Giacomin was a late bloomer. He began his pro hockey career in 1959, played five seasons with Providence of the American Hockey League and didn't play his first NHL game until Oct. 24, 1965, more than four months after his 26th birthday.

It looked like the native of Sudbury, Ontario, might be a career minor leaguer until the New York Rangers traded four players to Providence for Giacomin on May 18, 1965. However, the new goalie was anything but an instant success, going 8-20 with six ties for a last-place team in 1965-66 and struggling badly enough to be demoted to the AHL for seven games.

But Rangers general manager Emile Francis, a former NHL goalie, saw his faith in Giacomin justified in 1966-67. Giacomin led the NHL in wins (30) and shutouts (nine), was named an NHL First-Team All-Star and helped the Rangers make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 1962. He led the NHL in wins in each of the next two seasons as well, then teamed with Gilles Villemure to win the Vezina Trophy in 1970-71, when the Rangers allowed the fewest goals during the regular season. New York defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Quarterfinals for its first postseason series win since 1950, then came within one win of making the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Chicago Black Hawks. Giacomin, an NHL Second-Team All-Star in each of the three previous seasons, was named to the First All-Star Team for the second and final time.

The Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1972 but lost to the Boston Bruins in six games. They were eliminated in the Semifinals in 1973 and 1974, then were upset in the 1975 Preliminary Round by the third-year New York Islanders. That convinced management that changes needed to be made. One of them was moving Giacomin, now 36. After going 0-3 with one tie in his first four games, he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 31, 1975.

Two nights later, he returned to Madison Square Garden as a visiting player for the first time. With fans chanting "Eddie, Eddie" throughout the game, Giacomin and the Red Wings won 6-4.

Giacomin played two-plus seasons with the Red Wings before retiring Jan. 17, 1978, finishing 290-209 with 96 ties, a 2.82 goals-against average, .902 save percentage and 54 shutouts. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rangers retired his No. 1 on March 15, 1989.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• NHL First All-Star Team (1967, 1971)
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1968, 1969, 1970)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973)
• Hired as assistant trainer and practice goaltender by Clinton (EHL), September, 1959.
• Traded to NY Rangers by Providence (AHL) for Marcel Paille, Aldo Guidolin, Sandy McGregor and Jim Mikol, May 18, 1965.
• Claimed on waivers by Detroit from NY Rangers, October 31, 1975.