Remembering Charlie Gardiner (Part One)

Winnipeg's Charlie Gardiner carried the 1934 Chicago Black Hawks on his back all the way to the Stanley Cup, before tragically passing away from a brain hemorrhage just two months later.

Chuck Gardiner is the only goaltender in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup as team captain. His hands, feet and mind were lightning quick. Rarely was he ever caught off guard by an opposing shooter. Gardiner's exceptional play was augmented by his ability to direct his teammates on the ice, a factor that led to his being chosen to serve as team captain in the Black Hawks 1933-34 Cup year.

Howie Morenz put Gardiner on his personal all star list. "He was the hardest man I ever had to beat," recalled Morenz. "We considered him 75 percent of the team. When I was able to get one single goal past Chuck in a game, I felt I had had a big night."

A good modern-day comparison to Gardiner would be Dominik Hasek. Both goalies carried sub-par teams that offered very little offensive support and eventually made them contenders all on their own. They were both considered to be the best goalie of their respective times and won many individual awards instead of team awards that proved what kind of stalwarts they were.

"Without Gardiner," praised Gorman, "we wouldn’t have made it. He’s the greatest goalie that ever donned the pads."