No Backup Plan: When Players Became Goalies
One of the most interesting discoveries I've made while building the Goalie Archive is that not every player who appeared in an NHL game as a goaltender was actually a goaltender.
In the NHL's early years, teams didn't carry dedicated backup goalies. If the starting netminder was injured or couldn't continue, a teammate was often forced to step into the crease for the remainder of the game. As a result, a surprising number of skaters are officially credited with playing an NHL game—or at least logging minutes—as a goaltender, despite spending their entire careers virtually at another position.
As someone collecting the rookie card of every player who has played goal in the NHL, that raised an interesting question: If a player officially played goaltender in the NHL, should they be included in the archive?
For me, the answer is an easy yes.
That's why you'll find players such as Lester Patrick, Art Ross, Hugh Plaxton, George Redding, Normie Himes, Jerry Toppazzini, and several other players throughout the archive. Some volunteered to play goal in emergencies, while others simply happened to be the next man available when there was no backup sitting at the end of the bench.
The most famous example is Lester Patrick. At 44 years old and serving as coach of the New York Rangers, Patrick pulled on the pads during Game 2 of the 1928 Stanley Cup Final after starting goaltender Lorne Chabot was injured. He helped the Rangers defeat the Montreal Maroons in one of the greatest stories in hockey history, forever earning his place among the NHL's goaltenders.
Art Ross has an equally unique claim. Long before becoming one of hockey's most influential namesake of the NHL's scoring trophy, Ross stepped into goal during an NHL game when his team needed him. His appearance may have been brief, but it officially places him among the league's goaltenders.
1910 Lester Patrick C56 and 1910 Art Ross C56 rookie cards
The other names are less famous, but no less deserving. George Redding, Hugh Plaxton, Normie Himes, Jerry Toppazzini, and many others. Take a peek in the archives and see if you can spot them, but as a tip, stick to the 1960s archives and before. The NHL didn't introduce a formal requirement for two dressed goaltenders (a starter and a backup) until the 1964–65 season
The Goalie Archive is intended to document every player who has played goal in the NHL—not just those whose primary position was goaltender. If the NHL record book says they played in net, then their earliest card deserves a place in the archive. Their stories are part of hockey history, and preserving those stories is one of the most rewarding parts of building this collection.
