Corey Hirsch

Corey Hirsch (born July 1, 1972 in Medicine Hat, Alberta) is a retired Canadian goaltender. He spent the majority of his National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks. He is currently the goaltending coach of the St. Louis Blues.

Playing career
Hirsch played major junior hockey with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League for four seasons. He was named to the WHL Second All-Star Team in his second season with Kamloops and was subsequently chosen 169th overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers.

Upon being drafted, Hirsch led the Western League in shutouts, with 5, and goals against average with 2.72 in 1991–92, he was named CHL Goaltender of the Year and won the Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL Goaltender of the Year. As the Blazers captured the President's Cup (now the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 1992, they advanced to the Memorial Cup and defated the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-4 in the final. Hirsch was additionally awarded the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the tournament's top goaltender.

In 1992–93, his first professional season, he played for the Binghamton Rangers, New York's AHL affiliate, and won the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the league's top goalie. At 2.79, he was also awarded the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for the lowest goals-against-average (shared with goaltending teammate Boris Rousson).

Hirsch started in his first NHL game that season, as well, a 2-2 tie against the Detroit Red Wings on January 19, 1993. He recorded his first win on his next start, an 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on January 23.

In the 1994 Olympics, Hirsch was the goalie for the Canadian Olympic team that lost to Sweden in the gold medal game.

Hirsch remained with Binghamton for three seasons until New York traded him to the Vancouver Canucks on April 7, 1995, in exchange for forward Nathan LaFayette.

Hirsch split goaltending duties with Kirk McLean in 1995–96 and was named to the All-Rookie Team after posting a 2.93 goals against average, .903 save percentage and a winning 17-14-6 record. He also finished fifth in Calder Memorial Trophy voting (won by Daniel Alfredsson). During the season, he recorded his first career NHL shutout on January 15, 1996, a 6-0 win against the Boston Bruins.

Hirsch failed to build on his successful rookie season, however, and was demoted to the Canucks' AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch in 1998–99 with the acquisition of Arturs Irbe.

On July 2, 1999, he was waived by the Canucks and for the next few seasons, would bounce around the league between the Nashville Predators, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Washington Capitals, and Dallas Stars. Playing for minor league affiliates, he only appeared in a handful of NHL games for the remainder of his career. In 2002–03, he recorded AHL career highs with a 2.64 goals against average and a .921 save percentage in 35 games with the Utah Grizzlies.

Before retiring, Hirsch played three seasons overseas in the Swedish Elitserien and the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

Post-playing career
After retiring, Hirsch became a goaltending consultant for Hockey Canada. He worked with the national junior team as part of the 2007 and 2008 World Junior gold medal winning teams.

On September 9, 2008, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they had hired Hirsch as their goaltending coach.

Awards
Major Junior
 * WHL West Second All-Star Team - 1990
 * CHL Goaltender of the Year - 1992
 * CHL First All-Star Team - 1992
 * Hap Emms Memorial Trophy (WHL goaltender of the year) - 1992
 * WHL West First All-Star Team - 1992
 * Del Wilson Trophy (Memorial Cup top goaltender) - 1992
 * Memorial Cup All-Star Team - 1992

Professional
 * Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (AHL goaltender of the year) - 1993
 * Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (AHL's lowest goals-against-average) - 1993 (shared with Boris Rousson)
 * Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award - 1993
 * AHL First All-Star Team - 1993
 * NHL All-Rookie Team - 1996
 * IHL Goaltender of the Month - December 1999
 * IHL Goaltender of the Week - December 4, December 18, 2000