- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJoseph Jacques Plante
- Nickname
- Jake the Snake
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- Jacques Plante is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947 to 1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1953 to 1963. During his tenure, the team won the Stanley Cup six times, including five consecutive wins. In 2017 Plante was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Plante retired in 1965 but was persuaded to return to the National Hockey League to play for the expansion St. Louis Blues in 1968. He was later traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and to the Boston Bruins in 1973. He joined the World Hockey Association as coach and general manager for the Quebec Nordiques in 1973-74. He then played for the Edmonton Oilers in 1974-75, ending his professional career with that team.
Plante was the first NHL goaltender to wear a goaltender mask in regulation play on a regular basis. He developed and tested many versions of the mask with the assistance of other experts. Plante was the first NHL goaltender to regularly play the puck outside his crease in support of his team's defencemen, and he often instructed his teammates from behind the play. Plante was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978, was chosen as the goaltender of the Canadiens' "dream team" in 1985, and was inducted into the Quebec Sports Pantheon in 1994.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
- SpouseJacqueline Gagne(April 30, 1949 - 1972) (divorced, 2 children)
- Plante was the first goalie to skate in behind the net to stop the puck for his defensemen. He also was the first to raise his arm on an icing call to let his defensemen know what was happening on the ice, and he perfected a stand-up style of goaltending that emphasized positional play, cutting down the angles and staying square to the shooter.
- Plante won the starting goalie job with the NHL expansion Oakland Seals in 1967, but became involved in a contract dispute and left the team before the season opener.
- After 11 years with Montreal, the Canadiens in June 1963 traded Plante, Don Marshall and Phil Goyette to the New York Rangers for Gump Worsley, Dave Balon, Leon Rochefort and Len Ronson.
- Plante's NHL record was 434-247-146 in the regular season and 71-37 in the playoffs.
- Was an all-star in his rookie year in the Quebec Junior A League, allowing just 101 goals in 48 games.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content