Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey [Kindle Edition]

Todd Denault (Author)

Book Description

The first full-scale biography of a legendary and award-winning NHL goalie who transformed the game.

“There are a lot of very good goalies, there are even a fair number of great goalies. But there aren’t many important goalies. And Jacques Plante was an important goalie.” Ken Dryden

On and off the ice Jacques Plante was a true original; he was extremely talented, boastful, defiant, mysterious, and complex. Throughout his tumultuous career as a goalie, he played for Montreal, New York, St. Louis, Toronto, Boston, and Edmonton. His contributions to and impact on the game were extensive and are reflected in today’s rules, equipment, and style of play. Thoroughly investigated through archival and primary research, and including interviews with figures such as Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard, Dickie Moore, and Scotty Bowman, this biography sheds light on one of the most pivotal figures in the history of hockey.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this engaging bio Todd Denault tells the story of a trailblazer."
— Sports Illustrated

"A fascinating read, meticulously researched." 
— Scott Morrison

"A well researched and thorough examination of the life of an extraordinarily talented hockey player and complex man." 
— Al Strachan

"This is a long overdue examination of one of hockey's pivotal players and most colourful characters — but Todd Denault has made the wait worthwhile." 
— Roy MacGregor

"A complete, well-researched portrait of a complex man." 
— Montreal Gazette

"After just a few pages into this book it was obvious Todd Denault had written an instant classic. I can not recommend this book enough." 
— Hockeybookreviews.com


From the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

A member of the Society for International Hockey Research, Todd Denault is a freelance writer who has had his work featured in numerous online and print publications. A graduate of Carleton University and Lakehead University, Todd resides in Cobourg, Ontario. This is his first book.


From the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 2609 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart (October 27, 2009)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0031RS4KW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #506,680 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hockey fan? Goalie? This is a must-have. December 3, 2009

By Thane Tierney

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was lucky enough to have seen the game's greatest goalie late in his career, when he was playing with the St. Louis Blues, platooned with his old rival (and fellow Hall of Famer) Glenn Hall. He's been a hero for as long as I can remember. Denault manages to capture the rough-and-tumble world of old-time hockey with crisp, precise prose and a clear love for the history of the game. But even more importantly, he is able to freeze-frame that most mercurial of talents, goaltending, and paint a 3-D portrait of a very complex man. His research is meticulous and he's not unduly respectful of one of the game's legendary figures, rendering a vivid image without either glorifying or disparaging Plante's enduring reputation. This is the best hockey book of 2009, and rivals Randall Maggs' Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems as one of the best books ever written about a goalie. If you are a Canadiens fan, a goalie, or just a fan of the coolest sport on ice, this is a must-read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Virtuoso March 1, 2010

By Scott A. Kallick

Format:Hardcover

The mid to late 1950's spawned an era in hockey that could have been called the Golden Age of Goalies. Terry Sawchuck, Glenn Hall, Johnny Bower and Roger Crozier all patrolled the nets into the mid-1960's and beyond, but none achieved the heights and glory of Jacques Plante.

Later additions of padded greatness included Tony Esposito, Ken Dryden, Grant Fuhr, and Dominek Hasek. All lay claim as the best that ever was, but Plante stays in the argument.

He was meticulous, eccentric, detached, and offbeat, but he was undeniably great. He played until he was 46 years old and took a studied, professorial approach to his craft. He was also a winner, whose ambition fueled him to seven Vezina's, five Stanley Cups and the admiration and respect of a generation of hockey fans, coaches and players.

This a crisply researched and well documented biography. It looks into the psyche of its subject in hard depth, and takes in not only biographical material of other hockey bios, but also interviews many of those who knew Jacques Plante.

Often inscrutable, Plante lived through his achievements both on the ice, and later, as a mentor. His monastic pursuit of hockey excellence is unmatched.

This is an excellent read on a highly interesting subject. It is recommended highly for any serious hockey fan.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Jacque Plante: The Legend Revisited! January 3, 2010

By Anthony Accordino VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Jacques Plante "The Man Who Changed The Face Of Hockey", by Todd Denault, proves to be one of the finest hockey biographies ever written. The cover photo of the book immediately grabs your attention, as a blood stained Plante prepares to change hockey history, by donning the mask for the first time, after he was on the receiving end of an Andy Bathgate slapshot to the face. This book traces his poor beginnings in Shawinigan Falls, and his rise to hockey stardom with the Montreal Canadiens, and his ups and downs with the New York Rangers, ST. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and his end of career stint with the WHA. More importantly, Jacques Plante is portrayed as the true innovator of modern day goaling in the NHL. He perfected the mask from antiquated beginnings, and improved designs for 15 years, culminating in his classic Fibrosport design[Bernie Parent etc], which at the time provided more protection then ever before. By all accounts, he was the first goalie to communicate with his defensemen with hand signals which goalies use today, to indicate icing. He was the first goalie in history to leave the crease and play the puck, which was unheard of back in the 50's. Goalies like Ed Giacomin, Ron Hextall, and of course Marty Brodeur took it to another level, but the foundation of such daring play was started by the great Jacques Plante, who's influence on the game remains intact even today. He was a complex man, who like many goalies of his day like Terry Sawchuk, was a loner who owned a brilliant hockey mind both on and off the ice. Jacques Plante died young at 57 years of age in 1986, but he leaves behind a Hall Of Fame Career, and innovations that changed the game of ice Hockey forever.

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