Georges Vézina

Georges Vézina (pronounced: ), also known as "The Chicoutimi Cucumber" (French: "Le Concombre de Chicoutimi") (January 21, 1887 – March 27, 1926) was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played five seasons in the National Hockey League and seven in the National Hockey Association for the Montreal Canadiens.

Playing career
He stood 6 ft 1 in (1.84 m) tall and weighed 185 lb (84 kg). He played for the Montreal Canadiens. Prior to the 1926–1927 season, Canadiens owners Leo Dandurand, Leo Letourneau and Joseph Cattarinich dedicated a trophy in Vezina's name to be presented annually to the top goaltender in the NHL.

Vézina was the son of Georges Vézina, a baker, and Clara Belley, and was born in Chicoutimi, Quebec. He married Marie-Adélaïde-Stella Morin on June 3, 1908 in Chicoutimi, having two sons together. He was discovered in Chicoutimi during an exhibition game between the Montreal Nationals of the Canadian Amateur Hockey League and the local Chicoutimi team during the 1904-05 season. He led his team to an 11-5 win. The opposing goalie, Joseph Cattarinich, was impressed with his play. When Cattarinch retired from the Montreal Canadiens in 1910, he suggested Vézina as his replacement.

In his rookie season in 1910-11, he led all National Hockey Association goaltenders in goals against average.

On February 18, 1918, he became the first goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout by blanking the Torontos 9-0. On December 28, 1918, he became the first goaltender to be credited with an assist, on a goal by Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde, who had just picked up the puck after a save by Vézina.

He led the Canadiens to their first two Stanley Cups in 1915-16 and in 1923-24.

Early in the 1925-26 season, Vézina took the ice to play in the Canadiens home opener. Running a fever of 105 degrees, he finished the first period, and started the second, but then he collapsed in his goal area. He then was forced to retire from the NHL. He was eventually diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis. His condition deteriorated and he died on March 27, 1926 at only 39. His successor on the team, George Hainsworth, had won the first Vezina Trophy.

His combined National Hockey Association and NHL regular season totals added up to 328 games played, 15 career shutouts and a goals against average of 3.49. ( Numbers made more impressive if taken into account that this was before goalies were allowed to go down on their knees to corral/stop pucks )

It was his calm and cool demeanor which earned him the nickname The Chicoutimi Cucumber. He had two children, Jean-Jules and Marcel-Stanley.

Awards & achievements

 * 1945 - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
 * 1998 - Ranked number 75 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.