Eddie Giacomin
Edward " Eddie" Giacomin ( born June 6, 1939 in Sudbury, Ontario ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender of Italian descent, who played from 1965 to 1978 for the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.
Career
Giacomin grew up near Sudbury and played already passionate in his youth ice hockey. However, it was not to attract the attention of the big teams it. As a teenager, he was preparing a household accident big problems. He retired at a stove to second-and third-degree burns on his arms and legs and he had to undergo a skin graft. For a year he was constantly bandaged, and the doctors advised him to ever return to play hockey. But he was determined to continue playing. He found a job and played in a league that fought out their games at midnight. He had to pay to play, but was happy at all to be able to play again.
In 1958 he was invited to training camp by the Detroit Red Wings, but followed to replace his injured brother to the reputation of a team from Washington. With good performances he drew attention to himself in the Eastern Hockey League and so brought him the Providence Reds in 1960 in the American Hockey League.
He received his next career move, as the Reds from the New York Rangers were purchased. During his NHL debut in the 1965/66 season he was not convincing and was sent to a few games to the Baltimore Clippers back in the AHL. There he was allowed to play with NHL legend Doug Harvey. After his return to the Rangers, he was brought on, when Cesare Maniago injured. He was so upset that he fell out with the coach Emile Francis about his replacement. This time Giacomin was able to convince and cemented his place in the NHL. This year, the Rangers missed the playoffs, but after five years Giacomin led the Rangers in the 1967/68 season with nine shutouts in the playoffs. Over the next seven years, he reached the final with the Rangers. His style also to move out of the gate and initiate attacks with offensive passports, recalled Jacques Plante.
Together with Gilles Villemure they represented one of the best goalie duo of the NHL and won the Vezina Trophy in 1971 together. In the 1971/72 season he reached the finals series with the Rangers for the Stanley Cup, but the Boston Bruins with Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were there too strong opponents. In the next two years, he reached the semi-finals with the Rangers, but a title was denied him.
After four games in the 1975/76 season, the Rangers put him on the list for the Waiver Draft and the Detroit Red Wings could not pass the chance to sign him. Giacomin was very disappointed that he was left as simple pull, and no one had tried to keep him. His first game in the jersey of the Red Wings took place precisely in the Madison Square Garden. The game became one of the most special in the NHL history. Even during the national anthem called the Rangers fans continually " Eddie! Eddie ". Detroit won the game 6-4 and his former teammates apologized for each goal conceded.
After one and a half seasons with the Wings, he launched yet in the season 1977/78, but the team was no longer on him and so he ended his active career.
He opened a sports bar in Detroit. In 1978, he hoped the coaching job at Rangers get to, but you preferred to his disappointment Fred Shero. He worked as an assistant and goalkeeper coach for the New York Islanders and the Red Wings, before he returned in 1985 to the Rangers in the coaching staff. His jersey with the number 1 is no longer awarded in his honor at Rangers.
In 1987 he was honored with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
NHL stats
Sporting successes
Personal Awards
- NHL First All -Star Team: 1967 and 1971
- NHL Second All-Star Team: 1968, 1969 and 1970
- Vezina Trophy: 1971
- Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1973