Firstly, it is worth noting that, in regard to Point Shares, Tony Esposito is the franchise leader, which, for any Original Six franchise, is a significant accomplishment. Esposito arrived in Chicago when he was left unprotected in the 1969 Intra-League Draft, and he received the opportunity in Chi-Town that he would not have received in Montreal, where he would become anointed the Blackhawks’ starting Goalie.
Esposito was a workhorse for Chicago, leading the NHL in Minutes Played six times while being the runner-up another four. He not only played a lot of games, but he also excelled in them. Esposito was a five-time Saves leader, a one-time GAA leader, a two-time Save Percentage leader, and he would also lead the National Hockey League in Wins twice, and as of this writing, is ninth all-time.
While Tony Esposito did not win a Stanley Cup, he did not have the horses in front of him like Glenn Hall did. This is still a backstop who won the Vezina Trophy three times and was one of the top three Goalies of the 1970s. The pioneer of the butterfly style would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, and his #35 was retired by the team that year.
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