Player Profile

Donald Lever

15 Interesting Facts

Don Lever was a veteran NHL forward who played over 1,000 games and served as the inaugural captain of the New Jersey Devils.

Position
Left Wing
Jersey
#12
Status
Retired
Teams
6
Facts
15
1

Scored the very first goal in New Jersey Devils franchise history.

2

Served as the first team captain in New Jersey Devils franchise history.

3

Selected third overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

4

Appeared in 1,020 career NHL regular season games, scoring 313 goals and 680 points.

5

Selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1982.

6

Reached the 20-goal mark six times during his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks.

7

Represented Canada at the 1978 World Championships in Prague.

8

Helped lead the Calgary Flames to the playoff semifinals for the first time in club history in 1981.

9

Guided the Hamilton Bulldogs to their first Calder Cup championship as head coach in 2007.

10

Won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHA Most Valuable Player in 1972.

11

Won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's top head coach for the 1990–91 season.

12

Traded alongside Brad Smith to the Atlanta Flames in February 1980 in exchange for Ivan Boldirev and Darcy Rota.

13

Served as an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens starting in March 2009.

14

Recorded a junior hockey career high of 61 goals and 126 points in 69 games with the Niagara Falls Flyers during the 1971–72 season.

15

Accumulated 593 penalty minutes across his 15-season NHL playing career.

About Donald Lever

Donald Richard Lever was a durable NHL left winger who played 15 seasons from 1972 to 1987 across six franchises. Drafted third overall in 1972, he became the first captain of the New Jersey Devils and scored the franchise's first goal. Following his playing career, he spent over two decades in coaching roles, including leading the Hamilton Bulldogs to a Calder Cup title in 2007.

Career Achievements & Milestones

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Red Tilson Trophy

1972

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NHL All-Star Game

1982

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Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award

1990-91

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Calder Cup Champion (Head Coach)

2006-07

Player Information & Stats

Detailed career statistics and background information about Donald Lever.

Player Info

Country: Canada
Position: Left Wing
Jersey #: 12
Status: Retired
Age: 73 years old

Physical Stats

Height: 5' 11" (180 cm)
Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
Born: South Porcupine, Ontario

Career Stats

Seasons: 15
Goals: 313
Assists: 367
Points: 680
Teams: 6
Drafted: 1972
Round: 1 st

Season Scoring

Goals Assists Stack = points · scale 0–69
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77
1977-78
1978-79
1979-80
1980-81
1981-82
NHL All-Star Game
1982-83
1983-84
1984-85
1985-86
1986-87

Teams & Career

Vancouver Canucks Atlanta Flames Calgary Flames Colorado Rockies New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres

Donald Lever played for 6 different teams during his 15 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1972.