Roy Edwards
Encyclopedia
Allan Roy Edwards was a Canadian
professional ice hockey
goaltender
who played 206 games in the National Hockey League
. He was born in Seneca Township, Ontario
. On June 6, 1967 Pittsburgh Penguins
selected him in the expanstion draft, but traded Edwards to the Detroit Red Wings
the next day. Roy Edwards spent six seasons with the Detroit Red Wings
(1967–68) to (1973–74). During the (1971–72) he played for the Pittsburgh Penguins
.
In 1958 at age 21, Edwards backstopped the Whitby Dunlops, Canada's representative, to the World Hockey Championship at Oslo
, Norway
, posting a perfect 7–0 record with three shutouts and an 0.86 goals-against average. The Dunlops captain was future Boston Bruins
General Manager Harry Sinden
.
In 1960 he became property of the Chicago Black Hawks
. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup
in 1961, despite never having played a single game for Chicago.
If fact Edwards did not play his first NHL game until 1967-68 season for Detroit, 7 season after being engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Edwards' road to the NHL was a long, windy one. In nine years, he played for seven teams in four leagues. Then in 1967–68, Roger Crozier
stunned the Red Wings by announcing his retirement due to illness. The 30-year-old made much of his opportunity, leading the team in games and wins for four consecutive seasons.
A collision in 1970 with an opposing forward and the goalpost caused a hairline fracture in Edwards' skull, headaches and dizzy spells. His health caused him to retire, but only briefly. After a one-season comeback with the Penguins, he returned to the Wings. His 1972–73 season was his finest: winning 27 games and posting an NHL-leading six shutouts. The following season, he lost his first three decisions and retired, permanently.
Edwards was uncle to Don Edwards, another NHL goalie noted for his longevity.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
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 206 games 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...
. He was born in Seneca Township, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. On June 6, 1967 Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
selected him in the expanstion draft, but traded Edwards to 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...
the next day. Roy Edwards spent six seasons 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...
(1967–68) to (1973–74). During the (1971–72) he played for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
In 1958 at age 21, Edwards backstopped the Whitby Dunlops, Canada's representative, to the World Hockey Championship at Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, posting a perfect 7–0 record with three shutouts and an 0.86 goals-against average. The Dunlops captain was future Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
General Manager Harry Sinden
Harry Sinden
Harry James Sinden was the long-time general manager, coach, and president for the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team, and was the coach of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series...
.
In 1960 he became property of the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 1961, despite never having played a single game for Chicago.
If fact Edwards did not play his first NHL game until 1967-68 season for Detroit, 7 season after being engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Edwards' road to the NHL was a long, windy one. In nine years, he played for seven teams in four leagues. Then in 1967–68, Roger Crozier
Roger Crozier
Roger Allan Crozier was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals....
stunned the Red Wings by announcing his retirement due to illness. The 30-year-old made much of his opportunity, leading the team in games and wins for four consecutive seasons.
A collision in 1970 with an opposing forward and the goalpost caused a hairline fracture in Edwards' skull, headaches and dizzy spells. His health caused him to retire, but only briefly. After a one-season comeback with the Penguins, he returned to the Wings. His 1972–73 season was his finest: winning 27 games and posting an NHL-leading six shutouts. The following season, he lost his first three decisions and retired, permanently.
Edwards was uncle to Don Edwards, another NHL goalie noted for his longevity.
External links
- Wings of Legend:Roy Edwards, DetroitRedWings.com, retrieved on May 27, 2007
- Masks from the Past: Roy Edwards, classic fibreglass goalie masks, www.hockeymasks.com, retrieved on May 27, 2007
- Obituary at LostHockey.com