1965-66 Topps 31 Gerry Cheevers Hockey Card (Front)
1965-66 Topps 31 Gerry Cheevers Hockey Card (Back)
Card Notes
Gerry rated as top goalie in minors as Toronto prospect, but exposed to draft last summer. Bruins promptly claimed him from Rochester.
What other goalie played full 72 game slate in AHL last season?
Details
With the Rochester American in 1964-65, Gerry Cheevers was honoured with the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award. The award goes to the American Hockey League goalie with the lowest goals against average. In 72 games, Cheevers posted a 2.68 GAA with five shutouts.
He didn’t quite play the full 72 game slate for the Americans, backup Gary Smith came in to play a full two minutes of the season. The Amerks finished first overall during the regular season and captured the Calder Cup with a win over the Hershey Bears in the final.
The answer to the trivia question at the bottom of the card is: NONE. Gerry Cheevers was the only goaltender in the 1964-65 AHL to play in all of his team’s 72 regular season games. In addition, he played in all ten playoff games, as well.
The most games Cheevers would play in a single National Hockey League season was 52. He accomplished that with the Boston Bruins in 1968-69 while posting a 2.80 GAA and three shutouts. With the Cleveland Crusaders in the WHA, Gerry was put to work more often. In his three full years with the Crusaders, he played at least 52 games per season, topping out with 59 games in 1973-74.