Jacques Plante

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Lore & Background

Plante was the first NHL goaltender to wear a goaltender mask in regulation play on a regular basis and tested many versions of the mask. He was also the first NHL goaltender to regularly play the puck outside his crease. He ranks seventh among NHL goalies for all-time career wins with 437.

In Their Own Story

In 1970, Jacques Plante arrived at the Toronto Maple Leafs following his time with the St. Louis Blues. By 1973, he was traded to the Boston Bruins before ultimately joining the WHA's Quebec Nordiques as a coach and general manager for the 1973–74 season. His playing career concluded shortly after, as he suited up one last time for the Edmonton Oilers in 1974–75. Throughout these transitions, Plante remained the first NHL goaltender to wear a mask regularly and the first to consistently play the puck outside his crease. He had developed these techniques decades earlier, starting with a crude homemade mask after breaking his nose against the New York Rangers on November 1, 1959. Even in Toronto, he maintained his vocal leadership, often directing his defensemen from behind the play.

Reader's Guide

Plante's career spanned from 1947 to 1975. He began with the Quebec Citadelles in 1947, joined the Montreal Canadiens in 1953, and was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970. He was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1973. He ended his professional career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1974–75.

Did You Know?

• Plante was the first NHL goaltender to regularly wear a mask in regulation play.
• He won the Vezina Trophy five consecutive times with the Canadiens.
• Plante was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017.
• He learned to knit tuques from his mother and wore them during games.