Don Edwards (ice hockey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Edwards |
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Edwards with the Buffalo Sabres in 1977
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| Born | September 28, 1955 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Buffalo Sabres Calgary Flames Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 89th overall, 1975 Buffalo Sabres |
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| WHA Draft | 135th overall, 1975 San Diego Mariners |
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| Playing career | 1975–1988 | ||
Donald Laurie Edwards (born September 28, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. A goaltender is the player whose main job is to stop the puck from going into their team's net. Don Edwards played for ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
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Playing in the NHL
Don Edwards started his hockey journey in junior leagues with the Kitchener Rangers. He played very well, but some thought he might not be a top draft pick because he was not very tall. Even so, the Buffalo Sabres picked him 89th overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft.
Starting with the Sabres
In his first NHL season (1976–77), Edwards played in 25 games for the Sabres. He had spent the year before playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). He finished his first NHL season with 16 wins and a good GAA of 2.51. GAA measures how many goals a goalie lets in per game.
On February 13, 1977, something very unusual happened in Sabres history. Don Edwards was told to play at the last minute. The starting goalie, Al Smith, skated off the ice before the game even began! This meant Don Edwards was the only goalie ready to play.
Becoming a Star Goalie
In the 1978 season, Edwards became the top goalie for the Sabres. He played in 72 games and was chosen for the NHL Second All-Star Team. The next season, the Sabres decided to play him a bit less to make sure he didn't get too tired.
In 1980, Don Edwards and his fellow goalie, Bob Sauve, won the Vezina Trophy. This award goes to the best goaltender in the NHL. Edwards was also picked for the NHL Second All-Star Team again and played in the All-Star Game.
On February 24, 1982, Edwards was part of a historic moment. He was the goalie when Wayne Gretzky scored his 77th goal of the season. This goal broke Phil Esposito's record of 76 goals in a single season.
Moving to Other Teams
Edwards played two more seasons with the Sabres. Then, in 1982, he was traded to the Calgary Flames. He played three years in Calgary, but he didn't quite reach the same level of play he had in Buffalo.
In 1985, Calgary traded Edwards to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was special for him because the Maple Leafs were his favorite team when he was a kid. He played 38 games for the Leafs before his contract ended. After his NHL career, he won an Allan Cup with a team called the Brantford Mott's Clammatos. He played his very last game in the AHL in 1988 before officially retiring.
Playing for Canada
Don Edwards had many great moments in his career. He said one of his best was when the Buffalo Sabres beat the Soviet Red Army team 6-1 on January 3, 1980. Edwards was named the best player of that game.
In 1981, Edwards was chosen to play for Team Canada in the Canada Cup. He was the backup goalie to Mike Liut and played in one game. He helped Canada finish second in the tournament.
After Hockey
After his playing career, Don Edwards stayed involved in hockey. He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings. He was also a goaltending coach for the Carolina Hurricanes. Later, he became the general manager for the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League from 2007 to 2008.
Edwards also worked as a broadcaster for TSN and as a real estate agent. However, after facing a very difficult personal challenge in 1991, Don decided to step away from broadcasting and real estate to focus on his family.
About His Life
Don Edwards grew up as a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a dream come true for him to finish his NHL career playing for his favorite team.
Don is married and has two children. He likes to keep his family's life private. His uncle, Roy Edwards, was also a hockey player in the NHL.
Awards and Achievements
- Selected to the OMJHL First All-Star Team in 1974 and 1975.
- Selected to the AHL Second All-Star Team in 1976.
- Selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1978 and 1980.
- Played in the 1980 and 1982 NHL All-Star Games.
- Won the Vezina Trophy in 1980 (shared with Bob Sauve).
- Won the Allan Cup championship in 1987.
Images for kids
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Edwards with the Buffalo Sabres in 1977
