Roy Worters
Inducted:
1969
Player Stats
5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
135 lb (61 kg; 9 st 9 lb)
Born:
October 19, 1900
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died:
November 7, 1957
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Position:
Goaltender
College:
NA
Roy "Shrimp" Worters was a pint-sized goaltending giant during the NHL's early years. Standing just 5'3" tall, he remains the shortest player in the history of the league, yet he cast a massive shadow over the game through his incredible agility and acrobatic style. Worters spent the majority of his career with the New York Americans and the Pittsburgh Pirates, often playing behind weak defensive teams and facing an extraordinary volume of shots.
In 1929, he made history by becoming the first goaltender to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player. He followed this with a Vezina Trophy win in 1931. Known for his "wasp-like" reflexes and his ability to stop pucks with his quick hands and feet, Worters recorded 66 career shutouts, a staggering number given the era's rules. He was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969.
Worters's Awards and Record:
- Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP) (1929)
- Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender) (1931)
- NHL Second All-Star Team (1932, 1934)
NHL Records:
- First goaltender in NHL history to be awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy (1929) as the league's MVP
- Shortest player to ever play in the National Hockey League, standing at only 5'3"
NHL Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1925-1928)
New York Americans (1928-1937)
Number Worn:
30
NHL Stats
Seasons:
12 (1925-1937)
Games Played:
484
Wins:
171
Losses:
229
Tied:
83
Goals Against Average (GAA):
2.27
Shutouts:
66
Playoff Record:
3-6 in 11 games
Playoff GAA:
2.09