Revisiting Vezina Trophy Seasons: Tiny Thompson’s 1929-1930 Season

It was the season that finally broke the streak of three consecutive Vezina Trophy wins for the Montreal Canadiens’ George Hainsworth, and the award travelled south of the border to Boston where the Boston Bruins had a goalie that was ready to go on a run of his own – Cecil ‘Tiny’ Thompson.

Born May 31, 1903, in Sandon, British Columbia, Thompson was given the nickname Tiny during his junior hockey days for being one of the largest players on the ice. From then on, he was known to everyone simply as Tiny Thompson.

Thompson’s hockey career took him from western Canada to Minneapolis in the mid-1920s where he played for the Minneapolis Millers of the American Hockey Association (AHA). It was there that his numbers gained him a reputation – so much so that his contract was purchased by the Boston Bruins after four seasons in the AHA, beginning his NHL career.

He began his career in 1928-29, kicking off his career with a shutout and becoming the only Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender to manage that in his debut. He’d go on to win his first Stanley Cup that season, but it was in 1929-30 that Thompson first etched his name on hockey hardware for his individual feats rather than a team win.

Thompson Becomes Top Goaltender in Second Season

Following the team’s Stanley Cup win in 1928-29, Thompson played all 44 regular season games for the Bruins in his second NHL season. The team finished with the highest point percentage in NHL history in 1929-30 while Thompson posted a record of 38-5-1 with a 2.19 goals against average (GAA) and three shutouts.

Interestingly enough, it wasn’t even his best NHL season, but Thompson’s ability to help lead the Bruins to the best point percentage all-time demonstrated just how strong of a netminder he was. Still, he had two undefeated streaks during the regular season of 14 games or more, including a 17-game undefeated streak that ran from January 19 to March 11, 1930.

He finished the season with the most wins of any goaltender – the next closest being 21 – and tied for third in shuouts.

The Bruins went to their second straight Stanley Cup Final in 1929-30 with Thompson between the pipes. This time, however, they were taken down by the Montreal Canadiens, losing two straight games. Thompson was awarded the Vezina in light of the team’s playoff loss, giving up the fewest goals of any goaltender to have played 25 games during the regular season.

Thompson Still Among Bruins Best in Net

His first Stanley Cup and subsequent Vezina win were just the beginning for the long-time Bruins goalie. Having spent parts of 11 seasons with the Bruins, Thompson set the standard for what it meant to be a goalie within the organization.

Over those 11 seasons, he played 468 regular season games with a 252-153-63 record. He finished with a 1.99 GAA and 74 shutouts over that span. While he only finished with the one Stanley Cup, his playoff numbers were just as impressive outside of the record. He finished with 15 wins in 33 postseason games with the Bruins, a 1.72 GAA and six shutouts.

He still sits second all-time in games played by Bruins’ goaltenders, second all-time in goals against average, second in wins and first in shutouts. Only Tuukka Rask tops him in games played and wins, while Hal Winkler’s 1.57 career GAA with the Bruins tops Thompson’s 1.99 GAA. That said, Winkler played just 67 games for the Bruins in comparison to Thompson’s 468.

Thompson’s Accomplishments Remain Historic

His first Vezina season marked a historic moment for Thompson – the NHL’s best point percentage of all-time at .875 which remains today. His 38 wins that season has only been topped once in Bruins history by Pete Peeters in 1982-83 and his 14 consecutive wins that season also remains a record today – albeit, it has been tied three times.

Thompson remains one of the best goaltenders of all-time remaining in the NHL’s top-10 in a number of categories – including shutouts and goals against average.

In 2023, he was named to the Bruins’ top-100 list as part of their centennial celebrations and in 1959 Thompson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame – forever solidifying his place in hockey history.