Don Awrey

Don Awrey
Born (1943-07-18) July 18, 1943
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
St. Louis Blues
Montreal Canadiens
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Rangers
Colorado Rockies
National team  Canada
Playing career 1960–1979

Donald William Awrey (born July 18, 1943) is a Canadian former professional hockey defenceman. He played 979 career National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Colorado Rockies.

Career

A native of Kitchener, Ontario while he was in high school Awrey found himself bed ridden due to suffering a career threatening back injury while playing football. He would overcome the injury after having surgery to fuse three vertebrae and being confined to a Stryker frame for three weeks.[1][2]

A defensive defenceman, Awrey would play 3 seasons for the Niagara Falls Flyers of the OHA. During the 1962–63 season Awrey would play in 50 games accumulating 30 points, helping lead the flyers to the J. Ross Robertson Cup before eventually losing in Memorial Cup.

Awrey would then be signed by the Bruins for the 1963–64 season. Despite being an exceptionally fast skater, he rarely scored goals. He made his NHL debut in 1963–64 for the Bruins, his first of 16 seasons in the league. Awrey scored his first NHL goal on March 15, 1964 in Boston's 3-1 home win over Montreal. He would also spend time with the Bruins AHL and CPHL affiliates until making the Bruins for good in 1965-66.

Awrey would go on to spend a majority of his career with the Boston Bruins. During his time with the Bruins Awrey was a stay-at-home defenseman often paired with Bobby Orr. He was best known for his skating, shot-blocking and the bone-crushing hits he delivered cruising the blue line. Awrey was also a valuable member of the penalty kill being an overall solid defender. Despite his formidable reputation on the ice, he's was known as a perfect gentleman with an easy smile and a quick sense of humour.[3] He would have his best statistical season in 1970–71 scoring 4 goals and tallying 21 assists. He was also a key part of two Stanley Cup winning teams with the Bruins, in 1970 and 1972. Awrey’s former teammate Johnny Bucyk described his play style stating "Don played very solid defensively. He blocked more shots than anyone I can recall. He was good at that, he moved the puck well and he wasn't afraid to go into the corners."[2]

In 1972 Awrey was named to Team Canada for the Summit Series,[4] playing in two of the eight games.[1]

After his 10 years with the he would be traded to St. Louis Blues where he would spend the next 2 seasons. During his first season with the Blues he would play in the 1974 all star game. Awrey was then acquired by the Canadiens from the Blues for Chuck Lefley on November 28, 1974 in the middle of the 1974–75 season.[5] He was a part of the Montreal Canadiens team that won the Stanley Cup in 1976, but did not play in any playoff games that season, and so does not have his name engraved on the cup for that year even though he qualified.[2]

He was dealt from the Canadiens to the Penguins for a third-round selection in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft (42nd overall–Richard David) and cash on August 11, 1976.[6][7] After one season with the Penguins he would then spend a year with the New York Rangers during the 1977–78 season. His last season in the NHL was 1978–79, when he played for the Colorado Rockies. He now lives in Fort Myers, Florida.[1]

In 2005 he was inducted into the Canada’s sports Hall of Fame for his time with team Canada in 1972.[8]

In 2023 he would be named one of the top 100 Bruins players of all time.[9]

Retirement

In 2007 Awrey coached the club hockey team at Florida Coast university to a 18-2-2 record. However he was then fired. Stating “The kids got together and decided I was too old fashioned and to much of a disciplinarian and they got rid of me”.[10] He would also continue to play hockey in a old timers league.[11]

Even after retiring and moving to Florida Awrey stayed connected to the Bruins fan base. Since 2013 he has chartered buses full of Boston fans to attend Bruins games whenever the team travels south to play the Lightning or the Florida Panthers. In 2017 he coached an Alumni game between the Bruins and lightning.[12]

He and his wife have become members of the Florida Everblades. Both severing as off ice officials.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1960–61 Waterloo Siskins CJHL — — — — — — — — — —
1960–61 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 3 0 0 0 11 — — — — —
1961–62 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 41 6 12 18 90 10 0 3 3 15
1962–63 Niagara Falls Flyers OHA-Jr. 50 7 23 30 111 9 4 9 13 29
1962–63 Niagara Falls Flyers M-Cup — — — — — 16 4 8 12 58
1963–64 Boston Bruins NHL 16 1 0 1 4 — — — — —
1963–64 Minneapolis Bruins CPHL 54 4 15 19 136 5 0 0 0 9
1964–65 Boston Bruins NHL 47 2 3 5 41 — — — — —
1964–65 Hershey Bears AHL 23 2 4 6 38 15 0 1 1 29
1965–66 Boston Bruins NHL 70 4 3 7 74 — — — — —
1966–67 Boston Bruins NHL 4 1 0 1 6 — — — — —
1966–67 Hershey Bears AHL 63 1 13 14 153 5 0 0 0 19
1967–68 Boston Bruins NHL 74 3 12 15 153 4 0 1 1 4
1968–69 Boston Bruins NHL 73 0 13 13 149 10 0 1 1 28
1969–70 Boston Bruins NHL 73 3 10 13 120 14 0 5 5 32
1970–71 Boston Bruins NHL 74 4 21 25 143 7 0 0 0 17
1971–72 Boston Braves AHL 3 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
1971–72 Boston Bruins NHL 34 1 8 9 52 15 0 4 4 45
1972–73 Boston Bruins NHL 78 2 17 19 90 4 0 0 0 6
1973–74 St. Louis Blues NHL 75 5 16 21 51 — — — — —
1974–75 St. Louis Blues NHL 20 0 8 8 4 — — — — —
1974–75 Montreal Canadiens NHL 56 1 11 12 58 11 0 6 6 12
1975–76 Montreal Canadiens NHL 72 0 12 12 29 — — — — —
1976–77 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 79 1 12 13 40 3 0 1 1 0
1977–78 New York Rangers NHL 78 2 8 10 38 3 0 0 0 6
1978–79 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 6 2 1 3 6 — — — — —
1978–79 Colorado Rockies NHL 56 1 4 5 18 — — — — —
NHL totals 979 31 158 189 1068 71 0 18 18 150

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1972 Canada SS 2 0 0 0 0

Awards and achievements

References

  1. ^ a b c Stubbs, Dave (May 27, 2019). "Awrey symbol of grit for Bruins alumni at Stanley Cup Final". NHL. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Stubbs, Dave (May 28, 2019). "Awrey symbol of grit for Bruins alumni at Stanley Cup Final". NHL. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  3. ^ Quinney, Paul (January 22, 2025). "Boston Bruins' Great Don Awrey Walks Down Memory Lane". The Hockey Writers. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "Sports News in Brief". The New York Times. The Canadian Press. July 13, 1972. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Bergson, Perry (January 18, 2020). "Alumni Spotlight: Chuck Lefley". The Brandon Sun. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2022 – via Brandon Wheat Kings.
  6. ^ "Awrey moves to Canadiens". The Gadsden Times. The Associated Press. August 12, 1976. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  7. ^ "1978 NHL Amateur Draft Pick Transactions, June 15, 1978". Pro Sports Transactions. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Don Awrey". Canada Sports Hall of Fame.
  9. ^ "Bruins Announce "Historic 100" Ahead of All-Centennial Team Reveal". NHL (Press release). September 12, 2023. Archived from the original on June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  10. ^ Gearan, Jay. "Awrey recalls '70s Bruins glories". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  11. ^ "Three-time Stanley Cup champion Don Awrey continuing hockey career with Everblades". WBBH. February 27, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  12. ^ Toohey, Ryan (February 17, 2017). "Everblades official Don Awrey coaching Bruins-Lightning alumni game in Tampa". Naples Daily News. Archived from the original on June 7, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  13. ^ Three-time Stanley Cup champion Don Awrey continuing hockey career with Everblades. WZVN-TV. February 27, 2025 – via YouTube.
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