Eddie Giacomin, Rangers Hall of Famer, dies at 86
Former New York Rangers goaltender led the club to the 1972 Stanley Cup Final and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.
Eddie Giacomin, the fiery and celebrated goaltender who anchored the New York Rangers for more than a decade and was later enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, has died. The NHL Alumni Association announced Monday that Giacomin was 86.
Giacomin spent 11 seasons of his 13-year NHL career with the Rangers before he was placed on waivers early in the 1975-76 season and claimed by the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 29, 1975. Over 11 years in New York, he posted a 267-172-89 record with a .905 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average. He finished his NHL career with a 290-209-95 record, a .902 save percentage and a 2.82 goals-against average.
The Sudbury, Ontario native is best remembered for leading the Rangers to the 1972 Stanley Cup Final, where New York lost to Boston in six games. Teammates and team officials credited Giacomin with providing steady leadership and competitive intensity during the stretch of success that helped define the club in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Giacomin led the NHL in games played for four consecutive seasons from 1967 through 1970 and topped the league in shutouts in 1967, 1968 and 1971. He appeared in six NHL All-Star Games between 1967 and 1973 and shared the Vezina Trophy with teammate Gilles Villemure in 1971, an award then given to the league’s top goaltenders.
"Eddie Giacomin was an integral member of the New York Rangers for a decade and personified what being a Ranger is all about, both to his teammates and the Blueshirts faithful," the Rangers said in a statement posted on social media Monday. "You cannot discuss the history of this organization and not immediately think of Eddie. The great Rod Gilbert called him the heart of their team, and we cannot think of a greater honor to bestow on one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game. Our thoughts are with Eddie’s family, friends and teammates during this incredibly difficult time."
After retiring as a player in January 1978, Giacomin remained in the game as a broadcaster for the New York Islanders and later worked behind the bench as an assistant coach for the Islanders and the Red Wings. He also spent time on the Rangers’ staff as a goaltending coach.
Giacomin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987. The Rangers retired his No. 1 jersey and raised it to the Garden rafters on March 15, 1989, making it the second Rangers number retired after Rod Gilbert’s No. 7.
The NHL Alumni Association, the Rangers and former teammates offered condolences on social media and in statements following the announcement. No cause of death was provided in the initial announcement. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.