Glenn Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glenn Hall
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1975
Hall with the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1960s
Born	(1931-10-03) October 3, 1931 (age 93) Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks St. Louis Blues
Playing career	1951–1971

Glenn Henry Hall, born on October 3, 1931, is a famous Canadian former ice hockey goalie. He played for many years in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was known for almost never missing a game.

Glenn Hall played for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues. He won the Vezina Trophy three times. This award went to the goalie whose team let in the fewest goals. He was also chosen as the best goalie on the First Team All-Star a record seven times. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie player. People called him "Mr. Goalie" because he was so good. He was also the first goalie to use the "butterfly style" of stopping pucks. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players ever. He is the grandfather of Grant Stevenson.

Playing Hockey: Glenn Hall's Career

Starting with the Red Wings

Glenn Hall started his junior hockey career with the Humboldt Indians and the Windsor Spitfires. In 1949, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings. For a few years, he played in Detroit's minor league teams.

In the 1952 playoffs, he was called up to be a backup goalie for the finals. Even though he didn't play, his name was put on the Stanley Cup. This was before he even played his first NHL game!

He became the main goalie for the Red Wings in the 1955–56 season. He took the place of Terry Sawchuk. Hall played in every game that season. He had twelve shutouts, which means he didn't let any goals in during those games. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie. He was also chosen as the Second Team All-Star goalie.

Joining the Chicago Black Hawks

Glenn Hall 1963 trading card

In his second full season with Detroit, he played every game again. He was chosen as the First Team All-Star goalie. This meant he was seen as the best goalie in the league. Even so, he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks. NHL Players' Association co-founder Ted Lindsay was also traded with him.

Hall kept playing amazingly well in Chicago. He played every regular-season game and every playoff game. In 1961, Hall helped the Black Hawks win their first Stanley Cup since 1938. They beat Detroit in the finals.

On November 7, 1962, his amazing streak of playing every game ended. He had back problems during a game against the Boston Bruins. Denis DeJordy took his place. Hall had played 502 games in a row without missing one. This is an NHL record for goalies that will likely never be broken. He never wore a goalie mask or helmet during this streak. He only started wearing one later in his career. Today, masks are required for goalies. It is said that Hall would throw up before each game, then drink orange juice. While in Chicago, he was chosen as the First Team All-Star goalie five times. He was also a Second Team All-Star goalie three times.

Success with the St. Louis Blues

In 1966–67, Glenn Hall won the Vezina Trophy. But even at 36 years old, he was left unprotected in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. The St. Louis Blues picked him. The Blues were a new team in the league. They added experienced players like Red Berenson and Phil Goyette. They won their division playoffs.

Hall's great play helped them reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Most hockey fans thought the experienced Canadiens would easily beat the new Blues team. But this was Hall's fourth time in the finals. His goaltending was amazing against the Montreal Canadiens. The Blues lost the series 4-0, but all four games were very close. Hall's incredible play was recognized. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' Most Valuable Player. This award rarely goes to a player from the losing team. Hall said, "Even though we lost to the Canadiens in a sweep, I don’t feel it tainted my winning the Smythe one bit. The odds were heavily stacked against us right from the start."

In 1968, another famous goalie, Jacques Plante, joined the Blues. He shared playing time with Hall. They had a great season in 1968–69. They won the Vezina Trophy together. They also set a Blues record with 13 shutouts. Hall was chosen as the First Team All-Star goalie for the seventh time. This was a record for him.

Retirement from Hockey

Glenn Hall in 2011

Bobby Orr's famous celebration upon scoring the winning goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals. Hall can be seen in net on the far left of the picture

Glenn Hall retired after the 1968–69 season. But he came back to play 18 games in the 1969–70 season. He was the goalie when Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins scored the winning goal in the 1970 Finals. This goal happened very quickly in overtime.

Hall's career ended after the 1970–71 season. He retired at 39 years old. In 1975, he was chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hall won his third Stanley Cup in 1989. This time, he was the goalie coach for the Calgary Flames.

Glenn Hall's Legacy

Maurice "The Rocket" Richard (right) scored his 500th goal against Glenn Hall. He was the first NHL player to do this.

Glenn Hall finished his career with 407 wins and 84 shutouts. He was chosen for eleven All-Star Games. Many people think Hall was one of the first NHL goalies to master the "butterfly style." He is also considered one of the best goalies to ever play the game.

Hall still holds the record for the most First Team All-Star selections (7). He achieved this while playing against other great goalies. These included Sawchuk, Plante, Johnny Bower, and Gump Worsley.

In 1998, The Hockey News ranked him number 16 on their list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. He is the highest-ranked living former goalie on that list.

In 2005, the city of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, put up a monument to Hall's career. It is in Glenn Hall Park. The monument shows highlights from his junior days to his NHL retirement.

Awards and Achievements

• Won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1956.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, and 1969.
• Selected to the NHL first All-Star team in 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1969.
• Selected to the NHL second All-Star team in 1956, 1961, 1962, and 1967.
• Won the Vezina Trophy in 1963, 1967, and 1969.
• Won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1968.
• Won the Stanley Cup in 1952, 1961, and 1989 (as a goalie coach).
• Holds the NHL record for most consecutive games started by a goalie (502 games).
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
• Ranked number 16 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in 1998.
• Named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017.

Career Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Glenn Hall para niños

• Butterfly style
• List of NHL goaltenders with 300 wins