Terry Sawchuk

Terence Gordon Sawchuk (December 28, 1929, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada–May 31, 1970 in New York City, New York, United States) was a Canadian professional goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.
==Playing Career==
During his career, Sawchuk won 501 games, 447 regular season and 54 playoff games, while recording 115 shutouts, 103 in the regular season and 12 in the playoffs Nicknamed "Uke" because of his Ukrainian ancestry, Sawchuk began his professional career at age 17, winning rookie-of-the-year honors in the United States Hockey League. He won rookie-of-the-year honors again after being promoted to the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League. Called up to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, he won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, making him the first player to win the rookie-of-the-year award in three different professional leagues. He also was voted onto the first All-Star team, the equivalent to today's Vezina Trophy, since the Vezina at that time was given to the goalie(s) with the lowest goals against average.
In 1952, Sawchuk led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in the minimum eight games of two best-of-seven series during which he recorded four shutouts and allowed only five goals. In each of his first five years in the NHL, he led the league in wins and was named to the All-Star team. In 1954–55, he was traded to the Boston Bruins where he had difficulty adjusting. During the 1956–57 season he retired from the game, succumbing to severe stress and a bout with mononucleosis. However, the following year he returned to play after being traded back to Detroit. In return, the Red Wings sent a young forward named Johnny Bucyk to Boston in what is arguably one of the most one-sided trades in NHL history. Before the start of the 1964-65 season he was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs via the intraleague waiver draft, where he won another Vezina Trophy in 1964–65 and helped the Leafs win the 1966–67 Stanley Cup.
Sawchuk's ability to play despite painful injuries, a valuable asset in the days before goalies wore protective facemasks, was shown early in his life. A neglected injury he received while playing a friendly rugby match when he was 12 was discovered two years later to have been a broken arm that had healed poorly, leaving Sawchuk with one arm two inches shorter than the other. In his professional hockey career, Sawchuk played for more than a dozen years without a mask and received over 600 stitches to his face. However, he later wore a mask and valued its protective use.
==Death==
He struggled with untreated clinical depression, a condition that often affected his conduct. An alcohol-induced shoving match with his New York Rangers teammate Ron Stewart left Sawchuk with internal injuries that led to his death a few weeks later in New York. It is not clear whether this incident was horseplay or a fight, but an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter charges was undertaken, and no charges were filed against Stewart. In any event, Sawchuk suffered a lacerated liver and clots had to be surgically removed, but a clot stopped Sawchuk's heart on May 31, 1970. Sawchuk was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Pontiac, Michigan. 
==Legacy==
Sawchuk finished his hockey career with 447 wins, a record that stood for thirty years, and his career record of 103 shutouts remains unsurpassed among NHL goaltenders. (George Hainsworth holds the record for total major league shutouts with 104, 94 of them in the NHL.) In 1971, Sawchuk was posthumously elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States. His number 1 has been retired by the Detroit Red Wings. The Terry Sawchuk Arena in his hometown of Winnipeg is named in his honour.
==Awards and Achievements==
*USHL Rookie of the Year (1948)
*AHL Rookie of the Year (1949)
*Calder Memorial Trophy Winner (1951) 
*NHL First All-Star Team (1951, 1952, & 1953) 
*NHL Second All-Star Team (1954, 1955, 1959, & 1963) 
*Vezina Trophy Winner (1952, 1953, 1955, & 1965)
*Stanley Cup Championships (1952, 1954, 1955, & 1967)
*Lester Patrick Trophy Winner (1971)
*Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971
*Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1982
*In 1998, he was ranked number 9 on the List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News, the highest-ranking goaltender
*On March 6, 1994 the Detroit Red Wings retired his #1 jersey
*Selected to Manitoba's All-Century First All-Star Team 
*Selected as Manitoba's Player of the Century
*Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame
==Records==
*NHL record - Career shut-out leader - 103
*NHL record - Career ties leader - 172
==Career Statistics==
===Regular Season===
  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League	 	GP 	Min 	GA 	W 	L 	T 	SO 	GAA
1949–50	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	7 	420 	16 	4 	3 	0 	1 	2.29
1950–51	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	70 	4200 	139 	44 	13 	13 	11 	1.99
1951–52	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	70 	4200 	133 	44 	14 	12 	12 	1.90
1952–53	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	63 	3780 	120 	32 	15 	16 	9 	1.90
1953–54	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	67 	4004 	129 	35 	19 	13 	12 	1.93
1954–55	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	68 	4080 	132 	40 	17 	11 	12 	1.96
1955–56	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	68 	4080 	181 	22 	33 	13 	9 	2.60
1956–57	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	34 	2040 	81 	18 	10 	6 	2 	2.38
1957–58	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	70 	4200 	207 	29 	29 	12 	3 	2.94
1958–59	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	67 	4020 	209 	23 	36 	8 	5 	3.09
1959–60	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	58 	3480 	156 	24 	20 	14 	5 	2.67
1960–61	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	37 	2150 	113 	12 	16 	8 	2 	3.10
1961–62	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	43 	2580 	143 	14 	21 	8 	5 	3.28
1962–63	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	48 	2775 	119 	22 	16 	7 	3 	2.55
1963–64	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	53 	3140 	138 	25 	20 	7 	5 	2.64
1964–65	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	36 	2160 	92 	17 	13 	6 	1 	2.56
1965–66	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	27 	1521 	80 	10 	11 	3 	1 	3.16
1966–67	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL 	 	28 	1409 	66 	15 	5 	4 	2 	2.81
1967–68	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	36 	1936 	99 	11 	14 	6 	2 	3.07
1968–69	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 	 	13 	641 	28 	3 	4 	3 	0 	2.62
1969–70	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	8 	412 	20 	3 	1 	2 	1 	2.91
 	NHL Totals 	 	 	971	57228	2401	447	330	172	103	2.52
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
----
==Trivia==
On November 11, the Detroit Red Wings were playing a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Angry that Metro Prystai had been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks at the bequest of Leafs Conn Smythe in the name of league parity, the Wings were in a foul mood. Ted Lindsay fought with Leafs Jim Thomson and then coach King Clancy. The Leafs won 1-0 and as the Wings were leaving the ice, a hometown fan heckled Glen Skov. Skov, goalie Terry Sawchuk, Sid Abel and Lindsay scaled the wire mesh over the boards to get at the fan, with Lindsay punching the heckler in the eye.
==Gallery==
18Dec1951-Laycoe_scores_on_Sawchuk.jpg|Hal Laycoe scores on Terry Sawchuk, December 18, 1951.
18Dec1951-Peirson_scores_on_Sawchuk.jpg|Johnny Peirson scores the game tying goal on Sawchuk, December 18, 1951.
24Mar1953-Schmidt_Sawchuk_Pronovost.jpg|Milt Schmidt, Terry Sawchuk, Marcel Pronovost during Game 1 of the 1953 Semi-finals, March 24, 1953.
Sawchuk_congrats-12Oct1955.gif|Terry Sawchuk congratulated after his first win as a Bruin, October 12, 1955.
17Oct1956-Lewicki_Chevrefils_Mohns_Horvath.jpg|Doug Mohns and Bob Armstrong defend against Rangers Danny Lewicki with Terry Sawchuk in goal, October 17, 1956.
5Nov1955-Sawchuk_Beliveau.jpg|Jean Béliveau scores one of three goals on Terry Sawchuk in 44 seconds on the power play, November 5, 1955.
11Mar1956-Sawchuk_Beliveau.jpg|Béliveau battles with Sawchuk, March 11, 1956.
1956-57-Mohns-Sawchuk-Flaman-Ferguson-Dineen.jpg|Doug Mohns, Terry Sawchuk, Fern Flaman, Lorne Ferguson during the 1956-57 season.
1956-Sawchuk.jpg|Sawchuk with the Bruins in the 1956-57 season.
Bucyk_penalty_shot_goal-12Dec1964.gif|John Bucyk scores on a penalty shot, December 12, 1964.
Fleming_goal-17Nov1965.gif|Reg Fleming's game winner, November 27, 1965.
1967-Mar11-Schinkel goal.gif|Ken Schinkel scores shorthanded, March 11, 1967.
1968-Jan7-Ehman goal.gif|First goal of Gerry Ehman's hat trick, January 7, 1968.
9Apr1970-Hodge_Sawchuk.jpg|Ken Hodge scores the game winner on Terry Sawchuk, Game 2 of the Quarter-finals, April 9, 1970.
Keonsawchuck.jpg|Dave Keon moves in on Sawchuk.
Howe-Sawchuk.jpg|Gordie Howe and Terry Sawchuk.
TerrysawchukBos.jpg|With the Boston Bruins.
TerrysawchukTor.jpg|With the Toronto Maple Leafs.
TerrysawchukLA.jpg|With the Los Angeles Kings.
TerrysawchukNYR.jpg|With the New York Rangers.
==External Links==
*
Category:Born in 1929
Category:Dead in 1970
Category:Winnipeg Monarchs players
Category:Hockey Hall of Fame
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Vezina Trophy winners
Category:Calder Trophy winners
Category:Lester Patrick Trophy recipients
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:NHL All-Stars
Category:Retired in 1970
Category:Galt Red Wings alumni
Category:Windsor Spitfires alumni
Category:Omaha Knights (USHL) players
Category:Indianapolis Capitals players
Category:Players who bypassed the Hockey Hall of Fame waiting period