Tiny Thompson
Encyclopedia
Cecil Ralph "Tiny" Thompson (May 31, 1903 – February 9, 1981) was a Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender
. He played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League
(NHL), first for the Boston Bruins
, and later for the Detroit Red Wings
. A four-time Vezina Trophy
winner, Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1959. He was a member of one Stanley Cup
-winning team, as a rookie in the 1928–29 season with the Boston Bruins. At the start of the 1938–39 season, after ten full seasons with Boston, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where he completed the season, and played another full one before retiring. During his NHL career, he recorded 81 shutouts, the sixth highest of any goaltender. After retiring from playing, he coached lower-league teams before becoming a noted professional scout. Thompson helped popularize the technique of catching the puck
as a method of making a save
. A competent puckhandler, he was the first goaltender in the NHL to record an assist
by passing the puck with his stick
to a fellow player.
, where his brother, Paul
—who also became a professional ice hockey player—was born in 1906. As a child, he enjoyed playing baseball
and ice hockey. Initially, Thompson was not a goaltender, though he agreed to play the position to get into games. As a teenager playing competitive ice hockey, he acquired the nickname "Tiny" as a joke, as he was the tallest player on the team, standing 5 in 10 in (1.78 m); the nickname stuck with him for the rest of his career.
Thompson began his junior career playing for the Calgary Monarchs in 1919 at the age of 16. He competed for the Memorial Cup
, awarded to the Canadian junior hockey champions that year, playing in two games and surrendering 11 goals, a respectable amount in that era. After spending the 1920–21 season playing for Calgary Alberta Grain, Thompson played three seasons in Bellevue
, Alberta. In the 1924–25 season, he joined the Duluth Hornets, playing 40 games, recording a shutout in 11 of them. The following season, Thompson joined the Minneapolis Millers
of the American Hockey Association
(AHA). In his three seasons with the Millers, he appeared in 118 games, recording 33 shutouts with a 1.37 goals against average
(average of goals surrendered in a span of sixty minutes).
(NHL) career with the Boston Bruins
in the 1928–29 season after his contract was purchased by Boston manager Art Ross
, who had never seen him play before, owing to his good reputation in Minnesota. In his first game he posted a shutout, becoming the only Hockey Hall of Fame
goaltender to accomplish this feat. In his first season, he appeared in all 44 of the Bruins' games, posting 12 shutouts and a 1.15 goals-against average, the second lowest goals-against average in NHL history until the 2008 season, after George Hainsworth
's 0.98 the same season. Placing first in the American Division, the Bruins had a perfect record in the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup victory, defeating the Montreal Canadiens
and the New York Rangers
. Thompson recorded three shutouts in the five playoff games, and allowed only three goals.
The following season, Thompson again appeared in all of the Bruins' 44 games, posting three shutouts and a 2.19 goals-against average. The league changed its rules on forward passing, which resulted in a sharp increase in goalscoring. Boston won all but six games, finishing with a 38–5–1 record, the best winning percentage for any team in a season. Surrendering only 98 goals, Thompson bested Chicago goaltender Charlie Gardiner to win the first of his four Vezina Trophies
. The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the league's top goaltender, which was determined prior to the 1981–82 season by number of goals surrendered by goaltenders who had played a minimum number of games. In the playoffs, however, they suffered their first two-game losing streak, as they were swept 2–0 by the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup finals. Earlier in the playoffs, Thompson's winning streak of seven playoff games was snapped; it remains, as of 2008, the longest playoff winning streak to start a career.
In the 1930–31 season, he played all 44 games again, and was named to the Second All-Star team. In the playoffs, Boston lost the semifinals to the Montreal Canadiens
; during game two of the series Thompson became the first goaltender to be pulled for a sixth attacker at the end of a game to give his team a higher chance to score a goal. Even though Boston still lost, coach Art Ross
' maneuver was described as "amazing" the following day, and this technique, known as "open net", caught on with the rest of the league.
The Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in Thompson's career in the 1931–32 season. He won only 13 games while appearing in 43 out of Boston's 48 games, which was the only time he missed games as a member of the Bruins. The next season, Boston made the playoffs once more, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs
. The final game of the playoff series was described as Thompson's most memorable. During that game, Toronto and Boston were tied after regulation time and over 100 minutes of overtime proceeded, with Thompson dueling Toronto's goaltender Lorne Chabot
. After the end of the fifth overtime period, managers Conn Smythe
of the Maple Leafs and Art Ross
of the Bruins asked league president Frank Calder
to suspend the game, but Calder refused. Early in the sixth overtime period, a pass from Boston defenseman Eddie Shore
was intercepted, and Ken Doraty
skated in on a breakaway, cleanly beating Thompson at 4:46 of the period. The losing goaltender in the second-longest NHL game, Thompson received a standing ovation from fans at the Maple Leaf Gardens
. Thompson finished the playoff series with 1.23 goals-against average, despite a losing record.
Thompson became the second goaltender to win his second Vezina Trophy in 1932–33 since its inception in the 1926–27 season, as he recorded 11 shutouts and a 1.76 goals-against average. After missing the playoffs in the 1933–34 season, they rebounded to first place in the American Division the following season, as Thompson was named to the Second All-Star team for the second time. In the playoffs, the Bruins won only one of their four games; their only win was on the strength of Thompson's shutout, who finished the playoffs with a 1.53 goals-against average.
In the 1935–36 NHL season, Thompson recorded 10 shutouts, but Boston managed to win only 22 out of their 48 games. During the season, he recorded an assist, a rarity for goaltenders. At the end of the season, he was named to the First All-Star team for the first time, and won the Vezina Trophy for the third time, tying George Hainsworth
's all-time mark with three victories. The ensuing two-game, total-goal playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs was series of contrasts, as the Bruins lost 8–6. In one game, the Bruins shut out Toronto 6–0, while they lost the other game 8–0. In 1937–38
, his final full season with the Bruins, he won 30 out of the 48 games, but Boston lost to the Maple Leafs once again in the playoffs. Thompson set a new record by winning his fourth and final Vezina Trophy. He was also named to the First All-Star team for the second time.
. Brimsek would go on to lead the Bruins to a Stanley Cup victory that season, earning the nickname "Mister Zero" while picking up 10 regular season shutouts, the Vezina Trophy, First All-Star Team honours, and the Calder Memorial Trophy
, which is given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition". To make space for Brimsek, Thompson was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
for Normie Smith
and $15,000; Thompson also received a $1,000 bonus from Boston.
Boston manager Art Ross predicted that Thompson, now 35, would play for the Red Wings for at least another five seasons; however, Thompson remained with the team for only two seasons before retiring from playing. The Red Wings posted a losing record in both of these seasons, although they made the playoffs both times. Overall, Thompson appeared in 85 regular season games for Detroit, recording a 32–41–12 record, seven shutouts, and a 2.54 goals-against average, and in 11 playoff games, posting a 5–6, with one shutout and a 2.41 goal-against average.
of the American Hockey League
(AHL) in the 1940–41 season
. He coached 56 games in two seasons. The Bisons missed the playoffs both times. He appeared in one game as goaltender in the 1940–41 season. During World War II
, Thompson served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
and doubled as the coach of the Calgary RCAF Mustangs of the Alberta Senior Hockey League. He led the Mustangs to the league championship series in 1942–43 against the Calgary Currie Army team where injuries to the Mustangs' goaltenders brought him back onto the ice in March 1943. With Thompson in goal, the Mustangs defeated Currie Army 8–4 to tie the best-of-five series at two wins apiece. He played the deciding game, but his team fell short of winning the Alberta title with a 3–1 loss to Currie Army. After the war, Thompson became chief Western Canada scout for the Chicago Black Hawks
. He was one of few scouts who sought to discover a player's personality along with their playing ability, often conversing with players as part of efforts to learn about the players he was watching.
, and extending his glove to cover the left side of the net. Although he caught the puck with his glove, he did so without gloves resembling the modern blocker and trapper
glove combination. Thompson was described by Johnny Bower
, a former goaltender who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as a good puckhandler, and one of the best of his time at forward passing. In the 1935–36 season, Thompson became the first goaltender to get an assist by intentionally passing the puck with his stick to a fellow player.
(who won 40 of 62 games played); since then, no Bruins goaltender has had more than 37 wins in a season. Thompson is the all-time Bruins leader for games, wins, shutouts and goals-against average. Throughout his entire NHL career, Thompson accrued 81 shutouts, which is sixth all-time in NHL history, and was second to only George Hainsworth
(who had 94) when Thompson retired. He also posted seven shutouts in the playoffs. He is fifth all-time in goals-against average, allowing on average only 2.08 per a 60-minute span. He led all goaltenders in regular season games played 10 times, and in regular season wins five times.
In 1959, Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
. He died in Calgary on February 9, 1981. He was survived by his wife, Edith, and his daughter, Sandra.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. He played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), first for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, and later for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. A four-time Vezina Trophy
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
winner, Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1959. He was a member of one Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
-winning team, as a rookie in the 1928–29 season with the Boston Bruins. At the start of the 1938–39 season, after ten full seasons with Boston, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where he completed the season, and played another full one before retiring. During his NHL career, he recorded 81 shutouts, the sixth highest of any goaltender. After retiring from playing, he coached lower-league teams before becoming a noted professional scout. Thompson helped popularize the technique of catching the puck
Hockey puck
A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
as a method of making a save
Save (ice hockey)
In several sports with goalkeepers or goaltenders protecting nets, or goals, a save is credited to a goaltender that stops the playing object from entering the goal. These sports include football, ice hockey, and lacrosse, among others....
. A competent puckhandler, he was the first goaltender in the NHL to record an assist
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
by passing the puck with his stick
Ice hockey stick
An ice hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in ice hockey to shoot, pass, and carry the puck. Ice hockey sticks are approximately 150–200 cm long, composed of a long, slender shaft with a flat extension at one end called the blade. The blade is the part of the stick used to contact the...
to a fellow player.
Early life
Thompson grew up in Calgary, AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, where his brother, Paul
Paul Thompson (ice hockey b. 1906)
Paul Ivan Thompson was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played 13 season in the National Hockey League ....
—who also became a professional ice hockey player—was born in 1906. As a child, he enjoyed playing baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and ice hockey. Initially, Thompson was not a goaltender, though he agreed to play the position to get into games. As a teenager playing competitive ice hockey, he acquired the nickname "Tiny" as a joke, as he was the tallest player on the team, standing 5 in 10 in (1.78 m); the nickname stuck with him for the rest of his career.
Thompson began his junior career playing for the Calgary Monarchs in 1919 at the age of 16. He competed for the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, awarded to the Canadian junior hockey champions that year, playing in two games and surrendering 11 goals, a respectable amount in that era. After spending the 1920–21 season playing for Calgary Alberta Grain, Thompson played three seasons in Bellevue
Bellevue, Alberta
Bellevue is an urban community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a village prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass....
, Alberta. In the 1924–25 season, he joined the Duluth Hornets, playing 40 games, recording a shutout in 11 of them. The following season, Thompson joined the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers (AHA)
The Minneapolis Millers were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Minneapolis Arena. The Millers originated in the Central Hockey League as a semi-professional team from the 1925-26 season. The team moved to the American Hockey Association along with...
of the American Hockey Association
American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
The American Hockey Association was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey League , and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the St...
(AHA). In his three seasons with the Millers, he appeared in 118 games, recording 33 shutouts with a 1.37 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
(average of goals surrendered in a span of sixty minutes).
Boston Bruins
Thompson began his National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) career with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in the 1928–29 season after his contract was purchased by Boston manager Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
, who had never seen him play before, owing to his good reputation in Minnesota. In his first game he posted a shutout, becoming the only Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
goaltender to accomplish this feat. In his first season, he appeared in all 44 of the Bruins' games, posting 12 shutouts and a 1.15 goals-against average, the second lowest goals-against average in NHL history until the 2008 season, after George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Western Canada Hockey League....
's 0.98 the same season. Placing first in the American Division, the Bruins had a perfect record in the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup victory, defeating the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. Thompson recorded three shutouts in the five playoff games, and allowed only three goals.
The following season, Thompson again appeared in all of the Bruins' 44 games, posting three shutouts and a 2.19 goals-against average. The league changed its rules on forward passing, which resulted in a sharp increase in goalscoring. Boston won all but six games, finishing with a 38–5–1 record, the best winning percentage for any team in a season. Surrendering only 98 goals, Thompson bested Chicago goaltender Charlie Gardiner to win the first of his four Vezina Trophies
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team...
. The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the league's top goaltender, which was determined prior to the 1981–82 season by number of goals surrendered by goaltenders who had played a minimum number of games. In the playoffs, however, they suffered their first two-game losing streak, as they were swept 2–0 by the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup finals. Earlier in the playoffs, Thompson's winning streak of seven playoff games was snapped; it remains, as of 2008, the longest playoff winning streak to start a career.
In the 1930–31 season, he played all 44 games again, and was named to the Second All-Star team. In the playoffs, Boston lost the semifinals to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
; during game two of the series Thompson became the first goaltender to be pulled for a sixth attacker at the end of a game to give his team a higher chance to score a goal. Even though Boston still lost, coach Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
' maneuver was described as "amazing" the following day, and this technique, known as "open net", caught on with the rest of the league.
The Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in Thompson's career in the 1931–32 season. He won only 13 games while appearing in 43 out of Boston's 48 games, which was the only time he missed games as a member of the Bruins. The next season, Boston made the playoffs once more, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The final game of the playoff series was described as Thompson's most memorable. During that game, Toronto and Boston were tied after regulation time and over 100 minutes of overtime proceeded, with Thompson dueling Toronto's goaltender Lorne Chabot
Lorne Chabot
Lorne "Chabotsky" Chabot was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Lorne played in the National Hockey League from 1926 to 1937. During this time, he played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, Montreal Maroons, and New York Americans...
. After the end of the fifth overtime period, managers Conn Smythe
Conn Smythe
Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe MC was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens...
of the Maple Leafs and Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
of the Bruins asked league president Frank Calder
Frank Calder
-External links:*...
to suspend the game, but Calder refused. Early in the sixth overtime period, a pass from Boston defenseman Eddie Shore
Eddie Shore
Edward William Shore was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, iconic for his toughness and defensive skill.Shore won the Hart Trophy as the...
was intercepted, and Ken Doraty
Ken Doraty
Kenneth Edward Doraty was a professional ice hockey player born in Stittsville, Ontario.Most of his career was played in the minor leagues, although he did play 105 National Hockey League games, with all but two of those games being for the Toronto Maple Leafs.On April 3, 1933, in the fifth game...
skated in on a breakaway, cleanly beating Thompson at 4:46 of the period. The losing goaltender in the second-longest NHL game, Thompson received a standing ovation from fans at the Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
. Thompson finished the playoff series with 1.23 goals-against average, despite a losing record.
Thompson became the second goaltender to win his second Vezina Trophy in 1932–33 since its inception in the 1926–27 season, as he recorded 11 shutouts and a 1.76 goals-against average. After missing the playoffs in the 1933–34 season, they rebounded to first place in the American Division the following season, as Thompson was named to the Second All-Star team for the second time. In the playoffs, the Bruins won only one of their four games; their only win was on the strength of Thompson's shutout, who finished the playoffs with a 1.53 goals-against average.
In the 1935–36 NHL season, Thompson recorded 10 shutouts, but Boston managed to win only 22 out of their 48 games. During the season, he recorded an assist, a rarity for goaltenders. At the end of the season, he was named to the First All-Star team for the first time, and won the Vezina Trophy for the third time, tying George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Western Canada Hockey League....
's all-time mark with three victories. The ensuing two-game, total-goal playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs was series of contrasts, as the Bruins lost 8–6. In one game, the Bruins shut out Toronto 6–0, while they lost the other game 8–0. In 1937–38
1937–38 NHL season
-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
, his final full season with the Bruins, he won 30 out of the 48 games, but Boston lost to the Maple Leafs once again in the playoffs. Thompson set a new record by winning his fourth and final Vezina Trophy. He was also named to the First All-Star team for the second time.
Detroit Red Wings
Thompson appeared in only five games for the Bruins in the 1938–39 season, as Boston decided to replace the aging goaltender with the substantially younger Frank BrimsekFrank Brimsek
Francis Charles "Mister Zero" Brimsek was an American professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
. Brimsek would go on to lead the Bruins to a Stanley Cup victory that season, earning the nickname "Mister Zero" while picking up 10 regular season shutouts, the Vezina Trophy, First All-Star Team honours, and the Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
, which is given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition". To make space for Brimsek, Thompson was traded to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
for Normie Smith
Normie Smith
Norman "Normie" Smith was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for Montreal Maroons and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.-Rookie career:...
and $15,000; Thompson also received a $1,000 bonus from Boston.
Boston manager Art Ross predicted that Thompson, now 35, would play for the Red Wings for at least another five seasons; however, Thompson remained with the team for only two seasons before retiring from playing. The Red Wings posted a losing record in both of these seasons, although they made the playoffs both times. Overall, Thompson appeared in 85 regular season games for Detroit, recording a 32–41–12 record, seven shutouts, and a 2.54 goals-against average, and in 11 playoff games, posting a 5–6, with one shutout and a 2.41 goal-against average.
Post-NHL career
After retiring from professional play, Thompson became the head coach of the Buffalo BisonsBuffalo Bisons (AHL)
The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) in the 1940–41 season
1940–41 AHL season
The 1940–41 AHL season was the fifth season of the American Hockey League, which had operated the previous four seasons as the "International-American Hockey League." Nine teams played 56 games each in the schedule.The Cleveland Barons won their second F. G...
. He coached 56 games in two seasons. The Bisons missed the playoffs both times. He appeared in one game as goaltender in the 1940–41 season. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Thompson served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and doubled as the coach of the Calgary RCAF Mustangs of the Alberta Senior Hockey League. He led the Mustangs to the league championship series in 1942–43 against the Calgary Currie Army team where injuries to the Mustangs' goaltenders brought him back onto the ice in March 1943. With Thompson in goal, the Mustangs defeated Currie Army 8–4 to tie the best-of-five series at two wins apiece. He played the deciding game, but his team fell short of winning the Alberta title with a 3–1 loss to Currie Army. After the war, Thompson became chief Western Canada scout for the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. He was one of few scouts who sought to discover a player's personality along with their playing ability, often conversing with players as part of efforts to learn about the players he was watching.
Playing style
Thompson was a stand-up goaltender, rarely falling on both knees to stop a puck. He was one of the first NHL goaltenders to catch the puck with his hand to make a save, and helped popularize the technique. Using gloves that were smaller than those of other players, he was among the best puck-catchers of his era. He stood in the way of the puck with minimal padding, risking being struck when moving to catch it instead of simply deflecting it away from the net. His signature technique, very often featured in photographs of him, involved dropping to one knee with the paddle of his goalstick covering the five-holeFive-hole
The "five-hole" is a nickname for the space between a goaltender's legs in ice hockey. If a player scores by shooting the puck into the goal between the goaltender's legs, he is said to have scored "through the five-hole," or to have "gone five-hole."-Origin:...
, and extending his glove to cover the left side of the net. Although he caught the puck with his glove, he did so without gloves resembling the modern blocker and trapper
Trapper (ice hockey)
A trapper, or catch glove, is a piece of equipment that is worn by ice hockey goaltenders on their non-dominant hand.-Evolution:Often referred to simply as the "glove", it was originally shaped in the same fashion as a baseball first-baseman's mitt, but evolved into a highly specific piece of...
glove combination. Thompson was described by Johnny Bower
Johnny Bower
John William Bower , nicknamed "The China Wall", is a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie.-Playing career:...
, a former goaltender who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, as a good puckhandler, and one of the best of his time at forward passing. In the 1935–36 season, Thompson became the first goaltender to get an assist by intentionally passing the puck with his stick to a fellow player.
Legacy
Thompson's points percentage in a season of .875, recorded in the 1929–30 season, still remains a record. His 38 wins during that season was a Boston record that was eclipsed only in the 1982–83 season, by Pete PeetersPete Peeters
Peter H. Peeters is a retired Vezina-winning professional ice hockey goaltender who was one of the NHL's most colourful characters in the 1980s.-Early life:...
(who won 40 of 62 games played); since then, no Bruins goaltender has had more than 37 wins in a season. Thompson is the all-time Bruins leader for games, wins, shutouts and goals-against average. Throughout his entire NHL career, Thompson accrued 81 shutouts, which is sixth all-time in NHL history, and was second to only George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth
George Hainsworth was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Western Canada Hockey League....
(who had 94) when Thompson retired. He also posted seven shutouts in the playoffs. He is fifth all-time in goals-against average, allowing on average only 2.08 per a 60-minute span. He led all goaltenders in regular season games played 10 times, and in regular season wins five times.
In 1959, Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. He died in Calgary on February 9, 1981. He was survived by his wife, Edith, and his daughter, Sandra.
Regular season
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–26 | Minneapolis Millers Minneapolis Millers (AHA) The Minneapolis Millers were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Minneapolis Arena. The Millers originated in the Central Hockey League as a semi-professional team from the 1925-26 season. The team moved to the American Hockey Association along with... |
CHL | 36 | — | — | — | 10 | 1.64 |
| 1926–27 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 38 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 1.42 |
| 1927–28 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 40 | 28 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 1.23 |
| 1928–29 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 44 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 1.15 |
| 1929–30 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 44 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2.19 |
| 1930–31 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 44 | 28 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1.98 |
| 1931–32 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 43 | 13 | 19 | 11 | 9 | 2.29 |
| 1932–33 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 1.76 |
| 1933–34 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 18 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 2.62 |
| 1934–35 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 26 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2.26 |
| 1935–36 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 22 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 1.68 |
| 1936–37 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 23 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 2.22 |
| 1937–38 1937–38 NHL season -European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 30 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 1.80 |
| 1938–39 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.55 |
| 1938–39 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 39 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 2.53 |
| 1939–40 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 46 | 16 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 2.54 |
| 1940–41 1940–41 AHL season The 1940–41 AHL season was the fifth season of the American Hockey League, which had operated the previous four seasons as the "International-American Hockey League." Nine teams played 56 games each in the schedule.The Cleveland Barons won their second F. G... |
Buffalo Bisons Buffalo Bisons (AHL) The Buffalo Bisons were an American Hockey League ice hockey franchise that played from 1940 to 1970 in Buffalo, New York. They replaced the original Buffalo Bisons hockey team, which left the area in 1936 after its arena collapsed... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
| NHL totals | 553 | 284 | 194 | 75 | 81 | 2.08 | ||
Playoffs
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–26 | Minneapolis Millers | CHL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.33 |
| 1926–27 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1.33 |
| 1927–28 | Minneapolis Millers | AHA | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0.38 |
| 1928–29 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.60 |
| 1929–30 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.67 |
| 1930–31 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2.27 |
| 1932–33 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.23 |
| 1934–35 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1.53 |
| 1935–36 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.00 |
| 1936–37 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 2.67 |
| 1937–38 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 3 | — | 0 | 1.70 |
| 1939–40 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 6 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 2.41 |
| 1939–40 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 5 | 2 | 3 | — | 0 | 2.40 |
| 1942–43 | Calgary RCAF Mustangs | CNDHL | 4 | — | — | — | — | 3.00 |
| NHL totals | 44 | 20 | 24 | 0 | 7 | 1.88 | ||
NHL
| Award | Years |
|---|---|
| Vezina Trophy Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was the most valuable to his team... |
1930, 1933, 1936, 1938 1937–38 NHL season -European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France... |
| First All-Star Team NHL All-Star Team The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are... Goaltender |
1936, 1938 1937–38 NHL season -European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France... |
| Second All-Star Team Goaltender | 1931, 1935 |
| Stanley Cup Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug... |
1929 1929 Stanley Cup Finals -Boston Bruins 1929 Stanley Cup champions:-See also:*1928–29 NHL season... |