Roy Worters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roy Worters |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1969 | |||
 |
|||
| Born | October 19, 1900 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Died | November 7, 1957 (aged 57) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) | ||
| Weight | 135 lb (61 kg; 9 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | New York Americans Montreal Canadiens Pittsburgh Pirates |
||
| Playing career | 1925–1937 | ||
Roy Thomas "Shrimp" Worters (born October 19, 1900 – died November 7, 1957) was a Canadian professional goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for twelve seasons with teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Americans. Roy Worters was known for his amazing skill in goal. He recorded 66 shutouts during his career, which means he stopped every shot in those games! Standing at 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) tall, he was the shortest player ever to play in the NHL.
Contents
Roy Worters' Early Hockey Days
Roy Worters started his hockey journey playing junior ice hockey in Toronto. He played for the Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers. In 1920, his team won the Memorial Cup, which is a big national championship for junior teams in Canada.
After playing junior hockey, Worters spent a few years in amateur leagues. He became a star goalie for the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets in the United States. He helped them win championships in both the 1923–24 and 1924–25 seasons.
Playing in the NHL
Because of his success, the Pittsburgh Pirates joined the NHL in the 1925–26 season. Roy Worters became their main goalie. He was an "iron man," meaning he played almost every game for three seasons. Even though his team wasn't always strong on defense, Worters showed incredible skill. In the Pirates' first season, he even set an NHL record by stopping 70 out of 73 shots in one game!
Moving to the New York Americans
Worters later moved to the New York Americans team. He spent most of the rest of his career there. In his first season with the Americans, Worters made history. He became the first goalie ever to win the Hart Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the player considered most valuable to his team. He had an amazing 1.15 goals against average that season. This helped the Americans finish second in their division, after being in last place the year before.
While playing for the New York Americans, Worters had some big, strong defensemen in front of him. These included famous players like Bullet Joe Simpson, Red Dutton, and Lionel Conacher. It's a fun fact that Conacher grew up in the same neighborhood in Toronto as Worters!
Even though the Americans didn't make the playoffs often, Worters continued to shine. In the 1930–31 season, he won the Vezina Trophy. This award is given to the best goalie in the league. After winning the Vezina, Worters signed a contract for $8,500 per season. This was a huge amount of money for a goalie back then! He also became the first goalie in NHL history to get two shutouts in his first two games with a new team.
In the 1932–33 season, Worters was named captain of the New York Americans. This was a special honor for a goalie.
Retirement and Legacy
In 1937, Roy Worters needed surgery and decided to retire from hockey. He passed away on November 7, 1957. His incredible career was recognized in 1969 when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Awards and Achievements
Roy Worters achieved many great things during his hockey career:
- Won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1929
- Selected for the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1932 and 1934
- Won the Vezina Trophy in 1931
- First NHL goalie to record back-to-back shutouts for a new team
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969
