Playing career

Cheevers' professional hockey career began in 1956 at the age of 16 when he played for the St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association.

He was owned by the Toronto Maple Leafs until the Boston Bruins drafted him in 1965. Cheevers still holds the American Hockey League single-season record for most victories by a goaltender. In 1965 he totaled 48 victories in leading the Rochester Americans to their first Calder Cup championship. He spent six years in all in the minors until, by 1967, he was Boston's number one goalie.

He was a member of both the 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup winning teams, gaining a reputation as a driven, "money" goaltender.

In 1972, he went undefeated in 32 consecutive games, a NHL record that still stands.

In the fall of 1972, he jumped to the fledgling World Hockey Association, playing three and a half seasons for the Cleveland Crusaders as one of the league's best goalies, winning First Team All-Star honors in 1973 and Second Team honors in 1974 and 1975.

Returning to the Bruins during the 1976 season after financial disputes with Cleveland management, Cheevers formed a goalie tandem with Gilles Gilbert. Cheevers retired at the end of the 1980 season. Cheevers and Gilbert were runners-up for the Vezina in the 1979-80 season, which was won by Don Edwards and Bob Sauvé.

Cheevers had a career NHL goals against average of 2.89, recorded 230 NHL wins, played in 419 NHL games, and registered 26 NHL shutouts. He was also second in the WHA's history in career GAA and shutouts, despite playing in only half the league's seasons. Cheevers was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985, and is one of the few honoured goaltenders in the Hall to have never been named to the First or Second NHL All-Star Team nor won the Vezina Trophy.

Style

Cheevers was not afraid to stray from the crease both to cut down the shooter's angle and to act as a "third defenseman". He was very aggressive with opposing players who strayed into or near the crease. Many an opposing player who got too close to the goal crease got a quick smack from Cheevers' goal stick.

Not a "stand-up" goalie, Cheevers could often be found on his knees or even his side. He perfected this "flopping" style while playing for Rochester during the 1962-63 season. Americans' coach Rudy Migay had Cheevers practice without his stick, thus requiring him to rely more on using his body and his pads. From that point on Cheevers became one of hockey's best goaltenders.

Mask

Cheevers' iconic stitch-pattern goaltender mask came after a puck hit him in the face during practice. Cheevers, never one to miss an opportunity to skip out of practice, went to the dressing room. Bruins coach Harry Sinden followed him to the dressing room, where he found Cheevers enjoying a beer and smoking a cigarette. Sinden told Cheevers, who wasn't injured, to get back on the ice. In jest, John Forestall, the team trainer, drew a stitch mark on his mask. Ever after, any time he was similarly struck, he would have a new stitch-mark drawn on. The mask became one of the most recognized of the era, and the original mask is now on the wall of his grandson's bedroom.

Years later, goalie Steve Shields would pay tribute to Cheevers when he played for the Bruins in 2002 and 2003, sporting a modern airbrushed version of the stitch-covered mask. In 2008, The Hockey News rated his mask the greatest ever with a wide margin. Cheevers received 221 of possible 300 points, while second-placed Gilles Gratton got 66.

Cheevers' mask design continued to live on in rock-n-roll culture. His mask was a big reason why Black Veil Brides' lead singer Andy Biersack got interested in hockey and played goalie when he was younger. As an ode to Cheevers' mask, Biersack used to paint stitches on his face for live shows.

Publications

In 1971, Cheevers published the book Goaltender, detailing his experiences during the previous season, through to the unexpected loss in the first round to the underdog Montreal Canadiens.

Coaching career

Cheevers' final season as a player came in 1980, when popular coach Don Cherry was replaced by Fred Creighton. After winning their division seven of the previous nine seasons, the Bruins were in third place late in the year, and general manager Harry Sinden fired Creighton, serving as interim coach for the remainder of the season himself. For the 1981 season, Cheevers was named as coach. Despite a shocking sweep in the 1981 playoffs to the Minnesota North Stars - the North Stars had never before won a game in Boston Garden in the fourteen years the team had been in the league - Sinden stuck with Cheevers, who led the Bruins to two first place and two second place finishes in their division, including to the league's best record in 1983, where the team fell only to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders in the semifinals.

Cheevers was replaced by Sinden midseason two years later; his five years coaching the Bruins would be his only professional coaching stint. With a record of 204-126-46, he ranks 7th in career winning percentage (.604) for NHL coaches with more than 250 games experience.

Retirement

After his departure as Bruins' coach, Cheevers served as a color commentator for the Hartford Whalers from 1986 to 1995 and the Boston Bruins from 1999 to 2002. From 1995-2006 he was a member of the Bruins' scouting staff. Cheevers has also devoted his time to his interests in thoroughbred horse racing.

Awards

• 1964-65 Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award, which goes to the AHL goalie with the best goals against average
• Played in the 1969 NHL All-Star Game
• 1973 WHA First Team All-Star, won Ben Hatskin Award for best goaltender
• 1979-80 Runner-up for the NHL's Vezina Trophy (Lowest goals against average at the time)
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985
• Inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame in 1987
• Inducted as an inaugural member into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame in 2010

International play

• 1974 Played for Team Canada at the Summit-74 series
• 1976 Spare goaltender for Team Canada in the Canada Cup
• 1979 Played for NHL All Stars in the Challenge Cup vs. Team Soviet Union

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1956-57	St. Michael's Midget Majors	THL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1956-57	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		1	—	—	—	60	4	0	4.00	—
1957-58	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		1	0	0	0	60	3	0	3.00	—
1958-59	St. Michael's Buzzers	MetJHL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1958-59	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		6	—	—	—	360	28	0	4.67	—
1959-60	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		36	18	13	5	2160	111	5	3.08	—
1960-61	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		30	12	20	5	1775	94	2	3.18	—
1961-62	Pittsburgh Hornets	AHL		5	2	2	1	300	21	0	4.20	—
1961-62	Sault Thunderbirds	EPHL		29	13	13	3	1740	103	1	3.55	—
1961-62	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		2	1	1	0	120	6	0	3.00	.905
1961-62	Rochester Americans	AHL		19	9	9	1	1140	69	1	3.63	—
1962-63	Rochester Americans	AHL		19	7	9	3	1140	75	1	3.95	—
1962-63	Sudbury Wolves	EPHL		51	17	24	10	3060	212	4	4.15	—
1963-64	Rochester Americans	AHL		66	38	25	2	4359	195	3	2.84	—
1964-65	Rochester Americans	AHL		72	48	21	3	4359	195	5	2.68	—
1965-66	Boston Bruins	NHL		7	0	4	1	340	34	0	6.00	.829
1965-66	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL		30	16	9	5	1760	73	3	2.49	—
1966-67	Boston Bruins	NHL		22	5	10	6	1284	72	1	3.33	.896
1966-67	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL		26	14	6	5	1520	71	1	2.80	—
1967-68	Boston Bruins	NHL		47	23	17	5	2646	125	3	2.83	.907
1968-69	Boston Bruins	NHL		52	28	12	12	3112	145	3	2.80	.912
1969-70	Boston Bruins	NHL		41	24	8	8	2384	108	4	2.72	.919
1970-71	Boston Bruins	NHL		40	27	8	5	2400	109	3	2.73	.918
1971-72	Boston Bruins	NHL		41	27	5	8	2420	101	2	2.50	.920
1972-73	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		52	32	20	0	3144	149	5	2.84	.912
1973-74	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		59	30	20	6	3562	180	4	3.03	.906
1974-75	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		52	26	24	2	3076	167	4	3.26	.905
1975-76	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		28	11	14	1	1570	95	1	3.63	.886
1975-76	Boston Bruins	NHL		15	8	2	5	900	41	1	2.73	.902
1976-77	Boston Bruins	NHL		45	30	10	5	2700	137	3	3.04	.882
1977-78	Boston Bruins	NHL		21	10	5	2	1086	48	1	2.65	.887
1978-79	Boston Bruins	NHL		43	23	9	10	2509	132	1	3.16	.865
1979-80	Boston Bruins	NHL		42	24	11	7	2479	116	4	2.81	.881
NHL totals				418	230	102	74	24,394	1175	26	2.89	.901
WHA totals				191	99	78	9	11,352	591	14	3.12	.905

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1959-60	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		10	—	—	600	33	0	3.30	—
1960-61	St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		20	—	—	1200	52	1	2.60	—
1960-61	St. Michael's Majors	M-Cup		9	7	2	540	21	1	2.33	—
1961-62	Rochester Americans	AHL		2	2	0	120	8	0	4.00	—
1962-63	Sudbury Wolves	EPHL		8	4	4	485	29	1	3.59	—
1963-64	Rochester Americans	AHL		2	0	2	120	8	0	4.00	—
1964-65	Rochester Americans	AHL		10	8	2	615	24	0	2.34	—
1965-66	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL		9	8	1	540	19	0	2.11	—
1966-67	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL		11	8	3	677	29	1	2.57	—
1967-68	Boston Bruins	NHL		4	0	4	240	15	0	3.75	.895
1968-69	Boston Bruins	NHL		9	6	3	572	16	3	1.68	.947
1969-70	Boston Bruins	NHL		13	12	1	781	29	0	2.23	.925
1970-71	Boston Bruins	NHL		6	3	3	360	21	0	3.50	.892
1971-72	Boston Bruins	NHL		8	6	2	483	21	2	2.61	.915
1972-73	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		9	5	4	548	22	0	2.41	.921
1973-74	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		5	1	4	303	18	0	3.56	.908
1974-75	Cleveland Crusaders	WHA		5	1	4	300	23	0	4.60	—
1975-76	Boston Bruins	NHL		6	2	4	392	14	1	2.14	.917
1976-77	Boston Bruins	NHL		14	8	5	858	44	1	3.08	.865
1977-78	Boston Bruins	NHL		12	8	4	731	35	1	2.87	.883
1978-79	Boston Bruins	NHL		6	4	2	360	15	0	2.50	.891
1979-80	Boston Bruins	NHL		10	4	6	619	32	0	3.10	.875
NHL totals				88	53	34	5396	242	8	2.69	.902
WHA totals				19	7	12	1151	63	0	3.28	—

International

Year	Team	Event			GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA
1974	Canada	SS-74			7	1	3	3	420	24	0	3.43
1979	NHL All-Stars	Ch-Cup			1	0	1	0	60	6	0	6.00
Senior totals					8	1	4	3	480	30	0	3.75

Coaching statistics

Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Division Rank	Result
Boston Bruins	1980-81	80	37	20	13	87	2nd in Adams	Lost in 1st Rd
	1981-82	80	43	37	10	96	2nd in Adams	Lost in 2nd Rd
	1982-83	80	50	20	10	110	1st in Adams	Lost in Conf. Finals
	1983-84	80	49	25	9	104	1st in Adams	Lost in 1st Rd.
	1984-85	56	25	24	7	(57)	4th in Adams	(fired)
Total		376	204	126	46

[ Source: Wikipedia ]