When Denis DeJordy Ruled December: Chicago’s Forgotten Goalie Hero

Between the eras of Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito, Chicago fans were treated to another standout goaltender: Denis DeJordy. Though often overlooked, DeJordy was no mere stopgap; he shared the Vezina Trophy with Hall in 1966-67 before Hall was claimed by the St. Louis Blues in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.

With Hall gone, DeJordy took over as the Blackhawks’ number one goalie for the 1967-68 season and quickly proved he was up to the task. He posted a 2.71 goals-against average with four shutouts over 50 games, guiding Chicago past the Rangers in the playoffs before bowing out to the powerhouse Montreal Canadiens.

But it was December 1967 that defined his season, a stretch where DeJordy was simply unbeatable.

On December 10, he blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 at the Spectrum, stopping 30 shots as Doug Mohns and Bobby Hull provided the offense. A week later, on December 17, he turned away 29 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 at Chicago Stadium, with Pit Martin finally breaking through Johnny Bower late in the third.

To cap off the month, DeJordy cruised to a 3-0 New Year’s Eve win over the expansion Oakland Seals, needing just 23 saves as Dennis Hull, Mohns, and Martin took care of the scoring.

His fourth and final shutout of the campaign came on February 29, when he stopped 38 shots in a 1-0 victory over Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens with Bobby Schmautz netting the lone goal.

Though his time as Chicago’s starter was short-lived, Tony Esposito’s arrival soon pushed him out, DeJordy’s December heroics remain a bright chapter in Blackhawks history. After a stint with the Los Angeles Kings, his NHL career began to fade, but for one icy month in 1967, Denis DeJordy was as good as any goaltender in the league.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Denis DeJordy 🏒

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Denis DeJordy shared the 1966–67 Vezina Trophy with which legendary goaltender?

Tony Esposito
Glenn Hall
Gerry Cheevers
Eddie Giacomin

2. During December 1967, how many shutouts did DeJordy record for the Chicago Blackhawks?

Two
Three
Four
Five

3. Which future Hall of Famer replaced Denis DeJordy as Chicago’s starting goalie in 1969–70?

Ken Dryden
Bernie Parent
Tony Esposito
Ed Belfour

4. After leaving Chicago, which NHL team did Denis DeJordy play for as their number one goaltender?

Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Pittsburgh Penguins

5. DeJordy was part of the Blackhawks organization between two of the greatest goalies in NHL history. Who were they?

Terry Sawchuk and Ken Dryden
Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito
Jacques Plante and Bernie Parent
Johnny Bower and Rogie Vachon

Yvan Cournoyer Clinches 1973 Stanley Cup For Montreal Canadiens

The 1972-73 Montreal Canadiens were a powerhouse, losing just ten games during the regular season and storming through the playoffs. After dispatching the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers, the Habs faced the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final.

Chicago battled hard, scoring 15 goals in their two wins, but Montreal’s speed and depth ultimately proved too much. The series ended in six games with Yvan Cournoyer at the center of the celebration.

On May 10, 1973, Cournoyer capped off a brilliant postseason by scoring the Cup-clinching goal in Game Six. With the teams tied 4-4 heading into the third, he beat Tony Esposito at 8:13, his 15th goal of the playoffs, on a setup from Jacques Lemaire to give Montreal the lead for good. The Canadiens went on to win 6-4, securing another championship.

Cournoyer added assists on goals by Frank Mahovlich and Marc Tardif, finishing the playoffs with 25 points in 17 games. His 15 goals set a new playoff record at the time, surpassing Mahovlich’s 14 from 1971. Though the record has since been topped by Reggie Leach and Jari Kurri (19 each), Cournoyer’s performance remains one of the great playoff runs in Canadiens history.

The Conn Smythe Trophy was the only major individual award of his career, but it was a fitting tribute to the “Roadrunner’s” speed, leadership, and clutch scoring. In total, Yvan Cournoyer captured eight Stanley Cups, all with Montreal, before earning induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Yvan Cournoyer

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. What nickname was Yvan Cournoyer best known by during his NHL career?

The Rocket
The Roadrunner
The Pocket Rocket
The Flying Frenchman

2. How many Stanley Cups did Yvan Cournoyer win with the Montreal Canadiens?

6
7
8
9

3. In which year did Cournoyer win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP?

1971
1973
1975
1977

4. What was Cournoyer’s career-high goal total in a single NHL season?

36
40
47
50

5. Yvan Cournoyer was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in which year?

1979
1980
1982
1984

Steve Shutt’s Hat Trick and Fight vs. Blackhawks (1976-77)

On November 6, 1976, the Montreal Forum played host to one of the most dominant Canadiens teams in NHL history. The 1976-77 Habs crushed the Chicago Blackhawks 11-3, and Steve Shutt was at the center of the action with a memorable mix of goals and grit.

Just 1:14 into the game, Shutt opened the scoring with help from defensemen Serge Savard and Larry Robinson. Minutes later, he found himself in the penalty box after a spirited scrap with Darcy Rota. Neither player was known as a fighter, but it showed the intensity of the night.

Shutt wasn’t done. At 9:51 of the second period, he buried his 15th goal of the season, assisted by Pierre Bouchard and Guy Lafleur, giving the Habs a commanding 5-1 lead. In the third, at 16:07, Shutt completed the hat trick with his 16th of the year, set up by Lafleur and Jacques Lemaire. He was already pacing toward his career-best 60-goal campaign.

The Blackhawks’ goaltending didn’t stand a chance. Starter Tony Esposito gave up four goals on 16 shots before being replaced by Michel Dumas, who surrendered seven on 16 shots in one of his eight total NHL appearances. Meanwhile, Lafleur dazzled with two goals and two assists, while Savard finished an incredible +7.

About Steve Shutt

Steve Shutt played 930 regular season an 99 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1972-73 and 1984-85 with the Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings. He was a five-time Stanley Cup champion with the Habs. Shutt was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Steve Shutt

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. In which season did Steve Shutt score his career-high 60 goals?

• 1974-75
• 1976-77
• 1978-79
• 1980-81

2. How many Stanley Cups did Steve Shutt win with the Montreal Canadiens?

• 3
• 5
• 6
• 4

3. Which legendary linemate was most often paired with Steve Shutt during his peak years?

• Jacques Lemaire
• Larry Robinson
• Guy Lafleur
• Ken Dryden

4. How many career NHL goals did Steve Shutt finish with?

• 312
• 424
• 389
• 441

5. In what year was Steve Shutt inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

• 1991
• 1995
• 1993
• 1997

Broadway Hero: Pete Stemkowski’s 3OT Goal vs. Blackhawks

In one of the most dramatic moments of the 1971 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Pete Stemkowski etched his name into New York Rangers history with a triple overtime goal that kept their season alive.

The Rangers had already endured three overtime games in the 1970-71 postseason. In their semi-final series against the Chicago Blackhawks, they had just suffered an overtime defeat in Game 5, courtesy of Bobby Hull, putting them on the brink of elimination. Game 6 on April 29, 1971, at Madison Square Garden was a must-win.

Chicago carried a 2-1 lead into the third period before Jean Ratelle tied it up at 4:21 with help from Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert. Regulation solved nothing, nor did the first two overtime periods. Finally, at 1:29 of the third overtime, Pete Stemkowski beat Tony Esposito with the 49th shot of the night for New York. Assists went to Ted Irvine and Tim Horton, and the Rangers had life.

Ed Giacomin faced just 26 shots in net for the Rangers, turning aside all but two. Stemkowski’s goal forced a Game 7, giving fans hope for a miraculous comeback. Unfortunately for New York, the magic ran out in Chicago. The Blackhawks closed the series with a 4-2 win at Chicago Stadium, behind Esposito’s 36-save performance and Bobby Hull’s game-winning goal early in the third.

Stemkowski had joined the Rangers earlier that season in a one-for-one trade with the Detroit Red Wings for Larry Brown. In an odd twist, Brown returned to New York later that same season in a multi-player deal that also involved Bruce MacGregor, Arnie Brown, Tom Miller, and Mike Robitaille.

About Pete Stemkowski

Between 1963-64 and 1977-78, Pete Stemkowski played 967 regular season and 83 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs in 1966-67, playing a prominent role with 12 points in 12 playoff games.

Five times during his NHL career, Stemkowski reached the 20 goal plateau. His career best came in both 1969-70 with the Red Wings an 1973-74 with the Rangers, scoring 25 in each of the those seasons. His career high for points was 70 with the Rangers in that 1973-74 campaign.

Tony Esposito’s First Shutout with Chicago Comes Against Canadiens

When the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Tony Esposito from the Montreal Canadiens in the 1969 off-season, few could’ve predicted just how quickly he’d begin carving out a legendary career. But on October 25, 1969, the hockey world got its first real glimpse of “Tony-O” in top form and it happened in poetic fashion.

After a rough start to the season, Chicago had gone 0-5-1 in its first six games, Esposito had already suffered losses to St. Louis and Detroit. But the tides shifted in Montreal, where Esposito had once made his NHL debut. Playing against the team that let him go, he shut the door, literally.

Esposito turned aside all 30 shots he faced at the Montreal Forum to earn his first NHL shutout as a member of the Blackhawks. It marked his second career NHL shutout overall, but his first in Chicago colors. At the other end, Canadiens netminder Rogie Vachon gave up five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-0 Chicago victory.

Lou Angotti got things rolling early, scoring the game-winner just over four minutes into the first period with help from Eric Nesterenko and Pat Stapleton. Nesterenko and Dennis Hull also tallied goals and assists in the statement win.

Adding to the historical flavor of the night, rookies Keith Magnuson and Marc Tardif dropped the gloves in the third period. The bout marked the first NHL fight for both players.

Esposito’s shutout was the first of 15 that season, a staggering total that helped earn him the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. It also marked the beginning of one of the greatest goaltending careers in league history.

Tony Esposito's 15 Shutouts In 1969-70

Being that it was just the third season of the post Original 6 era, you might think that this is a watered down record due to weak expansion teams. However, eight of the 15 shutouts for Esposito in 1969-70 came against Original 6 teams. Two were against the Boston Bruins, powered offensively by his brother Phil Esposito. He also had a pair of blanks each against the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The highest scoring was a 9-0 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tony made 23 saves in that one while also assisting on the game winning goal by Lou Angotti. The most saves in a one of his shutouts was 36 in a 1-0 win over the Bruins. His other blank against the Bruins was a 0-0 tie with Ed Johnston also not allowing a goal. 

NHL Hockey Trivia: Chicago Blackhawks Retired Numbers

The Chicago Blackhawks have been a fixture in the National Hockey League since the 1926-27 season. Many great hockey players have worn the red, black and white of the Blackhawks. Only a select group of these hockey legends have had their numbers taken out of circulation by the team and raised to the rafters for eternity.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Chicago Blackhawks retired numbers with these four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Two goaltenders have had their numbers retired by the Chicago Blackhawks. What goalie is the number 35 retired for?

A. Tony Esposito played for Chicago from 1969-70 until 1983-84. With exception of 13 games played with the Montreal Canadiens in 1968-69, Esposito played his whole career in Chicago. Tony finished his career with 76 shutouts and a 2.92 goals against average in 886 regular season games. Esposito was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, four years after his brother Phil Esposito.

The other number retired by Chicago for a goaltender is number 1 in honour of Glenn Hall. Glenn played for Chicago from 1957-58 to 1966-67. He came to the Blackhawks from the Detroit Red Wing and ended his career with the St. Louis Blues. The three time Vezina Trophy winner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

Both Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall had their numbers retired by the Blackhawks on the same day, November 20, 1988.

Q. What number is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks for two different players?

A. The number 3 is retired in honour of two defensemen, Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson. Both were long time blue liners in Chicago. Pilote was a three time winner of the Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

Pilote played for Chicago from 1955-56 to 1967-68, spending one last year in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1968-69. Magnuson played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1969-70 to 1979-80. Both Pilote and Magnuson had their number retired by the Blackhawks on the same night, November 12, 2008. For Magnuson, it was posthumously, having died in 2003.

Q. The number 21 is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks in honour of what long-time great?

A. Stan Mikita holds the all-time Blackhawks career records for points and assists. He is the only NHL player to win the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy in the same year. He accomplished this in two consecutive seasons during the 1960’s.

Mikita played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1958-59 to 1979-80. His number was retired on October 19, 1980 and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later in 1983.

Q. The Blackhawks retired number 9 for what Hockey Hall of Fame player?

A. Easy question. Bobby Hull wore number 9 for the Blackhawks from 1957 to 1972 before becoming the face of the fledgling World Hockey Association. In 1983, Bobby entered the HHOF along with long time line mate Stan Mikita. On December 18, 1983, his number was retired by Chicago.

 

NHL Hockey Trivia: Tony and Phil Esposito

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.

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.