He began his professional career as a member of the 1951-52 American Hockey League champion Pittsburgh Hornets but was called up to the Leafs for a two-game tryout late in the 1951-52 season, making his National Hockey League debut on March 8, 1952.
Boivin landed a starting job with the Leafs in 1952-53 and played with Toronto until being traded back to the Bruins early in the 1954-55 season. It was with the Bruins that Boivin's reputation as a hard-hitting, stay-at-home defenceman grew. Tim Horton considered him to be the toughest blueliner to beat in a one-on-one situation and some Bruin historians refer to him as the link between Eddie Shore and Bobby Orr. Boivin was captain of the Bruins during four of his 12 years with the club and he played in the NHL All-Star game during the 1961, 1962 and 1964 seasons.
After eighteen seasons in the NHL, Leo Boivin, best remembered for his devastating bodychecks, had played 1,150 regular season contests, scoring 72 goals and contributing 250 assists for 322 points. In 54 playoff games, Leo collected 3 goals and 10 assists. In 1986, Leo Boivin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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 goalkeeper. 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 1972Stanley Cup winning teams.
In 1972, he went undefeated in 33 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 finished out his playing career at the end of the 1980 season.
His career NHL goals against average was 2.89. He recorded 230 NHL wins, played in 419 NHL games, and recorded 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.
possibly best known for his hockey mask
Quote:
Originally Posted by wikipedia
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, painted a stitch mark on his mask. Ever after, any time he was similarly struck, he would have a new stitch-mark painted 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. Another version is on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In 2008, The Hockey News rated his mask the greatest ever with a wide margin. Cheevers received 221 of possible 300 points, while second-place got 66.
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 Memorial Trophy (Lowest goals against average).
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.
Inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame in 1987.
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for my #3 Right Wing, Team Toe Blake is happy to select, from the Montreal Canadiens, Claude Provost.
This guy would have been a perennial winner of the Selke trophy had it been available when he played. 15 seasons and 9 Cups. Impressive resume.
From Legends of Hockey:
When Toe Blake took charge behind the bench of the Montreal Canadiens in 1955-56, he introduced Claude Provost to the club's star-studded roster on the basis of his aggressive and hard-working approach to checking opponents. His peculiar, wide-stance style of skating concealed surprising speed. One observer humorously noted that when he hit the ice, he looked like a drunken sailor walking on a ship's deck during a hurricane. But however awkward he appeared, he used his hustle to good end, serving as Bobby Hull's shadow throughout the 1960s.
In addition to superb defensive play in the company of Andre Pronovost and Phil Goyette, Provost made steady improvements to his offensive game as the years progressed. In 1964-65, he was voted a First-Team All-Star on the strength of his team- leading 33 goals.
Having lasted with the Canadiens for 15 seasons meant that Provost was not left wanting for his name to be etched on the Stanley Cup. All told, he enjoyed nine league championships, including a record five in a row between 1956 and 1960. He also appeared in eleven All-Star games.
Toward the end of his career in 1968, he was awarded the first-ever Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. In 1971, Provost's rights were traded to the L.A. Kings, although by then he had already hung up the blades to coach the Rosemont Nationale of the QJHL.
