http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=156441&hubname=

The estate of late Montreal Canadiens goaltending great Jacques Plante put more than 50 pieces of memorabilia up for auction Monday, on the 20th anniversary of his death.


The auction is being run by Classic Collectibles, the world's top hockey auction house. It also managed the auction of Plante's Hall of Fame teammate Jean Beliveau last year.

Plante's 1960's fibreglass mask is is among the items up for bid, provided by his widow Caroline Raymonde Plante.

Also on the list are the Trophee Jacques-Plante - a trophy awarded annually to the top goalie in Switzerland - three Plante-manufactured masks, miniature Vezina trophies and Stanley Cups, two Prince of Wales trophy replicas, oil paintings, photos and his 1958-59 Stanley Cup ring, the first to ever be presented to NHL players.

Plante's widoe will put every dollar raised into the Jacques Plante Foundation, established six months after his death to aid the development of promising Swiss netminders.


Plante began his career in the NHL in 1952 for the Canadiens.

His contributions to the game as a netminder were arguably beyond that of any other in his position. He was the first goalie to skate behind the net to stop the puck and was also the first to raise his arm on an icing call to let his defencemen know what was happening.

But Plante's most important contribution was introducing the mask as everyday equipment for goaltender. On Nov. 2, 1959, he was hit in the face by a shot from New York Rangers forward Andy Bathgate and left the game for stitches. When he returned, he was wearing a goalie mask, much to the displeasure of legendary head coach, Toe Blake.