Editing Roger Crozier (section)

==Playing career==

===Early career===
Crozier spent his junior career with the [[St. Catharines Teepees]] of the junior [[Ontario Hockey Association]] (OHA) from 1959 to 1962. At the time, the Teepees were sponsored by the [[Chicago Black Hawks]] of the [[National Hockey League]]. The sponsorship system gave the Black Hawks the rights to all of the Teepees' players.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3EswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dagFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5669,4357649&dq=st+catharines+teepees+blackhawks&hl=en|title=Hawks' farm clubs pay off|work=[[The Montreal Gazette]] |date=1959-02-24|access-date=2013-01-11 |page=20}}</ref> In [[1959–60 OHA season|1959–60]], Crozier helped the Teepees win the [[Memorial Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UmQzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jO8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1362,3229910&dq=1960+memorial+cup&hl=en|title=Memorial Cup winners|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |date=1986-05-20 |access-date=2013-01-11 |page=61}}</ref> During his time with the Teepees, Crozier developed his first [[ulcer]], a problem that would plague him for the rest of his career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q7wyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=719,1674214&dq=roger+crozier+ulcers&hl=en |title=Wings' goalie Crozier retires because of hockey's "torture"|work=Ottawa Citizen |date=1967-10-07|access-date=2013-01-13 |page=8}}</ref>

Crozier spent most of the [[1960–61 OHA season|1960–61 season]] in the OHA. Because of his small frame and size, he was not a favourite with scouts or critics.<ref name="Detroit Red Wings">{{cite book|last=Fischler|first=Stan|title=Detroit Red Wings: Greatest moments and players|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=2002|location=Champaign, IL|isbn=1582612714 }}</ref> Despite this, the [[Buffalo Bisons (AHL)|Buffalo Bisons]] of the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL) recruited Crozier to fill in for their injured starting goaltender, [[Denis DeJordy]], that year. In three games, Crozier recorded two wins and a 2.31 [[goals against average]] (GAA). He returned to the Teepees for the [[1961–62 OHA season|1961–62 season]], during which he also had short stints with the Bisons and the [[Sault Thunderbirds|Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds]] of the [[Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959–1963)|Eastern Professional Hockey League]] (EPHL).<ref name="nhl.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8449859|publisher=NHL.com|title=Roger Crozier|access-date=2013-01-08}}</ref>

While playing in the minors, Crozier adopted the [[butterfly style]] of goaltending, which he used during his NHL career. At first, his coaches in the minors tried to convince him to abandon this style, thinking that it would never succeed in the NHL.<ref name="Detroit Red Wings"/> Crozier also added an element of acrobacy in his game.<ref name="Glenn Hall">{{cite book|last=Adrahtas|first=Tom|title=Glenn Hall|publisher=Greystone Books|year=2002|location=Vancouver|page=132|isbn=0970917015}}</ref>

===Detroit Red Wings (1963–70)===
The Black Hawks traded Crozier to the [[Detroit Red Wings]] in [[1962–63 NHL season|1963]].<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> The young goaltender, now a full-time professional, spent the season in the minors mostly with the [[St. Louis Braves]] in the EPHL; he also played four games for the Buffalo Bisons in the AHL.<ref name="nhl.com"/> In [[1963–64 AHL season|1963–64]], he played 44 games with the [[Pittsburgh Hornets]], Detroit's AHL affiliate. He won numerous awards that year, including the [[Hap Holmes Memorial Award]] for the fewest goals given up, the [[Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award]] for top rookie, and a spot on the Second All-Star Team.<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> Crozier also made his NHL debut that season. The Red Wings' starting goaltender, [[Terry Sawchuk]], was injured and Crozier was called up as a substitute.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1TciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xqsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1630,3332066&dq=crozier+traded+to+red+wings+from+hawks&hl=en|title=Hawks win in overtime to tie Cup playoffs|last=Cain|first=Charles C.|work=[[The Owosso Argus-Press]]|date=1964-04-01|access-date=2013-06-02 |page=39}}</ref> In only 15 games, he impressed management so well that he was made the Wings' new starting goaltender;<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> Sawchuk was left unprotected by the Red Wings during the [[1964 NHL Intra-League Draft|intraleague waiver draft]] in the off-season and was picked up by the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y2RkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RXwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1067,2490008&dq=sawchuk+toronto+picked&hl=en|title=Toronto grabs Sawchuk, Moore|work=[[The Calgary Herald]]|date=1964-06-11|access-date=2013-05-30 |page=16}}</ref> This made Crozier the Red Wings' starting goaltender at the age of 22.<ref name="legendsofhockey.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=18477|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|title=Roger Crozier|access-date=2013-01-08}}</ref>
[[File:Hhof calder.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Crozier won the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] in 1965.]]

In [[1964–65 NHL season|1964–65]], his rookie season, Crozier started all of his team's games, the last goalie to do so in the NHL,<ref>{{cite book|last=Weekes|first=Don|title=The best & worst of hockey firsts: The unofficial guide|publisher=Greystone Books Ltd.|year=2003|location=Vancouver|page=[https://archive.org/details/bestworstofhocke0000week/page/102 102]|isbn=1926685423|url=https://archive.org/details/bestworstofhocke0000week/page/102}}</ref> and he led the league in wins and [[shutouts]] with 40 and six respectively. His 2.42 GAA was the second lowest in the league. He was awarded the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] as the NHL's top rookie and he was named to the [[NHL First All-Star Team]].<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> During his sophomore season, Crozier missed the team's couple of games due to [[pancreatitis]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O08_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=zFAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3175,4565494&dq=roger+crozier+pancreatitis+red+wings&hl=en|title=Howe breaks record, 5–2|last=Dulmage|first=Jack|work=[[The Windsor Star]]|date=1965-10-21|access-date=2013-06-02 |page=35}}</ref> In 64 games that year, he posted 27 wins and led the league with seven shutouts, and the Red Wings clinched a spot in the playoffs. After eliminating the Black Hawks in the semi-finals, the Red Wings squared off against the [[Montreal Canadiens]] in the [[1966 Stanley Cup Finals]]. The Red Wings won the first two games, but the Canadiens came back and won the next two. In the fourth game, Crozier suffered a leg injury. He played in game five, but the injury curbed his mobility.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Diamond|first1=Dan|last2=Duplacey|first2=James|last3=Zweig|first3=Eric|title=The ultimate prize: The Stanley Cup|publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing|year=2003|location=Kansas City|page=[https://archive.org/details/ultimateprizesta0000diam/page/56 56]|isbn=0740738305|url=https://archive.org/details/ultimateprizesta0000diam/page/56}}</ref> The Canadiens won the [[Stanley Cup]] in game six.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1965-66|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|title=1965–66 Stanley Cup winner|access-date=2013-01-08}}</ref> Even though the Red Wings lost, Crozier was awarded the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] for being the most valuable player in the playoffs. He was the first goaltender to win the award and the first player to win it in a losing effort.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=CST&year=1965-66|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|title=1965–66 Conn Smythe Trophy winner|access-date=2013-01-09}}</ref>

Due to pancreatitis, Crozier missed twelve games out of 70 in [[1966–67 NHL season|1966–67]]. His numbers were down as he won only 22 games and recorded a 3.35 GAA. The Red Wings missed the playoffs. After another bout of pancreatitis at the beginning of the [[1967–68 NHL season|1967–68 season]], Crozier announced his retirement due to stress and depression.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dy8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2070,4392779&dq=roger+crozier+retires&hl=en|title=Redwings' Crozier quits hockey at 25|work=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|date=1967-11-06 |access-date=2013-07-15 |page=53}}</ref> Six weeks later, however, he returned to the ice; he played five games with the [[Fort Worth Wings]] of the [[Central Professional Hockey League]] (CPHL) as conditioning, then returned to Detroit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WutHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3599,2609942&dq=roger+crozier+returns&hl=en|title=Crozier returns, but Wings bow|work=[[The Morning Record]] |date=1968-01-22 |access-date=2013-01-11 |page=5}}</ref> After two more seasons on a mediocre Red Wings team, he was traded to the newly formed [[Buffalo Sabres]] in 1970.

===Buffalo Sabres (1970–77) and Washington Capitals (1977)===
In the [[1970 NHL Expansion Draft]], Buffalo Sabres General Manager [[Punch Imlach]] drafted [[Tom Webster (ice hockey)|Tom Webster]] from the [[Boston Bruins]] and promptly dealt him to the Red Wings for Crozier.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jJBaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N0oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5022,4247804&dq=roger+crozier+buffalo+sabres&hl=en|title=Detroit deals Crozier in hockey's Expansion Draft|work=[[Ludington Daily News]]|date=1970-07-11|access-date=2013-01-11 |page=3}}</ref> Crozier started the Sabres' first NHL game on October 10, 1970, against the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]. He stopped all but one of 36 shots to earn the franchise's first victory, 2–1.<ref name="buffalosportshalloffame.com"/> On December 6, 1970, Crozier earned the franchise's first shutout in a 1–0 win over the [[Minnesota North Stars]]. By late December however, Crozier was deeply exhausted and most of the Sabres' goaltending duties fell upon [[Joe Daley (ice hockey)|Joe Daley]] and [[Dave Dryden]]. Crozier finished the season with a 9–20–7 record and a 3.68 GAA. The Sabres also missed the playoffs, finishing fifth in the [[1970-71 NHL season|East Division]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1971.html|publisher=Sports Reference|title=1970–71 NHL season summary| access-date=2013-01-07}}</ref> Adding to Crozier's continual health problems, his [[gallbladder]] was removed during the off-season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GDg_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=5VEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2731,3588432&dq=roger+crozier+life&hl=en|title=Crozier shuts out Canucks|last=MacLaine|first=Ian|work=The Windsor Star|date=1972-01-20|access-date=2013-01-07|page=85}}</ref>

The [[1971–72 NHL season|1971–72 season]] was even worse for the Sabres as they finished with the fewest wins in the league with 16.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1972.html|publisher=Sports Reference|title=1971–72 NHL season summary|access-date=2013-01-07}}</ref> Crozier posted a 13–34–14 record and a 3.51 GAA. He faced 2,190 shots during the season, a team record which stands to this day.<ref name="buffalosportshalloffame.com">{{cite web|url=http://buffalosportshallfame.com/member/roger-crozier/|publisher=Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame|title=Roger Crozier|access-date=2013-01-09}}</ref> The Sabres improved in [[1972–73 NHL season|1972–73]] and made the playoffs for the first time in their history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r8gyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H-0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5653,76768&dq=buffalo+sabres+make+playoffs&hl=en|title=Playoff breakthrough for Sabres|work=Ottawa Citizen|date=1973-04-02|access-date=2013-01-12 |page=14}}</ref> In 49 games, Crozier had his first winning record with the Sabres and he posted a much improved 2.76 GAA. In the first round, the Sabres faced the Montreal Canadiens. Crozier played four games and won two, but the Sabres were dispatched in six games.

Still suffering from pancreatitis and now afflicted by ulcers and gallbladder problems, Crozier saw his playing time greatly reduced.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YnFhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TI0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2101,3251498&dq=roger+crozier+pancreatitis&hl=en|title=Goalie in awe of Sabres|work=[[Sarasota Journal]]|date=1975-11-15|access-date=2013-06-02 |page=21}}</ref> In [[1974–75 NHL season|1974–75]], he posted 17 wins and two losses, helping the Sabres rank first in the [[Adams Division]].<ref name="hr 1974-75">{{cite web|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_1975.html|publisher=Sports Reference|title=1974–75 NHL season summary|access-date=2013-01-09}}</ref> During the playoffs, Crozier played five games, including two in the [[1975 Stanley Cup Finals|Stanley Cup Finals]]. After eliminating the Black Hawks and the Canadiens, the Sabres faced the [[Philadelphia Flyers]] in the Stanley Cup Finals.<ref name="hr 1974-75"/> Game three of the Finals in Buffalo was known as the "Fog Game"; a heat wave in May hit the arena and with no air conditioning inside, the temperature increased. Fog started to develop and soon visibility decreased. [[Gerry Desjardins]] was the starting goaltender but after allowing three goals in the first period, he was replaced by Crozier. Crozier allowed one goal during the rest of the game and helped the Sabres win 5–4 in [[overtime (ice hockey)|overtime]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V0wfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f9EEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2149,2292142&dq=fog+game+buffalo&hl=en|title=Flyers, Sabres hope fog, bats float off|work=[[Daytona Beach Morning Journal]]|date=1975-05-22|access-date=2013-01-11 |page=19}}</ref> With the Sabres trailing in the series 3–2, Crozier was selected to start game six and he shut out the Flyers in the first two periods. In the third period the Flyers score the only goals of the game, and they won the Stanley Cup.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1975.html|publisher=Sports Reference|title=1975 NHL Playoffs Summary|access-date=2013-05-03}}</ref> For the third time, Crozier's team lost in the finals.

In [[1975–76 NHL season|1975–76]], Crozier played in only 11 games due to his persisting ailments. The Sabres traded him to the [[Washington Capitals]] in exchange for cash on March 3, 1977.<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> He played only three games with the Capitals before retiring after 14 seasons in the NHL.