| Don Edwards | |
| |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Catches | Left |
| Height Weight |
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Teams | Buffalo Sabres Calgary Flames Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Nationality |  Canadian
|
| Born | September 28, 1955, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| NHL Draft | 89th overall, 1975 Buffalo Sabres |
| Pro Career | 1975 – 1988 |
Don Edwards (born September 28, 1955) is a Canadian former professional goaltender who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He won the Vezina Trophy along with Bob Sauve in 1980. He played in the 1980 and 1982 All-Star Games and backed up Mike Liut in the 1981 Canada Cup.
On February 24, 1982, Edwards was a part of history as he gave up Wayne Gretzky's 77th goal of the 1981–82 NHL season in a game vs. the Edmonton Oilers at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Gretzky broke Phil Esposito's former single season record of 76 goals and finished the year with 92, which still stands as an NHL record.
Edwards played his junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey Association's Kitchener Rangers, where he led the league in shutouts and goals against average in 1973–74, and was named to the league's All-Star team in 1973–74 and 1974–75. He was drafted by the Sabres in the fifth round of the 1975 NHL Draft (135th overall), and he began his professional career with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears.
On February 13, 1977, Edwards played a role in perhaps the most unusual event in Sabres history. A day after Edwards reported to Buffalo from Hershey, Sabres general manager Punch Imlach ordered coach Floyd Smith to have Edwards replace expected starting goaltender Al Smith: The Sabres defeated the Minnesota North Stars, 6-2.
Although Edwards enjoyed several successful seasons in Buffalo, he named the Sabres' 6-1 victory over the Soviet Red Army on January 3, 1980 as his greatest moment in a Buffalo uniform. Edwards was named the game's most valuable player.
On June 9, 1982, the Sabres traded Edwards, Richie Dunn, Buffalo's second round choice in the 1982 NHL Draft, and Buffalo's first round choice in the 1983 NHL Draft to the Calgary Flames in return for Calgary's first and second round choices in the 1982 NHL Draft and first and second round choices in the 1983 NHL Draft.
On May 29, 1985, the Flames traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in return for Toronto's fourth round choice in the 1987 NHL Draft.
He retired after the 1986 playoffs, though he played professionally with the American Hockey League's Nova Scotia Oilers during the 1987–88 season.
External links[]
- Edwards' profile on the Hockey Hall of Fame site.
- Don Edwards's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
| Preceded by Ken Dryden and Michel Larocque |
Winner of the Vezina Trophy with Bob Sauve 1980 |
Succeeded by Denis Herron, Michel Larocque, and Richard Sevigny |
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