Chicago Blackhawks legend and Hall of Fame goaltender Tony Esposito died after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Tony Esposito finished his playing career with 423 wins (10th all-time), a 2.93 GAA, a 0.906 SV%, and 76 shutouts (tied 10th all-time). He played 15 seasons with the Blackhawks after a brief, first-year, 13-game stint with the Montreal Canadiens.
In 1969-70, Esposito led the Blackhawks out of the league’s basement and into prominence by posting an incredible 2.17 goals-against average and 15 shutouts. Esposito went on to win the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year, and he also won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie. He won two more Vezina awards in 1972 and 1974, respectively. Both marks still hold as modern NHL records.
Following his death, the Esposito family issued this statement:
“To the Blackhawks and the National Hockey League, Tony Esposito was a Hall of Fame goalie. To us, he was a Hall of Fame husband, father, and grandfather. Chicago felt like home from the time Tony first arrived in 1969, thanks to the Wirtz family and those 18,000 Blackhawks fans who treated him like family every night at the Stadium, win or lose or tie. As we mourn Tony’s passing, we cherish the memories and the affection, when he was a player and later as an ambassador. We are forever grateful for your support, and we feel blessed now to have your prayers at a difficult time. Tony was a private person, but he felt your love, and he loved you back.”
Tony Esposito was the real deal. Rest in paradise, Tony O!
