Rogie Vachon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rogie Vachon |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||
Vachon in 2008
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| Born | September 8, 1945 Palmarolle, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | |||||||||||||||
| Position | Goaltender | |||||||||||||||
| Caught | Left | |||||||||||||||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens Los Angeles Kings Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| Playing career | 1965–1982 | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie the Goalie" Vachon (born September 8, 1945) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender. He played professionally for many years. Rogie played for famous teams like the Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings. He also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. His career in the National Hockey League (NHL) lasted from 1967 to 1982.
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Rogie Vachon's Early Career
Rogie Vachon joined the National Hockey League in the 1966-67 season. He started with the Montreal Canadiens. Rogie was a backup goaltender to Gump Worsley at first. He played 19 games that season.
Vachon played most of the games in the playoffs. He helped the Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Finals. They lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs. But Vachon earned a permanent spot on the Canadiens team.
Winning the Stanley Cup
In the 1967-68 season, Vachon played 39 games. He won 23 of them. He and Gump Worsley shared the Vezina Trophy. This award goes to the best goaltender. Their team had the lowest goals against average (GAA) since 1958-59.
Montreal won the Stanley Cup that season. They also won it again in 1968-69. In the 1969-70 season, Worsley was traded. Vachon became the main starting goalie. However, the Canadiens did not make the playoffs that year.
Playing for the Los Angeles Kings
Rogie Vachon asked for a trade in 1971. He wanted to go to a team where he could be the main goalie. This happened on November 4, 1971. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
Vachon had his best NHL years with the Kings. He was almost the winner of the Vezina Trophy in 1974-75. He was also named to the NHL second All-Star team twice. This was in 1974-75 and 1976-77.
Kings Team MVP
Vachon was named the Kings' Most Valuable Player (MVP) four times. This was between 1973 and 1977. He set many goaltending records for the Kings. Some of these records still stand today.
His jersey number 30 was the first number retired by the Kings. This means no other player can wear it. The ceremony was on February 14, 1985. After retiring, Vachon worked in different leadership roles for the Kings.
Representing Canada in the Canada Cup
In 1976, Vachon was chosen to play for Team Canada. He played in the Canada Cup tournament. He was the top goalie for the team.
Vachon played in every game of the tournament. He had six wins and only one loss. He also had two shutouts. A shutout means he didn't let the other team score any goals. Canada won the tournament. Vachon was chosen for the All-Star team. He was also named Team MVP.
Time with the Detroit Red Wings
After the 1977-78 season, Vachon became a free agent. He signed a five-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. This deal made him the highest-paid goalie in the league.
Vachon had a tough start in Detroit. Things did not get much better. The Red Wings coach, Bobby Kromm, said they thought Vachon would improve the team. But it did not work out that way.
Challenges and a New Arena
Vachon's signing also caused a problem for the team. Because he was a restricted free agent, the Red Wings had to give something to the Los Angeles Kings. An arbitrator decided that young player Dale McCourt would go to the Kings. McCourt refused to go to Los Angeles.
In his first season with the Wings, Vachon allowed more goals per game. He continued to struggle in his second season. However, he did record the Red Wings' first win in their new home, the Joe Louis Arena.
Playing for the Boston Bruins
After two difficult seasons in Detroit, Vachon was traded. He went to the Boston Bruins in 1980. He helped guide younger goalies like Marco Baron and Jim Craig. Craig was a star for the US team in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Vachon played 53 games for the Bruins. His performance improved a bit from his time in Detroit. He also won more games than he lost. This was his first time doing so since leaving Los Angeles.
Final NHL Games
In the playoffs, the Bruins lost quickly. Vachon allowed many goals in those games. In the 1981-82 season, Marco Baron became the main goalie. Vachon played 38 games as the backup.
Vachon's last NHL game was in the 1982 playoffs. He played one period in a loss to the Quebec Nordiques. He retired from hockey six days later.
Rogie Vachon's Legacy
Rogie Vachon was known for his quick reflexes. He had a very fast glove hand. He was considered one of the best goalies in one-on-one situations. He never allowed a goal on a penalty shot in his whole career.
After retiring, Vachon became the general manager for the Kings. This was from 1984 to 1992. He was the general manager when the Kings got Wayne Gretzky in 1988. He also coached the Kings as an interim coach three times. On June 27, 2016, Vachon was named an honored member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on November 14, 2016.
Personal Life
Rogie Vachon grew up on a dairy farm. He had seven brothers and sisters. A coach convinced him to play senior hockey at age 14. He needed a goalie for his team.
Rogie married Nicole Blanchard on November 30, 1971. They had three children: Nicholas (who also played professional hockey), Jade, and Marie-Joie. They also had three grandchildren. Nicole passed away in February 2016 after 44 years of marriage.
Achievements and Awards
- Named to the QJHL first All-Star team in 1966.
- Won Stanley Cup Championships in 1968, 1969, and 1971.
- Won the Vezina Trophy in 1968.
- Named to the Canada Cup All-Star team in 1976.
- Named Team MVP during the 1976 Canada Cup.
- Played in the NHL All-Star Games in 1973, 1975, and 1978.
- Named to the NHL second All-Star team in 1975 and 1977.
- His number 30 was retired by the Los Angeles Kings.
- Named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.
Los Angeles Kings Records
- Most career ties (66) (shared with Kelly Hrudey).
Images for kids
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Rogie Vachon in 2008
