Frank Brimsek

Frank Brimsek
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Nickname(s)	Mister Zero
Height Weight	5 ft 09 in (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg)
Teams	Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets Providence Reds
Nationality	American
Born	September 26, 1913, Eveleth, Minnesota, USA
Died	November 11, 1998 (age 85),
Pro Career	1938 – 1950
Hall of Fame, 1966

Francis Charles "Mister Zero" Brimsek (September 26, 1913 — November 11, 1998) was an American professional goaltender who played for the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League.

Playing Career

Born in Eveleth, Minnesota, Brimsek was one of the first great American hockey players. In the 1938–39 season, he was promoted to the Bruins following an injury to goaltender Tiny Thompson. He notched 10 shutouts that season, earning him the nickname "Mr. Zero." He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year, and helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 1939 season, and again in 1941.

In 1943 the Second World War interrupted Brimsek's career, and he joined the Coast Guard. He played on the Coast Guard "Cutters" hockey team and then served aboard a Coast Guard supply ship in the Pacific until the end of the war.

He resumed his career with the Bruins in 1946 and played with them until 1949, when he was sold to the Chicago Black Hawks where he played one year. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 (the first American to earn HHOF membership) and was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973. In 1998, shortly before his death, he was ranked number 67 on List of 100 greatest hockey players by The Hockey News.

An annual award given to the top high school goaltender in the state of Minnesota is given in Brimsek's honor.

Awards and Achievements

• Calder Memorial Trophy (1939)
• NHL First All-Star Team Goalie (1939, 1942)
• NHL Second All-Star Team Goalie (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948)
• Vezina Trophy (1939, 1942)

Gallery

Frank Brimsek won his first two NHL starts while replacing the injured Tiny Thompson, November, 1938.

Frank Brimsek, Jack Portland, Don Willson, Flash Hollett, December 1, 1938.

Frank Brimsek's "split save" style stopped a penalty shot in his first Bruins home game, December 6, 1938.

Brimsek, Eddie Shore and #6 Ray Getliffe battle the Rangers in a 3-0 win on December 11, 1938.

Rangers Phil Watson ends Brimsek's shutout streak while #4 Charlie Sands looks on, December 25, 1938.

Doug Young scores, January 1, 1939.

Mike Karakas and Frank Brimsek with their mothers, February 5, 1939.

Frank Brimsek leads the Bruins onto the ice in the 1938-39 season. Note the two jersey styles.

Brimsek stops the Rangers #10 Clint Smith, Game 1 of the 1939 Semi-finals, March 21, 1939.

Frank Brimsek stops Neil Colville, Game 2 of the 1939 Semi-finals, March 24, 1939.

Lynn Patrick goal, Game 4 of the 1939 Semi-finals, March 28, 1939.

Frank Brimsek save, Game 3 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals.

Frank Brimsek makes a save in a 1939 Stanley Cup Finals game in Boston while #2 Eddie Shore, #10 Bobby Bauer look on.

Frank Brimsek and Eddie Shore (his broken nose from the Semis still bandaged) lead the team onto the ice during the 1939 Finals. Following them are #4 Harry Frost, #5 Dit Clapper, #7 Cooney Weiland and #8 Jack Portland.

Bill Cowley clears the puck away from Frank Brimsek, November 4, 1939.

Bruins Brimsek, #6 Jack Crawford and #18 Art Jackson defend against Bryan Hextall and #3 Ott Heller of the Rangers. Game 1 of the 1940 Semi-finals, March 19, 1940.

Bruins Frank Brimsek, #6 Jack Crawford hold off Rangers #16 Alf Pike while #8 Des Smith defends against Lynn Patrick, Game 4 of the 1940 Semi-finals, March 26, 1940.

Frank Brimsek's 1940-41 jersey.

1940-41 Bruins defense - Dit Clapper, Frank Brimsek, Des Smith, Flash Hollett, Jack Crawford.

Hank Goldup scores the winner, December 8, 1940.

Frank Brimsek stops Gordie Drillon in overtime, February 18, 1941.

Brimsek cartoon, February 1941.

Frank Brimsek, Robert "Red" Hamill, Alex Shibicky in 1940-41 action.

Bruins Frank Brimsek makes a save in a 2-1 win against the Rangers while #4 Herb Cain looks, November 15, 1941.

Frank Brimsek in Boston's home opener, November 16, 1941.

Frank Brimsek, Bryan Hextall, Lynn Patrick, Jack Crawford, Neil Colville, Art Jackson in the 1941-42 season.

Frank Brimsek stops Bill Carse in this 1942 playoff game. #21 Jack Shewchuk slides by while #4 Herb Cain looks on.

Frank Brimsek makes a save in a January 31, 1943 game won by the Bruins 7-2 over the Rangers.

Frank Brimsek makes a save while #19 Murph Chamberlain battles the Red Wings during Game 3 or 4 of the 1943 Stanley Cup Finals.

March 21, 1946 - Jim Conacher scores on Frank Brimsek during Game 2 of the Semi-finals which the Wings won 3-0. #6 Jack Crawford, #18 Jack Church and Ted Lindsay look on.

1947-48 Bruins defense - Flaman, Martin, Crawford, Brimsek, Henderson, Egan.

Brimsek stops Apps while #18 Ken Smith, #20 Paul Ronty, #23 Johnny Peirson and helmeted #6 Jack Crawford look on. Game 1 of the Semi-finals, March 24, 1948.

Frank Brimsek sporting the Bruins new "Spoked B" jersey.

1948-49 Bruins defense - Jack Crawford, Pat Egan, Frank Brimsek, Ed Kryzanowski, Fern Flaman, Murray Henderson.

Fern Flaman, Frank Brimsek, Edgar Laprade, October 31, 1948.

Brimsek stops Leafs #17 Cal Gardner in 1949 Semi-final action.

Jack Crawford clears the puck away from Leafs #4 Harry Watson while goalie Frank Brimsek, #9 Jimmy Peters and Pat Egan watch during the 1949 Semi-finals.

Leafs #4 Harry Watson scores the winner in Game 2 of the 1949 Semi-finals, March 24, 1949.

Brimsek makes a save while #10 Flaman and #16 Harrison assist. Game 5 of the 1949 Semi-Finals, March 30, 1949.

Ray Timgren scores in Game 5 of the 1949 Semi-finals.

Maurice Richard, Elmer Lach, Frank Brimsek during the 1949-50 season.

External Links

• Frank Brimsek's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Cully Dahlstrom	Winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy 1939	Succeeded by Kilby MacDonald
Preceded by Cecil Thompson	Winner of the Vezina Trophy 1939	Succeeded by David Kerr
Preceded by Turk Broda	Winner of the Vezina Trophy 1942	Succeeded by Johnny Mowers