NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Tony Esposito has died from pancreatic cancer at age 78, according to the Chicago Blackhawks, which made the announcement on behalf of the family.
Esposito started his NHL career playing 13 games for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1968-69 season, and was then acquired by the Blackhawks in an intraleague draft, playing the rest of his 16-year career in Chicago. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year along with the Vezina Trophy for the league’s top goaltender in his first year, and later won two more Vezinas.
After his playing days ended, Esposito was general manager and vice president of hockey operations for the Penguins during the 1988-89 season and part of the ’89-’90 season. He drafted Hall of Famer Mark Recchi and also swung the deal that brought Tom Barrasso to Pittsburgh. He was replaced by Craig Patrick as GM in December of ’89.
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