Chicago Blackhawks
Glenn Hall, “Mr. Goalie” (1931-2026): The Trade That Helped Save Chicago
Remembering the late Glenn Hall, the legendary Mr. Goalie and Stanley Cup champion who reshaped hockey history.
The hockey community lost a true giant this week. Stanley Cup champion, Glenn Hall, the legend they called “Mr. Goalie,” passed away on January 7, 2026, at the age of 94. While hockey fans today still marvel at his 502-game “Ironman” streak—552 if you count the playoffs—it was a massive 1957 trade between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks that actually helped shift the league’s history forever.
A Franchise-Altering Swap
In July 1957, the Detroit Red Wings stunned the hockey world by trading Hall and Ted Lindsay to Chicago. Even though Hall had just won the 1956 Calder Trophy, Detroit decided he was expendable.
As I recently wrote in the Professor’s Press Box, Hall brought a gritty “Ironman” soul to a city that had essentially was looking for a way to win the Stanley Cup.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman noted in his tribute:
“Glenn was sturdy, dependable and a spectacular talent in net… That record, set from 1955-56 to 1962-63, still stands, probably always will, and is almost unfathomable.”
From Basement to Banner
Hall’s arrival helped to completely flip the script. He was famous for being physically ill before games because of nerves, but he became a brick wall the second the puck dropped. That sheer mental toughness is what finally helped drag Chicago out of the gutter and toward an emotional 1961 Stanley Cup title—beating his old Detroit squad to do it.
It’s why Blackhawks Chairman & CEO Danny Wirtz was so quick to honor him, calling Hall:
“one of the greatest and most influential goaltenders in history of our sport and a true cornerstone of our franchise.”
A Lasting Legacy
Hall later won the 1968 Conn Smythe Trophy with St. Louis, but that 1957 trade between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks remains the one of the greatest “franchise-saver” ever seen.
Rest in peace, Mr. Goalie. You’ll never be forgotten.
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