George Hainsworth
Three-time Vezina winner, back-to-back Stanley Cup champion.
George Henry Hainsworth was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender whose career spanned the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Saskatoon Crescents. He earned a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Born in Toronto’s Kew Beach area on June 26, 1893, to English parents John Hainsworth and Mary James, his family later moved to Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener). His father worked as a water commissioner after previously running a plumbing business in Toronto. After retiring from hockey, Hainsworth returned to Kitchener with his wife Alma and son Bill, who also became a goaltender in the Ontario Hockey Association but never turned professional.
Hainsworth started in junior hockey with the Berlin Union Jacks and moved up to senior play with the Berlin City Seniors and Kitchener Greenshirts. He won the Allan Cup with the Greenshirts in 1918. By the end of the 1922–23 season, he had played five seasons for Kitchener. That year, Newsy Lalonde, manager of the Saskatoon Crescents, signed him to a $2,500 professional contract on the recommendation of Montreal Canadiens co-owner Leo Dandurand. After three seasons in Saskatoon, Dandurand signed him to a $6,500 yearly deal in 1926, paying Saskatoon $5,000 for his rights, just before the Western league folded and its players moved to the NHL.
Montreal needed a top goaltender because Georges Vezina had died of tuberculosis after playing every game for the team from 1910–11 until the 1925–26 season opener. In Vezina’s memory, the team created the Vezina Trophy for the goaltender(s) with the fewest goals allowed. Hainsworth won that trophy three straight years (1927, 1928, 1929). In 1928–29, he set an all-time record with 22 shutouts and a 0.92 goals-against average while playing all 44 games. In the 1930 playoffs, he set an NHL record—still standing—of 270 minutes and 8 seconds without allowing a goal. He led the Canadiens to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1930 and 1931. During the 1932–33 season, he served as the team’s captain, becoming only the second of eight goalies to hold that role in NHL history.
On October 1, 1933, Dandurand traded Hainsworth to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Lorne Chabot, hoping to add a French-Canadian player to boost attendance. Hainsworth helped Toronto reach the 1935 Stanley Cup Final.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Goaltender
- Played For
- Montreal Canadiens / Toronto Maple Leafs / Saskatoon Sheiks
- Catches
- Left
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 6
- Weight Lb
- 150
- Birth Date
- 26 June 1893
- Birth Place
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Death Date
- 9 October 1950 · 1893 · 6 · 26
- Death Place
- Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
- Career Start
- 1926
- Career End
- 1937
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hainsworth played junior hockey for the Berlin Union Jacks and senior hockey with the Berlin City Seniors and the Kitchener Greenshirts, winning the Allan Cup with the Greenshirts in 1918. He played five seasons for the Greenshirts before signing a professional contract with the Saskatoon Crescents of the Western Canada Hockey League on the recommendation of Montreal Canadiens' part-owner Leo Dandurand. After three seasons in Saskatoon, Dandurand signed Hainsworth to play goal for Montreal in 1926, paying $5,000 to Saskatoon for his rights. Hainsworth replaced Georges Vezina, who had died of tuberculosis, and the team created the Vezina Trophy in Vezina's memory.
Reader's Guide
Hainsworth proved up to the challenge of replacing Vezina by winning the Vezina Trophy for the 1926–27, 1927–28, and 1928–29 seasons. In 1928–29, he set an all-time record with 22 shutouts and a 0.92 goals against average while playing all 44 games. In 1930 he set an NHL record that still stands, going 270 minutes and 8 seconds without allowing a goal during the playoffs. He backstopped the Canadiens to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1930 and 1931. Hainsworth served as the Canadiens' captain during 1932–33, becoming the second of only eight goalies to serve as an NHL team's captain. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1933 for Lorne Chabot and helped the Maple Leafs reach the 1935 Stanley Cup Final. After losing the starting job to Turk Broda, he was released in 1936, briefly returned to the Canadiens due to an injury, then retired for good. His 246 victories were the most in NHL history when he retired.
Did You Know?
- Hainsworth set an NHL record in 1930 that still stands: 270 minutes and 8 seconds without allowing a goal during the playoffs.
- He holds the NHL single-season shutout record with 22 shutouts in 1928–29.
- After his playing career, he was elected to Kitchener's city council in 1949.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is George Hainsworth?
George Henry Hainsworth was a Canadian professional goaltender born in Toronto's Kew Beach neighbourhood on June 26, 1893. He went on to become one of the most decorated netmen of his era and earned induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
What are George Hainsworth's biggest career accomplishments?
He captured three Vezina Trophies as the league's top goaltender and won two consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Those back-to-back titles cemented his legacy as one of the dominant goalies of his generation.
Which teams did George Hainsworth play for?
His professional stints included the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL, along with the Saskatoon Crescents. He split his playing career among those three rosters.
What happened to George Hainsworth after he retired from hockey?
He settled back in Kitchener, Ontario, with his wife Alma and his son Bill, who followed in his footsteps as a goaltender. Hainsworth passed away on October 9, 1950, near Gravenhurst, Ontario.
Why is George Hainsworth important to hockey history?
As a three-time Vezina winner and back-to-back Stanley Cup champion, he set a standard for goaltending excellence that few of his peers matched. His Hall of Fame induction reflects the lasting impact he had on the position.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Goaltenders 1-24
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