The Blackhawks honored former goaltender and current team ambassador Tony Esposito and former forward Phil Esposito with their “One More Shift” ceremony Wednesday at the United Center.
The Esposito brothers joined the team on the ice during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” after the starting lineup was announced, and skated on the ice in full gear. The team also played highlights from their careers in the arena.
Tony is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goaltender (1970, ‘72, ‘74) and won the Calder trophy in 1970 as the best rookie. He holds franchise records for career wins (418), shutouts (74) and single-season shutouts (15). His No. 35 was retired by the Blackhawks in 1988 at Chicago Stadium. He currently serves a Blackhawks Ambassador.
Phil played for Chicago from 1964-67 before being traded to the Bruins. He scored 53 goals and 113 points in 208 regular-season games and added four goals and eight points in 27 playoff contests for Chicago. Most of Phil’s success came with Boston, where he posted six 100-point seasons and won the Art Ross Trophy five times (‘69, ‘71, ‘72, ‘73, ‘74) and the Hart Trophy twice (‘69, ‘74). He’s now a radio analyst for the Lightning, a franchise he was a founder and general manager for its first seven seasons.
Phil and Tony were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984 and 1988, respectively. In 2017, they were both named to the “100 Greatest Players in NHL History” by the league.
The Blackhawks honored four players this season with “One More Shift.” Prior to the Esposito brothers, current television color commentator and former forward Eddie Olczyk and Dennis Hull participated in the program.