1963-64 Topps 45 Jacques Plante Hockey Card (Front)
1963-64 Topps 45 Jacques Plante Hockey Card (Back)
Card Notes
Traded by Canadiens in June after winning Vezina Trophy 6 times in 8 years. Had best average last season, too, among regulars without winning cup. Originated face mask for goalies.
En Français
Echangé par les Canadiens après avoir gagné le trophé Vézina 6 fois en 8 ans, il eut la meilleure moyenne l’an dernier parmi les joueurs réguliers sant toutefois gagner la coupe. Il est l’initiateur du port du masque pour les gardiens de buts.
Details
On June 4, 1963, a blockbuster deal was made between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers. Going with Jacques Plante to the Big Apple were Phil Goyette and Don Marshall. Heading to Montreal were Gump Worsley, Dave Balon, Leon Rochefort and Len Ronson.
Things didn’t go well for Plante with the Blue Shirts. He played 65 of 70 games for the team and his goals against average ballooned to 3.38. The previous high GAA during his NHL career was 2.80. He did get to mentor Gilles Villemure who got into his first five NHL games that year.
Gump Worsley certainly didn’t outshine Jacques in Montreal. He appreared in just eight games for the Habs in 1963-64 while Charlie Hodge saw the bulk of action. Gump actually spent much of his season in the American Hockey League with the Quebec Aces.
By 1964-65, Plante was backing up Marcel Paille with the Rangers and spending time in the AHL with the Baltimore Clippers. This led to his first retirement from the game following that season. It kept him away from the game for two full seasons but the St. Louis Blues lured him back for 1968-69 to play tandem with another goaltending great, Glenn Hall.
In all, Jacques Plante appeared in 837 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1952-53 and 1972-73 with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He posted a career 2.38 GAA with 82 shutouts. Plante was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.