Gerry Desjardins

Gerard Ferdinand Desjardins (born July 22, 1944) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League. Born in Canada, Desjardins tended goal for four NHL clubs over his career: the Los Angeles Kings, the Chicago Blackhawks, the New York Islanders, and the Buffalo Sabres. With Buffalo in 1975–76 he set the franchise record for consecutive wins, posting nine in a row, a mark that stood until 2026. He also played one season outside the NHL, suiting up for the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association.

Desjardins' playing career ended in 1977 after a puck struck his mask and was driven into his eye. The injury had consequences beyond his own career: it prompted many NHL goaltenders to move away from the fibreglass facemask toward the helmet-and-cage style of head protection. A number of amateur and junior hockey leagues went further, banning fibreglass masks altogether and mandating the helmet and cage combination in their place.