Charlie Gardiner (ice hockey)

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Position	Goaltender
Shot	Right
NHL Team F. Teams	Retired Chicago Blackhawks
Nationality	Canada
Born	December 31, 1904, Edinburgh, Scotland
Pro Career	1927 – 1934

Charles Robert Gardiner (December 31, 1904 – June 13, 1934) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Gardiner moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba with his family at age seven. He played junior hockey with the Winnipeg Tigers from 1921 to 1924, and then joined the Selkirk Fishermen senior team for the 1924-25 season. The next year, Gardiner joined the Winnipeg Maroons of the Central Hockey League, which the following season became the American Hockey Association.

He joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 1927 and played there for seven years. Gardiner won the Vezina Trophy in 1932 and 1934. He was a first-team all-star in 1931, 1932, and 1934. In 1933-34, as captain, he led the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup. Three weeks later he suffered a brain hemorrhage and died in Winnipeg at age 29.

Gardiner was a charter member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945. In 1998, he was ranked number 76 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Gardiner was the first Vezina winner to catch the puck with his right hand. Only seven other goalies have accomplished this remarkable feat:

1940: David Kerr, New York Rangers.
1944—47, 1949, 1950: Bill Durnan, Montreal Canadiens°.
1970, 1972, 1974: Tony Esposito, Chicago
1971: Gilles Villemure, Rangers
1984: Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres
1988: Grant Fuhr, Edmonton Oilers
2002: José Théodore, Montreal

° Durnan was ambidextrous throughout his career.

Preceded by Helge Bostrom	Chicago Black Hawks captains 1933-34	Succeeded by Johnny Gottselig
Preceded by Roy Worters	Winner of the Vezina Trophy 1932	Succeeded by Cecil Thompson
Preceded by Cecil Thompson	Winner of the Vezina Trophy 1934	Succeeded by Lorne Chabot