The goalkeeper who changed hockey forever — the first to wear a mask regularly in game situations.
Joseph Jacques Omer Plante was born in Mont-Carmel, Quebec in 1929. He is primarily remembered for two achievements: his extraordinary goalkeeping excellence and his pioneering decision to wear a goalie mask in game situations. He won six Stanley Cup championships with the Montreal Canadiens (1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960) — part of his five consecutive Cup dynasty. He won the Vezina Trophy as best goaltender seven times (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1969) and the Hart Trophy as MVP in 1962. His career goals-against average of 2.38 reflected elite goaltending across multiple eras. On November 1, 1959, having been struck in the face by a shot, he emerged from the dressing room wearing a fibreglass mask and refused to play without it — his act of defiance permanently changed hockey. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. Every goaltender who has ever worn a mask owes his safety to his insistence.
Stanley Cup 6x
Career Honours
- Stanley Cup 6x
- Vezina Trophy 7x
- Hart Trophy
- Hall of Fame (1978)
- NHL 100 Greatest Players