Anthony James (Tony) "Tony O" Esposito

Last updated

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, April 23, 1943.
HOME: Elmhurst, Illinois
HEIGHT: 5'11"
WEIGHT: 180-185 lbs
UNIFORM #: 35 (Chicago). Esposito's #35 was retired by Chicago on November 20, 1988.
CATCHES: Right
COLLEGE: Michigan Tech (major: business administration)
STYLE:
STRENGTHS:
WEAKNESSES:

Entry in "Inside Sports: Hockey": Five-time All-Star with Chicago played 873 games over 15 (sic) seasons. Won or shared Vezina Trophy three times, including rookie year.

QUOTABLE:

"I studied all the basic older guys. I learned a lot of things from Glenn Hall. For example, when I was in college, my brother played for Chicago and Glenn Hall was the goalie, and I'd go down and visit. I'd spend hours with Glenn Hall. We would go out and have a sociable beer and he would talk goaltending and stuff with me." On his idols as a young goaltender, February 5, 2000

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"He was younger, so he had to be the goalie." Phil Esposito, on why his brother Tony was a goaltender

TRANSACTIONS:

Signed as free agent by Montreal Canadiens, September 29, 1967.
Loaned by Montreal to Vancouver Canucks (WHL) for cash, October 1967.
Claimed from Montreal by Chicago Black Hawks in Intra-League Draft, June 11, 1969.

ACCOLADES:

Led Michigan Tech to National Collegiate Athletic Association championship, 1965.
Named to National Collegiate Athletic Association All-Tournament Team, 1965.
Named to Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Star First Team, 1964-65.
Named to National Collegiate Athletic Association (West) All-American First Team, 1964-65.
Named to Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Star First Team, 1965-66.
Named to National Collegiate Athletic Association (West) All-American First Team, 1965-66.
Named to Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Star First Team, 1966-67.
Named to National Collegiate Athletic Association (West) All-American First Team, 1966-67.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1970.
Named to National Hockey League All-Star First Team, 1969-70.
Winner, Calder Trophy, 1969-70.
Winner, Vezina Trophy, 1969-70.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1971.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1972.
Named to National Hockey League All-Star First Team, 1971-72.
Shared (with Gary Smith) Vezina Trophy, 1971-72.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1973.
Named to National Hockey League All-Star Second Team, 1972-73.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1974.
Shared (with Bernie Parent) Vezina Trophy, 1973-74.
Named to National Hockey League All-Star Second Team, 1973-74.
Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, 1980.
Named to National Hockey League All-Star First Team, 1979-80.
Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame, 1988.
Named general manager, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1988.
Replaced as Penguins general manager (by Craig Patrick), 1989-90.

INJURIES:

RECORDS:

On March 29, 1970, Tony recorded his fifteenth shutout of the 1969-70 season, setting a modern-day record.

PENALTY SHOTS:

Stopped penalty shot (Frank Mahovlich), May 16, 1971 [postseason].
Stopped penalty shot (Buster Harvey), October 14, 1973.
Stopped penalty shot (Dennis Maruk), January 14, 1976.
Allowed penalty shot goal (Bob Nevin), February 11, 1976.
Stopped penalty shot (Bernie Federko), February 17, 1979.
Allowed penalty shot goal (Greg Terrion), October 15, 1983.

FIRSTS:

On December 5, 1968, Tony made his first National Hockey League appearance (for Montreal) against the Boston Bruins. The game ended in a 2-2 tie, and his older brother Phil Esposito had both goals for the Bruins.

GAME DIRECTORY:

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   T    GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
62-63 Sault Ste. Marie Grey.NOJHA
63-64 Michigan Tech Huskies WCHA  FRESHMAN
64-65 Michigan Tech Huskies WCHA  17   1020                40   2.35                    1
65-66 Michigan Tech Huskies WCHA  19   1140                51   2.68                    1
66-67 Michigan Tech Huskies WCHA  15    900                39   2.60                    0
67-68 Vancouver Canucks WHL       63   3734  25  33   4   199   3.20                    4   0   0     0
68-69 Montreal Canadiens NHL      13    746   5   4   4    34   2.73                    2   0   0     0
      Houston Apollos CHL         19   1139  10   7   2    46   2.42                    1   0   0     0
69-70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     63   3763  38  17   8   136   2.17                   15   0   2     2
70-71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     57   3325  35  14   6   126   2.27                    6   0   1     4
71-72 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     48   2780  31  10   6    82   1.77                    9   0   1     2
72-73 Canada SUMMIT SERIES         4    240   2   1   1    13   3.25                    0
      Chicago Black Hawks NHL     56   3340  32  17   7   140   2.51                    4   0   2     0
73-74 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     70   4143  34  14  21   141   2.04                   10   0   1     0
74-75 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     71   4219  34  30   7   193   2.74                    6   0   1    11
75-76 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     68   4003  30  23  13   198   2.97    2090   .905     4   0   1     2
76-77 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     69   4067  25  36   8   234   3.45                    2   0   2     6
      Canada WORLD                 9    510   6   2   1    27   3.17                    1
77-78 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     64   3840  28  22  14   168   2.63                    5   0   4     0
78-79 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     63   3780  24  28  11   205   2.97                    6   0   1     2
      NHL All-Stars CHALLENGE CUP SPARE GOALTENDER
79-80 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     69   4140  31  22  16   205   2.97                    6   0   1     2
80-81 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     66   3935  29  23  14   246   3.75                    0   0   3     0
81-82 United States CANADA CUP     5    300   2   3   0    20   4.00                    0
      Chicago Black Hawks NHL     52   3069  19  25   8   231   4.52    1741   .867     1   0   2     0
82-83 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     39   2340  23  11   5   135   3.46    1203   .888     1   0   0     0
83-84 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     18   1095   5  10   3    88   4.82     622   .859     1   0   3     0
SIXTEEN (16) NHL SEASONS         886  52585 423 306 151  2563   2.92                   76   0  25    31

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                        GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
68-69 Houston Apollos CHL          1     59   0   1    3   3.05                    0   0   0     0
69-70 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      8    480   4   4   27   3.38                    0   0   0     0
70-71 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     18   1151  11   7   42   2.19                    2   0   0     0
71-72 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      5    300   2   3   16   3.20                    0   0   0     0
72-73 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     15    895  10   5   46   3.08                    1   0   0     0
73-74 Chicago Black Hawks NHL     10    584   6   4   28   2.88                    2
74-75 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      8    472   3   5   34   4.32                    0
75-76 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      4    240   0   4   13   3.25                    0
76-77 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      2    120   0   2    6   3.00                    0   0   0     0
77-78 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      4    252   0   4   19   4.52                    0
78-79 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      4    243   0   4   14   3.46                    0
79-80 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      6    373   3   3   14   2.25                    0   0   0     0
80-81 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      3    215   0   3   15   4.19                    0   0   0     0
81-82 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      7    381   3   3   16   2.52                    1   0   0     0
82-83 Chicago Black Hawks NHL      5    311   3   2   18   3.47                    0   0   0     0
FOURTEEN (14) NHL POSTSEASONS     99   6017  45  53  308   3.07                    6

INTERNATIONAL GAME DIRECTORY:

Played for Canada in 1972 Summit Series.
09/04/72: W (60m, 20/21) 4-1 victory [in Toronto] vs. Soviet Union (Tretiak).
09/06/72: T (60m, 21/25) 4-4 tie [in Winnipeg] vs. Soviet Union (Tretiak).
09/22/72: L (60m, 28/33) 4-5 defeat [in Moscow] at Soviet Union (Tretiak).
09/26/72: W (60m, 28/31) 4-3 victory [in Moscow] at Soviet Union (Tretiak).

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