Denis DeJordy

Denis DeJordy (born November 12, 1938, in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada), is a retired Canadian professional player. He played goal for four NHL teams, most notably the Chicago Black Hawks.

Playing Career
Denis DeJordy was a goaltender with the Chicago Black Hawks, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings over 12 seasons in the National Hockey League. He shared the Vezina Trophy with Glenn Hall in 1967. During the 1966 – 1967 season he played 44 games, posting a 2.46 Goals Against Average.

Denis DeJordy had an impressive Junior career with the Junior B Dixie Beehives in the Metro Toronto Junior B Hockey League in 1956-57 and the Junior A St. Catharines TeePees of the Ontario Hockey Association. He played two seasons (1957-58 OHA Junior A Season & 1958-59 OHA Junior A Season) in St. Catharines and helped the Teepees finish in first both years. Stan Mikita was the team's offensive leader at the time..

DeJordy's first taste of professional hockey was with the Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds of the EPHL and the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. He was first called up by the Blackhawks during 1961, but did not play. Chicago still included his name on the Stanley Cup, even though he had yet to play a single NHL game. DeJordy was called up to the Black Hawks in the 1962–63 season. His first NHL game played came on November 8, 1962 when he replaced Glenn Hall who had left the game with a back injury. This ended Glenn Hall's NHL Record of 502 consecutive complete games. DeJordy would start the next game, and play 5 games that season for Chicago. In 1966–67, DeJordy shared the Vezina Trophy with Glenn Hall with the best goals against average.

In 1967 Hall was drafted by the St. Louis Blues and DeJordy was the number one goalie.

DeJordy found himself the odd man out in a couple of his next playing situations involving two members of Team Canada of 1972 and future Hall of Famers. When Tony Esposito was drafted from the Montreal Canadiens by Chicago, DeJordy found himself serving as the backup for the 1969–70 season.

DeJordy then went to play for the Los Angeles Kings playing all or part of three seasons. He was dealt to Montreal by the Kings in the fall of 1971, where he wound up as the back up to Ken Dryden, who almost singlehandedly led the Habs to the Stanley Cup as a rookie that previous spring. DeJordy played seven games that season.

He was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings after that and after a season with Detroit, DeJordy became the NHL's first goaltending coach, instructing Wings' goalies Jim Rutherford and Doug Grant.

DeJordy retired in 1974. He coached the Laval National in 1976-77.

Awards

 * 1959 OHA-Jr. First All-Star Team
 * 1959–60 EPHL Top Rookie - Sault Thunderbirds
 * 1961 Stanley Cup Championship (Chicago)
 * 1962–63 Les Cunningham Award - Buffalo Bisons (AHL)
 * 1962–63 Harry (Hap) Holmes Memorial Award - Buffalo Bisons (fewest goals against)(AHL)
 * 1963 AHL First All-Star Team
 * 1966 CPHL First All-Star Team
 * 1966–67 Vezina Trophy - Chicago Black Hawks (shared with Glenn Hall) (NHL)
 * 1974 AHL Second All-Star Team

Video
Clip of the first goal in Canucks history scored by Barry Wilkins on Dejordy, October 9, 1970.