James Walsh, nicknamed "Flat" began his pro hockey career at the age of 29, playing goal for the Detroit Greyhounds of the American Hockey Association in 1926, appearing in six games before being moved to the Montreal Maroons of the NHL.
That first stint in Montreal saw him appear in just two games over two NHL seasons. He moved on to play four games with the New York Americans in 1928-29, before heading back to the Maroons. The pinnacle of Walsh's NHL career came in 1929-30 when he appeared in 30 games, a lot for those days. Walsh would play 49 more games in Montreal over two more seasons before retiring.
In 1930, Clint Benedict became the first NHL goaltender to wear a mask. However, he injured his nose and retired from the league and James "Flat" Walsh was the man who replaced Benedict for the Maroons that season, taking over as the club's number-one goalie.
Walsh appeared in 107 NHL games during a 7-year career
