Mike Karakas

Mike Karakas (December 12, 1911 – May 2, 1992) was an American professional goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) who was the league's first American-born and trained goaltender. Karakas played six full seasons and parts of two others with Chicago Black Hawks. He appeared in two Stanley Cup Finals, winning once. In 1938, Karakas led Chicago, who had .411 winning percentage in the regular season, to a second Stanley Cup, playing with a steel-toed boot in the last two games of the Finals after he had broken it in the first game of the Finals. Karakas is one of the original members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
==Biography==
Born in Aurora, Minnesota, he grew up in nearby Eveleth. Growing up, Karakas and Frank Brimsek, who also became a goaltender in the NHL, were battery mates for their high school baseball team, with Karakas catching.
Karakas played six full seasons for the Chicago Black Hawks between 1936 and 1945. In his first season with the Black Hawks, Karakas was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy after posting a 1.85 goals-against-average with nine shutouts in 48 games. Karakas was only invited to play for the Black Hawks because their regular goaltender, Lorne Chabot, was injured. After posting four wins in four games, with three shutouts, the Black Hawks made Karakas their starting goaltender; Chabot was later traded to the Montreal Maroons.
Karakas won the Stanley Cup in the 1937–38 season, playing for the first out of two teams which won the Cup with a losing record. For the 1937-38 Chicago Black Hawks season, their owner, Major Frederic McLaughlin, order his general manager to "ice [him] a team of all American players." After losing five of its six first games with an all-American roster, some Canadian players were added; however, the team finished the season with an 14–25–9 record for a .411 winning percentage.
In the playoffs, Karakas suffered a broken toe just before the start of the Stanley Cup final against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Black Hawks were forced to substitute Alfie Moore for Karakas in the first game. After the first game, Moore was ruled ineligible, and the Black Hawks lost the next game. Karakas returned with a steel-toed boot and won the next two games, leading the Black Hawks to their second Stanley Cup win. Overall in that playoff run, Karakas had a 6–2 record, with two shutouts and a 1.71 goals-against-average.
After helping Chicago win the Stanley Cup in 1938, Karakas asked the team's owners for a $500 raise. The owners refused the raise, and for the next five seasons Karakas played three full seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), and split two between the AHL and the NHL.
Karakas had 28 shutouts in the regular season, and another three in the playoffs in his six seasons in the NHL. In each of the six full seasons in which Karakas appeared, he played all 48 games. In 1973, Karakas was named as an original member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, located in his hometown of Eveleth.
==Career Statistics==
===Regular Season===
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	W 	L 	T 	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA
1930–31 	Chicago Shamrocks 	AHA 		8 	0 	0 	0 	0 	98 	0 	2.09
1931–32 	Chicago Shamrocks 	AHA 		48 	0 	0 	0 	0 	72 	0 	1.50
1932–33 	St. Louis Flyers 	AHA 		44 	0 	0 	0 	0 	88 	0 	2.00
1933–34 	Tulsa Oilers 	AHA 		48 	0 	0 	0 	0 	110 	0 	2.29
1934–35 	Tulsa Oilers 	AHA 		41 	20 	17 	4 	2640 	77 	4 	1.75
1935–36 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	21 	19 	8 	2990 	92 	9 	1.85
1936–37 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	14 	27 	7 	2978 	131 	5 	2.64
1937–38 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	14 	25 	9 	2980 	139 	1 	2.80
1938–39 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	12 	28 	8 	2988 	132 	5 	2.65
1939–40 	Providence Reds 	IAHL 		14 	0 	0 	0 	0 	43 	1 	3.07
1939–40 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		17 	7 	9 	1 	1050 	58 	0 	3.31
1939–40 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 		5 	0 	4 	1 	310 	18 	0 	3.48
1940–41 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		56 	0 	0 	0 	0 	161 	0 	2.87
1941–42 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	244 	1 	4.28
1941–42 	New Haven Eagles 	AHL 		0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0.00
1942–43 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		56 	0 	0 	0 	0 	216 	2 	3.86
1943–44 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		25 	0 	0 	0 	0 	85 	0 	3.40
1943–44 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		26 	12 	9 	5 	1560 	79 	3 	3.04
1944–45 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	12 	29 	7 	2880 	187 	4 	3.90
1945–46 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		48 	22 	19 	7 	2880 	166 	1 	3.46
1946–47 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		62 	21 	31 	10	3720 	266 	0 	4.29
1947–48 	Providence Reds 	AHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	7 	0 	3.50
NHL Totals	NHL Totals 	NHL Totals		336	114	169	53	20616	1002	28	2.92
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===Playoffs===
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 		GP	W 	L 	MIN 	GA	SO	GAA
1935–36 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		2 	1 	1 	120 	7 	0 	3.50
1937–38 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		8 	6 	2 	525 	15	2 	1.71
1943–44 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		9 	4 	5 	549 	24	1 	2.62
1945–46 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 		4 	0 	4 	240 	26	0 	6.50
NHL Totals	NHL Totals 	NHL Totals		23	11	12	1434	72	3 	3.01
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Gallery==
1938-Feb1-Levinsky-Karakas-Watson-Dahlstrom.jpg|Phil Watson scores on Mike Karakas while #8 Alex Levinsky and #15 Cully Dahlstrom look on, February 1, 1938.
22Mar1938-Habs_Hawks.jpg|Mike Karakas makes a save, 1938 Quarter-finals Game 1, March 22, 1938.
1939-Feb5-Karakas-Brimsek-moms.jpg|Mike Karakas and Frank Brimsek with their mothers, February 5, 1939.
1945-46-Bruce-Cain-Chi.jpg|Don Gallinger and Herb Cain of the Bruins battle Chicago goalie Mike Karakas, March 17, 1946.
1945-46-Richard-Mariucci-Karakas.jpg|John Mariucci and Mike Karakas fend off Maurice Richard in 1945-46 season action.
==External Links==
*
Category:Born in 1911
Category:Dead in 1992
Category:American ice hockey players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:Calder Trophy winners
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Chicago Shamrocks players
Category:St. Louis Flyers players
Category:Tulsa Oilers (AHA) players
Category:Providence Reds players
Category:New Haven Eagles players
Category:Retired in 1948