Jean-Sébastien Giguère

Lore & Background

Giguère played youth hockey in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments in 1990 and 1991. He played major junior with the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, earning Second Team All-Star honours in 1997. Drafted 13th overall by Hartford in 1995, he made his NHL debut with the Whalers in 1996–97. After the Whalers relocated to become the Carolina Hurricanes, he was traded to Calgary in 1997, spending most of his time in the AHL with the Saint John Flames before joining the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2000. In the 2003 playoffs, Giguère led the seventh-seeded Mighty Ducks to the Stanley Cup Finals, setting records including most saves by a goaltender in a playoff debut (63) and a franchise-record shutout streak of 217 minutes and 54 seconds. He finished the playoffs undefeated in seven overtime games and set a record for longest playoff overtime shutout streak at 168 minutes and 27 seconds. Despite losing the Finals to New Jersey, he became the fifth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite not winning the Stanley Cup in the same season. He later won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.

Reader's Guide

Giguère's 2003 playoff performance is considered one of the greatest in NHL history, as he carried a seventh-seeded team to the Stanley Cup Finals and won the Conn Smythe Trophy despite the loss. He was the first goaltender since Ron Hextall in 1987 to win the award on the losing team. His record of 63 saves in his playoff debut stood until Roberto Luongo surpassed it in 2007. Giguère also received the 2003 ESPY Award for Best Hockey Player, an honor only one other goaltender (Dominik Hašek) had achieved. His legacy includes holding the Anaheim Ducks franchise records for career wins and shutouts, and being the last active NHL player who had played for the Hartford Whalers.

Did You Know?

• Giguère set an NHL record with 63 saves in his playoff debut in 2003.
• He holds the Anaheim Ducks franchise record for career wins and shutouts.