Jeffrey David Hackett (born June 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as goalie or netminder) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their own team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays ...
who played 15 seasons in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) with the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
,
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
,
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
,
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
,
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
and
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. He served as the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
's goaltending coach for three seasons following his playing career.
Playing career
Hackett grew up studying
Tony Esposito and patterned his game after him. He was drafted by the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
in the second round of the
1987 NHL Entry Draft after playing in junior for the
London Diamonds and the
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor (commercial), sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. ...
. Behind
Billy Smith and
Kelly Hrudey on the Islanders' goaltending depth chart, Hackett split his first two seasons with New York and the
Springfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were two separate minor professional ice hockey franchises, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The original Indians were founding members of the American Hockey Leagu ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL). He led Springfield to a
Calder Cup win in 1990 and was awarded the
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, annually given to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
claimed him in the
1991 NHL Expansion Draft. During his first season in San Jose, Hackett was named team MVP for his play. However, after winning only two games in 1992-93, one of them a Sharks' record 57-save effort against the Kings, Hackett was dealt to the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
prior to
1993–94 and he backed up
Ed Belfour for several seasons. His excellent play in
1996–97 allowed the Blackhawks to trade Belfour to San Jose mid-season. His only full season as Chicago's top goaltender was highlighted by a career-high eight shutouts.
A month into the season, Hackett was involved in a six-player trade which sent him to the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
. He quickly became a fan favorite in Montreal as he recorded career highs in games played (63) and wins (26). After another solid season in
1999–2000, Hackett was limited to fifteen games in
2000–01 and eighteen games in
2001–02 due to a shoulder injury and lost the starter's job to 2002
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy ( ) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two List of NHL general managers, NHL general managers vote to dete ...
winner
José Théodore in the process. This signaled the end of his stint with Montreal as midway through
2002–03 he was involved in a three-way trade which sent him back to San Jose temporarily and then on to the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
.
The Bruins, who had been looking for a number one goaltender, threw Hackett into that role. After shutting out Philadelphia in his Boston debut, Hackett played well until a broken finger caused him to miss time including the start of the Bruins' playoff series with New Jersey, forcing Boston to go with
Steve Shields.
During the off-season, Hackett signed a two-year contract with the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
on the first day of free agency. He started his Flyers career by posting shutouts in his first two games, and accumulated a record of nine wins, two losses and six ties in his first seventeen games. However, in December, he lost six starts in a row and following a win in early January, lost his next two starts. He was diagnosed with
positional vertigo and after a one-game rehab stint with the AHL's
Philadelphia Phantoms on February 6, Hackett retired on February 9, 2004. Hackett finished his career after appearing in 500 NHL regular season games.
Post-playing career
On July 12, 2006, Hackett was hired as the goaltending coach for the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. After three seasons in that role, Hackett was fired on June 3, 2009.
Hackett resides in his hometown of London, Ontario and has turned his attention to minor hockey. His nephew is former NHL goaltender
Matt Hackett.
Draft Prospect Card - 2009
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Awards
* 1986–87 - F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy ( OHL)
*1986–87 - Dave Pinkney Trophy (OHL)
* 1989–90 - Jack A. Butterfield Trophy ( AHL)
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
References
External links
*
Jeff Hackett's profile at Hockey Goalies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackett, Jeff
1968 births
Boston Bruins players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
Colorado Avalanche coaches
Living people
Montreal Canadiens players
New York Islanders draft picks
New York Islanders players
Oshawa Generals players
Philadelphia Flyers players
Philadelphia Phantoms players
San Jose Sharks players
Ice hockey people from London, Ontario
Springfield Indians players
20th-century Canadian sportsmen