Quick Facts
Biography
Thomas Laird Paton (1854 – February 10, 1909), was a Canadian ice hockey player of the pre-NHL era of the sport. He played the position of Goaltender for the Montreal Hockey Club (Montreal HC) (affiliated with the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association) and was a member of the first Stanley Cup-winning team in 1893.
Playing career
Tom was a pioneer goaltender in organized hockey. Tom's hockey career can be traced back to the early Montreal Carnivals prior to the formation of the AHAC in 1885. He was a founding member of the Montreal Hockey Club. His career would be marked by dominance. Throughout every season he played between 1888 and 1893 for the Montreal HC, his team would win the AHAC championship.
The authors of the reference book Ultimate Hockey consider his performance in 1890, 1891 and 1893 to be worthy of winning the equivalent to the Vezina trophy that the NHL awards today for top goal tender. He was regarded in many history texts as being undefeated in 1890 and 1891.
In the 1892 AHAC season, Paton and the Montreal HC lost the championship to Ottawa HC in the first game of the season. But in the final challenge of the season Paton and the Montreal HC defeated the Ottawa HC 1–0 to regain the championship. In the 1893 AHAC season, the Montreal HC would win the season series and become the first winners of the Stanley Cup. Paton would retire from play after the season, making him also the first goalie to retire from Stanley Cup hockey competition as a current champion.
Paton's 1885 Montreal Carnival championship medal sold for over $14 000 (CAD) in a 2009 auction.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | ||
| 1885 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 2? | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1887 | Montreal HC | AHAC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1888 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1.00 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1889 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1890 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 1.90 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1891 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1.00 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1892 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2.30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1893 | Montreal HC | AHAC | 8 | 7 | 1 | 18 | 2.30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Notes: