Jacques Plante Retires from NHL

June 7, 1965 - Jacques Plante, the NHL’s original masked goalie and one of its fiercest competitors, retired tonight.

The 36-year-old Plante told the New York Ranger’s general manager, Emile Francis, that he wanted to spend more time with his family and that he was tired of traveling.

The slender Plante won the Vezina Trophy six times while with the Montreal Canadiens. The trophy is awarded to the goalie whose team has been scored upon the fewest times. He was traded to the Rangers in 1963.

In 1959, Plante, as a Canadien, became the first goalie to wear a mask in competition. The practice had been frowned upon and derided by the other goalies. But in a game at Madison Square Garden, Andy Bathgate of the Rangers struck Plante in the face with a hard backhand shot. Plante was taken off the ice, and his face was stitched up. When he returned 20 minutes later, he wore the mask.

Throughout his career, Plante had suffered both real and imagined injuries. He had asthma attacks, many of them in Toronto — he insisted he was allergic to the city — that he freely admitted were psychosomatic. Last season, he was hobbled with leg injuries. He recently underwent surgery on his right knee in New York.

“The operation was successful,” Jacques said today, “and has no bearing on my decision to retire. I feel fine, and maybe I could play another four or five years.”

He said he has had a summer job with Molson’s and that there might be a permanent position for him with that firm.

“Jacques is a funny guy,” a Ranger spokesman said. “He could turn around and change his mind. Emile hopes he does.”

Plante is also credited with being the first of the top goalies to leave his accustomed place in front of the net and come out to face an oncoming player.

Since Plante entered the NHL in 1952, the game changed drastically. The slap shot and its resultant strain on goalies forces the clubs to carry two goalies. The Rangers now have two untried netminders.

New York’s No. 1 goalie probably will be Ed Giacomin, who was recently purchased after long negotiations with Providence of the American League. The Rangers also have Gilles Villemure.

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