Ed Giacomin, a Hockey Hall of Famer whose goaltending keyed the rise of the New York Rangers in the late 1960s and early 1970s, died Monday at age 86.
"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 post on social media. "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."
"The National Hockey League mourns the passing of a true original, Hockey Hall of Famer and beloved New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings goaltender Eddie Giacomin," the NHL said in a statement. "One of the first stickhandling goaltenders, Giacomin backstopped the Rangers' surge to the NHL's upper echelon in the early 1970s, reaching four straight Semifinals and the Stanley Cup Final in 1972.
"A six-time NHL All-Star who also led the League in games played four straight seasons, Giacomin routinely heard chants of 'Ed-die! Ed-die!' from adoring Madison Square Garden crowds and had his No. 1 retired by the franchise in 1989. We send our condolences to Eddie's family, friends and the many fans he thrilled throughout his memorable career."
Giacomin, born in Sudbury. Ontario, on June 6, 1939, was a late bloomer. He began his pro hockey career in 1959, played five full seasons with Providence of the American Hockey League and didn't play his first NHL game until Oct. 24, 1965, more than four months after his 26th birthday. That came after the Rangers traded four players to Providence for Giacomin on May 17, 1965.
The Rangers had to battle at least three other teams to make a deal with Providence. They ultimately sent starting goalie Marcel Paille plus Sandy McGregor, Aldo Guidolin, and Jim Mikol to the Reds for Giacomin.
When the trade was official, Giacomin said later that, "I think I was the happiest guy on this Earth. It was a dream."
However, the new goalie was anything but an instant success, going 8-20 with six ties for a last-place team in 1965-66 and struggling badly enough to be demoted to the AHL for seven games.
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But Rangers general manager Emile Francis, a former NHL goalie himself, retained his faith in Giacomin — and saw it justified in 1966-67. Giacomin led the NHL in wins (30) and shutouts (nine), was named an NHL First-Team All-Star and helped the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 1962. He led the NHL in wins in each of the next two seasons, then teamed with Gilles Villemure to win the Vezina Trophy in 1970-71, when the Rangers allowed the fewest goals during the regular season.
"It just takes a couple of words sometimes, somebody to believe in you," Giacomin recalled years later. "Emile believed in me. He just said, 'you're going to be the goalie from now on, and I'll be right behind you.' I don't know what it was; it just seemed like everything turned for the best."
New York defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1971 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals for its first postseason series win since 1950, then came within one win of making the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks . Giacomin, an NHL Second-Team All-Star in each of the three previous seasons, was named to the First All-Star Team for the second and final time.
Giacomin made Rangers history on March 19, 1972, when he became the first New York goalie to register a multiple-point game with two assists against Toronto at Madison Square Garden. Long before that, his wandering style and eagerness to play the puck made him a favorite of Rangers fans.
In 1972, the Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 22 years but lost to the Boston Bruins in six games. They were eliminated in the Semifinals in 1973 and 1974, then were upset in the 1975 Preliminary Round by the third-year New York Islanders . That convinced management that changes needed to be made. One of them was moving Giacomin, then 36. After he started 0-3 with one tie in his first four games of the 1975-76 season, the Rangers placed him on waivers. Giacomin was claimed by the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 31, 1975.
Two nights later, Giacomin returned to the Garden as a visiting player for the first time. He was greeted with cheers and the "Edd-ie! Edd-ie!" chant from the time he stepped onto the ice until after he departed after making 42 saves in a 6-4 victory on a night that saw the home team booed from the first notes of the National Anthem to the final buzzer.
"I was shaking before the game, I was so nervous," he said. "I kept thinking, let's get the game going. Then when it started, I kept hoping I'd get a shot or something to end my shaking. thought I'd faint in the middle of the game. I kept getting hotter and hotter. At the end I was exhausted."
Giacomin retired on Jan. 17, 1978, with a career record of 290-209 and 96 ties; he was 267-172-89 with a 2.74 goals against average and 49 shutouts with the Rangers. When he left, he was first in team history in career wins (267) and shutouts (49), and second in games played (539). He also ranked first in wins for a season (38, 1968-69), tied for first in appearances for a season (70, 1968-69 and 1969-70) and tied for fourth in shutouts for a season (nine, 1966-67) at the time.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Rangers retired his No. 1 on March 15, 1989 – he was the second player (after Gilbert, No. 7) to be so honored.
He later served with the Islanders and the Red Wings as an assistant and served two stints with the Rangers as a goaltending coach.
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