Top 10 forgotten hockey legends from the NHL pre-expansion era feat. Jacques Plante

The pre-expansion era, including the Original Six Era, was a time when the NHL featured six primary teams alongside other clubs that later folded. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers built professional hockey in North America from the ground up.

The pre-expansion era ended in 1967 when new teams entered the league. The NHL added franchises regularly until 1979 when the WHA and NHL merger brought in four more clubs. The NHL didn't expand in the 1980s but resumed its growth in the 1990s.

As another season approaches, it’s worth looking back at the Original Six Era. Some of the NHL’s most legendary players, with trophies named after them, are largely forgotten in today’s fast-paced, metrics-driven NHL.

Top 10 forgotten hockey legends from the NHL pre-expansion era

#10. Terry Sawchuk

Sawchuk was a Red Wings legend, becoming the winningest goalie in NHL history. He also played for the Leafs, Bruins and Rangers while adding one season with the LA Kings. Patrick Roy eventually broke Sawchuk’s wins record in the early 2000s.

#9. King Clancy

Francis “King” Clancy was known as a tenacious player. Standing roughly 5’7”, he was no stranger to dropping the gloves. Clancy played 592 games from 1921 to 1937 with the original Ottawa Senators and the Leafs.

The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the player who benefits their community the most.

#8. Johnny Bower

Bower is regarded as the best goalie in Leafs’ history. He played in over 550 games, winning 250. His playoff heroics enabled the Leafs to win four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, including the team’s most recent in 1967.

#7. Maurice Richard

Richard is considered the best player in Montreal Canadiens history. He was the NHL’s first pure scorer and its first player to net 50 goals in a season.

Richard played nearly 1,000 games from 1942 to 1960, scoring 544 goals. The Rocket Richard Trophy, named in his honor, is awarded to the league’s top goal scorer each year.

#6. George Armstrong

Armstrong hoisted the Maple Leafs’ most recent Stanley Cup in 1967. Armstrong played in almost 1,200 contests for the blue and white from 1949 to 1971. He registered 713 points and still ranks among the club’s all-time scoring leaders.

#5. Eddie Shore

Shore was the Original Six’s version of an elite top-pairing defenseman. Shore anchored the Bruins’ blue line from 1926 to 1940. During that time, he registered 105 goals and 284 points, a number unmatched for a defenseman of his generation.

He is fondly remembered as one of the Bruins’ all-time greats, often ranked above other Bruins legends such as Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque.

#4. Andy Bathgate

Rangers legend Andy Bathgate played 12 seasons in New York between 1952 and 1964. During that time, he set numerous franchise records. He would compete with other clubs for several more seasons, playing in over 1,000 games and notching a total of 973 points.

#3. Jean Beliveau

Beliveau played his entire career in Montreal, spanning from 1950 to 1971. During that time, Beliveau played in 1,125 games and scored 507 goals. Along with Maurice Richard, he is considered one of the best scorers in league history.

#2. Glenn Hall

Hall is generally considered the Chicago Blackhawks' best all-time goalie. He played with the Hawks from 1952 to 1967 and then moved to the expansion St. Louis Blues in 1968. His 2.50 GAA ranks among the best for goalies during the Original Six era.

#1. Jacques Plante

Plante was a stone wall for the Canadiens in the 1950s and 1960s. Plante played in 1,125 games with the Habs, winning 507. Plante still ranks among the winningest NHL goalies.

Plante is also remembered as the first goalie to wear a mask in a game in 1959. Following a shot he stopped from Andy Bathgate, Plante suffered a nose gash. Plante left the game but returned wearing a mask per the doctor’s orders.

Masks are now mandatory, primarily due to Plante’s pioneering endeavors.