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Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey
The first full-scale biography of a legendary and award-winning NHL goalie who transformed the game.
“There are a lot of very good goalies, there are even a fair number of great goalies. But there aren’t many important goalies. And Jacques Plante was an important goalie.” Ken Dryden
On and off the ice Jacques Plante was a true original; he was extremely talented, boastful, defiant, mysterious, and complex. Throughout his tumultuous career as a goalie, he played for Montreal, New York, St. Louis, Toronto, Boston, and Edmonton. His contributions to and impact on the game were extensive and are reflected in today’s rules, equipment, and style of play. Thoroughly investigated through archival and primary research, and including interviews with figures such as Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard, Dickie Moore, and Scotty Bowman, this biography sheds light on one of the most pivotal figures in the history of hockey.
“There are a lot of very good goalies, there are even a fair number of great goalies. But there aren’t many important goalies. And Jacques Plante was an important goalie.” Ken Dryden
On and off the ice Jacques Plante was a true original; he was extremely talented, boastful, defiant, mysterious, and complex. Throughout his tumultuous career as a goalie, he played for Montreal, New York, St. Louis, Toronto, Boston, and Edmonton. His contributions to and impact on the game were extensive and are reflected in today’s rules, equipment, and style of play. Thoroughly investigated through archival and primary research, and including interviews with figures such as Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard, Dickie Moore, and Scotty Bowman, this biography sheds light on one of the most pivotal figures in the history of hockey.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 30, 2011
If you're a fan of hockey history at all, you will enjoy this book. It moves at a quick pace and keeps your attention throughout. It was a hard book to put down. Every aspect of the life and career of this unique hockey innovator is covered well and is thoroughly researched. The many footnotes give the impression of reading a research paper as well as a biography. Especially interesting were the sections covering his many comebacks later in his career and his post-playing days.
May 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I’m a goalie and obviously know a fair amount about Jacques Plante but there was many things I wasn’t aware of. In my opinion (and many others), he has made a huge impact on the game of hockey and especially to goaltending. He was an incredibly skilled and hardworking goaltender. He played goal for 27+ years. Plante was considered the leading expert in goaltending because of his vast knowledge and experience. He was the first ever goalie coach. When he wasn’t playing goal, he was a hockey commentator, analyst, coach, hockey scout, business owner, author and family man. Plante shaped goaltending to what it is now. He was the first goalie to stickhandle, communicate with his team, play outside his crease, signal icings, first to wear a mask, brought about the two goalie and backup system and exposed that nets were different sizes in the NHL (giving other goalies an advantage in protecting a smaller net).
He was the first of eleven children. They often didn’t wear shoes in the summer except for special occasions like church. His first goalie stick was one carved from a tree root by his father. His first pads were stuffed potato sacks that were enforced with wood panels. He struggled with asthma and had an allergy to eggs. He liked to keep to himself and was considered a loner. He would knit or read to pass the time while on the trains to games. Jacques often played hockey against boys years older than him.
He started to play the puck outside the crease because the team he played on at the time was not very strong. He figured if he was in control of the puck the opponents could not shoot it at him. Throughout his life he was found to be unconventional and changed the traditional style of play. He wore a toque, that he knitted himself, on the ice to keep his ears warm which caused controversy. Plante was able to read players so well because he studied them. He shouted directions to his teammates during games and kept extensive notes on opposing players and teams throughout his career. He had a book on everyone and kept notes on players, goalies, arenas, lighting, and would study the teams. From the stands he watched teams of different leagues to learn anything that might improve his game.
On November 1, 1959 Plante, at 30 years old, wore a goaltender mask for the first time in a regular season game. He had used his mask in practice since 1956. Plante's nose was broken when he was hit by a shot, fired intentionally, by Andy Bathgate to injure Plante three minutes into a game against the New York Rangers. Plante was taken to the dressing room for stitches. When he returned, he was wearing the crude homemade goaltender mask that he had been using in practices. The Montreal coach, Toe Blake, was livid, but he had no other goaltender to call upon and Plante refused to return to the goal unless he wore the mask. Blake agreed on the condition that Plante discard the mask when his face healed. The Canadiens won the game 3–1. During the following days, Plante refused to get rid of the mask but the Canadiens continued to win so the coach was less vocal about it. The unbeaten streak stretched to 18 games. Plante did not wear the mask, at Blake's request, against Detroit on March 8, 1960 and the Canadiens lost 3–0. The mask returned for good the next night. That year the Canadiens won their fifth straight Stanley Cup, which was Plante's last.
After many tests, it was found that Plante played just as well with a mask, if not better, and his vision and sightlines were not impacted. Plante had many injuries previous to wearing a mask due to stopping pucks with his face including four broken noses, broken jaw, two broken cheekbones, and more than 200 stitches. The coach felt that wearing a mask was showing signs of cowardice and a fear of the puck. With their only being six teams and one goalie to a team, teams were quick to replace players that didn’t do what they were told. Plante was able to stand his ground because he proved himself in hockey and the Canadians needed him. The two previous goalies for the Canadians retired early partly due to anxiety. People were shocked when Plante returned in the game but even more so because he looked like something out of a horror movie with his mask. People felt that the mask gave Plante a psychological advantage as it was so unusual and striking that the opponents were caught off guard.
Everyone questioned the effectiveness of the mask. Many people felt he was weak for wearing a mask (even though pucks of speeds up to 100 miles an hour were flying at him) and questioned his manhood. Some of the complaints were from hockey management who felt “it was unfair to female fans who wanted to see the faces of players… Or that if a goalie wanted to wear a mask then where did it stop?? Eventually would the defenseman want a mask. And forwards too. Soon hockey would become a team of faceless, headless robots; all of whom look alike to the spectators which would take away all the fan appeal to hockey”. Others thought it would create blinds spots for the goalie. (The mask would save Jacques Plante’s life years later in a St Louis game.)
Some goalies were against it too. Gump Worsley wondered why a mask was needed after seventy years of hockey without it. Terry Sawchuk didn’t see a reason to start wearing one now after a dozen years of playing hockey. Glenn Hall thought Plante was a wimp. (Each goalie would wear a mask before their careers ended).
Plante was traded from Montreal to New York (Rangers) in 1963. He played for two years before retiring due to injuries to his knee and his wife Jacqueline’s health. He started working with Molson Breweries. Scotty Bowman asked Plante to play for the Montreal Jr. Canadiens in a game against the Soviet National Team. Plante was proud to represent his country and after receiving permission from both the Rangers (who owned his rights) and Molson (where he worked), he began practicing. The Canadiens won 2–1, and Plante was named first star of the game.
Plante came out of retirement to play expansion team St Louis Blues. He was able to defer his salary with the NHL due to being good with money and owning properties and business. St Louis paid him $26,000 a season with $12,000 being deferred for four years. It was a weekend when signing the contract with Scotty Bowman and the secretary was not in so Plante typed the contract back himself.
Plante split the goaltending duties with Glenn Hall. He won the Vezina Trophy that season for the seventh time, surpassing Bill Durnan's record. While playing for the Blues in the 1969–70 playoffs against the Boston Bruins, a shot fired redirected hit Plante in the forehead, knocking him out and breaking his fiberglass mask. Plante was traded in the summer of 1970 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He led the NHL with the lowest goals against average (GAA) during his first season with the Maple Leafs. At season's end, he was named to the NHL's second All-Star team, his seventh. He continued to play for the Leafs until he was traded to the Boston Bruins late in the 1972–73 season, recording a shutout against the Black Hawks in his debut for the Bruins. He played eight regular season and two playoff games for the Bruins to finish that season, his last in the NHL.
With the Leafs, he had a goals against average of 1.88 which was the best in the league. It was the eighth time he had achieved the feat, to this day an NHL record. Plante finished 5th in voting for the Hart trophy. Plante was named goalie for the All-Star team. Fellow goalies he played against his whole career were all leaving the game but Plante was still receiving many honours. He was playing even better than he had with the Canadien’s. He was 42 and had one of the greatest seasons of a goalie.
Plante accepted a $1 million, 10-year contract to become coach and general manager of the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association in 1973 but resigned at the end of the first season to come out of retirement once more. Plante played 31 games for the Edmonton Oilers of the WHA in the 1974–75 season. Plante retired for good during the Oilers' training camp in 1975–76 after receiving news that his youngest son had died by suicide.
During Plante’s time in the league, the primary statistic for goalies was the goals against average. The statistic was flawed because a goalie could face less shots but have a better average due to the number of goals scored. The save percentage stat was created to track the percentage of shots stopped. Figuring the totals, Plante would have led the league in save percentage four times with the Canadien’s: .929 (2), .925, .923. During the Leaf’s season, at 42, his save percentage was .942 (the runner up goalie in that season was .921). The save percentage of .942 is the highest ever in NHL history passing the official NHL record held by Dominik Hasek of .937. Jacques Plante is the most accomplished goalie in hockey history. He was part of the All Star team eight times, won 7 Vezina trophies, one Hart trophy (only four goaltenders to have done so) and six Stanley cups.
After working with Plante, goalies would see immediate success. Bernie Parent finished the season with a league best seven shutouts, goals against average under 2.22 (second to Ken Dryden) and the team had the lowest amount of goals against them in the league. Other goalies went on to win the Calder Cup or often finished first (or usually top 3 in the league). Some goalies that he trained with advanced to the NHL. Pete Peeters and Pelle Lindbergh won the Vezina. Plante worked with Patrick Roy, Steve Penney, among others. He taught goalies how to be a better goalie and off ice how to handle the pressure and forget bad games.
Plante made comebacks with St Louis, Toronto, Boston and Edmonton after retiring. He played for team Canada at 45 years old in the Summit series (but wasn’t the oldest player as Gordie Howe was on the team). With Edmonton he was playing against the best teams in the league and still winning. His debut with Edmonton included the largest crowd of the team’s history at the time. On games that Plante was playing, fan attendance would increase by a few thousand.
Plante also wrote extensively on hockey. He wrote hockey columns starting early in his career. His book, Goaltending, was published in 1972. In his book, Plante outlined a program of goaltender development that included off-ice exercises, choice of equipment, styles of play, and game-day preparation. He also advised on best coaching methods for both young and advanced goaltenders. His book remains popular with coaches and players. Plante wrote a book on goaltending that is considered the bible of goaltending that is invaluable to many players. People memorized it to help them with their games.
On the day of his final retirement, there wasn’t a goalie that wasn’t wearing a mask. His career lasted from 1947-1975. Plante first retired in 1965 but was later persuaded to return to play for St Louis as one of the new expansion teams. He was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and then to the Boston Bruins in 1973. He joined the World Hockey Association as coach and general manager for the Quebec Nordiques in 1973–74. He then played goal for the Edmonton Oilers in 1974–75.
His company, Fibrosport, produced close to 10,000 masks a year at the peak of their success. The company started to decline when the CSA that certified sports equipment banned fiberglass masks from minor hockey. The company eventually ended after ten years in business.
Filming the movie Face-off, Plante was the double for the goalie. He was to let the star player score on him for different scenes. Each time Plante made a fantastic save. The film production staff was getting frustrated and there was a confrontation between Plante and the staff. After a short delay, over the PA system an announcement was made that “Monsieur Plante wishes it to be known that he is consenting to allow the puck to enter the net”. So the player comes down with a goal assured. But again Plante stops the player cold. After another conversation, the next time the player went down the ice Plante allowed the goal to score.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978, less than three years after retiring. Others inducted were: Marcel Pronovost , who he grew up with in his hometown, and Andy Bathgate, who caused his injuries when he wore a mask for the first time. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1985, he was named to the Montreal Canadiens dream team (with Toe Blake, Doug Harvey, Larry Robinson, Dickie Moore, Maurice Richard, and Jean Beliveau. He backstopped the Candien’s to six Stanley cups, ((including 5 in a row) 1953, 1956-1960). He was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010.
Plante was working as a goalie coach with St Louis when the team thought he didn’t look well and was losing lots of weight. Plante never complained of any pain but after tests was found to have advanced stomach cancer. A few weeks later he passed away at 57 years old. Throughout Quebec the provincial flag flew at half-mast as a tribute to one of the greatest athletes the province had ever seen.
Jacques was married to his first wife Jacqueline for 23 years and had two sons. Plante and his (second) wife Raymonde moved to Switzerland. Plante helped to coach many young goaltenders and running hockey clinics. Raymonde started the Jacques Plante Foundation to honour his legacy. The Foundation aided in the development of young prospective Swiss goaltenders.
Plante was the subject of Heritage Minute, one of only two hockey players to have a film made on them that illustrates a key moment in Canadian history. The Jacques Plante Trophy in the Quebec Junior hockey league is awarded to the goalie with the lowest goals against average. The Shawinigan Arena was renamed the in his honour. In 1998, Hockey News celebrated 50 years by creating a list of the best players in hockey history. He was 13th on the list and second in goalies (behind Sawchuk). In 2000, Time magazine listed Plante as one of the top ten most influential athletes of the century (he was the only hockey player listed and the only Canadian to make the list). In 2000, Canada post created stamps of six hockey legends (Plante, Gretzky, Orr, Howe, Richard, Harvey). In 1995, his #1 jersey was retired at the Forum by the Montreal Canadien’s.
“The greatest tribute to Jacques Plante cant be found on a trophy. The greatest tribute to Jacques Plante takes place every time a game of hockey is played. Every time a goaltender puts on a mask, plays the puck or talks with his defenseman, they are honouring the goalie who has continued influence over the game he loved so much”.
He was the first of eleven children. They often didn’t wear shoes in the summer except for special occasions like church. His first goalie stick was one carved from a tree root by his father. His first pads were stuffed potato sacks that were enforced with wood panels. He struggled with asthma and had an allergy to eggs. He liked to keep to himself and was considered a loner. He would knit or read to pass the time while on the trains to games. Jacques often played hockey against boys years older than him.
He started to play the puck outside the crease because the team he played on at the time was not very strong. He figured if he was in control of the puck the opponents could not shoot it at him. Throughout his life he was found to be unconventional and changed the traditional style of play. He wore a toque, that he knitted himself, on the ice to keep his ears warm which caused controversy. Plante was able to read players so well because he studied them. He shouted directions to his teammates during games and kept extensive notes on opposing players and teams throughout his career. He had a book on everyone and kept notes on players, goalies, arenas, lighting, and would study the teams. From the stands he watched teams of different leagues to learn anything that might improve his game.
On November 1, 1959 Plante, at 30 years old, wore a goaltender mask for the first time in a regular season game. He had used his mask in practice since 1956. Plante's nose was broken when he was hit by a shot, fired intentionally, by Andy Bathgate to injure Plante three minutes into a game against the New York Rangers. Plante was taken to the dressing room for stitches. When he returned, he was wearing the crude homemade goaltender mask that he had been using in practices. The Montreal coach, Toe Blake, was livid, but he had no other goaltender to call upon and Plante refused to return to the goal unless he wore the mask. Blake agreed on the condition that Plante discard the mask when his face healed. The Canadiens won the game 3–1. During the following days, Plante refused to get rid of the mask but the Canadiens continued to win so the coach was less vocal about it. The unbeaten streak stretched to 18 games. Plante did not wear the mask, at Blake's request, against Detroit on March 8, 1960 and the Canadiens lost 3–0. The mask returned for good the next night. That year the Canadiens won their fifth straight Stanley Cup, which was Plante's last.
After many tests, it was found that Plante played just as well with a mask, if not better, and his vision and sightlines were not impacted. Plante had many injuries previous to wearing a mask due to stopping pucks with his face including four broken noses, broken jaw, two broken cheekbones, and more than 200 stitches. The coach felt that wearing a mask was showing signs of cowardice and a fear of the puck. With their only being six teams and one goalie to a team, teams were quick to replace players that didn’t do what they were told. Plante was able to stand his ground because he proved himself in hockey and the Canadians needed him. The two previous goalies for the Canadians retired early partly due to anxiety. People were shocked when Plante returned in the game but even more so because he looked like something out of a horror movie with his mask. People felt that the mask gave Plante a psychological advantage as it was so unusual and striking that the opponents were caught off guard.
Everyone questioned the effectiveness of the mask. Many people felt he was weak for wearing a mask (even though pucks of speeds up to 100 miles an hour were flying at him) and questioned his manhood. Some of the complaints were from hockey management who felt “it was unfair to female fans who wanted to see the faces of players… Or that if a goalie wanted to wear a mask then where did it stop?? Eventually would the defenseman want a mask. And forwards too. Soon hockey would become a team of faceless, headless robots; all of whom look alike to the spectators which would take away all the fan appeal to hockey”. Others thought it would create blinds spots for the goalie. (The mask would save Jacques Plante’s life years later in a St Louis game.)
Some goalies were against it too. Gump Worsley wondered why a mask was needed after seventy years of hockey without it. Terry Sawchuk didn’t see a reason to start wearing one now after a dozen years of playing hockey. Glenn Hall thought Plante was a wimp. (Each goalie would wear a mask before their careers ended).
Plante was traded from Montreal to New York (Rangers) in 1963. He played for two years before retiring due to injuries to his knee and his wife Jacqueline’s health. He started working with Molson Breweries. Scotty Bowman asked Plante to play for the Montreal Jr. Canadiens in a game against the Soviet National Team. Plante was proud to represent his country and after receiving permission from both the Rangers (who owned his rights) and Molson (where he worked), he began practicing. The Canadiens won 2–1, and Plante was named first star of the game.
Plante came out of retirement to play expansion team St Louis Blues. He was able to defer his salary with the NHL due to being good with money and owning properties and business. St Louis paid him $26,000 a season with $12,000 being deferred for four years. It was a weekend when signing the contract with Scotty Bowman and the secretary was not in so Plante typed the contract back himself.
Plante split the goaltending duties with Glenn Hall. He won the Vezina Trophy that season for the seventh time, surpassing Bill Durnan's record. While playing for the Blues in the 1969–70 playoffs against the Boston Bruins, a shot fired redirected hit Plante in the forehead, knocking him out and breaking his fiberglass mask. Plante was traded in the summer of 1970 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He led the NHL with the lowest goals against average (GAA) during his first season with the Maple Leafs. At season's end, he was named to the NHL's second All-Star team, his seventh. He continued to play for the Leafs until he was traded to the Boston Bruins late in the 1972–73 season, recording a shutout against the Black Hawks in his debut for the Bruins. He played eight regular season and two playoff games for the Bruins to finish that season, his last in the NHL.
With the Leafs, he had a goals against average of 1.88 which was the best in the league. It was the eighth time he had achieved the feat, to this day an NHL record. Plante finished 5th in voting for the Hart trophy. Plante was named goalie for the All-Star team. Fellow goalies he played against his whole career were all leaving the game but Plante was still receiving many honours. He was playing even better than he had with the Canadien’s. He was 42 and had one of the greatest seasons of a goalie.
Plante accepted a $1 million, 10-year contract to become coach and general manager of the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association in 1973 but resigned at the end of the first season to come out of retirement once more. Plante played 31 games for the Edmonton Oilers of the WHA in the 1974–75 season. Plante retired for good during the Oilers' training camp in 1975–76 after receiving news that his youngest son had died by suicide.
During Plante’s time in the league, the primary statistic for goalies was the goals against average. The statistic was flawed because a goalie could face less shots but have a better average due to the number of goals scored. The save percentage stat was created to track the percentage of shots stopped. Figuring the totals, Plante would have led the league in save percentage four times with the Canadien’s: .929 (2), .925, .923. During the Leaf’s season, at 42, his save percentage was .942 (the runner up goalie in that season was .921). The save percentage of .942 is the highest ever in NHL history passing the official NHL record held by Dominik Hasek of .937. Jacques Plante is the most accomplished goalie in hockey history. He was part of the All Star team eight times, won 7 Vezina trophies, one Hart trophy (only four goaltenders to have done so) and six Stanley cups.
After working with Plante, goalies would see immediate success. Bernie Parent finished the season with a league best seven shutouts, goals against average under 2.22 (second to Ken Dryden) and the team had the lowest amount of goals against them in the league. Other goalies went on to win the Calder Cup or often finished first (or usually top 3 in the league). Some goalies that he trained with advanced to the NHL. Pete Peeters and Pelle Lindbergh won the Vezina. Plante worked with Patrick Roy, Steve Penney, among others. He taught goalies how to be a better goalie and off ice how to handle the pressure and forget bad games.
Plante made comebacks with St Louis, Toronto, Boston and Edmonton after retiring. He played for team Canada at 45 years old in the Summit series (but wasn’t the oldest player as Gordie Howe was on the team). With Edmonton he was playing against the best teams in the league and still winning. His debut with Edmonton included the largest crowd of the team’s history at the time. On games that Plante was playing, fan attendance would increase by a few thousand.
Plante also wrote extensively on hockey. He wrote hockey columns starting early in his career. His book, Goaltending, was published in 1972. In his book, Plante outlined a program of goaltender development that included off-ice exercises, choice of equipment, styles of play, and game-day preparation. He also advised on best coaching methods for both young and advanced goaltenders. His book remains popular with coaches and players. Plante wrote a book on goaltending that is considered the bible of goaltending that is invaluable to many players. People memorized it to help them with their games.
On the day of his final retirement, there wasn’t a goalie that wasn’t wearing a mask. His career lasted from 1947-1975. Plante first retired in 1965 but was later persuaded to return to play for St Louis as one of the new expansion teams. He was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and then to the Boston Bruins in 1973. He joined the World Hockey Association as coach and general manager for the Quebec Nordiques in 1973–74. He then played goal for the Edmonton Oilers in 1974–75.
His company, Fibrosport, produced close to 10,000 masks a year at the peak of their success. The company started to decline when the CSA that certified sports equipment banned fiberglass masks from minor hockey. The company eventually ended after ten years in business.
Filming the movie Face-off, Plante was the double for the goalie. He was to let the star player score on him for different scenes. Each time Plante made a fantastic save. The film production staff was getting frustrated and there was a confrontation between Plante and the staff. After a short delay, over the PA system an announcement was made that “Monsieur Plante wishes it to be known that he is consenting to allow the puck to enter the net”. So the player comes down with a goal assured. But again Plante stops the player cold. After another conversation, the next time the player went down the ice Plante allowed the goal to score.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978, less than three years after retiring. Others inducted were: Marcel Pronovost , who he grew up with in his hometown, and Andy Bathgate, who caused his injuries when he wore a mask for the first time. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1985, he was named to the Montreal Canadiens dream team (with Toe Blake, Doug Harvey, Larry Robinson, Dickie Moore, Maurice Richard, and Jean Beliveau. He backstopped the Candien’s to six Stanley cups, ((including 5 in a row) 1953, 1956-1960). He was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010.
Plante was working as a goalie coach with St Louis when the team thought he didn’t look well and was losing lots of weight. Plante never complained of any pain but after tests was found to have advanced stomach cancer. A few weeks later he passed away at 57 years old. Throughout Quebec the provincial flag flew at half-mast as a tribute to one of the greatest athletes the province had ever seen.
Jacques was married to his first wife Jacqueline for 23 years and had two sons. Plante and his (second) wife Raymonde moved to Switzerland. Plante helped to coach many young goaltenders and running hockey clinics. Raymonde started the Jacques Plante Foundation to honour his legacy. The Foundation aided in the development of young prospective Swiss goaltenders.
Plante was the subject of Heritage Minute, one of only two hockey players to have a film made on them that illustrates a key moment in Canadian history. The Jacques Plante Trophy in the Quebec Junior hockey league is awarded to the goalie with the lowest goals against average. The Shawinigan Arena was renamed the in his honour. In 1998, Hockey News celebrated 50 years by creating a list of the best players in hockey history. He was 13th on the list and second in goalies (behind Sawchuk). In 2000, Time magazine listed Plante as one of the top ten most influential athletes of the century (he was the only hockey player listed and the only Canadian to make the list). In 2000, Canada post created stamps of six hockey legends (Plante, Gretzky, Orr, Howe, Richard, Harvey). In 1995, his #1 jersey was retired at the Forum by the Montreal Canadien’s.
“The greatest tribute to Jacques Plante cant be found on a trophy. The greatest tribute to Jacques Plante takes place every time a game of hockey is played. Every time a goaltender puts on a mask, plays the puck or talks with his defenseman, they are honouring the goalie who has continued influence over the game he loved so much”.
January 10, 2020
One of the most important and greatest goalies of all time, now sadly largely forgotten, but for me, he was the first truly great, uber "elite" goalie and this is an excellent book about him.
May 11, 2010
In the history of the NHL, there have been very few players that are as unique, as Jacques Plante. In this biography, Todd Denault explores the very essence that is the legendary goaltender.
In this account of the goaler’s life, called Jacques Plante the Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey, Todd Denault follows the life of this legend, from as a child living in poverty in Québec, up to his death at age 57, in Switzerland.
During his 20 year stand in the NHL, Plante played for the Montreal Canadians, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the St. Louis Blues, and the Boston Bruins. He also won 6 Stanley Cups, including 5 consecutive with the Montreal Canadians. This still stands as an NHL record.
But the reason the Plante is such a memorable goalie is not because he won 5 straight cups or because he was the best goalie in the league back in the day, but it is because of the ways that he changed the game. Plante is considered the inventor of the idea of stopping pucks behind his net. He said that he started doing this because it was a necessity to win, “Our four defensemen had flaws… one couldn’t skate backwards, one couldn’t turn to his left, one couldn’t turn to his right, and one couldn’t pass the puck accurately to our blue line. Somebody had to clear those pucks, so I started doing it myself.” (26). These are the words of the goaltender that at the time played for the Montreal Royals. The fact that he was one of the best goalies in the junior leagues even with such poor defensemen shows Plante’s great skill for the game.
But the biggest way that Plante changed the game is how he was the first goaltender to wear a mask. Back in the day, it was considered weak for a goalie to protect his face, now it is considered crazy not to. I guess that he was just ahead of his time, as Plante made his voice be heard, that all goalies should be required to wear masks. “Plante stated that masks should be mandatory for all goalies, blaming the lack of all goalies on the absence of facial protection.” (130). Jacques’s ideas were not crazy, but a little ahead of his time, but in the next couple of decades he would get his wish.
This book was definitely a good read for any sports fan that is interested in hockey. But I would not suggest it to anyone who is not interested in this subject, especially because of the writing style. Todd Denault’s writing style is not one for the literature purest. His writing can often be dull, and full of clichés. But as a whole, I as a hockey fan would rate this book as a four out of five, but if I were not, I would give it a two out of five.
December 22, 2010
One of the best hockey books I've read so far! You really can see that he made a lot of research. Usually I can't stand books that were written by authors who haven't really witnessed any of the happenings but this was very well written and didn't bore me at all even though I already heard some of the stories that were told. I'd recommend this to anyone who's eager to learn more about the Canadiens or simply the hockey history!
January 5, 2020
A well-researched and well-written story about one of hockey's greatest innovators. He was a unique individual and sometimes misunderstood by his managers and teammates. A true student of the game, he always wanted to make it better. His book Goaltending is a must read for anyone pondering the guarding of the 4' x 6' net.
July 6, 2024
The masked marvel Jacques Plante is served well in this hockey biography. One wonders why he sometimes is not mentioned as the greatest goalie of all time, which he very much could be. A loner, egotist, hypochrondriac and gifted analyst, Plante was an interesting man. He also made his mark with the greatest team of all time, the 1956-60 Montreal Canadiens, and had other highs like his time with St. Louis and Toronto. To this day Plante is my favourite Maple Leafs goaltender ever. He played with such style, and his season at the age of 41 for Toronto was one of his best years ever.
Denault writes of Plante's determination to improve, his preparation, the book he had on every player in the National Hockey League. Some called him a selfish malingerer but his record number of Vezina Trophies and sheer will to win showed otherwise.
One tidbit I did not know, Plante wore a touque in net, right until the time he was called up to the Canadiens, when he dropped it. Of course his pioneering work wearing a mask showed his determination again. The old school coaches like his own Toe Blake didn't like it, but Plante proved to be a visionary in that regard.
Well done by Todd Denault!
Denault writes of Plante's determination to improve, his preparation, the book he had on every player in the National Hockey League. Some called him a selfish malingerer but his record number of Vezina Trophies and sheer will to win showed otherwise.
One tidbit I did not know, Plante wore a touque in net, right until the time he was called up to the Canadiens, when he dropped it. Of course his pioneering work wearing a mask showed his determination again. The old school coaches like his own Toe Blake didn't like it, but Plante proved to be a visionary in that regard.
Well done by Todd Denault!
December 2, 2022
Not the usual book I would read but my husband was slowly working through it so I picked it up when he wasn’t around. Hardly a spoiler here but Jacques Plante revolutionized the role of the goalie in hockey. He was the first to roam around the crease, he picked up the puck in the corners and passed it to his defenders, he talked to his defenders so they played as one unit, he wrote the definitive book on goal keeping AND was the pioneer on wearing a goalie mask. He also led the Montreal Canadiens to multiple Stanley Cups and won the Vezina trophy many times. Behind Plante though is the story of the early days of hockey with six teams and fans throwing garbage at you. Teams only had one goalie. Imagine playing with no mask or helmet in an unfriendly arena. I found that history as fascinating as Plante’s story.
October 29, 2024
What a phenomenal book on the Professor of professional hockey goaltending! A true champion, first mask wearer who innovated that valuable piece of protection and the best-ever GAA at age 42!
Plante was a complicated man, a mix of introvert & extrovert, but an integral key in advancing the toughest position in hockey into a craft.
Writer Denault created a perfect biography on one of the best athletes and sports teachers Canada has ever seen. Even more amazing is that Plante passed away years before this touching tribute to him was published!
Plante was a complicated man, a mix of introvert & extrovert, but an integral key in advancing the toughest position in hockey into a craft.
Writer Denault created a perfect biography on one of the best athletes and sports teachers Canada has ever seen. Even more amazing is that Plante passed away years before this touching tribute to him was published!
April 15, 2021
Must read for any hockey fan
November 22, 2025
A beautifully written biography of one of the best goalkeepers to ever play. Well researched and very accessible to any hockey fan. One of the best by one of the best!!
February 3, 2025
Review for Jacques Plante can be found on Hockey Blog In Canada.
May 19, 2012
I have never met Jacques Plante. I've never seen him play, except on television through the magic of cross-border television broadcasts of Hockey Night in Canada. Still, I've read enough about – and by – the man that I feel I have some background into who he was and what he brought to the sport of hockey, and to the world.
Now, courtesy of Todd Denault's first full-length book, “Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey”, I feel I know much more. Denault goes into depth on the development of the first(*) goalie mask - and its baptism of fire. He reviews the evolution of the wandering, and the covering of the angles. He even mentions the communication on the ice; rather than stand there silently, Plante would use his unique vantage point to shout instructions to his teammates. All of these commonplace today; all of them revolutionary when Plante first did them.
He also covers lesser know things, like Plante's public admonition that goal cages around the league were not of consistent size. (It turned out that they all had 4' posts, but some had the crossbar welded to the top, and some to the insides, resulting in a differential of 2” of height.) He shows the events that led to Plante's departure from each team that he played for – few of them amicably. (I was especially interested to read of his acrimonious relationship with Harry Sinden and the Boston Bruins, which only got worse in the year after he left for Quebec.)
Denault did omit one important thing – WHY did Plante feel the need to provide coaching to the RUSSIAN goaltender Vladislav Tretiak before Game 1 of the 1972 Summit Series between the USSR and Canada? To this day, I have no idea what motivated that controversial action. It's hard to fault the author on this point, however; it is probable that Jacques Plante is the only person who ever knew why he chose to take that action, and if so, he took that secret to his grave. (Denault cover the incident, and he does offer some speculation – which at this point is probably the best any hockey writer can do!)
Perhaps the best compliment that I can pay the author is that it is difficult for me to believe that this is Todd Denault's first full-length book. I already have his 2nd – The Greatest Game – in my possession and am looking forward to reading it in 2013.
(*) Yes, Denault does mention that George Hainesworth wore a version of a mask for part of one game much earlier in hockey history.
Now, courtesy of Todd Denault's first full-length book, “Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey”, I feel I know much more. Denault goes into depth on the development of the first(*) goalie mask - and its baptism of fire. He reviews the evolution of the wandering, and the covering of the angles. He even mentions the communication on the ice; rather than stand there silently, Plante would use his unique vantage point to shout instructions to his teammates. All of these commonplace today; all of them revolutionary when Plante first did them.
He also covers lesser know things, like Plante's public admonition that goal cages around the league were not of consistent size. (It turned out that they all had 4' posts, but some had the crossbar welded to the top, and some to the insides, resulting in a differential of 2” of height.) He shows the events that led to Plante's departure from each team that he played for – few of them amicably. (I was especially interested to read of his acrimonious relationship with Harry Sinden and the Boston Bruins, which only got worse in the year after he left for Quebec.)
Denault did omit one important thing – WHY did Plante feel the need to provide coaching to the RUSSIAN goaltender Vladislav Tretiak before Game 1 of the 1972 Summit Series between the USSR and Canada? To this day, I have no idea what motivated that controversial action. It's hard to fault the author on this point, however; it is probable that Jacques Plante is the only person who ever knew why he chose to take that action, and if so, he took that secret to his grave. (Denault cover the incident, and he does offer some speculation – which at this point is probably the best any hockey writer can do!)
Perhaps the best compliment that I can pay the author is that it is difficult for me to believe that this is Todd Denault's first full-length book. I already have his 2nd – The Greatest Game – in my possession and am looking forward to reading it in 2013.
(*) Yes, Denault does mention that George Hainesworth wore a version of a mask for part of one game much earlier in hockey history.
April 16, 2011
I first knew of Jacques Plante through Canada's Heritage Minutes - those televised history segments honouring famous Canadians - before I had even watched a hockey game. We're all familiar with shot from Andy Bathgate now, the one that allowed Plante to don a mask and change the face of the game.
This was a very enjoyable read. I'm not a Habs fan myself, but I do appreciate the history behind the oldest franchise, especially all the greats they've had holding their forts during their lucrative years. Todd Denault charts Plante's life from his humble beginnings in small-town Quebec, instilling in him a sense of pride and frugality that lasted beyond his years as a goaltending legend. An eccentric example of this was Plante being an avid knitter, making his own toques, which he seemingly wore as a statement piece because no one else did it. Teammates also remembered him as being a reclusive man, keeping to himself during long road trips between games. Even though he is first and foremost known with the Canadiens jersey, he also played for the Rangers, Blues, Leafs (recording his all-time best SV%), Bruins, and Oilers (WHA). With seven Vezinas, six Stanley Cups, and one Hart Trophy, it's hard not to be impressed with his accomplishments, but most importantly were the changes he made to the game: playing the puck outside the net to help out his defencemen, communicating with his defense, assiduously studying other goalies to refine his own skills, and becoming the first goaltending coach.
The interviews from his teammates, friends, and adversaries personalized this book, along with some vintage photos included. The books credited in the bibliography are great resources too, if you're curious like me and can't get enough of hockey books.
This was a very enjoyable read. I'm not a Habs fan myself, but I do appreciate the history behind the oldest franchise, especially all the greats they've had holding their forts during their lucrative years. Todd Denault charts Plante's life from his humble beginnings in small-town Quebec, instilling in him a sense of pride and frugality that lasted beyond his years as a goaltending legend. An eccentric example of this was Plante being an avid knitter, making his own toques, which he seemingly wore as a statement piece because no one else did it. Teammates also remembered him as being a reclusive man, keeping to himself during long road trips between games. Even though he is first and foremost known with the Canadiens jersey, he also played for the Rangers, Blues, Leafs (recording his all-time best SV%), Bruins, and Oilers (WHA). With seven Vezinas, six Stanley Cups, and one Hart Trophy, it's hard not to be impressed with his accomplishments, but most importantly were the changes he made to the game: playing the puck outside the net to help out his defencemen, communicating with his defense, assiduously studying other goalies to refine his own skills, and becoming the first goaltending coach.
The interviews from his teammates, friends, and adversaries personalized this book, along with some vintage photos included. The books credited in the bibliography are great resources too, if you're curious like me and can't get enough of hockey books.
May 18, 2015
An excellent book, thoroughly researched and well-written! Because of its presentation style, Jacques Plante is best for adults. I recommend it to those who enjoy reading about the sport of hockey and its history, the Canadiens, goalies, etc. Jacques was an amazing man!
January 19, 2011
A great subject. Too much of the book relied on old newspaper articles. There was not enough interviews of the old Canadiens.............
June 11, 2013
Very good book on the career and the personality of the most important goalie in hockey history.
April 8, 2010
A fabulous examination of a fascinating trendsetter.
August 11, 2014
A great biography about one of the most innovative goaltenders hockey has ever seen.
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November 25, 2017Good
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