Phil and Tony Esposito are two brothers that played in the
National Hockey League in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. Both are members of
the Hockey Hall of Fame, both have their jersey numbers retired by an NHL club
and both were members of Team Canada at the 1972 Summit Series against the
Soviet Union.
One brother started his National Hockey League career with the same team the other ended up with. Read on and find out what team that was.
One brother started his National Hockey League career with the same team the other ended up with. Read on and find out what team that was.
Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Esposito
brothers with the following four trivia questions.
Q. What NHL team did Tony Esposito first play for?
A. All but thirteen of Tony’s NHL games were played with the
Chicago Black Hawks. However, in 1968-69, he played those thirteen games with
the Montreal Canadiens. At the time, both regular goalies were injured and
Esposito was a call-up from the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League.
Tony did not take part in the Stanley Cup playoffs that season when the
Canadiens won the Cup.
1968-69 was before Ken Dryden came on the scene in Montreal.
However, Tony still had Gump Worsley and Rogie
Vachon to compete with. Worsley soon after entered the HHOF and Vachon
should be there but has repeatedly been denied. The following year, 1969-70,
Esposito walked into the number one spot in Chicago, appearing in 63 of 76
regular season games for the Blackhawks with Gerry Desjardins and Denis DeJordy
seeing sparse action in backup roles.
Q. What NHL team did Phil Esposito first play for?
A. Phil was sponsored by the Chicago Black Hawks right from
junior hockey with the St. Catherines TeePees of the Ontario Hockey
Association. Esposito played four seasons with Chicago, in the shadow of Bobby
Hull and Stan Mikita before being traded to the Boston Bruins where his career
rocketed.
That trade is notorious for its one-sidedness. On May 15,
1967, going to Boston along with Phil were Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield.
Heading to Chicago were Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris. Esposito
was part of another blockbuster trade in November, 1975 that sent him to the
Rangers. Phil and Carol
Vadnais went to the Big Apple while Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi
went to Bean Town. He ended his career with New York.
Q. Which Esposito’s rookie hockey card is worth the most,
according to Beckett Hockey?
A. The Tony
Esposito rookie card was part of the 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee series and has a
book value of $150. However, the Phil Esposito rookie card from the 1965-66 Topps series tops that with a book value of $400. Both Esposito rookie cards
show the brothers as members of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Q. Which Esposito brother entered the Hockey Hall of Fame
first?
A. Phil Esposito was the first of the two brothers to enter,
being inducted in 1984. Tony followed in 1988. Phil played his final games in
the National Hockey League during the 1980-81 season with the New York Rangers.
This meant that he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame after the minimum three year
waiting period. At his side in 1984 were goaltender Bernie
Parent and career Montreal Canadien Jacques Lemaire.
Tony appeared in 18 games with the Blackhawks in 1983-84,
his last games in the NHL. Four years later, he entered the HHOF, along with
Guy Lafleur and Brad Park. Buddy O’Connor was also posthumously inducted.
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