(Dryden) THERE ARE GOOD GOALIES
AND THERE ARE GREAT GOALIES
AND THERE ARE ALSO
IMPORTANT GOALIES -
AND HE WAS AN
IMPORTANT GOALIE.
(Roy) YOU GOT TO APPRECIATE
THE CHARACTER OF JACQUES PLANTE,
THAT'S WHAT AMAZED ME THE
MOST ABOUT HIM. IT'S HAVING
THE GUTS TO GO AND SAY:
"HEY, I'M NOT GOING BACK
IF I DON'T HAVE A MASK".
(Fisher) WILL I SEE A
GOALIE WHO WILL PLAY BETTER
THAN PLANTE DID? I HAVE
MY DOUBTS, I REALLY DO.
(♪)
 JACQUES PLANTE, THE STUBBORN,
 COURAGEOUS GOALTENDER WAS BORN
 ON JANUARY 17, 1929,
 IN A FARMHOUSE NEAR
 MONT-CARMEL, QUEBEC.
 PLANTE'S FAMILY LIVED IN
 POVERTY, FIRST ON THE FARM
 AND THEN IN SHAWINIGAN,
 WHERE HIS FATHER WORKED
 AS A MACHINIST AT THE
 ALUMINUM COMPANY OF CANADA.
 JACQUES WAS THE
 OLDEST OF 11 CHILDREN.
 NEXT IN LINE IS
 HIS SISTER, THERESE.
(Therese, translated)
JACQUES WAS SOMEONE SPECIAL
BECAUSE HE WAS A LEADER.
HE WAS ALWAYS IN FRONT -
FIRST IN EVERYTHING -
AND WE FOLLOWED HIM.
 NINE MONTHS AFTER HIS BIRTH,
 THE STOCK MARKET CRASHED.
(Therese) MY FATHER
WAS THE SOLE BREAD WINNER.
HE WAS A FACTORY WORKER. HE
WORKED AT AN ALUMINUM PLANT
TO FEED AND EDUCATE 11
KIDS. HOW THEY MANAGED
I'LL NEVER KNOW. MY MOTHER WAS
THE ONE WHO MANAGED THE BUDGET
BUT IN THE HOUSE EVERYONE HELPED
- WHETHER IT WAS HOUSEWORK
OR TIDYING UP - WHETHER
IT WAS A BOY OR GIRL,
IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE.
 JACQUES PLANTE BEGAN TO PLAY
 HOCKEY AT THE AGE OF THREE.
 AT SEVEN, HE GOT HIS
 FIRST REAL GOALIE'S STICK
 AND LEARNED FROM HIS
 MOTHER HOW TO KNIT.
(Raymond - translated)
THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED KNITTING
THINGS - HIS TOQUES - HE WAS
COLD BECAUSE THE SKATING RINKS
WERE OUTDOORS. SO, HIS MOTHER
WOULD TELL HIM: "YOU'RE GOING
TO LEARN TO KNIT BECAUSE
I CAN'T KNIT FOR EVERYONE".
SO HE STARTED KNITTING.
IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE POVERTY
THAT HE LEARNED TO
BE SELF SUFFICIENT.
(Therese) AND HE WAS GOOD.
HE WAS VERY FAST AND HE DIDN'T
DROP ANY STITCHES.
TOQUES, HOCKEY SOCKS -
HE DID A LOT OF
THOSE - IT'S TRUE.
(Raymond) AT THAT TIME,
THERE WAS NO ORGANIZED HOCKEY
LIKE THERE IS TODAY - SO
HE'D PLAY IN THE SCHOOL YARD.
HIS FATHER MADE HIM SOME
SHIN PADS AND A GOALIE STICK -
SO HE STARTED VERY YOUNG.
BUT WHEN THE TIME CAME TO PLAY
IN THE ARENA, IT COST TEN
CENTS TO PLAY IN THE ARENA,
AND HE DIDN'T HAVE TEN CENTS.
SO, HE USED TO STAND AT THE DOOR
OF THE ARENA AND SAY TO THE
GUYS THAT ARRIVED: "LISTEN,
IF YOU NEED A GOALIE FOR
YOUR TEAM - WELL, I'M READY
TO PLAY". EVENTUALLY, HE
WAS PLAYING A LOT IN THE ARENA
FOR SEVERAL
DIFFERENT TEAMS.
 BY THE AGE OF TWELVE,
 HOCKEY HAD BECOME A PASSION.
(Therese) AT NIGHT, WHEN
THE MONTREAL CANADIENS PLAYED
HOCKEY - THIS WAS BEFORE
TELEVISION - HE WAS NOT ALLOWED
BY MY PARENTS TO LISTEN TO
THE GAME ON THE RADIO BECAUSE
THE GAME ENDED TOO LATE.
MY BEDROOM WAS RIGHT BELOW
THE LIVING ROOM OF THE MAN
WHO LIVED ON THE SECOND FLOOR -
A REAL HOCKEY FAN. SO, WHEN
THE MAN TURNED ON HIS RADIO
TO LISTEN TO THE GAME - JACQUES
WOULD CROSS OVER TO MY ROOM -
HE WOULD STAND ON MY
BUREAU - AND HE WOULD LISTEN
TO THE GAME
THROUGH THE CEILING.
 AND HIS DREAM WAS TO PLAY
 FOR THE MONTREAL CANADIENS.
(Therese) HE WOULD SAY: "YOU
KNOW THERESE - IN A FEW YEARS -
IT'S GOING TO BE ME THAT
WILL BE THE GOALTENDER
FOR THE MONTREAL CANADIENS.
THAT WAS HIS DREAM -
HE REALLY WANTED
TO BE A GOALTENDER.
 PLANTE BEGAN HIS HOCKEY
 CAREER AS A DEFENSEMAN BUT HAD
 DIFFICULTY BREATHING. "IF
 IT WASN'T FOR MY ASTHMA",
 HE ONCE SAID, "I WOULD
 HAVE STAYED ON DEFENSE
 AND NEVER GOT BEYOND SCHOOL
HOCKEY". BY THE TIME HE WAS 15,
 HE WAS PLAYING FOR FOUR
 TEAMS AT ONCE, AND AT FOUR
 DIFFERENT LEVELS:
 MIDGET, JUVENILE, JUNIOR,
 AND INTERMEDIATE. AND HE
 PLAYED GOAL FOR A SHAWINIGAN
 MANUFACTURER'S TEAM FOR
 50 CENTS A GAME. IN 1947,
 HE GOT HIS HIGH-SCHOOL
 LEAVING DIPLOMA AND DECIDED
 TO PLAY WITH THE
 QUEBEC CITADELS.
 IT WAS WITH THE QUEBEC
 THAT PLANTE BEGAN TO SHOW
 HIS POTENTIAL
 AS AN INNOVATOR.
(Raymond, translated) THERE
WAS A TIME WHEN HE WAS PLAYING
FOR THE QUEBEC CITADELS -
THAT HE STARTED COMING OUT
OF THE NET. NOW THAT WAS A
- THAT WAS A CHANGE THAT HE
BROUGHT TO HOCKEY. PEOPLE
WOULD SEE THAT AND SAY:
"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE - GOALIES
DON'T LEAVE THEIR NETS" -
BUT HE DID.
 PLANTE EXPLAINED THE REASONS
 FOR THIS INNOVATION. HE SAID
 "AHEAD OF ME WERE FOUR
DEFENSEMAN WITH ASSORTED FLAWS.
 ONE COULDN'T SKATE BACKWARDS.
 ONE COULDN'T SHOOT THE PUCK
 UP TO THE BLUELINE. ONE OF
 THE OTHER TWO COULD ONLY TURN
 ONE WAY. SOMEBODY HAD TO
 CLEAR LOOSE PUCKS AND I BEGAN
 TO DO THE JOB MYSELF.
 IT WORKED SO WELL
 THAT I KEPT
 RIGHT ON ROAVING!"
(Dryden) THAT WAS A BIG BARRIER
TO GET OVER, FOR COACHES,
THE SENSE THE VISUAL OF THE
OPEN NET. I MEAN YEARS LATER
TOE BLAKE YOU KNOW STILL HAD
NIGHTMARES OF JACQUES PLANTE
GOING OUT OF HIS NET.
 IN 1948, PLANTE, THE ROVER,
 WAS THE HERO OF THE CITADELS,
 WHEN THEY BEAT THE JUNIOR
 CANADIENS IN THE FINALS.
(Moore) JACQUES CAME OUT OF
SHAWINAGAN AND HE WAS THE GUY
WE HAD TO BEAT. MY DUTY WAS
TO SWING MY STICK IN FRONT
OF HIS FACE SO IT WOULD
MAKE HIS EYES BLINK!
 IN OCTOBER, 1948, PLANTE
 MET JACQUELINE GAGNE
 IN QUEBEC CITY. IN
 DECEMBER THEY BECOME ENGAGED
 AND THEY WERE MARRIED THE
 FOLLOWING MAY. HE GRADUATED
 TO THE MONTREAL ROYALS WHERE
 ONE OF HIS NEW TEAMMATES
 WAS AN OLD ADVERSARY,
 DICKIE MOORE.
(Moore) YOU KNOW HE PLAYED,
HE PLAYED THE GAME LIKE A FIRST
BASEMAN - WITH HIS GLOVE.
I WOULD SAY HE, EVEN IN TODAY'S
HOCKEY, NO ONE -
NO ONE CATCHES THE PUCK
LIKE JACQUES PLANTE DID.
 BUT DESPITE HIS OBVIOUS
 TALENT, IT WAS NOT EASY
 TO BREAK IN
 TO THE NHL.
(Raymond) IN THOSE DAYS
THE MONTREAL CANADIENS HAD
THE FIRST CHOICE OF ALL THE
FRANCOPHONE PLAYERS IN QUEBEC.
THEY HAD THE RIGHTS TO MANY OF
THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE GAME.
THAT'S WHY IT TOOK PLANTE SO
LONG TO MAKE IT TO THE NATIONAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE. AND MONTREAL
ALREADY HAD A GREAT GOALIE -
BILL DURNAN - HE WAS THE
BEST GOALIE IN THE LEAGUE
AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE
TO THINK OF REPLACING HIM.
 IN 1951, THE FIRST OF PLANTE'S
 TWO SONS, MICHEL WAS BORN
 AND JACQUES TRIED HIS
 HAND AT MAKING HOME MOVIES.
 BUT ON NOVEMBER 1, 1952,
 PLANTE GOT HIS BIG BREAK!
 THE CANADIENS' GOALTENDER,
 GERRY MCNEIL, WHO HAD REPLACED
 THE RETIRED BILL DURNAN,
 SUFFERED A FRACTURED JAW
 IN A GAME AGAINST TORONTO.
 PLANTE WAS CALLED UP
 ON A THREE GAME TRIAL AND
 WAS TOLD BY COACH DICK IRVIN
 THAT HE'D BE STARTING
 AGAINST THE NEW YORK RANGERS.
(McNeil) I THOUGHT HE
WAS VERY GOOD. YOU KNOW,
I KEEP SAYING THAT TO MYSELF
TODAY, I NEEDED A GOOD GOAL
KEEPER TO REPLACE ME.
YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A GUY
THAT WASN'T SO GOOD,
I WOULDN'T FEEL SO GOOD.
BUT BEFORE PLANTE COULD REPLACE
 MCNEIL, HE HAD TO ENDURE
 "THE BATTLE OF THE TOQUE!"
(Moore) YOU KNOW, WHEN
JACQUES PLANTE WORE THE TOQUE,
PLAYING AGAINST HIM, WE TEASED
HIM. WE'D TRY TO PULL IT OFF
WITH OUR STICKS SOMETIMES,
FROM BEHIND THE NET. BUT I MEAN
HE WENT THROUGH HELL TO
WEAR THAT TOQUE, I WAS THERE
WHEN THE COACH SAYS: "YOU
DON'T PLAY IF YOU WEAR IT!".
AND THAT'S HARD FOR A KID
THAT'S COMING OUT OF NO WHERE
AND BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SAY:
"I WANT TO WEAR IT!". AND TODAY
YOU HAVE TO BE PROUD OF HIM,
FOR STANDING UP FOR HIS RIGHTS.
 IRVIN SAID THAT WEARING
 THE TOQUE WOULD EXPOSE PLANTE
 TO RIDICULE AND THAT IF
 IT FELL OFF DURING THE GAME,
 PLANTE MIGHT TRY TO PICK IT
UP AND STOP FOLLOWING THE PUCK.
 PLANTE LOST "THE
 BATTLE OF THE TOQUE",
 ONE OF THE FEW BATTLES
 HE'S LOSE IN HIS CAREER.
 PLANTE WENT ON TO BEAT THE
 RANGERS 4 - 1. IN THE NEXT TWO
 GAMES HE TIED THEM 2 - 2 AND
 BEAT THE MAPLE LEAFS 3 - 1.
 HIS THREE GAME TRIAL
 WAS UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS.
 IN JANUARY, 1953, THE
 CANADIENS SIGNED HIM TO AN NHL
 CONTRACT. IT WAS FOR $9,100
 PER YEAR. THEY SENT HIM DOWN
 TO THE BUFFALO BISONS,
 THEIR MINOR LEAGUE FARM CLUB.
 THE PRESS THERE CALLED HIM
 "JAKE THE SNAKE" THE CANADIENS
 SAID THE MINOR LEAGUE
 EXPERIENCE WOULD DO HIM GOOD.
 AND THEY WOULD SOON
 BE PROVEN RIGHT!
,
 BUT PLANTE'S DEJECTION WAS
 SHORT-LIVED. HE WAS BROUGHT IN
 TO BE GERRY MCNEIL'S BACK-UP
 IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.
 ON APRIL 4, 1953, IN CHICAGO,
 COACH IRVIN CAUSED SHOCK WAVES
 WHEN HE ASKED THE ROOKIE,
 PLANTE TO PLAY GOAL
 INSTEAD OF GERRY MCNEIL.
 CHICAGO WAS LEADING
 THE SEMI-FINAL
 SERIES 3 TO 2.
 PLANTE HAD A SHUTOUT
 IN HIS FIRST PLAYOFF
 GAME. THREE DAYS LATER,
 HE LED MONTREAL TO A 4 - 1
 VICTORY AND THEN THEY ADVANCED
 TO THE STANLEY CUP FINALS.
 HE PLAYED GOAL FOR THE FIRST
 TWO GAMES AGAINST BOSTON,
 WINNING THE FIRST AND LOSING
 THE SECOND. THE CANADIENS
 WENT ON TO WIN THE SERIES AND
 JACQUES PLANTE'S NAME
 APPEARED ON THE STANLEY
 CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AFTER SPENDING MOST OF THE NEXT
 SEASON BACK WITH THE BUFFALO
 BISONS, PLANTE BEGAN THE
1954-55 SEASON AS THE CANADIENS
 FIRST-STRING GOALTENDER.
 MCNEIL WAS NOT PREPARED
 TO SHARE GOALTENDING
 DUTIES AND HE RETIRED.
(McNeil) THINGS WEREN'T GOING
THAT WELL AND THE PRESSURE WAS
HIGH. I THINK WHEN DICK IRVIN
STARTED USING PLANTE AND MYSELF,
IT KIND OF DEVELOPED, BUT
IT WASN'T LIKE IT IS TODAY,
THEN THERE WAS ALWAYS A REASON
AND IT MADE IT VERY TOUGH
AND I WASN'T THE TYPE
THAT COULD HANDLE THAT.
 PLANTE'S SECOND SON, RICHARD,
 WAS BORN IN 1955 AS PLANTE
 COMPLETED HIS FIRST FULL
 SEASON IN THE NHL. HE LED
 THE CANADIENS INTO THE STANLEY
 CUP FINALS BUT THAT WAS
OVERSHADOWED BY A ST. PATRICK'S
 DAY THAT WILL NEVER BE
 FORGOTTEN IN MONTREAL. FOR
 HIS PART, IN A VICIOUS BRAWL
 IN BOSTON THE CANADIENS'
 GREATEST STAR, ROCKET RICHARD,
 WAS SUSPENDED FOR THE REST OF
 THE SEASON BY NHL COMMISSIONER
 CLARENCE CAMPBELL.
 FANS IN MONTREAL
 WERE STUNNED AND ANGRY.
 WHEN CAMPBELL TOOK HIS USUAL
 SEAT IN THE FORUM FOUR DAYS
 LATER ON MARCH 17, FANS
 WENT BERSERK. A THUG ATTACKED
 CAMPBELL, A TEAR GAS BOMB
 EXPLODED, THE BUILDING
 WAS CLEARED AND THE GAME
 WAS FORFEITED TO DETROIT.
 THE ANGRY CROWD STORMED INTO
 THE NIGHT. LOOTERS DESTROYED
 ST. CATHERINE STREET.
 HUNDREDS WERE ARRESTED.
 IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE
 END FOR THE CANADIENS' SEASON.
 WITHOUT THE ROCKET,
 THEY WERE BEATEN BY DETROIT
 AND JACQUES PLANTE WOULD
 HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST
 ANOTHER YEAR FOR HIS
 SECOND STANLEY CUP.
 IN THE FALL OF 1955, THE
 CANADIENS HAD A NEW COACH,
 HECTOR "TOE" BLAKE. AND
 THERE WAS A NEW YOUNG
 JOURNALIST
 COVERING THE CANADIENS
 FOR THE MONTREAL STAR.
 HIS NAME WAS RED FISHER.
(Fisher) I FIRST SAW HIM WHEN
I STARTED COVERING THE CANADIENS
IN 1955, 56. HE WAS DIFFERENT,
HE WAS A SPLENDID GOALTENDER.
HE'S CERTAINLY THE BEST
GOALTENDER THAT I EVER SAW
AND I'VE SEEN A FEW OVER THE
YEARS. BUT, I GOT TO TELL YOU
THIS ABOUT JACQUES PLANTE, HE
PLAYED FOR TOE BLAKE FOR EIGHT
YEARS. TOE BLAKE HATED JACQUES
PLANTE. I MEAN REALLY HATED
THE GUY BECAUSE TOE LIKED TO
BE IN CONTROL, THAT'S WHAT
MADE HIM A GREAT COACH. HE
CONTROLLED THE PLAYERS HE TOLD
THEM WHAT TO DO. BUT, HE JUST
COULDN'T MOVE PLANTE AROUND THE
WAY HE DID THE OTHER PLAYERS.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT GUYS
LIKE THE TWO RICHARDS AND
B,LIVEAU AND GEFFREON AND MOORE.
BUT I STILL REMEMBER HIM
TELLING ME, IN THE FIVE YEARS
THAT THE CANADIENS WON THE
STANLEY CUP, JACQUES PLANTE
WAS THE BEST GOALTENDER HE'S
EVER SEEN. YOU HAVE TO KNOW
TOE BLAKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
GREAT AN ADMISSION THAT IS
BECAUSE WHEN TOE BLAKE DIDN'T
LIKE SOMEBODY EVERYTHING
WAS BAD ABOUT THE GUY. SO
WHEN HE SAYS JACQUES PLANTE WAS
THE BEST THAT HE'S EVER
SEEN, FOR THOSE FIVE YEARS,
YOU KNOW IT'S COMING
FROM THE RIGHT GUY.
 THE MONTREAL CANADIENS UNDER
 TOE BLAKE AND WITH JACQUES
 PLANTE IN GOAL WENT ON
 TO BECOME THE GREATEST TEAM
 IN THE HISTORY OF HOCKEY.
 "THE FLYING FRENCHMEN"
 WERE ALMOST UNBEATABLE.
 THEY WON FIVE CONSECUTIVE
 STANLEY CUPS AND PLANTE WAS
 A BIG PART OF THAT SUCCESS.
(Moore) JACQUES WAS A
BIG INSTRUMENTAL PLAYER
IN THOSE PARTS, HE KEPT US
IN THE GAME. LIKE I CAN GO
AND TALK ABOUT BOSTON, IT'S
LIKE YESTERDAY, WHEN THEY'D HOLD
US IN OUR ZONE FOR TEN MINUTES
- TEN MINUTES! AND JACQUES
PLANTE WOULD KEEP US IN
THE GAME, AND WOULDN'T LET
THEM SCORE. WE NEEDED THAT
GOALTENDING AND HE WAS THE GUY
THAT DID THE JOB.
 BUT JACQUES PLANTE WAS MORE
THAN SIMPLY A GREAT GOALTENDER.
 HE WAS A COMPLETE AND
 OBSESSED STUDENT OF THE GAME.
(Moore) HE USE TO SLEEP THINKING
HOCKEY. HE WOULD WAKE UP
PLAYING THE GAME. I MEAN
THIS GUY, BELIEVE ME KNEW HOCKEY
INSIDE OUT. HE STUDIED
EVERY HOCKEY PLAYER THAT PLAYED
AGAINST HIM. HE KNEW IF THEY
SLAP SHOT OR IF THEY DEEKED
OR WHAT HAVE YOU. HE KNEW
ALL THEIR SHIFTS ON THE ICE.
(Fisher) I'VE NEVER MET
ANYBODY WHO STUDIED THE GAME
AS MUCH, WHO KNEW MORE ABOUT
THE GAME. WHO KNEW MORE ABOUT
THE JOB THAT HE HAD TO DO ABOUT
THE GAME, WHO WAS MORE PROUD
OF THE JOB HE DID IN HOCKEY.
 AND HE NEVER HESITATED
 TO SHARE HIS KNOWLEDGE.
 HOCKEY LEGEND,
 JEAN B,LIVEAU.
(B,Liveau) SOMETIMES THE
TEAMMATES THEY LIKE IT SOMETIMES
THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
I REMEMBER, I THINK ONE TIME
HE CAME TO ME ON FACE-OFF,
AND I SIMPLY TOLD HIM, I SAID:
"TAKE CARE OF YOUR NET AND
I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE FACE-OFF".
JACQUES WAS ALSO A GOOD FATHER.
 HIS SON MICHEL REMEMBERS:
(Michel) AS A FATHER HE
WAS GIVING US A GOOD BASIC
DISCIPLINE. I REALLY - NOW
I REALLY APPRECIATE BECAUSE
WHEN YOU HAVE A DISCIPLINE
WHEN YOU'RE AT A YOUNG AGE,
WHEN YOU GROW OLD YOU CAN
SET UP YOUR LIFE AND YOU CAN
SET UP YOUR WORK AND ALL THAT.
AND HE WAS THAT TYPE OF GUY
AND THIS IS HOW
WE WERE RAISED.
 AND HE WAS A
 UNIQUE PERSONALITY.
(Moore) JACQUES WAS MORE
OF A LONER, BUT HE DID COME
TO A LOT OF THE TEAM FUNCTIONS
LIKE AFTER THE GAME WE'D MEET
AND HAVE A FEW. BUT, AT THAT
TIME WE'D ANTI UP TWO DOLLARS.
JACQUES WOULD ONLY PUT
ONE IN - BECAUSE HE SAID:
"I ONLY HAVE ONE". AND IF
HE DIDN'T HAVE HIS MONEY,
HE'D PULL HIS MONEY OUT!
SO YOU KNOW - HE WAS THAT TYPE
OF GUY, BUT WE KNEW
THIS; THAT WAS JACQUES.
WAS HE CHEAP?  LET'S
SAY HE WAS A TRIFLE TIGHT.
WE USE TO KID HIM ABOUT THAT,
THAT HE HAD THE FIRST NICKEL
THAT HE EVER MADE AND
HE USE TO HAVE A SAYING,
HE THREW NICKELS AROUND
LIKE MANHOLE COVERS!
BUT, NO JACQUES LOOKED
AFTER HIS MONEY.
JACQUES PLANTE PROBABLY HAD
A FEW MORE ECCENTRICITIES THAN
THE AVERAGE GOALIE. BUT
THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME ONES
THAT WE ALL HAVE AND I THINK
IT'S THE BASIC INSECURITIES
OF THE POSITION AND THE
PERSONALITY THAT PLAYS IT.
(Michel) HE WAS A LONER EVEN
AT HOME WHEN HE WASN'T PLAYING
WITH US, OR WHEN THERE WAS
NO BODY AROUND HIM, HE LIKED
TO BE ON HIS OWN. HE WOULD
READ ALL KINDS OF BOOKS,
LISTEN TO CLASSICAL MUSIC,
TAKING PICTURES OF BIRDS
AND FILMING SOME BIRDS. THE
BIRD THAT HE HAD WAS A SINGING
BIRD. IT WAS MAKING LIFE
IN THE HOUSE, IT WAS MAY BE
CREATING FOR HIM A
DIFFERENT SCENE - A DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENT - THEN TO
CONCENTRATE ALWAYS ON HOCKEY.
 PLANTE WAS NOT ONLY COLLECTING
 BIRDS, HE WAS ALSO COLLECTING
 TROPHIES. THE FIVE STANLEY
 CUPS WERE MATCHED BY FIVE
 VEZINA TROPHIES FOR THE
 LEAGUE'S TOP GOALTENDER.
 THE FAMILY MANTELPIECE
 WAS RUNNING OUT OF ROOM
 AND THERE WAS PLENTY
 OF REASON TO CELEBRATE.
 BUT SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED
 DURING THIS PERIOD THAT WOULD
 EARN PLANTE MORE FAME
 AND ATTENTION THAN
 ALL HIS CUPS
 AND TROPHIES.
 WAS BE.
 THE ARRIVAL OF THE SLAP SHOT,
 CURVED STICKS AND BIGGER
 PLAYERS MADE GOALTENDING
 MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS.
 BILL BURCHMORE, SALES DIRECTOR
 OF FIBERGLASS CANADA
 AND AN AVID HOCKEY FAN,
 OFFERED TO MAKE PLANTE
 A FIBERGLASS
 FACE MASK.
(Michel) THE FIRST MASK
WAS BUILT AT HOME. THEY CAME
TO THE BASEMENT AND
THEY MADE A PLASTER MOLD
AND OUT OF THAT THEY
MADE THE MASK ITSELF.
 THE HOMEMADE MASK WAS TESTED
 IN PRACTICE BUT COACH BLAKE
 REFUSED TO LET PLANTE
 USE IT IN GAMES CLAIMING
 IT WOULD RESTRICT
 THE GOALIE'S VISION.
 BUT A SHOT FIRED
 BY ANDY BATHGATE
 OF THE NEW YORK RANGERS
 ON NOVEMBER 1, 1959,
 CHANGED THE
 WORLD OF HOCKEY!
(Fisher) I WAS IN NEW YORK,
THE NIGHT HE FIRST PUT IT ON.
ANDY BATHGATE OF THE RANGERS
COMES DOWN AND LET'S GO A SHORT
BACKHAND, AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS DELIBERATE, RIGHT INTO
PLANTE'S FACE. AND THERE
WAS A CUT FROM THE CORNER
OF HIS MOUTH THAT RAN
RIGHT UP THROUGH HIS NOSTRIL.
(B,Liveau) I'M TELLING YOU,
HIS NOSE WAS ABOUT HERE
AND THAT DOCTOR
STITCHED HIM UP.
(Fisher) I WAS THE ONLY
GUY IN THERE WITH HIM.
AND HE'S STANDING IN FRONT OF
THE MIRROR AND HE'S SPREADING
THE CUT APART AND IT LOOKS
PRETTY UGLY AND EVEN HE AGREES
THAT HE AND IT LOOK PRETTY
DAMN UGLY. AND THEN HE WENT
OVER TO THE TABLE, WHERE
THE DOCTOR WAITED. HE STITCHED
HIM UP - NO ANAPESTIC. A HOLE
PILE OF STITCHES. AND THEN
HE CAME OUT OF THE CLINIC,
SKATED ACROSS THE ICE. THEN WENT
TO THE CANADIENS DRESSING
ROOM AND PUT ON THE MASK.
 TOE BLAKE HAS TO CHOOSE
 BETWEEN A MASKED PLANTE
 OR THE RANGERS'
 SECOND-STRING GOALIE.
(B,Liveau) HOW HE WENT BACK
IN THE NET, I'M TELLING YOU,
WAS NOT NICE TO SEE. AND
HE PUT THE MASK FOR THE FIRST
TIME AND TOE BLAKE
HAD NO OTHER CHOICE.
TOE BLAKE WAS ONE HUNDRED
PERCENT AGAINST THE IDEA
OF A GOALTENDER
WEARING A MASK.
THE HOCKEY PLAYERS HAD NO
OBJECTION TO HIM WEARING A MASK.
IT WAS SOMETHING NEW. AND
MANAGEMENT HAD TO ACCEPT IT,
AND THE COACH HAD TO ACCEPT
IT. BUT IT WAS A BLESSING
I GUESS WHEN THEY
DID ACCEPT IT -
AND HE PROVED HE COULD
PLAY WELL WITH IT.
 WITH THE MASK PLANTE PLAYED
 SPECTACULARLY. THE CANADIENS
 WON THE MATCH AND JACQUES
 PLANTE NEVER PLAYED ANOTHER
 GAME OF HOCKEY WITHOUT IT.
 JACQUES PLANTE'S DECISION
 TO DEFY HIS COACH AND PUT ON
 HIS MASK CHANGED THE WAY
 HOCKEY WAS PLAYED - FOREVER.
(Dryden) PLAYING GOAL IS
ALWAYS AT LEAST AN UNCONSCIOUS
COMPROMISE BETWEEN SAFETY
AND EFFECTIVENESS. AND PART
OF THAT COMPROMISE IS IF YOU
GET HIT IN THE HEAD IT HURTS
OR WORSE. AND SO YOU TRY TO
KEEP YOUR HEAD AS FAR AWAY
FROM THE ACTION AS YOU POSSIBLY
CAN. NOW IF YOUR WEARING
A MASK YOU DON'T NEED TO DO
IT QUITE AS MUCH. SO YOU KNOW
THE IMPACT DOESN'T STOP
WITH SAFETY, IT BLEEDS OVER -
NICE WORD - INTO EFFECTIVENESS,
YOU KNOW AND HOW YOU PLAY.
YOU GOT TO APPRECIATE THE PLAY
OF THESE GUYS AND ALSO YOU
GOT TO APPRECIATE THE CHARACTER
OF JACQUES PLANTE AND THE
GUTS THAT HE HAD TO GO OUT
THERE AND SAY: "HEY, IF YOU WANT
ME BACK IN NET, I'M NOT GOING
OUT UNLESS I WEAR THE MASK.
 BUT THE MAN WHO CHANGED
 HOCKEY DIDN'T WIN ANY TROPHIES
 IN 1961 SEASON. THE STANLEY
 CUP RUN WAS OVER. THE ROCKET
HAD RETIRED, AN ERA HAS PASSED.
 PLANTE HAD AN UNDISTINGUISHED
 SEASON. HIS GOALS AGAINST
 AVERAGE SOARED AND DESPITE
 FINISHING FIRST IN THE
 REGULAR SEASON, THE CANADIENS
 WERE QUICKLY ELIMINATED
 BY THE EVENTUAL CUP WINNING
 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS. AFTER
 THE SEASON, PLANTE HAD SURGERY
 TO REPAIR A TORN CARTILAGE
 IN HIS LEFT KNEE AND BEGAN
 AN INTENSIVE TRAINING
 PROGRAM. PLANTE ARRIVED AT THE
 CANADIENS TRAINING CAMP IN
 THE FALL OF 1961 IN TERRIFIC
 SHAPE AND PLAYED HIS MOST
 EXTRAORDINARY SEASON. HE WON
 HIS SIXTH VEZINA TROPHY,
 EVEN THOUGH HIS MOST RELIABLE
 DEFENSEMAN, DOUG HARVEY, HAD
 BEEN TRADED. HE ALSO WON THE
 HART TROPHY, AWARDED TO THE
 LEAGUE'S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER.
(Fisher) WHEN HARVEY WAS
TRADED TO THE NEW YORK RANGERS,
OF COURSE THE BIG QUESTION
THAT EVERYBODY ASKED PLANTE:
"HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO
WITHOUT DOUG HARVEY ON DEFENSE?"
PLANTE SAID, "LISTEN, WE ALL
KNOW WHAT A GREAT DEFENSEMAN
DOUG HARVEY HAS BEEN AND
IS, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
I'M GOING TO WIN THE VEZINA
TROPHY THIS YEAR WITHOUT
DOUG HARVEY". AND SURE ENOUGH,
HE WON THE VEZINA TROPHY
WITHOUT DOUG HARVEY NOT ONLY
DID HE WIN THE VEZINA; HE ALSO
WON THE HART TROPHY AS THE MOST
VALUABLE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE.
 THE HART TROPHY WOULD BE
 THE LAST TROPHY THAT JACQUES
 PLANTE WOULD WIN AS A MEMBER
 OF THE MONTREAL CANADIENS.
 THE 1962/63 SEASON
 WAS NOT A MEMORABLE ONE
 FOR PLANTE. HIS ASTHMA
 WORSENED AND SO DID
 HIS RELATIONSHIP
 WITH TOE BLAKE.
(Fisher) WHEN HE WENT TO
TORONTO, HE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY
AT THE ROYAL YORK HOTEL
BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THE BEDDING
IN THE ROOM BROUGHT ON ASTHMA
ATTACKS. HE WANTED TO STAY
AT ANOTHER HOTEL BY HIMSELF
AND TOE BLAKE EVENTUALLY LET
HIM DO THAT. BUT JUST FOR
ONE GAME. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW
TOE AND I WENT TO MAPLE LEAF
GARDENS ONE MORNING TO WATCH
THE MAPLE LEAFS PRACTICE AND
WE WERE WALKING UP THE STEPS
AND COMING AROUND THE BEND
IS JACQUES PLANTE WITH THREE
YOUNG LADIES ON HIS ARM.
TOE BLAKE SAID, "GOOD MORNING,
JACQUES!" AND PLANTE
SAID, "GOOD MORNING, TOE!"
AND PLANTE KEPT WALKING AND
TOE AND I KEPT WALKING WITH
TOE SWEARING UNDER HIS BREATH
SAYING: "THAT SO AND SO,
HE'LL BE BACK AT THE ROYAL
YORK HOTEL BEFORE HE CAN BLINK.
AND OF COURSE HE WAS AND
THAT NIGHT ON THE TRAIN,
PLANTE SAID: "I WANT YOU TO
KNOW TOE THAT THOSE THREE GIRLS
THEY WERE MY COUSINS".
TOE SAID "FINE! YOUR COUSINS
CAN COME AND MEET YOU
AT THE ROYAL YORK HOTEL,
NEXT TIME WE'RE IN TOWN.
AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT.
 THE CANADIENS FINISHED
 THE SEASON IN THIRD PLACE
 IN THE SIX TEAM LEAGUE AND
 WERE BOUNCED FROM THE PLAYOFFS
 IN THE FIRST ROUND BY
 THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS.
 ON JUNE 4TH, 1962,
 WHILE PLANTE WAS DRIVING TO
 A DOWNTOWN MEETING, HE
 TURNED ON HIS CAR RADIO.
(Radio Announcer) WE INTERRUPT
THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU
A SPECIAL SPORTS BULLETIN.
ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR
TRADES IN NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUES HISTORY HAS JUST BEEN
ANNOUNCED BY THE MONTREAL
CANADIENS. A SEVEN PLAYER TRADE
WITH THE NEW YORK RANGERS
REVOLVING AROUND THEIR
TEN SEASON GOALIE
STAR: JACQUES PLANTE.
(Fisher) TOE GOT FED UP. THEY
WEREN'T WINNING STANLEY CUPS.
AND HE EVENTUALLY GOT
FED UP WITH PLANTE'S QUOTE
"ACT" UNQUOTE. AND HE FINALLY,
AFTER ONE SEASON HE EXPLODED
AND WENT TO FRANK
SELKE SENIOR AND SAID:
"THIS GUY'S GOT TO GO!".
AND THAT GUY WENT.
(Moore) YA, I GUESS THIS WAS
THE HARDEST PART OF HIS LIFE,
BECAUSE WE ALL HAD THAT BLEU,
BLANC, ANT ROUGE ON OUR BACK
AND OUR HEART AND YOU KNOW, NO
ONE WANTED TO LEAVE THIS TEAM.
 PLANTE BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH
 THE RANGERS BY SHUTTING OUT
 THE HIGH-SCORING DETROIT RED
 WINGS. BUT THAT WAS AS GOOD
 AS IT GOT IN NEW YORK.
 FOR TWO YEARS HE STRUGGLED
 WITH A LOSING TEAM AND VARIOUS
 REAL OR IMAGINED INJURIES.
 BACK IN MONTREAL, HIS WIFE
 WASN'T WELL AND HE HAD TWO
 TEENAGE SONS WHO
 NEEDED A FATHER.
(Michel) THIS WAS A FACT
OF LIFE AND THERE WAS NOTHING
WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. AND HE
STILL WANTED TO PLAY HOCKEY.
SO WE JUST HAD TO
GET ALONG WITH IT.
(Hockey Announcer)
HE'S GOING RIGHT IN ALONE -
PASSES TO BATHGATE - HE
SHOOTS! OH, HIT BY BATHGATE!
 TWO YEARS OF LOSING WAS ENOUGH
 FOR PLANTE. HIS RETIREMENT
 WAS ANNOUNCED BY NEW YORK
 RANGER GENERAL MANAGER
 EMILE FRANCIS JUST BEFORE
 THE 1965 NHL JUNE DRAFT.
 PLANTE WAS 35. IN 1965, PLANTE
 WAS COMFORTABLE IN RETIREMENT.
 HE WORKED AS A REPRESENTATIVE
 FOR MOLSONS' BREWERIES.
 HE OWNED A BEAUTY PARLOUR
 ON ST. HUBERT STREET
 WHICH AMUSED HIS FORMER
 TEAMMATES. HE PLAYED LACROSSE
 FOR THE CAUGHNAWAGA INDIANS
 AND TOOK PART IN A NUMBER
 OF GOLF TOURNAMENTS. HE WAS
 A TELEVISION ANALYST FOR SOME
 OF THE CANADIENS HOME GAMES.
(Michel) FOR ME TO HAVE HIM AT
HOME; IT WAS MORE A RELATION
OF FRIENDSHIP, BECAUSE I
WAS GETTING OLDER. I FELT GOOD
AT HAVING HIM AT HOME, HE
COULD COACH ME IF I WAS PLAYING
BASEBALL DURING SUMMERTIME. SO,
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE HIM BACK.
 PLANTE WAS ENJOYING
 RETIREMENT, HE HAD NO THOUGHTS
 OF RETURNING TO HOCKEY.
 BUT A YOUNG HOCKEY COACH WHO
 WOULD ONE DAY BECOME THE
WINNINGEST COACH IN THE HISTORY
 OF THE NHL HAD
 A DIFFERENT IDEA.
Y
 BOWMAN, PLANTE RETURNED
 TO HOCKEY FOR ONE GAME BETWEEN
 THE JUNIOR CANADIENS AND THE
 WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS,
 THE NATIONAL TEAM
 OF THE SOVIET UNION.
(Bowman)
WE USED A FEW NHL PLAYERS
A FEW MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS
AND, WE REALLY WEREN'T AS GOOD
AS THE OTHER TEAM IN THAT GAME.
BUT HE HAD COME OUT OF
RETIREMENT, PRACTICED FOR ABOUT
TWO WEEKS AND WAS ANXIOUS
TO PROVE HIMSELF AGAINST THE
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION SO
HE WAS THE STAR OF THAT GAME.
HE HAD THREE BREAKAWAY AT
THE LAST MINUTE AND HE STOPPED
THE RUSSIAN - IT
WAS A REAL GOOD GAME.
(Fisher) HE WAS SPECTACULAR,
BUT WHY WOULDN'T HE BE -
HE WAS JACQUES PLANTE.
JACQUES PLANTE WAS SPECTACULAR
IN EVERYTHING HE DID ON THE
ICE, OFF THE ICE, IN THE NHL,
FACING THE RUSSIANS IN THE
JUNIOR GAME. THIS WAS SOMETHING
THAT HAD TO BE DONE AND
PLANTE DID IT, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT HIS CAREER
WAS ALL ABOUT,
 AFTER STUNNING THE RUSSIANS
 BY A 2 - 1 SCORE, PLANTE
 RETURNED TO HIS POST-HOCKEY
 LIFE. THERE WAS NO SUGGESTION
 THAT A RETURN TO
 HOCKEY WAS IN HIS FUTURE.
 BUT IN 1967, THE NHL
EXPANDED, ADDING SIX NEW TEAMS.
 AND MANY OF THOSE NEW TEAMS
 WERE DESPERATELY LOOKING
 FOR EXPERIENCED
 GOALTENDERS.
(Moore) SCOTTY CALLED ME UP
AND SAYS DICKIE WE'RE THINKING
OF ASKING JACQUES PLANTE TO
COME TO ST. LOUIS. AND I SAID:
"WELL, WHY YOU ASKING
ME? YOU SHOULDN'T ASK ME -
ASK YOUR GOALIE, GLEN
HALL WHETHER HE WANTS IT.
I KNOW HOW THE FEELING
BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE ARE.
(Bowman) WE HAD SOME
YOUNG GOALIES IN OUR SYSTEM,
BUT THEY WEREN'T READY TO PLAY
AT THE NHL LEVEL. YOU KNOW,
WE HAD A LOT OF PLAYERS
THAT HAD PLAYED IN THE NHL
WITH AND AGAINST JACQUES,
SO IT WAS A PRETTY EASY
TRANSITION FOR JACQUES
TO COME WITH OUR TEAM,
BECAUSE HE KNEW A LOT OF
THE PLAYERS. A LOT OF THEM
HAD COME UP THROUGH THE
MONTREAL ORGANIZATION.
(B, Liveau) I SUPPOSE THAT
AFTER HIS FIRST RETIREMENT
HE FOUND THAT HE WAS STILL
ENJOYING THE GAME. YOU MISS
THE ACTION ON THE ICE BUT
YOU MISS, I KNOW IN MY CASE
AND I CAN SPEAK FOR MANY
OF MY FORMER TEAMMATES,
WE MISSED THAT GREAT
ATMOSPHERE WE HAD IN THE ROOM,
THE GREAT ATMOSPHERE WE HAD
TOGETHER TRAVELING ON THE TRAIN.
SO, I'M NOT SURPRISED.
(Fisher) ANYTHING THAT
PLANTE DID DIDN'T SURPRISE ME.
BUT I THINK WHEN IT COMES
RIGHT DOWN TO IT YOU COULDN'T BE
A JACQUES PLANTE WITHOUT
LOVING TO PLAY THE GAME.
AND HE DID LOVE TO PLAY THE
GAME AND BECAUSE HE PLAYED IT
SO WELL AND BECAUSE HE WAS
SO WELL REWARDED FOR IT.
(Michel) WHEN HE DECIDED
TO GO TO ST. LOUIS, IT WAS
A SURPRISE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND IT WAS A GREAT YEAR,
PLAYING WITH GLEN HALL AND THE
TEAM THAT ST. LOUIS CAME UP
WITH WAS REAL
GOOD AND IT WAS FUN.
 PLANTE AND GLENN HALL COMBINED
 TO WIN THE VEZINA TROPHY,
 AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT
 FOR TWO AGING GOALIES
 PLAYING WITH
 AN EXPANSION TEAM.
 AFTER A SECOND SUCCESSFUL
 SEASON IN ST. LOUIS, PLANTE
 IS TRADED AGAIN, THIS TIME
 TO THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS!
(Bowman) BY THAT TIME WE HAD
SOME YOUNG GOALIES COMING UP
AND WE JUST COULDN'T KEEP
ALL OF OUR PLAYERS - WE WERE
GOING TO LOSE SOME YOUNG
PLAYERS. AND BEFORE WE LOST HIM
IN THE DRAFT, WE KNEW HE STILL
WANTED TO PLAY IN THE LEAGUE
AND WE PUT HIM ON A TEAM WE
THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD FOR HIM
AND HE WENT TO TORONTO
AND PLAYED PRETTY WELL.
 PLANTE BECAME A
 BUSINESS MAN AS WELL.
 PARTNER, MARK BEAUDIN
(Beaudin) WE CALL IT THE JACQUES
PLANTE MASK AND WE CALL THE
COMPANY FIBROSPORT. AND WHEN
WE START THE COMPANY, WELL OUR
FIRST DOUBT WAS HIS SON MICHEL
WHICH STAYED WITH THE COMPANY
FOR A VERY LONG TIME,
QUITE A WHILE AFTER I LEFT.
I'M MANUAL, I LIKE TO WORK
WITH MY HAND AND MY FATHER
AND I DISCUSS ABOUT IT AND
KNOWING THAT HE WAS STILL
INVOLVED IN HOCKEY HE WANTED
TO HAVE AT LEAST SOMEONE
FROM THE FAMILY THAT COULD
BE IN PLACE AND LOOK AT
THE MANUFACTURING AND SEE
HOW EVERYTHING WAS GOING.
(Beaudin) WHEN HE WAS PLAYING
HOCKEY, THERE WAS NO USE TALKING
TO HIM. HE WAS SO SERIOUS
IN THE BUSINESS OF KEEPING
TO CODE AND STUDYING ALL
THE TIME AND TRYING TO GET
NEW IDEAS. AND IT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT BUT WHAT HAPPENED,
AS SOON AS WE STARTED THE
COMPANY, HE WOULD COME AND SPEND
THE WHOLE SUMMER WITH US.
 PLANTE IS AS SUCCESSFUL IN
 BUSINESS AS HE IS ON THE ICE.
 FIBROSPORT WAS SOON TURNING
OUT 25,000 GOALIE MASKS A YEAR.
 AND PLANTE EARNED ENOUGH
 MONEY MAKING MASKS
 THAT HE WAS ABLE TO BANK
 HIS ENTIRE MAPLE LEAF SALARY!
 PLANTE SPENT THREE
 SEASONS WITH THE LEAFS.
 HIS GOALS-AGAINST-AVERAGE
 IN 1971 WAS INCREDIBLE
 1.88, THE LOWEST IN THE
 NHL SINCE PLANTE HIMSELF
 RECORDED A 1.86
 AVERAGE IN 1956.
 IN 1972, PLANTE WAS INVITED
 TO SWEDEN TO TEACH HIS
TECHNIQUE TO YOUNG GOALTENDERS.
 HE PUBLISHED DEVANT LE FILET,
 "IN FRONT OF THE NET" HIS
TEXTBOOK ON GOALTENDING. DURING
 THE SERIES OF THE CENTURY
 BETWEEN THE SOVIETS
 AND THE CANADIANS, HE WAS
 AN ANALYST FOR RADIO-CANADA.
 HE WAS CLEARLY RECOGNIZED
 AS THE MASTER OF HIS CRAFT.
 IN 1973, PLANTE WAS TRADED TO
 THE BOSTON BRUINS JUST IN TIME
 FOR THE PLAYOFFS. THEN
 HE NEGOTIATED A CONTRACT
 FOR $1 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS
 AS COACH AND GENERAL MANAGER
 OF THE QUEBEC NORDIQUES OF
 THE NEWLY-FORMED WORLD HOCKEY
 ASSOCIATION. HIS CAREER
 IN MANAGEMENT WAS SHORT LIVED.
(Fisher) WELL, WHAT YOU
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT PEOPLE
LIKE PLANTE, WHO FIND THEMSELVES
IN AN EXECUTIVE CAPACITY,
AFTER A HALL OF FAME CAREER -
HE EXPECTS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PLAYING FOR HIM TO PLAY THE
GAME AS WELL AS HE DID WHEN
HE WAS A PLAYER. WELL THAT'S
IMPOSSIBLE, THAT'S WHY PLANTE
DIDN'T LAST AS THE GENERAL
MANAGER - OR WHATEVER HE WAS -
OF THE QUEBEC NORDIQUES.
 HE IS NOT ENJOYING LIFE
 AWAY FROM HOCKEY EITHER.
 HIS 23 YEAR MARRIAGE
 TO JACQUELINE HAD ENDED
 AND HIS YOUNGER SON
 RICHARD HAD PASSED AWAY.
 THINGS AT FIBROSPORT
 WERE NOT GOING WELL.
(Beaudin) JACQUES WENT TO
SEE THE COMPANY AND GOT A VERY
LARGE ORDER FROM THEM.
I THINK IT WAS 15,000 MASKS
THAT WE HAD TO PRODUCE.
MAYBE THEY JUST WANTED US OUT
OF THE BUSINESS. BECAUSE THEY
MADE IT ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE
TO PAY US AND FINALLY THEY
DIDN'T WANT THE MASK ANYMORE.
AND WE HAD TO GO TO COURT
AND I KNOW, I WAS IN BIGGER
COMPANY AFTER THAT AND I
KNOW THAT THAT IS A WAY
TO GET RID OF A SMALL
COMPANY IN A WAY IS TO GIVE IT
A BIG ORDER WHEN
YOU DON'T RESPECT IT.
 BILL HUNTER, OWNER
 OF THE EDMONTON OILERS
 HAD A SOLUTION FOR THE 45
 YEAR OLD PLANTE'S UNHAPPINESS.
(Hunter) JACQUES AND I HAD
LUNCH TOGETHER AND WE WERE
TALKING HOCKEY AND I ASKED
HIM HOW HE WAS ENJOYING
HIS WORK AND I COULD TELL
HE WASN'T EXACTLY HAPPY.
AND I SUGGESTED THAT:
"HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME
AND PLAY FOR US IN EDMONTON?"
AND THAT LEAD TO FURTHER
DISCUSSION AND WE ENDED
UP LANDING JACQUES.
 IT WAS A GOOD MOVE FOR
 BOTH PLANTE AND THE OILERS.
(Hunter)
JACQUES WAS EXCEPTIONALLY
POPULAR WITH THE FANS.
THE PHONES WOULD CONSTANTLY
RING. "IS JACQUES PLAYING
TONIGHT?". HE SENT TWO TO THREE
THOUSAND, MAYBE EVEN HIGHER,
FANS AGAIN TO US. AND WHEN
HE CAME HERE HE WAS SENSATIONAL
TO SAY THE LEAST. WE WERE
LEADING THE LEAGUE BY SOME
17 POINTS, WHEN HE GOT HURT.
AND HE HAD A BEEN ABLE TO PLAY
AND PLAY LIKE HE WAS PLAYING,
I THINK WE WOULD NOT ONLY
HAVE LEAD THE LEAGUE WE
PROBABLY COULD HAVE WON IT ALL.
 HOCKEY WAS NOT PLANTE'S
 ONLY PASSION DURING
 HIS EDMONTON DAYS. THERE WAS
 ALSO A NEW LADY IN HIS LIFE.
(Hunter) SHE WAS A REMARKABLE
LADY IN HER OWN RIGHT. SHE WAS
FROM SWITZERLAND, WAS MANGER OF
THE CONCESSIONS AT JERRY PARK,
FOR THE MONTREAL EXPOS, DID AN
OUTSTANDING JOB AND THEY HATED
TO LOSE HER. BUT SHE CAME
WEST WITH JACQUES AND SHE WAS
A TYPICAL SWISS GIRL WHO JUST
LOVED TO SKI. THEY DID A LOT
OF CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
TOGETHER, THEY'D GO FOR LONG
WALKS ALONG THE RIVER
VALLEY. THEY LOVED EDMONTON.
 AND IT WAS IN EDMONTON WHERE
 PLANTE PLAYED HIS LAST GAME
 OF PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY -
 THE END OF ONE OF HOCKEY'S
 MOST BRILLIANT CAREERS.
(Hunter) WE WERE MAKING A
ROAD TRIP TO DENVER AND WE WERE
GOING TO FLY DOWN AND FLY
BACK RIGHT AFTER THE GAME,
WE HAD A CHARTER. AND WE
DECIDED TO LEAVE JACQUES AT HOME
AND LOW AND BEHOLD HE WENT
OUT AND PRACTICED WITH OUR OIL
KINGS, OUR JUNIOR CLUB.
AND HE GOT HIT WITH A SLAPSHOT
IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD,
RIGHT ON THE EAR AND IT CAUSED
SOME VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
THE LOSS OF BALANCE, AND DOCTORS
WILL TELL YOU THAT'S ONE OF
THE WORST INJURIES AN ATHLETE
CAN HAVE. AND THAT ULTIMATELY
FINISHED HIS CAREER BECAUSE
HE TRIED TO COME
BACK LATER IN THE YEAR
BUT IT WASN'T
THE SAME JACQUES.
 PLANTE RETIRED FROM HOCKEY -
 FOR A THIRD AND FINAL TIME.
 RAYM
 MOVED D
 TO THE TOWN OF SIERRE
 IN SWITZERLAND. ONE OF HIS
 NEIGHBORS WAS A CANADIAN
HOCKEY COACH NAMED NORMAN DUBE.
(Dube) EVERY MORNING HE'D
GET UP AND GO TO, YOU KNOW
THE OLD RESTAURANT THERE TO
HAVE HIS COFFEE. AND HE WOULD DO
HIS GROCERY EVERYDAY. HE WOULD
LIVE EXACTLY LIKE THE PEOPLE
WERE DOING THERE, SO HE WAS
VERY CALM, WAS LIKE A LOT
OF PEOPLE HERE WOULD LIKE
TO LIVE, LIKE RETIRED PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE WAY
PEOPLE LIVE THERE.
(Michel) FOR SURE SWITZERLAND
IS NOT CLOSE TO MONTREAL.
IT WAS GOOD FOR HIM,
THAT'S WHAT HE WAS MENTIONING,
BECAUSE HIS ASTHMA PROBLEM.
HE TOOK THE PUMP AND JUST LEFT
IT IN THE DRAWER AND NEVER
USED IT WHEN HE WAS IN
SWITZERLAND. SO HIS HEALTH
WAS BETTER BEING THERE.
(B, Liveau) I COULD FEEL DURING
THIS SHORT TIME IN SIERRE.
THAT HE HAS BECOME WELL
KNOWN. WORKED WITH YOUNG KIDS
ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK. SEEMS
TO BE VERY WELL APPRECIATED
BY MANY OF HIS FRIENDS THAT
I MET. AND I HAD A FEELING
THAT HE WAS FEELING
VERY GOOD LIVING IN SIERRE.
 PLANTE RETURNED TO
 CANADA REGULARLY TO WORK
 AS A GOALTENDER COACH
 FOR A NUMBER OF TEAMS.
(B, Liveau) HE USE TO COME
TO, IN SEPTEMBER, FOR TRAINING
CAMP, WOULD COME BACK
MAYBE RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS
AND BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS.
(Fisher) YOU CAN ONLY TEACH
GOALTENDERS JUST SO MUCH,
THE REST OF IT HAS TO COME
FROM WITHIN YOU. PLANTE WAS
A GOALTENDER FROM THE TIP OF
HIS TOES TO THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.
 PLANTE RETURNED TO CANADA
 FOR OTHER REASONS TOO.
 IN 1978 HE WAS INDUCTED
 INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME.
 (applause)
(Selke) JACQUES HAS TO HAVE
A SPECIAL LITTLE INTRODUCTION
BECAUSE HE'S ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
HE SET AN ENTIRELY NEW
STANDARD OF THE WAY TO PLAY
GOAL AND HE MADE THE THING
AND ART RATHER THAN A
PROFESSION. HE WAS A LITTLE MORE
RELIABLE ALL THE TIME AND HE
DID MORE FOR THE GAME OF HOCKEY
THAN ALL THE GOALTENDERS
PUT TOGETHER, SINCE HE CAME IN.
AND I READ IN HIS BOOK,
(applause) I HEAR YOU'VE MOVED
TO SWITZERLAND BECAUSE YOU
HAVE ALL THE MONEY SALTED AWAY
IN ONE OF THOSE BANKS.
AND YOUR NOT GOING TO LET
ANYBODY TAKE
ANY CHANCES.
 (applause)
 ON DECEMBER 17, 1983, THE
 MONTREAL CANADIENS INVITED
 THE PLAYERS WHO HAD BEEN
 PART OF THE FIVE CONSECUTIVE
 STANLEY CUPS TEAM BACK TO
 A CELEBRATION AT THE FORUM.
 (cheering)
AND ON JANUARY 12, 1985, PLANTE
 AGAIN RETURNS TO THE FORUM,
ELECTED BY THE FANS AS A MEMBER
 OF THE CANADIENS' ALL-TIME
 "DREAM TEAM"!  THAT WOULD
 TURN OUT TO BE PLANTE'S LAST
 VISIT TO THE MONTREAL
 FORUM - A PLACE WHERE HE HAD
 REWRITTEN ALL THE RECORD
 BOOKS AND CAPTURED THE HEARTS
 OF A
 GENERATION OF FANS!
(Moore) WELL, I HAD MET HIM
THE WINTER BEFORE HE'D COME IN
FROM SWITZERLAND AND SAY "HELLO"
TO US AND HE LOOKED VERY,
VERY GOOD. SO WHEN I HEARD HE
HAD CANCER I COULDN'T BELIEVE
IT! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT -
I WAS VERY, VERY SHOCKED BY IT.
IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY,
BECAUSE WHEN HE CALLED HE SAID:
"I'M GOING TO SWITZERLAND, I
HAVE CANCER AND PROBABLY THEY
WILL OPERATE ME OVER
THERE". AND THEY OPERATE HIM
AND A WEEK AFTER HE DIED.
(♪)
 ON FEBRUARY 27, 1986,
 JACQUES PLANTE DIED
 OF STOMACH CANCER IN
 SWITZERLAND, HE WAS 57.
(B, Liveau) I WENT TO THE
FUNERAL. I WAS VERY HONORED
WHEN THE TEAM HERE AND THE
LEAFS SAID: "JEAN YOUR THE ONE
WHO KNEW HIM THE BEST, YOU
WOULD BE THE GUY, THE CANADIEN
AND THE LEAGUE WILL NEED
TO HAVE SOMEBODY THERE.
AND I GLADLY DO IT BECAUSE
I'VE ALWAYS RESPECT JACQUES,
WHATEVER STYLE THAT THE
MAN HAS. SO I HAVE ALWAYS
HAD GOOD
RESPECT FOR HIM.
(Moore) IT HURT, IT HURT
VERY MUCH SO. AN OLD TEAMMATE
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE AND
ADMIRATION FOR. AND HE WAS ONE
THAT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL BUT
HE WAS A GREAT GOALTENDER.
IN 1995, THE MONTREAL CANADIENS
 RETIRED SWEATER NUMBER 1,
 JACQUES PLANTE'S
 NUMBER THROUGHOUT HIS
 CAREER WITH MONTREAL.
 (cheering)
(Fisher) IT'S DIFFICULT, IN
MANY WAYS TO DESCRIBE JACQUES
PLANTE BECAUSE HE WAS
SO DIFFERENT. SUCH A GREAT
GOALTENDER SO MUCH OF AN
INNOVATOR, IT'S DIFFICULT
TO REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT
HE WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE ALWAYS
ENDED UP BEING A WINNER WHICH
IS WHAT THIS GAME OR ANY
OTHER GAME'S ALL ABOUT
LIKE HIM OR NOT HE WAS
A WINNER. I LIKED HIM!
(♪)
