THEY CALLED HIM TONY O
TONY ESPOSITO’S 15 ROOKIE SHUTOUTS EARNED HIM A LEGENDARY NICKNAME AND A PERMANENT PLACE IN HOCKEY AND HOBBY HISTORY
It’s almost impossible to imagine the impact Tony Esposito would have made in the hobby if he played today.
Esposito, who passed away at the age of 78 in August as a result of pancreatic cancer, put together one of the greatest seasons of any rookie in NHL history, right alongside those of Teemu Selanne (1992-93), Terry Sawchuk (1950-51), and Mike Bossy (1977-78).
Plucked by the Chicago Black Hawks from the roster of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1969 intraleague dra, Esposito beat out Dennis DeJordy for the starting job in training camp and proceeded to dominate the NHL. He posted a 2.17 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, and set a modern-day record with 15 shutouts in just 63 games – Ed Giacomin was second with six – on his way to winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie and the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie.
Top of the Hot List? If he had put together that kind of season in today’s market, his RCs might secure all 20 spots.
Even in his own time, Esposito was recognized as one of a kind. It was rare to see players come out of American college hockey in those days, and college goalies – Tony played three seasons at Michigan Tech – were even more unusual. He was also a right-catching keeper, a curiosity that made his excellent glove hand even tougher to beat.
He was feisty and competitive. His trademark move was dropping to his side and diving under the opposing player, bowling them over with his pads before they could get off a shot. And Tony O, as he was called, was always looking for an angle to improve his odds of stopping the puck. He was an expert with needle and thread and would overstuff his pads beyond the legal limits aer the NHL made their official measurements at the start of the season. He sewed mesh inserts into his pants to create another unnatural barrier.
But it wasn’t just trickery that made Esposito one of the very best of all time
(he was one of just 15 goalies named to the NHL’s list of 100 Greatest Players during the
league’s centennial season). He was marvelously skilled, pioneering the butterfly style and playing with an energetic verve that made him one of the most beloved players in Chicago history.
Esposito won 423 games over 16 seasons, third all-time when he retired and 10th today, to go along with 76 shutouts. He also claimed two more Vezina trophies, was a three-time First Team All-Star, and appeared in six NHL All-Star Games. And while he never won the Cup, he helped the Black Hawks reach the Final in 1971 and 1973 before falling to the dynastic Canadiens both times.
He’s also fondly remembered for his role backstopping Canada alongside Ken Dryden in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Esposito went 2-1-1 in his four appearances, including the crucial 4-3 Game 7 triumph in Moscow.
Esposito was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, and that same year his No. 35 was raised to the raers of the old Chicago Stadium.
It’s little wonder then that his cards have remained strong sellers even as his playing days recede into distant memory. Esposito, who maintained a massive collection of memorabilia from his playing days curated by his wife, Marilyn, remained a part of the contemporary hobby long aer his retirement. He was a regular guest at card shows and private signing events, winning over fans with his warm presence and an every-letter signature that looked terrific on everything from photos to replicas of one of his memorable mask designs.
He also was a popular pull from vintage-themed card sets produced by Upper Deck, Leaf, In e Game, and Panini. He most recently appeared in 2020-21 Black Diamond and In e Game Used.
Naturally, the cards from his playing days earn the most attention. Slabbed copies of his 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee RC (#138) are consistently strong sellers. ere are fewer than 100 Mint 9 copies in circulation, with sales registered between $1,500 and $3,500 over the past few months. Just two examples have earned a Gem Mint 10 rating from PSA, with two more Gem Mint 9.5 grades coming from BGS. None of those four copies have surfaced recently so there’s no telling their true market value at this point.
His third-year singles (1971-72 Topps and O-Pee-Chee #110) rank among his most attractive cards, and while they’re slightly easier to find in premium condition they tend to sell extremely well due to the relatively large number of set builders, especially for the OPC version.
Some of his most compelling items come from the early ‘70s when Esposito was a regular in insert and oddball sets. His 1970-71 Dad’s Cookies card (#31) is a classic thanks to that spectacular NHL Players’ Association jersey, while his 197172 Bazooka (#29) ranks as the toughest card to acquire from his playing days. e 1974-75 Lipton Soup (#45) is another hand-cut single that is hard to track down, and even tougher in top condition. Just five of those have been slabbed, with two earning NM-MT 8 grades.
Esposito also appeared in several European releases during that time frame, including 1971-72 Finnish Suomi Stickers (#381), Swedish Hockey Stickers (#195), and Semic World Championship (#231). Small Nordic market sizes meant very limited production compared to North American releases, and most of those sold were placed into albums. Few exist today in their original state, so tracking these down could take years for even the most dedicated collector.
Esposito might not get the hobby acclaim he’d earn if he played today, but make no mistake: He’s a true hobby legend and will be deeply missed.