Autograph Archives 1: The Goalie Gallery

This week marks a new feature to my blog: Autograph Archives.  While I built up graphs for my next mail post I was working on scanning some of my old collection.  The first post features some of my goalie autographs. 

Tony Esposito and Gerry Cheevers

Hockey Hall of Famer Tony Esposito won a Stanley Cup, 3 Vezinas, the Calder, and was on half a dozen all star teams.  Another HHOFer Cheevers never won the Vezina but did get his name on the Stanley Cup twice as Bruins starter. 

Harry Lumley and Johnny Bower

HHOFer Harry Lumley won the 1950 Stanley Cup as a Red Wing and the 1954 Vezina as a Maple Leaf.  Another member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Johnny Bower won 4 Stanley Cups and 2 Vezinas. 

Bobby Taylor and Gary Smith

Bobby Taylor was Bernie Parent’s backup on the Philadelphia teams that won the 1974 and 75 Stanley Cups.  Gary “suitcase” Smith spent many years traveling around the pro hockey world of North America.  He shared the 1972 Vezina with Tony Esposito. 

Don Beaupre and Bernie Parent

Don Beaupre spent nearly 20 years in the NHL and played in the 1981 and 1992 All-Star games.  Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie Parent won the Vezina, Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup in 1974 and then won all three awards again in 1975.  

Don Edwards and Bob Mason

Don Edwards played in 4 NHL All-Star games and shared the 1980 Vezina with Bob Sauve.  In 145 regular season games Bob Mason suited up for the Capitals, Blackhawks, Nordiques and Canucks.  He’s spent the last 10 years as goaltending coach for the Minnesota Wild. 

Denis Herron and Murray Bannerman

Denis Herron has his name on both the Vezina and William Jennings trophies.  Bannerman was Chicago’s starting goalie in the mid 80s and played in a couple All-Star games. 

Cesare Maniago and Gary Edwards

Maniago spent a decade as the #1 goalie for the Minnesota North Stars in the late 60s and 70s.  He also dressed for the Leafs, Habs, Rangers and Canucks.  Gary Edwards served as a capable backup for the Blues, Kings, Barons, North Stars, Oilers and Penguins. 

Gary Inness and Jim Corsi

In the 1970s Gary Inness went straight from University hockey in Canada to seeing action with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.  He then jumped to the WHA’s Indianapolis Racers for a couple seasons before returning to the NHL with the Washington Capitals.  Jim Corsi played 2 seasons of WHA hockey for the Quebec Nordiques and was one of the Edmonton Oilers’s first goalies, playing 26 games for the inaugural 79/80 NHL team.

Don McLeod and Ron Grahame

McLeod appeared in 14 games for the 70/71 Red Wings and 4 for the 71/72 Flyers.  That would be his only action in the NHL but he would go onto hold numerous WHA records and won the 1974 Avco cup as the Houston Aero’s starting goaltender.  Ron Grahame was name best goalie in the WHA on two occasions, in 1975 and 1977 while playing for the Aeros.  He would go on to play over 100 NHL games between the Bruins, Kings and Nordiques. 

Ed Johnston and Gary Bromley

Ed Johnston won 2 Stanley Cups in Boston as a backup to Gerry Cheevers.  After a distinguished playing career he served as an NHL coach and GM and won got his name on the Stanley Cup for the third time as an executive for the 2009 Penguins.  Bromley played for the NHL’s Sabres and Canucks and the WHA’s Calgary Cowboys and Winnipeg Jets. 

Gilles Meloche and Pete Peeters

Meloche spent close to 20 years in the NHL. After retiring he started working for the Pittsburgh Penguins and has gotten his name on the Stanley Cup 3 times with the team.  Pete Peeters won the 1983 Vezina and was Team Canada’s starting goalie when they won the 1984 Canada Cup.

Michel Dion and Mike Liut

Michel Dion was named the WHA’s best goaltender of the 1976 season.  He would go on to play for the NHL’s Nordiques, Jets and Penguins.  He was an NHL All-Star in 1982 as a Penguin.  Mike Liut won the 1981 Lester B. Pearson Award over the likes of Gretzky as the league’s best player selected by the players.  The St. Louis Blue was runner up to the Great One for the Hart Trophy that year.  He went on to be an effective goalie in Washington and Hartford after leaving St. Louis and retired in 1992. 

Ernie Wakely and John Garrett

Ernie Wakely only played a handful of games for the Montreal Canadiens but was part of the team when they won the Stanley Cup in 1965 and 1968 and has his name on the trophy.  He was starting goaltender for the Blues when they made it to the Cup Finals in 1970.  He spent 8 years in the WHA. 

John Garrett was an NHL and WHA All-Star.  His most memorable NHL seasons were as Hartford’s starting goalie. Here's a couple great stories from his career. 

Richard Brodeur and Ed Mio

Richard Brodeur is best remembered as the starting goalie for the WHA’s Quebec Nordiques until 1979 and the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks from 1980-87.  Eddie Mio was a member of the inaugural 79/80 Edmonton Oilers.  He also saw time with the Rangers and Red Wings in the 80s. 

Les Binkley and Bill McKenzie

From their inaugural season in 1967 up until 1972 Les Binkley tended net for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He later played 4 seasons in the WHA between the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros. Bill McKenzie played just under 100 games in the NHL during the 70s with the Detroit Red Wings, Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies. 

Gerry Desjardins and Gilles Gratton

Desjardins played for the LA Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres.  In 74/75 he played part of a season for the WHA’s Michigan Blades but joined the Sabres before seasons end.  He led the Sabres all the way to the Stanley Cup finals that year.  Gilles Gratton played in the WHA for 3 seasons and the NHL for 2.  He was known as a wacky character who has one of the most legendary goalie masks of all time. 

Ken Brown and Dan Bouchard

Ken Brown only played 1 NHL game, for the 1970/71 Blackhawks.  He spent 2 years in the WHA with the Albert/Edmonton Oilers.  Dan Bouchard spent 14 years tending goal in the NHL.  He played on the original Calgary Flames team. 

Greg Millen and Jim Rutherford

Greg Millen appeared in over 600 NHL games between the Penguins, Whalers, Blues, Nordiques, Blackhawks and Red Wings.  He has become a well known broadcaster.  Jim Rutherford’s best years in the NHL came with the Red Wings and Penguins in the 1970s.  He won the Stanley Cup in 2006 as General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Phil Myre and Jimmy McLeod

Phil Myre won the Stanley Cup in 1971 with the Montreal Canadiens as a backup to Ken Dryden.  He went on to play well over 400 NHL games.  Jim McLeod played 16 NHL games, all for the 71/72 St. Louis Blues.  He spent 3 years in the WHA afterwards. 

Jack Norris and Emile Francis

Jack Norris played 58 NHL games between the Bruins, Blackhawks and Kings.  He finished his career off with 4 years of WHA action.  Hockey Hall of Famer Emile Francis played just under 100 NHL games between the Blackhawks and Rangers but his legacy was as a long time head coach and general manager.

Gilles Villemure and Allan Bester

Villemure shared the 1971 Vezina with Ed Giacomin and was on 3 All-Star teams in the early 70s.  Allan Bester spent a few seasons as Toronto’s #1 goalie in the 1980s.