Don McLeod
Encyclopedia
Donald Martin "Smokey" McLeod (born August 24, 1946) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
goaltender
who played briefly in the National Hockey League
and 6 full seasons in the World Hockey Association
.
McLeod's NHL career consisted of 18 games played with the Detroit Red Wings
and Philadelphia Flyers
over the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons.
With the formation of the WHA in 1972, McLeod was signed by the Houston Aeros
where he played two seasons. The 1973-74 season was his finest year. He was awarded the Ben Hatskin
trophy as the new league's top goalie and was named to the First All-Star team. To top off his best professional season, the Aeros won the WHA playoff championship (Avco Trophy). McLeod was also chosen to represent Canada(WHA) in the 1974 Summit Series
against the Soviet Union in September 1974. For the 1974-75 season, McLeod signed with the Vancouver Blazers
where he appeared in a league record 72 games. McLeod followed the franchise to Calgary and for the next two seasons was the Calgary Cowboys
main goalie. When that franchise folded in 1977, McLeod was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques
where he played in only 7 games before being dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
where he finished out the 1977-78 season and his professional career.
"Smokey" McLeod is the holder of numerous WHA career, season and playoff goaltending records.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who played briefly in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and 6 full seasons in the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
.
McLeod's NHL career consisted of 18 games played with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
over the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons.
With the formation of the WHA in 1972, McLeod was signed by the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
where he played two seasons. The 1973-74 season was his finest year. He was awarded the Ben Hatskin
Ben Hatskin
Benjamin Hatskin was a Canadian businessman and the founder of the Winnipeg Jets.-Early life and education:...
trophy as the new league's top goalie and was named to the First All-Star team. To top off his best professional season, the Aeros won the WHA playoff championship (Avco Trophy). McLeod was also chosen to represent Canada(WHA) in the 1974 Summit Series
1974 Summit Series
The 1974 Summit Series was the second of two competitions between Soviet and Canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by World Hockey Association players instead of National Hockey League players, as it had been in the 1972 Summit Series. The Soviet team won the series 4-1-3...
against the Soviet Union in September 1974. For the 1974-75 season, McLeod signed with the Vancouver Blazers
Vancouver Blazers
The Vancouver Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973-75. The Blazers played at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, sharing the facility with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. The Blazers were owned by...
where he appeared in a league record 72 games. McLeod followed the franchise to Calgary and for the next two seasons was the Calgary Cowboys
Calgary Cowboys
The Calgary Cowboys were an ice hockey team that played two seasons in the World Hockey Association from 1975–1977. The Cowboys played at the Stampede Corral in Calgary. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles, though it never played a game in Miami...
main goalie. When that franchise folded in 1977, McLeod was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
where he played in only 7 games before being dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
where he finished out the 1977-78 season and his professional career.
"Smokey" McLeod is the holder of numerous WHA career, season and playoff goaltending records.