Recognized as maybe one of the more well-known goaltenders in Boston Bruins history, many don’t know where Gerry Cheevers’ career started. Now, bitter rivals, the former Bruins netminder began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
As such, a rarely known fact, Cheevers’ brief run with the Maple Leafs lands him as an exclusive member of this series — forgotten Maple Leafs. While some have played a number of games for the franchise, others — like Cheevers — barely got going with the Maple Leafs before heading down a different road.
With that, here’s a look at how Cheevers got started in the NHL and how he once donned the Maple Leafs’ blue and white.
Cheevers Becoming a Maple Leaf
Unlike how it is now, Cheevers was never drafted by the Maple Leafs. Playing with the St. Michael’s Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association, the Maple Leafs owned the right to sign him to an NHL contract and did so.
It was a short-lived stint for the St. Catharines, Ontario, native as he was drafted to the Bruins in 1965 as part of an intra-league draft. However, prior to wearing the gold and black, the future Hall-of-Famer did sport the blue and white of the Maple Leafs to kick off his career.
Donning the Blue Maple Leaf
Cheevers made his NHL debut as a 21-year-old in 1961-62 with the Maple Leafs. He suited up for two games during the team’s regular season run finishing with a 1-1-0 record with a 3.00 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
Related: Revisiting Calder Trophy Seasons – Sweeney Schriner’s 1934-35 Season
He saw 70 shots over those two games giving up six goals and stopping 64 on route to splitting his two games. Cheevers wouldn’t suit up again in the NHL until 1965-66 with the Bruins, while the Maple Leafs would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 1961-62 with Cheevers not getting recognized by the team as a part of their winning roster.
During the 1961-62 season, the Maple Leafs were backstopped by Johnny Bower and Don Simmons for the majority of the season, leaving the 21-year-old Cheevers as the odd man out.
The Rest of Cheevers’ Career
Following his move to the Bruins, Cheevers played 12 seasons with the team finishing with a record of 226-103-76 in 416 career regular season games. He had a .901 save percentage and 2.89 GAA over that span.
From 1972 to 1976 Cheevers played for the Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA where he won the Ben Hatskin Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 1972-73 along with being named a WHA all-star.
He went on to win two Stanley Cups with the Bruins in 1969-70 and 1971-72 and following his stint in the WHA he returned to the Bruins until 1979-80 when he finished his career as a 39-year-old. His postseason numbers included a .902 SV% and 2.70 GAA in 88 games with a 53-34 record over that time.
His return to the Bruins came after he refused to play for the Crusaders who ultimately suspended him — leading to his jump back to the NHL. In his final season, he was the runner up for the Vezina Trophy along with Gilles Gilbert.
Combining his win totals from the WHA and NHL, Cheevers is one of three goalies who spread out 300-plus wins over the two leagues, finishing with 329. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985 and remains one of the few goaltenders inducted to not win a Vezina Trophy.
That said, he still holds an NHL record for 32 consecutive games going undefeated, which he accomplished in 1972. In 1974 he played for Team Canada in the Summit Series and while he may not be known for his two-game stint with the Maple Leafs, his stitch-filled mask might be one of the most iconic in the game’s history.
A Bruin to most, Cheevers’ two games in blue and white locks him in as one of those players forgotten for his time with the Maple Leafs.
All-Time Maple Leafs’ Rank (Among Goaltenders)
Games Played: 2 (T-88th)
Wins: 1 (T-81st)
Goals Against Average: 3.00 (T-44th)
Save Percentage: 0.914 (T-14th)
Shutouts: 0 (T-59th)
Other ‘Forgotten Maple Leafs’
- Olli Jokinen
- Glenn Anderson
- Jyrki Lumme
- Vincent Damphousse
- Tom Barrasso
- Mikael Renberg
- Glen Wesley
- Eric Brewer
- Jim Benning
- Travis Green
- Jeff Finger
- Phil Housley