Allan Roy Edwards (March 12, 1937 – August 16, 1999) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 236 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1967 and 1973. Internationally he played for the Canadian national team at the 1958 World Championships, winning the gold medal.

Roy Edwards
Born (1937-03-12)March 12, 1937
Haldimand, Ontario, Canada
Died August 16, 1999(1999-08-16) (aged 62)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Right
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 1959–1974
Medal record
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1958 Oslo

Playing career

edit

In 1958, at age 21, Edwards backstopped the Whitby Dunlops, Canada's representative, to the World Championships at Oslo, Norway. He posted a perfect 7–0 record in the eight-team round-robin tournament. In those seven games, Edwards played every minute. He recorded three shutouts and allowed six total goals to have an 0.86 goals-against average.

In 1960 he became property of the Chicago Black Hawks. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup in 1961 even though he never played a single game for Chicago.

Edwards' road to the NHL was a long, winding one. In nine years, he played for seven teams in four leagues. On June 6, 1967 the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the expansion draft, but traded him to the Detroit Red Wings the very next day.

In 1967–68, Roger Crozier, the Red Wings' first-string goaltender, retired due to illness, and Edwards was called upon to take his place. He led 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, and this caused him headaches and dizzy spells. His health caused him to retire, but only briefly. He made a comeback with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and after one season there he returned to the Wings. He had his best season in 1972–73: he won 27 games and led the NHL with six shutouts. The following season, he lost his first three games and retired for good.

Personal life

edit

Edwards was the uncle of Don Edwards, also an NHL goalie.

Career statistics

edit

Regular season and playoffs

edit
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1955–56 St. Catharines Teepees OHA 41 26 12 3 2460 160 1 3.00 6 360 26 0 4.33
1956–57 St. Catharines Teepees OHA 49 24 23 2 2940 179 3 3.65 14 840 55 1 3.93
1957–58 Whitby Dunlops OHA Sr 7 420 21 0 3.00
1957–58 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 25 1500 84 0 3.36
1958–59 Calgary Stampeders WHL 63 42 20 1 3780 192 2 3.05 8 4 4 480 27 0 3.37
1959–60 Buffalo Bisons AHL 72 33 35 4 4360 267 4 3.67
1960–61 Buffalo Bisons AHL 30 12 16 1 1800 128 1 4.27
1960–61 Sault Thunderbirds EPHL 37 16 15 6 2220 119 3 3.22 12 7 5 739 34 0 2.76
1961–62 Sault Thunderbirds EPHL 36 4 26 6 2160 157 1 4.36
1961–62 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 10 1 8 1 600 52 0 5.20
1961–62 Portland Buckaroos WHL 8 3 5 0 480 32 0 4.00
1962–63 Calgary Stampeders WHL 70 23 44 2 4140 274 0 3.97
1962–63 Spokane Comets WHL 1 0 1 0 60 3 0 3.00
1963–64 Buffalo Bisons AHL 47 14 27 6 2820 155 2 3.30
1963–64 St. Louis Braves CPHL 3 1 1 1 180 8 0 2.66
1964–65 St. Louis Braves CPHL 65 12 47 6 3900 302 1 4.65
1965–66 Buffalo Bisons AHL 40 15 22 2 2389 140 3 3.52
1966–67 Buffalo Bisons AHL 39 9 24 5 2235 189 0 5.07
1967–68 Detroit Red Wings NHL 41 14 17 5 2175 127 0 3.50 .884
1967–68 Fort Worth Wings CPHL 9 8 0 1 540 12 4 1.33
1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL 40 18 11 6 2098 89 4 2.55 .915
1968–69 Fort Worth Wings CPHL 10 4 2 3 560 28 0 3.00
1969–70 Detroit Red Wings NHL 47 24 15 6 2681 116 2 2.60 .915 4 0 3 205 11 0 3.23 .909
1970–71 Detroit Red Wings NHL 37 11 19 7 2099 119 0 3.40 .893
1971–72 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 15 2 8 4 846 36 0 2.55 .907
1972–73 Detroit Red Wings NHL 52 27 17 7 3005 132 6 2.64 .904
1973–74 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 0 3 0 186 18 0 5.82 .856
NHL totals 236 96 90 35 13,088 637 12 2.92 .902 4 0 3 205 11 0 3.23 .909

International

edit
Year Team Event GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1958 Canada WC 7 7 0 0 420 6 3 0.86
Senior totals 7 7 0 0 420 6 3 0.86
edit