Terry Sawchuk

Terrance Gordon Sawchuk, (b. December 28, 1929, Winnipeg, Canada, d. May 31, 1970, New York, United States) was a player in the National Hockey League.

Related Topics:
December 28 - 1929 - Winnipeg - Canada - May 31 - 1970 - New York - United States - National Hockey League

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Considered by many to be the greatest goaltender to ever play the game of ice hockey, Terry Sawchuk grew up in a working class neighborhood, playing hockey on an outdoor rink. Nicknamed "Ukey" because of his Ukrainian ancestry, Sawchuk began his professional career at age 17, winning rookie-of-the-year honors in the United States Hockey League. He won rookie-of-the-year honors again after being promoted to the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League. Called up to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 1950-51 season, he won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, making him the first player to win the rookie-of-the-year award in three different professional leagues.

Related Topics:
Ice hockey - Ukrainian - United States Hockey League - American Hockey League - Detroit Red Wings - National Hockey League - Calder Trophy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1952, Terry Sawchuk led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in the minimum eight games of two best-of-seven series during which he recorded four shutouts and allowed only five goals. In each of his first five years in the NHL, he led the league in wins and was named to the All-Star team. In 1955, he was traded to the Boston Bruins where he had difficulty adjusting. During the 1956-57 season he retired from the game, succumbing to severe stress. However, the following year he returned to play after being traded back to Detroit. He was traded again in 1964, this time to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he won another Vezina Trophy in 1965 and helped the Leafs win the 1967 Stanley Cup.

Related Topics:
1952 - Stanley Cup - 1955 - Boston Bruins - 1964 - Toronto Maple Leafs - Vezina Trophy - 1965 - 1967

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sawchuk's ability to play despite painful injuries, a valuable asset in the days before goalies wore protective facemasks, was shown early in his life. A neglected injury he received while playing a friendly rugby match when he was 12 was discovered two years later to have been a broken arm that had healed poorly, leaving Sawchuk with one arm two inches shorter than the other. In his professional hockey career, Sawchuk played for more than a dozen years without a mask and received over 400 stitches to his face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He struggled with untreated depression, a condition that often affected his conduct. An alcohol-induced shoving match with his New York Rangers teammate Ron Stewart left Sawchuk with internal injuries that led to his death a few weeks later. Sawchuk was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. Stewart was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident.

Related Topics:
Depression - Alcohol - New York Rangers - Ron Stewart - Pontiac, Michigan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Terry Sawchuk finished his hockey career with 447 wins, a record that stood for thirty years, and his career record of 103 shutouts remains unsurpassed. In 1971 Sawchuk was posthumously elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States. In 1997, the book ' by sports author Brian Kendall, was published. In 2001, he was honored with his image on a Canadian postage stamp.

Related Topics:
1971 - Hockey Hall of Fame - Lester Patrick Trophy - Canadian postage stamp

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~