Roger Crozier
Roger Allan Crozier (March 16, 1942 – January 11, 1996) was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals. During his career, Crozier was named to the NHL First All-Star Team once, was a Calder Memorial Trophy winner, and was the first player ever to win the Conn Smythe Trophy while playing for the losing team in the Stanley Cup Finals. Also, Crozier is the last goaltender in the NHL to start all of his team's games during the regular season, doing so in 1964–65.
From his junior days with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association until his death, Crozier had recurring pancreatitis that plagued his health. Despite his health issues, Crozier helped his junior team win the Memorial Cup in 1959–60, played in over 500 NHL regular season games and participated in two Stanley Cup Finals (1965–66 and in 1974–75). His health problems eventually led to his retirement in 1976–77 and he joined the Capitals' front office shortly after. Crozier left the Capitals organization in 1983 to work for MBNA bank. In 2000, MBNA unveiled a new trophy called the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award which was awarded annually to the goaltender who records the best save percentage during the regular season in the National Hockey League. The trophy was awarded from 1999–2000 to 2006–07. The Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame posthumously inducted Crozier in 2009.
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