George Hainsworth

Setting a record of shutouts that has never been equalled, George Hainsworth played eleven years in the NHL and five in the Western Canada League before ending a great career.

Hainsworth was born in Toronto on June 26, 1895, but played his amateur hockey in Kitchener, where he moved as a young boy. He went through the OHA ranks winning Junior, Intermediate and Senior titles as well as the Allan Cup in 1918.

Turning professional with Saskatoon in 1924, he played three seasons in the west before joining Montreal Canadiens in 1926 to make hockey history. During the 1928-29 season he registered twenty-two shutouts in forty-four games, allowing only forty-three goals over the entire schedule. But it was not until the next year, and the following one, that Canadiens captured the Stanley Cup. Between 1926 and 1929 George Hainsworth won the Vezina Trophy three straight years.

When the Canadiens ran into difficulties in 1932, Hainsworth was traded for Lorne Chabot of Toronto, and played four seasons with the Maple Leafs. He was replaced by “Turk” Broda for the 1936-37 season and retired. The Canadiens brought him back but after a few games he retired.

He died October 9, 1950.