During the '52-'53 season he was called up for 3 games where he posted a respectable 2 wins, 1 loss with 4 Goals Against. That same season he was called up a second time for the playoffs after moving to the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. In 4 games he racked up 3 victories, 1 loss and led the playoffs with a 1.75 GAA. Later in the 1953-54 season he led the AHL with a 2.64 GAA.

The Canadiens once again called on Jacques in the 1953-54 season where he remained for the next 10 seasons. Plante was different both on and off the ice. On the ice he was an innovator. His skating strength allowed him to be one of the first goalies to wander out of his net when other goalies would elect to "stay at home" in the crease. He would do so to stop shoot ins from going around behind him, or use his strength and ability to clear the puck up to one of his forwards. Off the ice Plante would knit his own toques to relax and rarely spent time with his teammates. Plante was also one of the first goalies to wear a face mask in practice, but the Montreal management was not in favour of this move during games. However, Plante was struck in the face by an Andy Bathgate shot on November 1, 1959. After spending several minutes in the dressing room getting stitched up, Plante returned to the nets wearing his mask. After donning the mask, Plante remained undefeated for 10 games. As we all know, the mask soon became a standard piece of equipment for all goalies in the NHL.

During his first full season with the Canadiens, 1954-55, Plante played 51 games and recorded 31 victories. For the next 5 seasons, Plante led the NHL in one category or another. He led the league in all 5 seasons with his Goals Against Average, and for 4 out of 5 seasons he led the league in victories, and for 3 of those 5 seasons he led the league in shut outs. Plante played with the Canadiens until he was traded to the New York Rangers on June 4, 1963 along with Don Marshall and Phil Goyette, for Gump Worsley, Dave Balon, Leon Rochefort and Len Ronson.

Jacques played for the Rangers for 2 seasons but his statistics were not what they were when he was with Montreal. After 2 years with the Rangers Plante retired. The time off must have done Plante some good, because he returned to the St Louis Blues to share the net minding duties with Glenn Hall in 1968-69 and promptly led the league with a 1.96 GAA.

In May of 1970 he was sold to Toronto where he once again led the league with a 1.88 GAA. Plante played another 2 seasons before being traded to Boston, where he played 8 games before retiring again. In 1973 he was selected by Edmonton of the WHA in the WHA Professional Player Draft. This was his final season as a playing goalie.

Jacques was no stranger to the awards parade. He won the Vezina Memorial Trophy as the Top Goaltender in the QHL in 1953. He was selected to the NHL First All Star Team in 1956. 59, and 62, and to the Second All Star Team in 1957, 58, 60, and 71. He won the Vezina Trophy in 1956, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 62, and shared the Vezina with Glenn Hall in 1969. Coincidently when Plante won the Vezina 5 consecutive times, the Montreal Canadiens won 5 consecutive Stanley Cups. In 1962, Plante became the 4th goalie in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy. Jacques had his Montreal Number 1 jersey retired and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978. He still shares the record for the most 40 or more win seasons at 3, with Terry Sawchuk and ranks 4th on the All Time Shutout Leaders with 84 career shutouts. Plante also ranks second to Sawchuk in the All Time Win Category(as of the end of the 1999 season) with 434 wins in 837 games.