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Gerry Cheevers

Born:December 7, 1940Draft:1961 Maple Leafs, Undrafted
Hometown:St. Catharines, ON, CANPosition:G
Known For:First to Decorate Goalie
Mask
Catches:Left
National Team:Canada

Gerald Michael “Cheesie” Cheevers (born 7 December 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1961 and 1980. Cheevers is best known for his two stints with the Boston Bruins, whom he helped win the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.

He was the first to decorate his goaltender mask with stitch markings where a puck had struck, leading to the contemporary tradition of goaltenders decorating their masks with distinctive visual stylings.

Goalie Gerry Cheevers
NEW YORK, NY – 1974: Goalie Gerry Cheevers #30 of the Boston Bruins defends the net during an NHL game against the New York Rangers circa 1974 at the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)

Gerry Cheevers Statistics

Deeper Dive

Achievements

  • AHL Best Goaltending Duo (Harry Holmes Memorial Award) — 1964-65
  • AHL Calder Cup Champion — 1964-65
  • AHL First All-Star Team — 1964-65
  • NHL Stanley Cup Champion — 1969-70
  • NHL Stanley Cup Champion — 1971-72
  • WHA Best Goaltender (Ben Hatskin Trophy) — 1972-73
  • Canada Cup Champion — 1976-77
  • Hockey Hall of Fame — 1985-86

Sources