Jeff Hackett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jeff Hackett |
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| Born | June 1, 1968 London, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Islanders San Jose Sharks Chicago Blackhawks Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 34th overall, 1987 New York Islanders |
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| Playing career | 1988–2004 | ||
Jeffrey David Hackett (born June 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). This is the top ice hockey league in North America. He played for many teams, including the New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers. After his playing career, he was a goaltending coach for the Colorado Avalanche for three seasons.
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Playing Career Highlights
Jeffrey Hackett loved ice hockey from a young age. He looked up to and copied the style of another famous goalie, Tony Esposito. The New York Islanders picked him in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Before joining the NHL, he played junior hockey for the London Diamonds and the Oshawa Generals.
Early Years and First Teams
Hackett spent his first two professional seasons splitting time between the Islanders and the Springfield Indians. The Springfield Indians were a team in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 1990, he helped the Springfield Indians win the Calder Cup. This is a championship trophy for the AHL. He was even named the most valuable player of those playoffs!
In 1991, the San Jose Sharks chose him in a special draft for new teams. During his first year with the Sharks, he was named the team's most valuable player. He even made a team record with 57 saves in one game!
Time with the Blackhawks and Canadiens
Before the 1993-94 season, Hackett moved to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played as a backup goalie to Ed Belfour for several years. Hackett played so well in the 1996-97 season that the Blackhawks felt confident enough to trade Belfour. This made Hackett the main goalie for Chicago. That season, he had a career-high eight shutouts. A shutout is when a goalie stops every shot and doesn't let the other team score any goals.
Later, Hackett was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He quickly became a favorite among the fans there. He played in a career-high 63 games and won 26 of them. He had another strong season in 1999-2000. However, injuries to his shoulder limited his playing time in the next two seasons. This meant he lost his starting goalie spot to José Théodore.
Joining the Bruins and Flyers
In the middle of the 2002-03 season, Hackett was part of a big trade. He briefly went back to the San Jose Sharks, and then moved to the Boston Bruins. The Bruins needed a top goalie, and Hackett stepped into that role. He started strong, even getting a shutout in his very first game with Boston. But then, a broken finger caused him to miss some games, including the start of the playoffs.
After that season, Hackett signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. He started his Flyers career amazingly, with shutouts in his first two games! He had a great record of nine wins, two losses, and six ties in his first 17 games. However, in December, he started to struggle. He was diagnosed with a balance problem that caused dizziness. After playing one more game in the AHL, Hackett decided to retire on February 9, 2004. He finished his career having played in 500 NHL regular season games.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring from playing, Jeffrey Hackett stayed involved in hockey. On July 12, 2006, he became the goaltending coach for the Colorado Avalanche. He worked in this role for three seasons.
Today, Hackett lives in his hometown of London, Ontario. He now focuses on helping young players in minor hockey. His nephew, Matt Hackett, also became an NHL goaltender!
Awards and Achievements
- 1986–87 - F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy (OHL)
- 1986–87 - Dave Pinkney Trophy (OHL)
- 1989–90 - Jack A. Butterfield Trophy (AHL)
