Eddie Giacomin, former Rangers goalie, dead at 86

Eddie Giacomin was only one of many New York sports stars who have returned to the city in another uniform — some cheered, some booed, depending on the circumstances.

But there might have been no more passionate reaction to such a homecoming in New York sports history than his return to Madison Square Garden in 1975.

Giacomin, whose death at age 86 was announced Monday, forever will be most remembered for the chants of “Ed-die, Ed-die,” that greeted him that night as he took the ice as a Red Wings goalie, two days after he shockingly was claimed off waivers by Detroit.

By that point, he had been a long-serving, much-loved Ranger, even if he never did lead the team to a Stanley Cup. But the Rangers did reach the Final in 1972, and Giacomin was a fan favorite and an All-Star regular.

"Eddie Giacomin was an integral member of the New York Rangers for a decade and personified what being a Ranger is all about, both to his teammates and the Blueshirts faithful," the Rangers wrote on social media Monday. "You cannot discuss the history of this organization and not immediately think of Eddie. The great Rod Gilbert called him the heart of their team, and we cannot think of a greater honor to bestow on one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game. Our thoughts are with Eddie's family, friends and teammates during this incredibly difficult time."

He was born on June 6, 1939, in Sudbury, Ontario, and after recovering from serious burns as a teenager when a kitchen stove blew up in his face, he spent five years in the minors waiting for his shot in the six-team NHL.

He finally got it with the Rangers in 1965 and emerged as a regular in 1966-67, the final season of the Original Six format, leading the NHL in shutouts with nine.

He was an old-fashioned, standup goalie who played early in his career without a mask and was known for his stickhandling, daring and toughness.

In 1970, he told The Hockey News he could not see the puck as well wearing a mask, saying, “I tried [Jacques] Plante’s newfangled creation for a while, but I don’t like it.”

He adapted eventually.

Giacomin led the NHL in games played four years in a row and in shutouts in 1966-67, ’67-68 and ’70-71.

Early in 1975-76, the Rangers started slowly and began to shed expensive, older players, including Giacomin, who was 0-3-1 at the time, 36 years old and with a prematurely gray head of hair.

The Red Wings claimed him off waivers on Oct. 31, 1975, firmly establishing young John Davidson as the Rangers’ No. 1 goalie.

Two days later, Detroit happened to be scheduled for a visit to the Garden. Fans gave Giacomin a long, loud ovation, chanted his name, and rooted against the Rangers.

Wearing an unfamiliar road No. 31 jersey, he wiped away tears and waved as fans drowned out the national anthem cheering for him.

When the anthem was over, TV analyst Bill “The Big Whistle” Chadwick said, “I haven’t heard anything quite so emotional in all my years in sports.”

Chadwick was 60 at the time, and had first refereed a hockey game in 1937.

“The whole Garden cheered for us that game,’’ Giacomin told Newsday in 2020. “After the first period, we had a 4-0 lead and Dan Maloney turned around and said, ‘Look, guys, we don’t get this reception at home . . . Come on, let’s make good use of it.’"

The Red Wings held on to win, 6-4.

The departure of Giacomin was part of a sweeping housecleaning that fall.

Less than a week later, the Rangers dropped an even bigger bombshell, trading Brad Park and Jean Ratelle to the Bruins for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais.

Giacomin would spend parts of three seasons with Detroit before retiring during the 1977-78 season.

He finished with a regular-season record of 290-209-96, a 2.82 goals-against average and 54 shutouts. In 1970-71, he shared the Vezina Trophy with teammate Gilles Villemure.

After retiring, Giacomin served as an analyst for Islanders games in 1978-79 — coach Al Arbour was a close friend — and worked as an assistant coach with the Red Wings and Islanders and as a Rangers goalie coach in the late 1980s.

He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and had his No. 1 retired by the Rangers in 1989.

For all of his success, that early November night in Red Wings red remains his signature moment in New York sports lore.

“It was a very emotional game,’’ he said in 2020. “They were in Montreal the night before [a 4-0 loss], the Ranger players. And all of a sudden, now they’ve got to face me. I don’t know what went through their minds, but all I know is it was a very hard game to play.”

Giacomin said former teammates who scored against him apologized for doing so. After the game, he went to his home in Manhasset, where Rangers players hung out with him all night.

“We partied until about 8 o’clock in the morning,’’ he said. “They had to leave because they were going out west [for a game in Vancouver two nights later]. And that’s when Brad Park got traded for Phil Esposito.’’

When Esposito, then the Rangers’ general manager, brought back Giacomin as a coach in 1986, he said, “I welcome Eddie back to New York, a place he should have never left.”

That day, Giacomin recalled the Nov. 2, 1975, game in an interview with Newsday, saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. It’s embedded in my head.

“A lot of great baseball and football players have been honored with nights, but that, to be honored spontaneously by the fans, was the greatest thing that could happen.”