1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 259 Don Lever Hockey Card (Front)
1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 259 Don Lever Hockey Card (Front)
1972-73 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Audio Version:
Canucks’ number one choice in the 1972 Amateur Draft and third choice overall, Don figures prominently in Vancouver’s plan to present an offensive-minded team of youngsters. Scored 126 points in his final junior season with Niagara Falls.
En Français
Premier choix des Canucks au repêchage des amateurs de 1972 et troisième choix en tout, Don devrait jouer un rôle important dans la création d’une équipe jeune et agressive. Durant sa dernière saison comme junior à Niagara Falls, il accumula 126 points.
Details
Only two players went before Don Lever at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. Billy Harris went first overall to the New York Islanders and Jacques Richard followed, selected by the Atlanta Flames. Don was one of two members of the Niagara Falls Flyers to be taken in the top five with Jim Schoenfeld going fifth overall to the Buffalo Sabres.
Lever went right to work for the Canucks in 1972-73, appearing in all 78 games for the club. His numbers weren’t spectacular with just 12 goals and he didn’t get any attention for the Calder Trophy, but the following year started a string of four straight years with at least 23 goals, topping out with 38 in 1974-75.
Out of that 1972 NHL Amateur Draft class, Lever ended up with the most games played in the NHL. Him and Phil Russell were the only two to play over 1,000 regular season games. Just Steve Shutt, Bill Barber and Peter McNab had more career points. Shutt and Barber were fellow first rounders while McNab was a sixth round pick of the Buffalo Sabres.
With the 1971-72 Niagara Falls Flyers, Lever had a team leading 61 goals, 65 assists and 126 points. He was second in overall goal scoring, just two behind Steve Shutt. In total points, he was third, just three behind a two-way tie between Dave Gardner and Billy Harris.
Between 1972-73 and 1986-87, Don Lever played in 1,020 regular season and 30 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres.
Don Lever 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 259 [YouTube Shorts]
