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Cecil R. (Tiny) Thompson

Cecil Tiny Thompson was born on 31st May1905 in Sandon, British Columbia and died on 9th February 1981 spent most of his career with the Boston Bruins. His spectacular play was exceeded only by his endurance. He played 12 NHL, National Hockey League seasons from 1928 to 1940. Thompson spent most of his career with the Boston Bruins. During his 12-year NHL career, Thompson led all goalies in games played nine times, while his four Vezina Trophy wins stood as the NHL standard until 1949, when Montreal's Bill Durnan won his fifth.

After gaining experience with the Calgary Monarchs, Pacific Grain Seniors and Bellevue Bulldogs of the Alberta Senior Hockey League, Thompson left the nest to further his development. He spent a year with the Duluth Hornets of the United States Amateur Hockey Association before moving on to the Minneapolis Millers. It was in Duluth that Thompson purchased the leg pads he used throughout his pro career. In 1927-28, in the renamed American Hockey Association, he recorded a league-leading 28 wins in 40 matches for the Minnesota squad. The next year, joined by Minneapolis teammate Ralph Cooney Weiland, he embarked on a stellar NHL career with the Bruins.

The 1929-30 versions of the Beantowners dominated the regular-season standings, and Thompson's 38-5-1 records was one of the most impressive in league history, but the Montreal Canadiens in the finals stunned Boston. With Thompson guarding the cage, Boston finished atop the NHL's American Division six times, but he'd never again led them to a Cup victory.

In 1930-31, the nervous net minder’s anxiety got the better of him for a short stretch of the season and Percy Jackson had to be pressed into action. Fortunately Thompson's health improved and in 1932-33 he led the NHL with a career-high 11 shutouts.

During the 1935-36 seasons, Thompson entered the record book when he fed a pass to defenseman Babe Siebert, who went on to score. Thompson became the first goalie ever to earn an assist in the NHL.

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