Charlie Hodge

Charles Edward "Charlie" Hodge (born July 28, 1933, in Lachine, Quebec) is a former Canadian professional goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks and Oakland Seals in the National Hockey League. 
Hodge was "an undersized battler of a goalie at 5–6 and 150 pounds." As a junior, he won a Memorial Cup in 1950 as a back-up with the Montreal Junior Canadiens.
==Montreal Canadiens==
Hodge's first NHL game occurred in 1954 with Montreal. But because teams in that era only carried one goalie, and Montreal had perhaps the best goalie of the era in Jacques Plante, Hodge was only used in emergency situations. During this time, he played for the Canadiens' minor pro farm teams. 
When Plante was traded in 1963 for Gump Worsley, Hodge got his chance to play full-time when Worsley was injured early in the 1963-64 NHL season. That season, Hodge won the Vezina Trophy for being the goaltender of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season, After that season, Hodge split the goaltending duties with Worlsey and spilt another Vezina Trophy in 1965-66. Hodge's name appears on the Stanley Cup six times, although he only actually played in one of those finals. He also played 1 game in the finals in 1955, but lost to Detroit.
==Expansion==
In 1967, the league doubled in size to 12 teams. Hodge was picked up in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft by Oakland. Hodge won a Western Hockey League title in 1969 with the Vancouver Canucks. Hodge was an expansion pick again when the Canucks entered the NHL in 1970. He posted a winning record while sharing netminding duties with George Gardner and Dunc Wilson. He retired in 1971 after being unable to come to terms with General Manager Bud Poile.
Hodge was the coach of the junior Vancouver Nats in 1971-72 and 1972-73.
==Scouting==
Hodge sold real estate for a decade until Winnipeg Jets GM John Ferguson recruited him for the team's scout in Western Canada. 
Hodge is currently an amateur scout for the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning after two decades with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He received Stanley Cup rings with Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992. He primarily scouts the Vancouver Giants and Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League and the Lower Mainland clubs in the British Columbia Hockey League.
==Achievements==
* Stanley Cup Champion as a goalie 1956–58–59–60–65–66 (Montreal)
* Stanley Cup ring 1991 as Scout (Pittsburgh), but left off the cup.
* Stanley Cup Champion 1992 as Scout (Pittsburgh) 
* Played in finals 1955 (losing to Detroit), 1965 (winning with Montreal)
* Vezina Trophy 1964
* Vezina Trophy (shared with Gump Worsley) 1966
==Gallery==
24Mar1955-Hodge_Plante.jpg|Jacques Plante subs in for Charlie Hodge, Semi-finals Game 2, March 24, 1955.
Willie_Oree_first_goal-1Jan1961.jpg|Willie O'Ree's first goal, January 1, 1961 against Montreal's Charlie Hodge was the winner as the Bruins edged the Habs 3-2.
1963-Nov10-Howe 545 goal.jpg|Gordie Howe scores his 545th career goal, November 10, 1963.
1967-Oct11-Goldsworthy-Hodge.jpg|Bill Goldsworthy scores the first goal at the Met Center, October 21, 1967.
==External Links==
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Category:Born in 1933
Category:Oakland Seals players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:Memorial Cup winners
Category:Montreal Junior Canadiens alumni
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Vancouver Canucks (WHL) players
Category:Vezina Trophy winners
Category:Montreal Royals players
Category:Cincinnati Mohawks players
Category:Buffalo Bisons players
Category:Providence Reds players
Category:Seattle Americans players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:Hull-Ottawa Canadiens players
Category:Quebec Aces players
Category:Vancouver Nationals coaches
Category:Retired in 1971