The Chicago Blackhawks mourn the loss of an absolute legend as Tony Esposito passes away
The Chicago Blackhawks organization is reeling on Tuesday, following the announcement that Blackhawks legend and Hall of Famer Tony Esposito has passed away. Esposito, 78, had been battling pancreatic cancer at the time of his passing.
Rocky Wirtz, Chairman of the Blackhawks released the following statement on Tuesday evening:
"The Blackhawks and the National Hockey League have lost a legend in Tony Esposito, who passed away today after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. As we mourn with his wife Marilyn, sons Mark (Kim) and Jason, and grandchildren Lauren and Kamryn, we celebrate Tony's life and contributions to the Blackhawks and the community.
Tony was one of the most important and popular figures in the history of the franchise as we near its 100th anniversary. Four generations of our family -- my grandfather Arthur, my father Bill, my son Danny and I -- were blessed by his work ethic as a Hall of Fame goalie, but more importantly, by his mere presence and spirit.
Likewise, four generations of hockey fans grew to love Tony. We were lucky enough to draft him from the Montreal Canadiens on June 15, 1969, for a sum of $25,000. The Blackhawks had finished in last place of the East Division the previous season. Tony immediately took over as the No. 1 goalie, and led the Blackhawks to an unprecedented leap to first place in his first season while recorded 15 shutouts, still a modern record.
He was tireless, reliable and a great teammate. If you were a new player in Chicago, Tony and Marilyn always made you feel welcome and comfortable. Rookies were invited to their home for countless dinners, and when the Espositos held their annual Christmas party, everybody associated with the Blackhawks was there. Everybody, whether you were an established veteran or an awed rookie.
Tony's number 35 has long been retired, but his career with the Blackhawks actually encompassed two marvelous chapters. After all those years of making spectacular saves and hearing chants of "TO-NEE!! TO-NEE!!" throughout the Stadium, he joined the Blackhawks as an ambassador. He was born for that role, too, as he reached out -- whether by request or on his own -- to fans, sponsors, and friends of our team. He rejected thousands of pucks in his first job, he never said no in his second job.
It is a sad day for the Blackhawks and all of hockey. But with his wonderful family, let us celebrate a life well lived. Tony Esposito's banner will be part of the United Center forever, as will his legacy as a superstar, on and off the ice."
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner played 15 seasons for the Blackhawks between 1969-1984 and was a 6-time NHL All-Star.
Esposito was renowned as one of the best in the game and his 423-306-151 reflected just that. He still ranks 10th in league history and is listed as one of the NHL's 100 greatest players of all-time (circa 2017). The Sault Ste Marie native also owns the Blackhawks records for both shutouts with 74 and wins with 418.
The hockey world lost an absolute beauty. RIP, Tony. Condolences to the Esposito family and the Blackhawks organization during this difficult time.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 6, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||