Giacomin, Edward
Hockey
b. June 6, 1939, Sudbury, ONT
A goaltender who was sometimes referred to as a third defenseman because of his excellent skating ability, Giacomin turned down baseball and football scholarships to play professional hockey.
After a long stay in the minor leagues, mostly with the Providence Reds, Giacomin joined the NHL's New York Rangers in 1965 and was an iron man for four seasons, playing 68, 66, 70, and 70 games before Gilles Villemure arrived in 1969 to share goaltending duties.
Giacomin and Villemure won the Vezina Trophy for the 1970-71 season, when Giacomin had a 2.15 goals-against average and Villemure was not much worse, at 2.29. He remained with the Rangers until 1975, when he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings. Giacomin retired after the 1977-78 season.
He had a 289-206-97 regular season record with 54 shutouts and a 2.82 goals-against average. In 65 playoff games, Giacomin gave up 180 goals, a 2.82 average, and had 1 shutout.