Georges Vezina was an early pioneer of the game of hockey. Vezina played his entire career with the Montreal Canadiens between 1910-11 and 1925-26. Although his career spanned 16 seasons, his 16th and final campaign was limited to one shutout period in the Habs first game of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Vezina left the game after the first period, never to return to the game and would pass away from tuberculosis in March of 1926 at the age of 39.
There’s a surprising number of 1911-12 C55 hockey cards on eBay!
From 1910-11 to 1916-17, the Canadiens played in the National Hockey Association. In 1917-18, the National Hockey League was born. The following season, 1918-19, the NHL changed a rule that would allow goaltenders to leave their feet to make a save. Previous to that, a goalie would be penalized if he as much as fell to his knees.
In twelve of the seasons Vezina played for Montreal, he was either first or second in the league for the lowest goals against average. On seven times, he led the league. During his tenure between the pipes, the Canadiens made it to the Stanley Cup finals on five occasions, winning twice. From his first game in 1910-11 to that final game in 1925, Vezina played every game for the Canadiens which equates to 328 consecutive.
The year following his death, 1926-27, the owners of the Montreal Canadiens donated the ‘Vezina Trophy’ to the NHL to honour the goaltender from the team with the least goals against. The trophy was won by Montreal Canadiens goalie George Hainsworth
Georges Vezina was part of the first ever class of inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Vezina was inducted posthumously in 1945.
Vezina was immortalized on cardboard. The George Vezina rookie card was part of the 1911-12 Imperial Tabacco C55 series. The Vezina hockey card number 38 is valued at $6000 by Beckett Hockey Monthly. The complete 45 card set is valued at $15,000. Not only is the Georges Vezina hockey card one of the most valuable in history but is the most valuable hockey card featuring a goaltender.
