Tony Esposito, who as a rookie in his first of 15 N.H.L. seasons as the Chicago Blackhawks’ goaltender recorded an astonishing 15 shutouts, earning the nickname Tony O, died on Tuesday, August 10th. This news comes from the Chicago Blackhawks. The hockey star was 78 years old.
Despite it not being immediately clear when he died, the cause is said to be pancreatic cancer, per the official statement.
Esposito joined the Blackhawks for the 1969-70 season, winning the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year and the first of three Vezina Trophies as the league’s best goaltender. He was an early pioneer of the butterfly style of goaltending in an era when stand-up was prevalent.
Tony O played all but 13 games of his 16-season N.H.L. career with Chicago. Esposito’s 423 wins rank 10th on the N.H.L.’s career list for goalies. Chicago retired his No. 35 in 1988, and he had worked as a team ambassador since 2008.
Esposito was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, four years after his older brother Phil, a forward who was one of the most prolific scorers in N.H.L. history with Chicago, the Boston Bruins and the Rangers.
In 2017, as the N.H.L. approached its 100th anniversary, both Tony and Phil Esposito were named among the league’s 100 greatest players.
After retiring as a player in 1984, Esposito was named the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988. In his first year with the Penguins, Esposito led the team to the Stanley Cup playoffs, ending a six-year postseason drought.
According to the Blackhawks’ statement, Tony O is survived by his brother Phil, his wife, Marilyn; his sons, Mark and Jason; and his grandchildren, Lauren and Kamryn.
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