Gilles Meloche is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 18 seasons. He was born on July 12, 1950, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and began his hockey career playing for the Verdun Maple Leafs in the Quebec Junior Hockey League.
Meloche was drafted by the California Golden Seals in the second round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. He made his NHL debut in the 1970-71 season and played for the Golden Seals for five seasons before being traded to the Cleveland Barons in 1975. He played for the Barons for two seasons before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars in 1977.
Meloche played for the North Stars for six seasons and was a key player in the team's run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1981. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1983 and played for the team for three seasons before retiring in 1988.
Throughout his career, Meloche was known for his quick reflexes and his ability to make acrobatic saves. He was also known for his durability, playing in over 700 NHL games and starting over 60 games in a season on multiple occasions.
Meloche was a two-time NHL All-Star, representing the North Stars in 1980 and the Penguins in 1985. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 1981, which is awarded to the goaltender(s) with the fewest goals against in the NHL regular season.
After retiring from playing, Meloche became a goaltending coach and worked with several NHL teams, including the Penguins, the Edmonton Oilers, and the San Jose Sharks. He was inducted into the San Jose Sharks Hall of Fame in 2015.
In summary, Gilles Meloche had a successful 18-year career as an NHL goaltender, playing for the California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He was known for his quick reflexes, durability, and acrobatic saves, and was a two-time NHL All-Star and a winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy. After retiring from playing, he became a goaltending coach and was inducted into the San Jose Sharks Hall of Fame in 2015.
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