Charlie Hodge (1933-2016) (NHL 1954-1971, Canucks 1970-1971) | 1 | G

[Kevin Biestra]

He passed away within the last decade and there probably won't be too many cues in the future for us to talk about him.  But did Canuck fans know that despite all of the historical bad luck (e.g. the Gil Perreault wheel of fortune) at the start of the team's existence in 1970, the Canucks opened their tenure with a two-time Vezina Trophy winner in goal?

 

Now this was the old Vezina Trophy.  Prior to 1982 or so, the Vezina was basically what the Jennings is now, and the modern Vezina Trophy was equivalent to being named to the 1st All Star Team at the end of the year.  However, Charlie Hodge not only won those two old school Vezinas, but was twice named to the 2nd All Star Team (equivalent to a modern Vezina finalist, and first runner up at that).  And he played in the three All Star Games back when it was really hard to make those rosters.

 

He did this as sometimes backup and sometimes starter with the 1960s Canadiens dynasty era teams, sharing the net in this fashion with the legends Gump Worsley and Jacques Plante.

 

Along with the fairly recently departed Dunc Wilson, Charlie Hodge tended the net for the original 1970-71 Canucks lineup.  And while Dunc Wilson did a nice job while facing a hailstorm of pucks almost every night, Charlie Hodge was pretty spectacular.  For the first twentysomething years, the only Canuck goalies with career winning records with the team were John Garrett...and Charlie Hodge.  Charlie achieved this on a first year expansion team that went 24-46-8 overall.  Charlie's record was 15-13-5.

 

Hodge retired at the end of the Canucks' first season at the age of 37.  In addition to his Stanley Cup ring as a player with the Canadiens, he received two more as a scout for the Mario Lemieux era Penguins of 1991 and 1992.

 

Rest in peace hockey legend.

 

 

 

Edited November 23 by Kevin Biestra

[Curmudgeon]

I was a Charlie Hodge fan when he played for Montreal. I always knew he was small, but I looked him up and he stood 5'6" and weighed 150 pounds. Imagine that.

[Kevin Biestra]

16 hours ago, Curmudgeon said:

I was a Charlie Hodge fan when he played for Montreal. I always knew he was small, but I looked him up and he stood 5'6" and weighed 150 pounds. Imagine that.

 

One of the Canucks' great small gunslinger goalies like King Richard and John Garrett.  Kind of interesting that the only goalies we had with winning career records over our first twentysomething years were two small guys in Hodge and Garrett.

[Wilbur]

Hodges 35 GP put him way back on page 42 of my Canucks binder (35-37 games played).

 

Spoiler

Spencer Martin the only other goalie on that page.  Had similar win totals, although Martin wasn't tending the crease for an expansion team.

 

                                                                     (GP - W - L - T/OTL)

26	Bob Essensa	39	18	12	3
27	Charlie Hodge	35	15	13	5
28	Arturs Irbe	41	14	11	6
29	Spencer Martin	35	14	15	4

Edited November 25 by Wilbur

[Kevin Biestra]

18 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Hodges 35 GP put him way back on page 42 of my Canucks binder (35-37 games played).

 

  Hide contents

Spencer Martin the only other goalie on that page.  Had similar win totals, although Martin wasn't tending the crease for an expansion team.

 

                                                                     (GP - W - L - T/OTL)

26	Bob Essensa	39	18	12	3
27	Charlie Hodge	35	15	13	5
28	Arturs Irbe	41	14	11	6
29	Spencer Martin	35	14	15	4

 

He looks like an iron jawed Bob Hope in that hockey card.