Tiny Thompson – Boston’s Ironman Goalie

Here’s simple proof that the human race is getting larger in stature at a rapid pace. Cecil Thompson was called ‘Tiny’ because of his ‘gigantic’ build of 5’10” and 180 lbs. Of course, anything under six feet is considered small in today’s NHL. Tiny Thompson was a pioneer with the Boston Bruins, becoming the team’s first great goalie. Tiny was also one hell of an ironman but is not recognized because of the shorter schedules when he played back in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

 

Minor Pro Career

NHL Career

Coaching Career

Rookie Card

Career Stats

Tiny Thompson – Minor Pro

Thompson spent three years with the Minneapolis Millers from 1925-26 to 1927-28. In the first year, the Millers were first overall in the six team Central Hockey League. After that, the franchise moved into the AHA, predecessor to the AHL.

Minneapolis was there to mold young players into Boston Bruins. In 1926-27 and 1927-28, Thompson stopped the pucks from going in the net while Cooney Weiland put them between the opponent’s posts. Both would move up to the NHL in 1928-29 to help the Bruins win their first ever Stanley Cup championship.

In 1926-27, the Millers finished second overall in the six team AHA and were swept in the finals by the Duluth Hornets in three games. Over that series, Minneapolis was outscored 5-0.

The following year, the Millers were third in the five team league and once again met the Hornets in the finals. From what I can understand, this was one of the more bizarre matchups in hockey history. The teams played five games. The first three games ended in scoreless draws. Minneapolis won game four by the score of 1-0. In the fifth game, the teams tied again, this time 1-1. The Millers won the series and the championship.

Tiny would not play in the minors again until 1940-41. He had moved on to become head coach of the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League but appeared between the pipes in one game for the AHL club.

Tiny Thompson – NHL

Thompson played in the NHL from 1928-29 to 1939-40 with the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. In his rookie year, he posted a 1.15 goals against average while playing the full 44 game schedule for Boston. However, when it came to the Vezina Trophy, his amazing performance was overshadowed by the historic season of George Hainsworth. The Montreal goalie recorded a 0.92 GAA while earning 22 shutouts over 44 games. Both these numbers remain National Hockey League records today.

However, when it came to the Stanley Cup playoffs in that rookie year, Boston and Tiny came out on top. In just their fifth year in the NHL, the Bruins won their first championship. Boston played the New York Rangers in the finals and swept their opponents in two games.

The following year, the Bruins reached the finals again but were swept by the Canadiens in two games. It would be the last time Thompson would get that close to the Cup. However, Tiny did won his first of four Vezina Trophies that season.

For the ten seasons from 1928-29 to 1937-38, Thompson missed just five regular season games. Those five all came during the 1931-32 NHL season. Glenn Hall will forever be known as the NHL’s Ironman goalie. Hall played a full seven seasons without missing a game but his feat was accomplished when team’s played 70 game schedules.

Tiny is recognized as the pioneer of saving the puck by catching it. That’s right, before Thompson came along, goalies did not catch the puck in their gloves. This helped him win the Vezina Trophy four times (1929-30, 1932-33, 1935-36 and 1937-38). This also helped him record 81 shutouts. That number still ranks him sixth all-time in NHL history. Tiny remains Boston’s leader in games played by a goalie, wins, shutouts and career GAA.

Boston traded Thompson to the Detroit Red Wings five games into the 1938-39 season. In exchange, the Bruins received Frank Brimsek, another future Hockey Hall of Fame goalie.

In 1959, Tiny Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. At his side were Jack Adams and Cy Denneny.

Tiny Thompson – Coach

Thompson left the ice after the 1939-40 season and stepped right behind the bench. In 1940-41, he took over as head coach of the Buffalo Bisons in the AHL, a job he would hold for just two years.

In 1940-41, the Bisons placed fourth in the AHL’s West Division and eighth overall in the nine team league. The following year, Buffalo won more games but still placed fourth in the West, improving to fifth overall in the ten team league. In both seasons, the Bisons failed to qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs.

Tiny never coached again but he didn’t leave the game. Thompson took on scouting position with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1945-46 and remained at the post until 1976-77.

Tiny Thompson – Rookie Card

Because Thompson played during the dark ages of hockey cards, he seldom appeared on cardboard. The Tiny Thompson rookie card appears as number 57 in the 1933-34 V357 Ice Kings set, produced by World Wide Gum.

Book value for the first Thompson hockey card is pegged at around $500, or five times the value of a common card. Howie Morenz is the subject of the most valuable hockey card in the set. Just Morenz, Dit Clapper, Aurel Joliat, Nels Stewart and King Clancy are valued higher than Tiny.

Tiny Thompson Career Stats

Season	Team	Lge	GP	A	PIM	SO	GAA
1925-26	Minneapolis Millers	CHL	36	0	1
1926-27	Minneapolis Millers	AHA	36	0	0	9	1.36
1927-28	Minneapolis Millers	AHA	40	0	0	0	1.21
1928-29	Boston Bruins	NHL	44	0	0	12	1.15
1929-30	Boston Bruins	NHL	44	0	0	3	2.19
1930-31	Boston Bruins	NHL	44	0	0	3	1.98
1931-32	Boston Bruins	NHL	43	0	0	9	2.29
1932-33	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	0	0	11	1.76
1933-34	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	0	0	5	2.62
1934-35	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	0	0	8	2.26
1935-36	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	1	0	10	1.68
1936-37	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	0	0	6	2.22
1937-38	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	0	0	7	1.8
1938-39	Boston Bruins	NHL	5	0	0	0	1.55
1938-39	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	39	0	0	4	2.53
1939-40	Detroit Red Wings	NHL	46	0	0	3	2.54
1940-41	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	1	0	0	0	1