1970-71 O-Pee-Chee 1 Gerry Cheevers Hockey Card (Front)
1970-71 O-Pee-Chee 1 Gerry Cheevers Hockey Card (Back)
1970-71 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Looking to buy this hockey card? Check out what’s available at eBay: Gerry Cheevers 1970-71
(As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase through the above link)
Card Notes
Gerry teamed with Eddie Johnston last season to give the Bruins top goaltending – a popular player with his team, he played six seasons in Minor Pro leagues – an exciting goalie to watch, as he’ll leap to stop shots and often leaves his crease.
En Français
Gerry et Eddie Johnston firent du très bon travail dans les buts des Bruins la saison dernière. Un joueur populaire, il a passé six saisons dans les ligues professionelles mineures. Gerry est un gardien très excitant à observer, car il bondit et laisse souvent sa position.
Details
1970-71 was almost a carbon copy of 1969-70 for Gerry Cheevers. At 40 games, he played one less than the previous season. His 2.73 goals against average was ever so slightly higher than the 2.72 he put up in 69-70. With three shutouts, it was one less than the previous campaign.
The big change for Cheevers and the Bruins came in the playoffs. After winning their first Stanley Cup championship since 1940-41, Boston was destined to repeat in 1970-71. The team was dominant in the regular season and the tandem of Cheevers and Johnston was just as important as the tandem of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. However, it all fell apart in the post season and Boston fell in the opening round to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.
The 1966-67 NHL season was dismal for the Bruins, finishing last in the six team league, 14 points behind the fifth place Detroit Red Wings. But, there was a light at end of the tunnel and it was a bright one. It was Bobby Orr’s first year in the league and their goaltending of the future was starting to come together.
That year, Cheevers shared duties with Bernie Parent and Ed Johnston with Johnston taking on the number one role. But, it was Gerry that recorded the only shutout of the season for the Bruins, the first of his career. And, it was against a pretty strong Toronto Maple Leafs team that would go on to capture the Stanley Cup title that season.
On November 10, 1966, the Bruins hosted the Maple Leafs at the Boston Garden. The Buds fired 31 shots at Cheevers but fell short 4-0. Murray Oliver scored just 1:17 into the game for what would be the winning goal. Toronto starter Terry Sawchuk was pulled after the second after allowing three goals on just 18 shots. Bruce Gamble played the third and allowed one goal on just five shots.
Between 1961-62 and 1979-80, Gerry Cheevers appeared in 418 regular season and 88 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. His time in Toronto was limited to two games during the 1961-62 season. He also spent parts of four seasons in the WHA with the Cleveland Crusaders. Cheevers was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.