Jack McCartan

John William McCartan (born August 5, 1935) is an American retired goaltender. He played for the American national team at the 1960 Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal. He later played 12 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers during the 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons, and 42 games with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1974. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, and into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.

Jack McCartan
Jack McCartan, March 2, 1960.
Born (1935-08-05) August 5, 1935 (age 88)
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.[1]
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
PositionGoaltender
CaughtLeft
Played forNew York Rangers
Minnesota Fighting Saints
National team United States
Playing career1959–1974
Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1960 Squaw Valley Team
Men's baseball
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1959 Chicago Team

Playing career

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McCartan was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was a college standout at the University of Minnesota from 1955 to 1958. McCartan also played baseball at Minnesota.[2] McCartan was named First Team All-America after the 1957–1958 season. He played for the bronze medal-winning US team in baseball at the 1959 Pan American Games.[1] After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army. While in the army, he joined the United States Olympic hockey team. His efforts helped the U.S. team defeat Canada, the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia and win the gold medal at Squaw Valley. For his efforts, he was named as the "All-World" goaltender of the Winter Games.

The New York Rangers gave him a four-game trial late in the 1959–60 season and he did quite well, the highlight being a save on Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings. He had maintained his amateur status by not signing a contract with the Rangers. Instead, he acted on advice from his University of Minnesota hockey coach John Mariucci and was paid $1,000 a game with the hope that good performances would get him a contract worth more than the $7,000 National Hockey League minimum. Attendance at Madison Square Garden for his four starts totaled 48,340 which was about 10,000 more than anticipated for a team that had been eliminated from playoff contention. After getting a win, two draws, and a loss and stopping 92 of 99 shots on goal, McCartan signed with the Rangers for the following season for more than $10,000.[3]

He could not duplicate his success in the NHL. Coach Alf Pike decided to alternate Gump Worsley and McCartan in 1960–61, but when McCartan gave up 36 goals in 7½ games, Worsley became the full-time goaltender and McCartan was demoted to the minors. He played for several minor league teams over the next several years. He played in the Eastern Professional League, Western League, Central League, and World Hockey Association. In the early 1970s, he resurfaced when the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association signed him, but he retired after two seasons.

Post-playing career

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He later scouted for the Vancouver Canucks.[1]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1955–56University of MinnesotaWIHL2414406702.79
1956–57University of MinnesotaWIHL159004302.87
1957–58University of MinnesotaWIHL2816808913.18
1958–59American National TeamIntl29174010403.65.881
1959–60New York RangersNHL4112240701.75.945
1959–60Minneapolis MillersIHL53001713.40
1960–61New York RangersNHL81614403514.77.854
1960–61Kitchener BeaversEPHL5225216312014522.797344212022.85
1961–62Kitchener BeaversEPHL70362410420021753.107344512002.66
1962–63Los Angeles BladesWHL6031272360018743.12312181902.98
1963–64St. Louis BravesCHL6731306402026233.916243612704.49
1964–65St. Louis BravesCHL51403002705.40
1964–65Los Angeles BladesWHL328222194812213.76
1965–66San Francisco SealsWHL5323273329918323.40
1966–67California SealsWHL61252610378420013.175233001302.60
1967–68Omaha KnightsCHL439257238014813.77.892
1968–69San Diego GullsWHL4320146238013403.38.90610020206.00
1969–70San Diego GullsWHL5221209302516233.21.9044031991905.73
1970–71San Diego GullsWHL55242011323916132.98.9006243792403.80
1971–72San Diego GullsWHL3614162195511203.44202118603.05
1972–73Minnesota Fighting SaintsWHA3815191216012913.58.8914122131403.94
1973–74Minnesota Fighting SaintsWHA200042507.14.808
1973–74Suncoast SunsSHL61403232604.83.849
1974–75Minnesota Fighting SaintsWHA210061504.92.868
WHA totals4216191226313913.69.8884122131403.94
NHL totals122736804213.71.886

International

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YearTeamEventGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
1960United StatesOLY55003001102.20.918
Senior totals55003001102.20.918

Awards and honours

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AwardYear
All-WIHL First Team1956–57
AHCA First Team All-American1956–57
All-WIHL First Team1957–58
AHCA West All-American1957–58

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jack McCartan. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ Jack McCartan Class of 1992 Hockey & Baseball 1956-58 Archived August 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. M Club Hall of Fame at gophersports.com
  3. ^ Anderson, Dave. "Jack McCartan: the one-man American invasion of big-time hockey," Maclean's (magazine), October 22, 1960. Retrieved August 26, 2020
  4. ^ "2.38 Jack McCartan". Hockey Hall of Fame. 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "IIHF Hall of Fame". International Ice Hockey Federation. 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
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