Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 20th, 1943 goaltender Joe Daley spent seven years in the minors before his NHL opportunity was granted as a result of league expansion. Daley was claimed from the Red Wings by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1967 and made his NHL debut with them during the 1968-69 season.
Daley, who was known as "The Holy Goalie," played 29 games that season with the Penguins then nine more for them the following year. On June 9th, 1970 the Buffalo Sabres picked up Daley on waivers and he played a career high 38 games for them during the 1970-71 season.
Daley posted a 12-16-8 record for the Sabres, the best among the three netminders that played for them that year. Despite his success for the Buffalo, the Sabres opted to go with Roger Crozier and Dave Dryden for the next season and traded him to the Red Wings.
With the Wings Daley played the last games of his NHL career, appearing in 29 contests and posting an 11-10-5 record.
Despite playing 105 games in the NHL, Daley will be best remembered for the second stage of his career which began with the formation of the World Hockey Association in 1972. Daley was selected by his hometown club, the Winnipeg Jets and he would spend the next seven seasons; the duration of the WHA's existence, with them.
Daley served as the Jets back up in 1972-73, but he took the starting reigns the following year and enjoyed great success with them. In 1975-76 Daley won 41 games and backstopped the Jets to their first Avco Cup as league champions. By the time the WHA folded Daley was the winningest goaltender in league history and had three Avco Cup championships on his resume. When the league folded in 1979 and the Jets were absorbed into the NHL, Daley retired from hockey.
Joe Daley kept hockey in his life with his post-playing career when opened 'Joe Daley's Sports Cards' in Winnipeg.
