Gerry Cheevers

Two-time Stanley Cup champion — the goalie who turned his mask into art and defined Boston's dynasty.

Gerald Michael Cheevers was born in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1940. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Boston Bruins (1970, 1972) as the primary goaltender of the Bobby Orr era. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985. He is best remembered for his practice of drawing stitches on his goalie mask wherever a puck had hit it — illustrating how badly he would have been injured without protection. The stitch mask became one of hockey's most iconic images and a powerful argument for mandatory goalie masks. He left to play in the WHA from 1972 to 1975 before returning to Boston. He later coached the Bruins. His partnership with Orr, Esposito and the Big Bad Bruins was one of the most celebrated team combinations of the early 1970s. His theatrical approach to his equipment made him one of the most recognisable figures of his era.

Cheevers was known for his aggressive, stand-up goaltending style and exceptional reflexes. He was particularly skilled at handling the puck and making quick passes to his defensemen to start offensive plays. His competitive nature and ability to perform in clutch situations made him especially effective during playoff runs.

Cheevers is remembered as one of the key figures in the Boston Bruins' golden era of the early 1970s and helped establish a winning culture that resonated with Boston fans for generations.

• Stanley Cup 2x (1970,1972)
• Hall of Fame (1985)
• The Stitch Mask