Brimsek, "Frankie" (Francis C.)
Hockey
b. Sept. 26, 1915, Eveleth, MN
d. Nov. 11, 1998
The Boston Bruins shocked their fans and many of their players when they sold star goaltender Tiny Thompson for $15,000 and replaced him with Brimsek early in the 1938-39 season. It didn't Brimsek long to justify the move. After a 2-0 loss to Montreal in his first game, he recorded three consecutive shutouts and 231 minutes, 54 seconds of scoreless goaltending, a record at the time.
After that string was broken, Brimsek started another, going 220 minutes, 24 seconds without being scored upon, including three more shutouts. By then, he was known as "Mr. Zero." The Bruins won the Stanley Cup that season and Brimsek won the Calder Trophy as the league's outstanding rookie and the Vezina Trophy as its best goaltender. He had 10 shutouts and a 1.60 goals-against average in 43 games. In the Stanley Cup finals against Toronto, he had another shutout and gave up only six goals as the Bruins won in five games.
Brimsek joined the Coast Guard in 1943 and returned to the Bruins after World War II ended in 1945. He was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1949 and retired after just one season Chicago.
Brimsek had 40 career shutouts and a 2.94 goals-against average in 478 regular-season games. He added 2 shutouts and a 2.74 average in 68 playoff games.