Donald Martin "Smokey" McLeod (August 24, 1946 – March 11, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played briefly in the National Hockey League and six full seasons in the World Hockey Association between 1970 and 1978.

Don McLeod
Born(1946-08-24)August 24, 1946
Trail, British Columbia, Canada
DiedMarch 11, 2015(2015-03-11) (aged 68)
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
PositionGoaltender
CaughtLeft
Played forDetroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers
Houston Aeros
Vancouver Blazers
Calgary Cowboys
Quebec Nordiques
Edmonton Oilers
National team Canada
Playing career1967–1978

Playing career

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McLeod's professional career began with several teams in the minor Central Professional Hockey League and American Hockey League, before being called up for two stints in the NHL, totaling 18 games, 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 the second winner of the Ben Hatskin Trophy as the WHA's top goalie and was named to the First All-Star team. To top off his best professional season, the Aeros won the Avco Trophy as WHA playoff champions. McLeod was also chosen to represent Canada 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.

McLeod was the holder of numerous WHA career, season and playoff goaltending records.[citation needed] He died in 2015, aged 68.[1]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%GPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
1963–64Trail Smoke EatersWIHL80705025506.57
1964–65Edmonton Oil KingsASHL
1965–66Edmonton Oil KingsASHL29174011503.9796305202703.12
1965–66Edmonton Oil KingsM-Cup19154011004932.67
1966–67Edmonton Oil KingsCMJHL38228012613.3292345223423.91
1967–68Québec AcesAHL2010801007.50
1967–68Fort Worth WingsCPHL1756510205103.00
1967–68Springfield KingsAHL96215402703.004132401303.25
1968–69Baltimore ClippersAHL72313792804.43
1968–69Springfield KingsAHL3415132183310503.44
1969–70Fort Worth WingsCHL3718118220010912.973031761103.75
1970–71Detroit Red WingsNHL143706976005.17.852
1970–71Fort Worth WingsCHL3621249022.5732071504.35
1971–72Philadelphia FlyersNHL40311811404.65.872
1971–72Richmond RobinsAHL51313001402.80
1971–72Providence RedsAHL1968410836602.73
1972–73Houston AerosWHA4119201241014513.61.884303178802.70.895
1973–74Houston AerosWHA4933133297112732.56.911141228423502.49.909
1974–75Vancouver BlazersWHA7233352418423313.34.890
1975–76Calgary CowboysWHA6330273353420613.50.87110555593703.97
1976–77Calgary CowboysWHA6725345370121033.40.879
1977–78Quebec NordiquesWHA72404032804.17.870
1977–78Edmonton OilersWHA3315101172310223.55.8644132071614.64
NHL totals1831018787405.06.856
WHA totals3321551231518,9261049113.33.88431181318069613.19

International

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YearTeamEventGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
1974CanadaSS101058808.28
Senior totals101058808.28

References

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  1. ^ "Obituary – McLeod, Don". Vancouver Province. 2015-03-17. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
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