Sad news today as Tony Esposito, Legendary Goalie, passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Many of you may be too young to have ever watched him, but he was plain amazing.
His NHL career started with the Montreal Canadiens just after the original 6 era in 1968-69, but Montreal was stacked with their own legendary goalies, so he was moved to the Blackhawks, who truly were the black sheep of the original 6 NHL, and he would go on to be top ten in wins in NHL history. As a rookie in Chicago he had 15 shutouts (still an NHL record), won the Calder, and never looked back. He stayedin Chicago until 1984.
I was born in 1968, and I graduated in 86, so Tony O played during the days I fell in love with the sport and became a goalie myself. As a young kid, I never had actual NHL jerseys to play in, so I would steal my dad's white T-shirts and make my own so that when I played street hockey I could become the players I idolized. I made three jerseys with markers on those white t shirts...The Bruins #1 Gilles Gilbert, of course the Flyers #1 Bernie Parent, and Chicago's #35 Tony Esposito.
I can vividly remember putting those homemade shirts on, and my homemade goalie equipment, My leg pads were sofa pillows tied to my legs with my church suit belts, My blocker (which we called a waffle back then) was the top of a shoebox taped to a winter glove, and my catching glove was a brown paper lunch bag. For years the only things I had that were really goalie equipment were a Mylec street hockey goalie stick, and my prized possession: a Mylec goalie mask which was in the same shape as Tony Esposto's.
I would put on this stuff and go into the den and my dear, sweet mother would throw socks at me, safer than pucks or balls in the house, and I would become Espo or Parent or Gilbert for hours on end. When mom was busy I would sit at the bottom of our staircase and throw tennis balls up the stairs so that I could save them when they took their crazy hops after bounding back down. I remember whenever I made an unorthodox (or whacky save) I would say "Great save by Esposito" because of the three goalies I admired he was the one who did everything in a unique way and was less technical, more reflexes. He was really the precursor to Dom Hasek in that way... He was so much fun to watch.
Anyway, that was Tony O to me.
Today our prayers and thoughts go out to his family, brother Phil, the Hawks and their fans, and of course the great city of Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. When you drive into the town the sign proudly displays, "Birthplace of Phil and Tony Esposito."
What's the buzz?
As a hockey kid, who were you? In your head, what player did you become when you stepped onto the rink or the street?
Would love to hear your stories.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) January 5, 2021
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