Jack McCartan

John William McCartan (born August 5, 1935) is an American retired goaltender. He played for the American national team at the 1960 Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal. He later played 12 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers during the 1959–60 and 1960–61 seasons, and 42 games with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1974. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, and into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.

Playing career
McCartan was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was a college standout at the University of Minnesota from 1955 to 1958. McCartan also played baseball at Minnesota. McCartan was named First Team All-America after the 1957–1958 season. He played for the bronze medal-winning US team in baseball at the 1959 Pan American Games. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army. While in the army, he joined the United States Olympic hockey team. His efforts helped the U.S. team defeat Canada, the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia and win the gold medal at Squaw Valley. For his efforts, he was named as the "All-World" goaltender of the Winter Games.

The New York Rangers gave him a four-game trial late in the 1959–60 season and he did quite well, the highlight being a save on Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings. He had maintained his amateur status by not signing a contract with the Rangers. Instead, he acted on advice from his University of Minnesota hockey coach John Mariucci and was paid $1,000 a game with the hope that good performances would get him a contract worth more than the $7,000 National Hockey League minimum. Attendance at Madison Square Garden for his four starts totaled 48,340 which was about 10,000 more than anticipated for a team that had been eliminated from playoff contention. After getting a win, two draws, and a loss and stopping 92 of 99 shots on goal, McCartan signed with the Rangers for the following season for more than $10,000.

He could not duplicate his success in the NHL. Coach Alf Pike decided to alternate Gump Worsley and McCartan in 1960–61, but when McCartan gave up 36 goals in 7½ games, Worsley became the full-time goaltender and McCartan was demoted to the minors. He played for several minor league teams over the next several years. He played in the Eastern Professional League, Western League, Central League, and World Hockey Association. In the early 1970s, he resurfaced when the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association signed him, but he retired after two seasons.

Post-playing career
He later scouted for the Vancouver Canucks.

Awards and honours

 * Named Best Goaltender at Olympic Games (1960)
 * WHL Second All-Star Team (1969)
 * WHL First All-Star Team (1970, 1971)
 * Inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998