From the CBC :
Hall of Fame goaltender Lorne (Gump) Worsley, a Montreal native who played 21 years in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars, died Friday at the age of 77.
“He was a terrific goaltender,” former North Stars teammate Lou Nanne said. “If I could pick any goalie to win a big game, it would be Gump.
“He was one of the first real characters in the NHL. He had a lot of personality and really showed the human side of the game. He didn’t look like an athlete and smoked like a chimney between periods, but he was terrific when he put the pads on.”
Worsley was famous for not wearing a mask until the final season of his NHL career in 1973-74.
Worsley won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 1952-53 as a member of the Rangers and helped New York reach the playoffs in four of the 10 seasons he played there.
Worsley led the Canadiens to four Stanley Cups (1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969) in seven seasons with Montreal and won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie on two occasions (1966 and 1968).
Hi:
Bernie Parente helped the Flyers to two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. Is it true that Gump Worsley was his mentor? Thanks.
Jerry
Gump helped develop the butterfly style of goaltending.