Known for his innovative puck-handling skills and strong play for teams with losing records as an NHL goalie from 1941-53, Chuck Rayner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.
Rayner, whose given first name was Claude, was known to join -- and sometimes lead -- rushes up ice during an era when goalies typically focused solely on stopping shots and left handling the puck to their teammates. He tried on several occasions to score a goal, but never did.
Known for his innovative puck-handling skills and strong play for teams with losing records as an NHL goalie from 1941-53, Chuck Rayner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.
Rayner, whose given first name was Claude, was known to join -- and sometimes lead -- rushes up ice during an era when goalies typically focused solely on stopping shots and left handling the puck to their teammates. He tried on several occasions to score a goal, but never did.
The first two seasons of his NHL career were with the New York and Brooklyn Americans before Rayner spent three years serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War ll. After the war, he signed with the New York Rangers in 1945, and spent the final eight seasons of his NHL career with them.
Rayner was an NHL Second Team All-Star and appeared in the All-Star Game in 1949, 1950 and 1951.
Following the 1949-50 season, Rayner won the Hart Trophy voted as the most valuable player in the NHL. He is one of seven goalies to win the Hart Trophy (Roy Worters in 1928-29; Al Rollins, 1953-54; Jacques Plante, 1961-62; Dominik Hasek, 1996-97 and 1997-98; Jose Theodore, 2001-02; Carey Price, 2014-15) and one of four Rangers to win the League MVP (Buddy O'Connor in 1947-48; Andy Bathgate, 1958-59; Mark Messier, 1991-92).
Rayner helped lead the Rangers to the 1950 Stanley Cup Final, where New York was defeated in seven games by the Detroit Red Wings despite not playing a single game at Madison Square Garden, its home arena, because of scheduling conflicts. He and the Rangers won Game 4 and Game 5 in overtime but lost the decisive seventh game in double overtime.
"Bonnie Prince Charlie," as he was often called, suffered a knee injury in 1953 and finished his NHL career without a winning season. When inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame 20 years later, he was the second goalie honored despite a losing record in the NHL (138-206-78 in 425 games).
Rayner died on Oct. 6, 2002 at the age of 82.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- AHL Second All-Star Team (1941)
- NHL Second All-Star Team (1949, 1950, 1951)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1949, 1950, 1951)
- Signed as a free agent by NY Americans, October 11, 1939.
- Team name changed to Brooklyn Americans prior to 1941-42 season.
- Signed as a free agent by NY Rangers after Brooklyn franchise folded, 1945.
- Signed as a free agent by Saskatoon (WHL), September 25, 1953.
