| Round | Overall |
| 1 | 3 |
 |
 |
Left-hand shot
Pre-Draft Statistics
| Year | Team | League | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
| 1969-70 | Niagara Falls | OHA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1970-71 | Niagara Falls | OHA | 59 | 35 | 36 | 71 | 112 |
| 1971-72 | Niagara Falls | OHA | 63 | 61 | 65 | 126 | 69 |
Pre-Draft Notes
Served as Niagara Falls (OHA) captain during 1971-72 season.
Career Vitals
| First contract: | June 21, 1972 |
| Debut: | October 7, 1972 (Vancouver vs. California) |
| Final NHL game: | March 20, 1987 (Buffalo vs. Montreal) |
| Retired: | May 23, 1987 |
| Stanley Cup: | 2013, 2015 (scout, name not on Cup) |
| Numbers worn: | 10, 9 (Vancouver); 12, 9 (Atlanta/Calg.); 9 (Colorado/New Jersey); 8 (Buffalo) |
Career NHL Statistics
Teams:
Vancouver, Atlanta/Calgary, Colo./New
Jersey, Buffalo
Years: 1972-1987. Playoffs: 1975-1981
| Regular Season | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 15 years | 1,020 | 313 | 367 | 680 | 593 |
| Stanley Cup Playoffs | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 5 years | 30 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 26 |
| Complete statistics available at NHL.com | |||||
Major-Junior Draft Year
Selected by Niagara Falls in the fourth round, No. 37 overall, of the
1969 OHA
Junior A Midget Draft after spending 1968-69 season with South Porcupine
Gold Kings
Juveniles.
Pre-Draft Highlights
Won OHA Red Tilson Trophy as league MVP with Niagara Falls in 1971-72.
... Named to OHA All-Star First Team with Niagara Falls in 1971-72.
Career Highlights
Also played left wing. ... Wore No. 10 as a rookie because Dale Tallon had his junior No. 9. He would later switch to No. 9 following Tallon's trade to Chicago in May 1973. ... Scored his first NHL goal at 6:08 of first period of Vancouver's Oct. 12, 1972, game at Philadelphia. The goal came against Doug Favell and gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead in a game Philadelphia went on to win 7-3. ... Recorded first career NHL hat trick on March 31, 1974, in Vancouver's 7-0 win over California, scoring three goals vs. Seals netminder Gilles Meloche. ... Tied Vancouver record (since broken) for goals in one season with 38 in 1974-75. He tied the record held by Bobby Schmautz with a goal at 14:35 of the first period vs. California on April 1, 1975. With two games remaining in the season, he was unable to break Schmautz's record despite getting additional icetime in the final game. ... Set Vancouver single-season records (since broken) for points (68) and goals (38) by a left wing in 1974-75. ... Passed Andre Boudrias to become Vancouver's all-time goal-scoring leader with his 122nd goal on March 24, 1977, at Cleveland. ... Led Vancouver with 198 shots on goal in 1976-77. ... Passed Andre Boudrias to become Vancouver's all-time points leader with his 389th career point when he assisted on Rick Vaive's goal at 14:00 of the first period on Dec. 14, 1979, at N.Y. Islanders. ... Left Vancouver in 1980 with team records (since broken) for career points (407), career goals (186), and consecutive games (437 from Oct. 7, 1972, to Jan. 14, 1978). The ironman record stood 18 years until broken by Trevor Linden in 1996. ... Scored 14 goals and 30 points in his 28 games with Atlanta to close 1979-80 season. ... Played on first Calgary Flames team in 1980-81, following relocation from Atlanta and appeared in the Calgary's first game on Oct. 9., 1980, vs. Quebec. ... Represented Colorado in NHL All-Star Game at Washington on Feb. 9, 1982. ... Played on first New Jersey Devils team in 1982-83, following relocation from Colorado and appeared in the Devils' first game on Oct. 5, 1982, vs. Pittsburgh. ... Scored the first goal in New Jersey Devils history on Oct. 5, 1982, vs. Pittsburgh at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. The goal, which made it 1-0 at 2:21 of the first period, came vs. Penguins goalie Michel Dion. The game ended 3-3. ... Led New Jersey in power-play goals (9) and shorthaded goals (3) in 1982-83. ... Scored 300th career NHL goal to pull New Jersey into a 2-2 tie with Pittsburgh at 11:52 of the first period on Feb. 7, 1985. The goal came against Roberto Romano, and the Devils went on to a 6-3 home victory. ... Won AHL Calder Cup as a player-assistant coach with Rochester in 1987, winning a championship in the final game of his pro playing career. ... Head coach of 1990-91 Rochester team that won AHL regular-season title. ... Was head coach of Rochester team that lost six-game series to Springfield in 1991 AHL Calder Cup Finals. ... Won the AHL Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as league's Coach of the Year with Rochester as a rookie head coach in 1990-91. ... Was associate coach of Buffalo team that lost to Dallas in 1999 Stanley Cup Finals. ... Won AHL Calder Cup as head coach of Hamilton in 2007. ... Served as head coach of Canadian All-Stars in 2008 AHL All-Star Classic at Binghamton, N.Y. The Canadian team won 9-8 in an OT shootout. ... Won his 300th AHL game as a head coach when Chicago defeated Grand Rapids on Dec. 27, 2010.
NHL Awards and Honors
| (with Colorado) | |
| 1981-82: | All-Star Game, Games-Played Leader (82, tie with Mike Foligno) |
Team Awards and Honors
|
VANCOUVER CAPTAIN: | Sept. 12, 1977, to Feb. 7, 1980 |
|
NEW JERSEY CAPTAIN: |
Aug. 20, 1982, to Jan. 9, 1984 (first captain in New Jersey Devils history) |
| (with Vancouver) | |
| 1973-74: | Most Exciting Player Award, Fred J. Hume Award (Unsung Hero) |
| 1974-75: | Goals Leader (38) |
| 1975-76: | Most Valuable Player Award (media vote), Most Valuable Teammate Award (co-winner with Dennis Kearns in player vote), Most Popular Player Award (fans' vote) |
International Tournaments
| 1978: | World Championships at Prague (bronze medal) |
Milestones
| 1,000th Game: |
January 27, 1986 (Buffalo at Montreal) |
| 300th Goal: | February 7, 1985 (New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh) |
Transaction History
Feb.
8, 1980 -- Traded
by Vancouver with Brad Smith to Atlanta in exchange for Ivan Boldirev
and Darcy Rota. Nov. 25, 1981 --
Traded by Calgary with Bob MacMillan to Colorado in exchange for Lanny
McDonald and 1983 fourth-round pick (later traded).
Sept. 9, 1985 -- Traded by New
Jersey to Buffalo in exchange for future considerations (cash).
Life Outside the NHL
Full Name: Donald
Richard Lever
Nicknames: "Cleaver",
"Cleave"
Other Post-Draft Teams:
Rochester (AHL)
Significant Injuries
Missed part of 1977-78 season with fractured cheekbone, an injury suffered when he was hit in the face by a deflection of teammate Dennis Ververgaert's shot during Vancouver's Jan. 14, 1978, game vs. Colorado. The injury ended his iron-man streak at 437 consecutive games and forced him to miss a game for the first time in his NHL career. He did not return until Vancouver's Jan. 28, 1978, game vs. St. Louis. ... Missed part of 1978-79 season with separated shoulder, suffered during Vancouver's Jan. 16, 1979, game vs. Montreal. He did not return until Vancouver's Feb. 13, 1979, game at St. Louis. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with partially torn muscle in left knee, suffered during Calgary's Nov. 25, 1980, game at Montreal. He did not return to action until Calgary's Dec. 6, 1980, game vs. Hartford. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with strained ligaments in left knee, suffered during Calgary's Jan. 11, 1981, game at Chicago. He did not return until Calgary's.Jan. 31, game vs. Chicago. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with torn rib cartilage, an injury suffered during Calgary's March 21, 1981, game at Boston. He did not return until Calgary's regular-season finale on April 4, 1981, vs. Vancouver. ... Missed part of 1983-84 season with strained groin, suffered during New Jersey's Nov. 23, 1983, game at Pittsburgh. He did not return until New Jersey's Dec. 7, 1983, game vs. Winnipeg. ... Missed part of 1983-84 season with damaged knee ligaments, suffered during New Jersey's Dec. 29, 1983, game vs. Detroit0. He did not return until New Jersey's Jan. 10, 1984, game at N.Y. Islanders. ... Missed remainder of 1985-86 season with torn rotator cuff, suffered during Buffalo's Feb. 19, 1986, game vs. Hartford.
Non-Playing Career
|
COACHING CAREER Named Rochester (AHL) player-assistant coach prior to 1986-87 season and remained in position until his retirement as a player on May 23, 1987. ... Named Buffalo assistant coach on June 12, 1987, and remained in position until Aug. 8, 1990. ... Named Rochester (AHL) head coach on Aug. 8, 1990, and remained in position until July 15, 1992. ... Named Buffalo assistant coach on July 15, 1992, and held position until July 29, 1997. ... Named Buffalo associate coach on July 29, 1997, and remained in that position until June 25, 2002. ... Named St. Louis assistant coach on June 25, 2002, and remained in |
that position until July
28, 2005. ... Named Hamilton (AHL) head coach on July 28, 2005,
and remained in that position until March 9, 2009. ... Named
Montreal assistant coach on March 9, 2009., and remained in that
position until June 19, 2009. ... Named Chicago
(AHL) head coach on Oct. 21, 2009, and remained in that position until
June 26, 2011. SCOUTING CAREER Named Chicago pro scout on Aug. 10, 2009 and remained in that position until Oct. 21, 2009. ... Named Chicago pro scout prior to 2011-12 season and currently holds this position. |
Miscellaneous:
| Selected by Ottawa Nationals in 1972 WHA Draft -- the first-ever WHA Draft, February 1972. | Shifted from his natural position of center to left wing for Vancouver for 1974-75 season. | Played on line with Ron Sedlbauer and Don Kozak for Vancouver in 1978-79. | Was member of Atlanta Flames team that relocated to Calgary on June 24, 1980. |
| Played on line with Kent Nilsson and Willi Plett for Calgary in 1980-81. | Played a total of 82 games in an 80-game season in 1981-82 as a result of being traded. | Was member of Colorado Rockies team that relocated to New Jersey on June 30, 1982. | One of Buffalo's last three camp cuts, he was sent to minors for the first time in October 1985. |
| Announced he would retire after 1987 playoffs, helping inspire Rochester to win Calder Cup. | Was a finalist for job as head coach of Buffalo in 1997 before position went to Lindy Ruff. | Suspended two games by AHL for game misconduct coaching Chicago in March 2011. | Ranked as the seventh greatest Canuck of all time on the team website's list of top 50 players. |
| SNAPSHOT '72 | |
| Total Selected: | 152 |
| Forwards: | 88 |
| Defense: | 47 |
| Goaltenders: | 17 |
| Major Junior: | 121 |
| College Players: | 25 |
| Canadian: | 139 |
| Euro-Canadian: | 2 |
| American: | 11 |
| Born in USA: | 10 |
| Reached NHL: | 67 |
| Won Stanley Cup: | 11 |
| Hall of Fame: | 2 |
| All-Star Game: | 13 |
| Year-end All-Star: | 3 |
| Olympians: | 1 |
| Picks Traded: | 24 |
| 1972 PICKS BY TEAM | ||
| Atlanta | Boston | Buffalo |
| California | Chicago | Detroit |
| Los Angeles | Minnesota | Montreal |
| N.Y. Islanders | N.Y. Rangers | Philadelphia |
| Pittsburgh | St. Louis | Toronto |
| Vancouver | ||
OTHERS DRAFTED IN 1972