Hank Bassen Explained

Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:180
Played For:Chicago Black Hawks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Detroit Red Wings
Birth Date:6 December 1932
Birth Place:Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Death Place:Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Career Start:1954
Career End:1968

Henry "Hank, Red" Bassen (December 6, 1932 – May 29, 2009) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins between 1954 and 1968. He was the father of Bob Bassen, who played 765 regular-season games in the NHL.

Playing career

Bassen began his NHL career in 1954 with the Chicago Black Hawks where he spent two seasons as the backup to Al Rollins. Bassen went on to have starting roles in the Western Hockey League for the Calgary Stampeders, Seattle Americans and the Vancouver Canucks before moving to the Detroit Red Wings where over three seasons he would serve as the backup to Terry Sawchuk between 1960 and 1963.

During the 1963–64 season, Bassen played seven games with the Indianapolis Capitals/Cincinnati Wings in the CPHL and 26 games with the Pittsburgh Hornets in the AHL.[1]

After spending most of the season with the Pittsburgh Hornets, Bassen returned to the Red Wings roster to serve as a backup once more, this time to Roger Crozier during the 1963–64 NHL season. He played one final year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, backing up Les Binkley before retiring in 1968.

After retiring Bassen managed the junior Calgary Wranglers from 1984 to 1986, and had two sons go on to play professional hockey.

Bassen died on May 29, 2009, of heart failure at age 76.[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP W L T MIN GA SV%GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1949–50Calgary BuffaloesWCJHL30 11 18 1 1800 111 0 3.70
1950–51Calgary BuffaloesWCJHL37 8 27 2 2280 176 2 4.63
1950–51Medicine Hat TigersWCJHL1 0 1 0 60 10 0 10.00
1951–52Calgary BuffaloesWCJHL42 21 17 4 2580 132 1 3.07 3 0 3 180 13 0 4.33
1952–53Calgary BuffaloesWJHL30 14 13 3 1860 145 0 4.68 3 0 3 180 11 0 3.67
1953–54Chatham MaroonsOHA Sr55 22 30 3 3300 205 2 3.73 6 2 4 360 25 1 4.17
1954–55Chicago BlackhawksNHL21 4 9 8 1260 63 0 3.00
1954–55Buffalo BisonsAHL37 13 19 5 2220 121 3 3.27
1955–56Chicago BlackhawksNHL12 2 9 1 720 41 1 3.42 .885
1955–56Buffalo BisonsAHL53 26 23 4 3300 201 0 3.65 5 2 3 299 20 0 4.01
1956–57Calgary StampedersWHL68 29 35 4 4125 223 5 3.24 3 1 2 180 12 0 4.00
1957–58Seattle AmericansWHL60 27 27 6 3600 184 3 3.07 9 5 4 557 21 0 2.26
1958–59Springfield IndiansAHL29 13 14 2 1740 102 2 3.52
1959–60Vancouver CanucksWHL70 44 19 6 4220 172 5 2.45 11 9 2 696 22 0 1.90
1960–61Detroit Red WingsNHL34 13 12 9 2120 98 0 2.77 .8944 1 2 220 9 0 2.45 .917
1961–62Detroit Red WingsNHL27 9 12 6 1620 75 3 2.78 .902
1961–62Sudbury WolvesEPHL3 1 2 0 180 14 0 4.67
1961–62Edmonton FlyersWHL9 4 4 1 557 30 0 3.23
1962–63Detroit Red WingsNHL16 6 5 5 960 52 0 3.25 .897
1962–63Pittsburgh HornetsAHL40 15 23 2 2400 134 2 3.35
1963–64Detroit Red WingsNHL1 0 1 0 60 4 0 4.00 .882
1963–64Cincinnati WingsCPHL7 0 6 1 420 39 0 5.57
1963–64Pittsburgh HornetsAHL26 9 15 2 1560 82 1 3.15 1 0 1 60 4 0 4.00
1964–65Pittsburgh HornetsAHL57 24 25 7 3433 182 2 3.18 4 1 3 240 15 0 3.75
1965–66Detroit Red WingsNHL11 3 3 0 406 17 0 2.51 .9041 0 1 54 2 0 2.22 .933
1966–67Detroit Red WingsNHL8 2 4 0 384 22 0 3.44 .898
1966–67Pittsburgh HornetsAHL10 6 3 1 570 18 3 1.89 9 8 1 541 15 1 1.66
1967–68Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL25 7 10 3 1299 62 1 2.86 .909
NHL totals156 46 65 31 8759 434 5 2.97 5 1 3 274 11 0 2.41 .920

Awards and achievements

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hank Bassen Stats and Profile . hockeydb.com.
  2. Web site: May 30, 2009 . Ex-NHL goalie Hank Bassen dies at 76 . NHL.com.