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| 1972 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Don Lever
Selected in first round
No.
3 overall by Vancouver Canucks
Born November
14, 1952
 | Position: Center
/ Left Wing
Height:
5-11 Weight: 175
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Niagara Falls (OMJHL)
Birthplace: South Porcupine, Ontario (Canada)
Hometown:
Timmins, Ontario |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1969-70 |
Niagara Falls | OHA |
2 |
0 | 1 |
1 | 4 | | 1970-71 |
Niagara Falls | OHA |
59 | 35 |
36 | 71 |
112 | | 1971-72 |
Niagara Falls | OMJHL |
63 | 61 |
65 | 126 |
69 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
OMJHL Tilson Trophy (MVP): 1971-72 (Niagara Falls)
OMJHL All-Star First Team: 1971-72 (Niagara Falls)
Niagara Falls
Captain: 1971-72 |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 7,
1972 (California at Vancouver)
Numbers: 10, 9 (Vancouver);
12, 9
(ATL/CGY); 9 (COL/NJ); 8 (Buffalo)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired June 12, 1987 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G | A | TP |
PIM | | 1972-1987 |
Vancouver, Atlanta/Calgary
Colorado/New Jersey, Buffalo |
1,020 | 313 |
367 | 680 |
593 |
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| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1975-1981 |
Vancouver, Atlanta/Calgary |
30 |
7 | 10 |
17 |
26 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game: 1982 (Colorado)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1999 (Buffalo) (as associate coach)
Vancouver Taylor Trophy (Fans' MVP): 1975-76
Vancouver
Hume Award (Unsung Hero): 1973-74
Vancouver Most Exciting Player: 1973-74
Vancouver Most Popular Player: 1975-76
Vancouver Most Valuable
Teammate: 1975-76 (co-winner)
Vancouver Captain: September 1977
through Feb. 7, 1980
New Jersey Captain: September 1982 to January 9, 1984
Vancouver Goals Leader: 1974-75
(38)
1980-81: Played on first Calgary Flames NHL team.
1982-83:
Played on first New Jersey Devils NHL team.
Coaching Career: Named
Buffalo assistant coach on June 12, 1987, and remained in that position
through 1989-90 season. ... Named Buffalo assistant coach prior to 1992-93
season and remained in that position through 1996-97 season. ... Named Buffalo
associate coach prior to 1997-98 season and remained in that position until
June 25, 2002. ... Named St. Louis assistant coach on June 25, 2002, and
remained in position into 2002-03 season.
Miscellaneous: Tied Vancouver team record (since broken) with 38 goals
in 1974-75 season. ... Played in 437 consecutive games from Oct. 7, 1972,
through Jan. 14, 1978. Streak, which ended when he fractured cheekbone, was
Vancouver record until broken by Trevor Linden in 1996. .... Missed five games
in 1977-78 with fractured cheekbone. ... Was Vancouver's all-time goals and
points leader upon leaving franchise in trade. ... Played on Atlanta Flames team that relocated to Calgary in 1980. ...
Missed parts of 1980-81 season with strained ligaments in left knee and torn
rib cartilage. ... Played on Colorado Rockies team that relocated to New Jersey in 1982.
... Named first captain of New Jersey Devils prior to opening of training camp
in 1982. ... Scored first goal in New Jersey Devils history against Pittsburgh
at the Meadowlands on Oct. 5, 1982. ... Missed part of 1983-84 season with
strained groin and damaged knee ligaments. ... Missed part of 1985-86 season
with torn rotator cuff. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Rochester
(AHL)
World Championships: 1978 (bronze medal)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
AHL Calder Cup: 1987 (Rochester)
AHL Pieri Award
(Coach of Year): 1990-91 (Rochester)
WHA Draft Pick: 1972 (by Ottawa)
Coaching Career:
Served as Rochester (AHL) player-assistant coach in 1986-87. ... Named
Rochester head coach in August 1990 and remained in that position through
1991-92 season.
1990-91: Led Rochester to AHL regular-season
championship in his first season as a professional head coach..
Personal:
Nicknamed "Cleaver." |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Vancouver traded Lever and Brad Smith
to Atlanta in exchange for Ivan Boldirev and Darcy Rota on Feb. 8, 1980. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '72 | | Total Selected: |
152 | | Forwards: |
88 | | Defense: |
47 | | Goaltenders: |
17 | | Major Junior: |
121 | | College Players: |
25 |
| Canadian: |
139 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
2 | | USA Citizens: |
11 | | U.S.-Born: |
10 |
| European: |
0 |
| Reached NHL: |
67 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
11 | | Hall of Fame: |
2 |
| All-Star Game: |
13 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
3 |
| Olympians: |
1 |
| Picks Traded: |
24 |
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