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Joseph Jacques Plante (Born January 17, 1929 in
Shawinigan Falls, Québec; died February 27, 1986)
was a Canada|Canadian ice hockey player. He played
goaltender. His nickname was "Jake the Snake".


==Playing Career==

Plante began playing in the National Hockey
League|NHL in 1952 for the Montreal Canadiens,
where he became well known and played the majority
of his career. 

Plante is not generally acclaimed as "the greatest
goalie of all time," but his contributions to how
the position of goalie is understood are beyond
that of any other individual. Plante was the first
goalie to skate behind the net to stop the puck (a
now common practice). He also was the first to
raise his arm on an icing (hockey)|icing call to
let his defensemen know what was happening. He
perfected a stand-up style that emphasized
positional play, cutting down the angles and
staying square to the shooter.

His greatest contribution to the game, however,
occurred on November 1, 1959 in sports|1959. He
was hit in the face by a shot from New York
Rangers player Andy Bathgate. He went to the
dressing room for stitches. When he returned, he
was wearing a goalie mask. His coach, Toe Blake,
was livid, but he had no other goalie to call upon
and Plante refused to return to the goal unless he
kept the mask. Blake agreed on the condition that
Plante discard the mask when the cut healed. Only
Camille Henry beat him in that game which the
Canadiens won 3-1.  In the ensuing days Plante
refused to discard the mask, and as the Canadiens
continued to win, Blake became less obstinate. The
winning streak stretched to 18 games. Plante
didn't wear the mask, at Blake's request, against
Detroit on March 8, 1960 in sports|1960. The
Canadiens lost 3-0, and the mask returned for good
the next night. Plante designed his own mask and
masks for other goalies. Hockey Hall of Fame|Hall
of Famer Bernie Parent was among those who wore
Plante's masks. Although Plante was not the first
NHL goalie to wear a face mask (the honor going to
Montreal Maroons goaltender Clint Benedict),
Plante was the person who introduced the mask as
everyday equipment, which continues to this day.



He was traded in the 1963 offseason to the New
York Rangers with Phil Goyette and Don Marshall
for Dave Balon, Leon Rochefort, Len Ronson and
Gump Worsley, seemingly nearing the end of his
career at age 34. He played another two
(lackluster) seasons for the Rangers before
retiring in 1965. 

In September of 1967, at the age of 36, he was
lured back to the National Hockey League|NHL by
former Canadiens teammate Bert Olmstead, who had
been named coach and general manager of the
expansion Oakland Seals|Calfornia Seals. Plante
signed a training camp try-out contract with the
Oakland Seals|Seals, but his contract rights still
belonged to the New York Rangers|Rangers. He left
the Seals' training camp and returned to his
retirement.

But another chance to play was offered to him by
the St. Louis Blues, who had claimed him off the
Rangers roster in the Intra-League Draft on June
8|June 8th, 1968. His return to the National
Hockey League|NHL was successful, as he and
teammate Glenn Hall split goaltender|goaltending
duties to lead the St. Louis Blues|Blues to the
Stanley Cup Finals in 1969. They shared the Vezina
Trophy as best goaltenders in the league that
season.

He played another splendid season in St. Louis,
but with up-and-coming goalie Ernie Wakely on the
team, the aged Plante was sold to the Toronto
Maple Leafs in May, 1970.  In his first season
with the Leafs he proved he was not past it by
leading the league with the third lowest goals
against average (1.88) of the entire expansion era
(up to the last few seasons) and was named a
league Second Team All-Star.

His third season was not as successful, and he was
traded again near the end 1972–1973 to the
Boston Bruins for goaltender Ed Johnston.  He
recorded a long-remembered shutout in his Bruins
debut against Chicago and remained very effective
in eight regular-season games, but played poorly
in two playoff games, and at age 44, Plante's long
NHL career was finally over.

He joined the rival World Hockey Association in
1973 as general manager of the Quebec Nordiques,
but lasted only one season there before being
lured out of retirement yet again to play for the
World Hockey Association|WHA team which held his
playing rights: the Edmonton Oilers. He played one
season for the Oilers before retiring for the
third and last time at age 46.

Jacques Plante died of stomach cancer in Sierre,
Valais, Switzerland, where he had been living for
a number of years.  He was only 57 years old.

==Awards==
* Vezina Memorial Trophy, as top goaltender of the
Quebec Senior Hockey League (1953)
* Vezina Trophy (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960,
1962, 1969; shared with Glenn Hall)
* First Team All-Star Goalie (1956, 1959, 1962)
* Second Team All-Star Goalie (1957, 1958, 1960,
1971) 
* Hart Memorial Trophy (1962)
* played in 8 All-Star games (1956, 1957, 1958,
1959, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1970)
* inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978
* Jacques Plante Trophy, awarded to the top
goaltender in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey
League, named for him

==Records==


==Career Statistics==
===Regular Season===
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
width="75%"
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" | Season
! ALIGN="center" | Team
! ALIGN="center" | League
! ALIGN="center" | GP
! ALIGN="center" | W
! ALIGN="center" | L
! ALIGN="center" | T
! ALIGN="center" | MIN
! ALIGN="center" | GA
! ALIGN="center" | SO
! ALIGN="center" | GAA
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1947-48
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QJHL
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 120
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2.50
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1947-48
| align="center" | Quebec
| align="center" | QJHL
| align="center" | 31
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1840
| align="center" | 87
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 2.84
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1948-49
| align="center" | Quebec
| align="center" | QJHL
| align="center" | 47
| align="center" | 35
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 2860
| align="center" | 95
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 1.99
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1949-50
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 58
| align="center" | 27
| align="center" | 22
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 3480
| align="center" | 180
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.10
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1950-51
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 60
| align="center" | 28
| align="center" | 29
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 3670
| align="center" | 201
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3.29
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1951-52
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 60
| align="center" | 30
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 3560
| align="center" | 201
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3.39
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1952-53
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 29
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1760
| align="center" | 61
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 2.08
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1952-53
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 180
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 1.33
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1952-53
| align="center" | Buffalo
| align="center" | AHL
| align="center" | 33
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 19
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 2000
| align="center" | 114
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 3.42
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1953-54
| align="center" | Buffalo
| align="center" | AHL
| align="center" | 55
| align="center" | 32
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 3370
| align="center" | 148
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2.64
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1953-54
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1020
| align="center" | 27
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1.59
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1954-55
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 52
| align="center" | 31
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 3080
| align="center" | 110
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 2.14
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1955-56
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 64
| align="center" | 42
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 3840
| align="center" | 119
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 1.86
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1956-57
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 61
| align="center" | 31
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 3660
| align="center" | 123
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 2.02
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1957-58
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 57
| align="center" | 34
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 3386
| align="center" | 119
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 2.11
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1958-59
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 67
| align="center" | 38
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 4000
| align="center" | 144
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 2.16
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1959-60
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 69
| align="center" | 40
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 4140
| align="center" | 175
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2.54
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1960-61
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | EPHL
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 480
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.00
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1960-61
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 40
| align="center" | 22
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 2400
| align="center" | 112
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 2.80
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1961-62
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 70
| align="center" | 42
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 4200
| align="center" | 166
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 2.37
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1962-63
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 56
| align="center" | 22
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 19
| align="center" | 3320
| align="center" | 138
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 2.49
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1963-64
| align="center" | New York
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 65
| align="center" | 22
| align="center" | 36
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 3900
| align="center" | 220
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 3.38
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1964-65
| align="center" | New York
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 33
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1938
| align="center" | 109
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 3.37
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1964-65
| align="center" | Baltimore
| align="center" | AHL
| align="center" | 17
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1018
| align="center" | 51
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 3.01
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1968-69
| align="center" | St. Louis
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 37
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 2139
| align="center" | 70
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1.96
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1969-70
| align="center" | St. Louis
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 32
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1839
| align="center" | 67
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 2.19
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1970-71
| align="center" | Toronto
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 40
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 2329
| align="center" | 73
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1.88
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1971-72
| align="center" | Toronto
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 34
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1965
| align="center" | 86
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 2.63
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1972-73
| align="center" | Toronto
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 32
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 1717
| align="center" | 87
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 3.04
|- ALIGN="center" 
| align="center" | 1972-73
| align="center" | Boston
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 480
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 2.00
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1974-75
| align="center" | Edmonton
| align="center" | WHA
| align="center" | 31
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1592
| align="center" | 88
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 3.32
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" align="center" | NHL CAREER TOTALS
! align="center" | 837
! align="center" | 434
! align="center" | 247
! align="center" | 146
! align="center" | 49533
! align="center" | 1965
! align="center" | 82
! align="center" | 2.38
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" align="center" | WHA CAREER TOTALS
! align="center" | 31
! align="center" | 15
! align="center" | 14
! align="center" | 1
! align="center" | 1592
! align="center" | 88
! align="center" | 1
! align="center" | 3.32
|}

===Post Season===
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
width="75%"
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
 
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! ALIGN="center" | Season
! ALIGN="center" | Team
! ALIGN="center" | League
! ALIGN="center" | GP
! ALIGN="center" | W
! ALIGN="center" | L
! ALIGN="center" | T
! ALIGN="center" | MIN
! ALIGN="center" | GA
! ALIGN="center" | SO
! ALIGN="center" | GAA
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1947-48
| align="center" | Quebec
| align="center" | QJHL
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 545
| align="center" | 28
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 3.08
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1948-49
| align="center" | Quebec
| align="center" | QJHL
| align="center" | 13
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 790
| align="center" | 43
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.27
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1949-50
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | ??
| align="center" | ??
| align="center" | ??
| align="center" | 360
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.33
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1950-51
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 420
| align="center" | 26
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 3.71
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1951-52
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | QSHL
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 420
| align="center" | 21
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 3.00
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1952-53
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 240
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1.75
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1953-54
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 480
| align="center" | 15
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 1.88
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1954-55
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 12
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 640
| align="center" | 30
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2.81
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1955-56
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 600
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 1.80
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1956-57
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 616
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1.75
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1957-58
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 618
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1.94
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1958-59
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 670
| align="center" | 28
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2.51
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1959-60
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 489
| align="center" | 11
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 1.35
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1960-61
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 412
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2.33
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1961-62
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 360
| align="center" | 19
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.17
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1962-63
| align="center" | Montreal
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 300
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2.80
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1964-65
| align="center" | Baltimore
| align="center" | AHL
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 315
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 2.67
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1968-69
| align="center" | St. Louis
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 589
| align="center" | 14
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 1.43
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1969-70
| align="center" | St. Louis
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 324
| align="center" | 8
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1.48
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1970-71
| align="center" | Toronto
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 134
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3.13
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| align="center" | 1971-72
| align="center" | Toronto
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 60
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 5.00
|- ALIGN="center"
| align="center" | 1972-73
| align="center" | Boston
| align="center" | NHL
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 120
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 5.00
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" align="center" | NHL CAREER TOTALS
! align="center" | 112
! align="center" | 71
! align="center" | 37
! align="center" | 0
! align="center" | 6652
! align="center" | 240
! align="center" | 14
! align="center" | 2.16
|}