| Roger Crozier | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Crozier with the Buffalo Sabres in the 1970s | |||
| Born |
March 16, 1942 Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Died |
January 11, 1996 (aged 53) Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Right | ||
| Played for |
Detroit Red Wings Buffalo Sabres Washington Capitals | ||
| Playing career | 1960–1977 | ||
Roger Allan Crozier (March 16, 1942 – January 11, 1996) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals. During his career, Crozier was named to the NHL First All-Star Team once, was a Calder Memorial Trophy winner, and was the first player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy while playing for the losing team in the Stanley Cup Finals. He was the last goaltender in the NHL to start all of his team's games in the regular season, in 1964–65.
From his junior hockey career until his death, Crozier was plagued by pancreatitis and other health problems. Despite them, he helped his junior team win the Memorial Cup in 1959–60, played in over 500 NHL regular season games and participated in three Stanley Cup Finals. His health problems led to his retirement in 1976–77 and he joined the Capitals' front office shortly after. Crozier left the Capitals in 1983 to work for MBNA bank. In 2000, MBNA unveiled a new trophy called the Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award which was awarded annually from 1999–2000 to 2006–07 to the goaltender with the best save percentage during the regular season in the NHL. The Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame inducted Crozier in 2009.