Tony Esposito (1943-2021) Ice Hockey Player – Grave Find
Tony Esposito (1943-2021) Ice Hockey Player
| Name | Tony Esposito |
| Age | 78 Years |
| Birth | 23 April 1943 |
| Birthplace | Sault Ste. Marie, Canada |
| Death | 10 August 2021 (aged 78) |
| Deathplace | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
| Profession | Ice Hockey Player |
| Burial | Burial Details Unknown |
| Nationality | American – Canadian |
Tony Esposito Ice Hockey Player (1943-2021)
Professional Hockey Player. He played the goalie position for both the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks from 1968-69 to 1983-84.
He played hockey collegiately at Michigan Tech and was both a three-year hockey letter winner and three time first-team All-America selection.
Before getting a start in the National Hockey League, he played for both the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the Central Hockey League’s Houston Apollos. During the 1968-69 season, he made his debut in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens.
The Chicago Blackhawks claimed him on waivers from the Canadiens before the next season started and he rocketed to fame with a dazzling season, posting a 38-17-8 record with a .932 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average.
He picked up a slew of awards in the process, including the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie and the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie — the first of three Vezina Trophy awards in his career.
In the ’70-71 season, he backstopped the Blackhawks all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against his old team, with Montreal edging Chicago 3-2 in that final game of the series at Chicago Stadium to win the 1971 Stanley Cup.
Tony Esposito remained in Chicago for the rest of his career, playing in 873 games across 15 seasons with the Blackhawks. He amassed a 418-302-148 record with a .906 SV% and 2.93 GAA while being a five-time NHL All-Star.
He also played in 99 postseason games with a 45-53 record, .903 SV% and 3.09 GAA. During his career, he was one of the early adopters of the “butterfly” style of goaltending that is now widespread in the league.
Tony Esposito retired from the NHL in 1984 and was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame four years later. The Blackhawks also honored him by retiring his number 35 .
He later worked as both a general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and a chief scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 2017, he was named as one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players.