender, although it's never directly stated as "Goaltender"). Based on what I know about goaltenders, the backup goaltender is either listed as the first alternate or the last alternate (it varies).
...

I seem to remember this style from the Chicago papers of the early 1960s. Can't recall if the alternate goalie was listed first or last, but if (rare case then) he actually did play, he moved to the other end of the listing!

 

[Sanf]

I seem to remember this style from the Chicago papers of the early 1960s. Can't recall if the alternate goalie was listed first or last, but if (rare case then) he actually did play, he moved to the other end of the listing!

I have noticed that in mid 60´s some papers did it.

Thats interesting about John Adams. Did not find anything about it. Modern sources say that he signed with Bruins in summer of 67. I guess it´s likely that it´s him. It´s interesting that Bruins didn´t keep Wayne Doll in the lineup. He was the backup in 23. Dec game. Who was backup in 25. Dec game against Seals?

Russ Gillow was high on their goaltending chart, but apparently he wasn´t available.

 

[Doctor No]

I was hoping that the 28th game against Chicago would shed some light, but the Chicago Tribune:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1967/12/28/page/93

Doesn't list a backup for Boston (they do for Chicago, although it could be because both played).

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Robbie Irons. St Louis

He was good junior goalie (I believe with Kitchener Rangers).
Drafted by the St Louis Blues in the expansion draft.....Here's his chance.

St Louis goes with with two veteran goalies....Glenn Hall an Jacques Plante in their first year. Irons is the minors.

Plante is sick one night so McDuffe is summoned from the minors. Hall gets a game misconduct and Irons comes in and plays 10 minutes. In the meantime, Plante who is in the arena changes into his goalie equipment and is allowed to enter the game.

Despite playing in the minors for 10 years or more and being an all star, that ten minutes was the only time Irons played in the NHL. No goals allowed in his 10 minutes.

A Moonlight Graham moment for sure.

 

[Doctor No]

The Blues had three goaltenders in the minors that year, with each one designated one-third of the season to back up Hall and Plante. Each got in some action, Irons with three minutes, Gary Edwards with four minutes, and Ted Ouimet with an entire game:

http://hockeygoalies.org/bio/nhl/stlouis.html

Ouimet played on March 22, making 29 saves in a 2-1 loss vs. Pittsburgh.

Edwards spelled Plante on December 11 until Hall was ready.

And Irons, as you mentioned, played three minutes (not ten) on November 13th, replacing Hall while Plante got ready.

 

[Sanf]

I was hoping that the 28th game against Chicago would shed some light, but the Chicago Tribune:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1967/12/28/page/93

Doesn't list a backup for Boston (they do for Chicago, although it could be because both played).

In 27th Chicago Tribune predicted that the backup would be Cheevers.

In 30. December Nashua Telegraph mentions that Cheevers and Johnston got back to practices.

As OT I noticed that NHL and WHA player Rod Zaine did serve as backup in one AHL game (1971-1972). Ray Reeson was out and Zaine who was recovering from injury himself had to put goalie gear on Cincinnati Swords-Tiderwater Wings game. In the same article there is mentioning that he would have played two periods as goalie in EHL game.

 

[Doctor No]

Thanks, Sanf!

Getting back to this somewhat randomly, since I'm looking through 1969-70 at the moment and see the following for the Hawks/Bruins TV listing on the top left of page 151 of the Chicago Tribune, March 19, 1970:

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1970/03/19/page/151/

The two goalies listed for Boston are Johnston, and #28 Adams. John Adams?

Of course, it's not 100% certain that #28 Adams dressed for the game, since this was published on game day, not the day after.

 

[Sanf]

Yep it seems to be John Adams. And it´s very likely that he was backup in that game.

Detroit Free Press
March 18, 1970

Boston is the Cradle of Democracy and the Bruins really reached back to the cradle when they brought up a backup goalie after Gerry Cheevers sustained a chest injury. The backup man is John Adams. Wonder if he has a son John Quincy?

March 19, 1970
Nashua Telegraph

Eddie Johnston will be in the nets for the Bruins, with Gerry Cheevers still nursing a cracked rib

edit.
March 21,1970

Beyond that Sinden wouldn't commit himself as to whether he'd stick with Johnston, who has been sharp since taking over full-time netminding duty while Gerry Cheevers recovered from a rib injury.

 

[Sanf]

Sort of fits to this thread. Connie Dion was Bill Durnans "backup" in 1949 playoffs. Apparently teams had to name 24 players that would be eligible to playoffs and Connie Dion was on Canadiens list.

 

[Sanf]

Actually one that belongs to this list is Rejean Lemelin with Philadelphia Flyers in 1975-1976 season. I have a gut feeling that his name has come up in somewhere.

Here is one that I find funny. Okay it´s very early from Lemelins career and he probably wasn´t ready but still...

December 14, 1975
Asbury Park Press

...last month when the coach sent backup goalie Gerry "Moses" Mrazek to Richmond for ice time. Mrazek could be an NHL goalie. The current backup Rejean Lemelin, called up from the Philadelphia Wings, is not. But Shero knows Lemelin would be used only if Stephenson got hurt and then only until Mrazek or Taylor could be recalled...

 

[Sanf]

I did bit more research on Lemelin and Flyers. Reports seem to tell that Lemelin and Mrazek was in competition to be Stephensons backup early in the season. It was said that Lemelin was to travel with Flyers in away game against North Stars in October 11.

In 12. of October Flyers played against Seals. Now if Lemelin was backup in that game it would mean that Lemelin would be the only goalie to dress against California Golden Seals and San Jose Sharks. That would be lovely bit of trivia

 

[Doctor No]

Thanks, Sanf!

Regarding Lemelin, it's interesting that they list him the media guide (#28) in 1977-78 (specifically mentioning that he Did Not Play), but not in 1975-76.

Wouldn't be the first omission in a media guide, I realize.

 

[Sanf]

Thanks, Sanf!

Regarding Lemelin, it's interesting that they list him the media guide (#28) in 1977-78 (specifically mentioning that he Did Not Play), but not in 1975-76.

Wouldn't be the first omission in a media guide, I realize.

That is interesting because I believe that Lemelin may have spent significant time with Flyers early in the season. I read from somewhere that originally there was agreement that Bobby Taylor would spent the whole season in minors. I believe it was around December 10. that Taylor was first called up. So for about two months the backup was either Lemelin or Mrazek.

Also I believe that Flyers released Lemelin just prior the start of the 77-78 season. So I don´t see it very likely that he was backup during that season...

 

[Doctor No]

I know that you've already got Bob Sneddon as a backup for the Flyers (1971-72), but you can add 1968-69 to the list as well.

From the Philadelphia Daily News (recap of 3/30/1969 game): "Quebec goalie Bob Sneddon was Doug Favell's backup while Bernie Parent watched the game from the stands. If Favell had refused to play, Sneddon undoubtedly would have started."

 

[Sanf]

I was looking info about Ron Low when I noticed tidbit about his last season as player.

Hockeydraftcentral.com has this.

September 1985 -- Signed with Edmonton organization as player-coach for Nova Scotia (AHL).

Nov. 7, 1985 -- Claimed by Philadelphia off waivers from Edmonton, but rights were retained by Edmonton after deal was negotiated with Flyers which would guarantee Low to Philadelphia if Edmonton did not need his services as a backup netminder after Grant Fuhr recovered from injury.

Low was returned to Nova Scotia on Dec. 3, 1985, after Philadelphia had determined it no longer needed to trade for him

Grant Fuhr was injured in early november and Oilers needed backup so at that point they signed Low who was with organization. But he needed to go through waivers. Flyers claimed him off. According to Low Flyers wanted to sent him to Hershey and he refused. So during the same day Flyers traded him back to Oilers for future considerations.

Not really belongs to this thread, but Low was Andy Moog´s backup for several games in november of 1985.