# Don Head (ice hockey)

Donald Charles Head (born June 30, 1933) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 38 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins during the 1961–62 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1953 to 1971, was spent in the senior Ontario Hockey Association and the Western Hockey League. Head also played for the Canadian national team at the 1960 Winter Olympics, winning a silver medal.

## Playing career
### Amateur career

Head, a goaltender, played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros where he won the Dave Pinkney Trophy for an outstanding goaltender in the 1952-53 season. He was the goalie for the Canadian ice hockey team at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, which was expected to take home the gold medals, but settled for silver behind the United States.

### Professional career

Following the Olympics, Head signed with the expansion Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League. The Buckaroos would go on to win the league championship, and Head was named to the league all-star team and was chosen the league's rookie of the year and outstanding goalkeeper. He was among the very few goalies who did not wear a helmet in a game.
The next year, Head was called up to the NHL Boston Bruins but did not fare as well, winning only 9 of the 38 games he played as the Bruins finished last in the league. He returned to the WHL and won two more outstanding goalkeeper awards with the Buckaroos and was named to two more all-star teams. He also played for the Seattle Totems before ending his career with the Buckaroos in 1975, the same year the franchise folded.

## Legacy

Head was named to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
| 1950–51 | Weston Dukes | OHA-B | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951–52 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 37 | — | — | — | 2220 | 107 | 4 | 2.87 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1952–53 | Weston Dukes | OHA-B | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1953–54 | Stratford Indians | OHA Sr | 14 | — | — | — | 840 | 53 | 1 | 3.79 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1954–55 | Stratford Indians | OHA Sr | 13 | — | — | — | 780 | 49 | 0 | 3.77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1955–56 | Stratford Indians | OHA Sr | 47 | — | — | — | 2820 | 186 | 3 | 3.96 | — | 6 | — | — | 360 | 25 | 0 | 4.17 | — |
| 1956–57 | Windsor Bulldogs | OHA Sr | 50 | 30 | 17 | 3 | 3000 | 144 | 6 | 2.88 | — | 12 | — | — | 720 | 50 | 0 | 4.17 | — |
| 1957–58 | Chatham Maroons | NOHA | 49 | — | — | — | 2940 | 168 | 3 | 3.43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1958–59 | Chatham Maroons | NOHA | 47 | — | — | — | 2820 | 152 | 6 | 3.23 | — | 10 | — | — | 600 | 27 | 1 | 2.70 | — |
| 1959–60 | Windsor Bulldogs | OHA Sr | 48 | — | — | — | 2860 | 138 | 3 | 2.90 | — | 17 | — | — | 1020 | 47 | 3 | 2.76 | — |
| 1960–61 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 70 | 38 | 23 | 9 | 4290 | 192 | 7 | 2.69 | — | 14 | 10 | 4 | 846 | 30 | 2 | 2.13 | — |
| 1961–62 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 38 | 9 | 26 | 3 | 2280 | 158 | 2 | 4.16 | 879 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1961–62 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 300 | 16 | 0 | 3.20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–63 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 70 | 43 | 21 | 6 | 4200 | 178 | 4 | 2.54 | — | 7 | 3 | 4 | 423 | 22 | 0 | 3.12 | — |
| 1963–64 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 940 | 57 | 0 | 3.64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 51 | 26 | 20 | 4 | 3055 | 153 | 3 | 3.00 | — | 9 | 8 | 1 | 554 | 13 | 3 | 1.41 | — |
| 1965–66 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 36 | 20 | 12 | 3 | 2154 | 100 | 4 | 2.79 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Portland Buckaroos | WHL | 44 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 2714 | 120 | 3 | 2.65 | — | 4 | 0 | 3 | 225 | 10 | 0 | 2.67 | — |
| 1967–68 | Seattle Totems | WHL | 46 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 2717 | 114 | 3 | 2.52 | — | 9 | 8 | 1 | 556 | 20 | 2 | 2.17 | — |
| 1968–69 | Seattle Totems | WHL | 44 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 2377 | 120 | 1 | 3.03 | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 245 | 19 | 0 | 4.65 | — |
| 1969–70 | Seattle Totems | WHL | 20 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 1200 | 71 | 0 | 3.55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Seattle Totems | WHL | 16 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 769 | 45 | 0 | 3.51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WHL totals | WHL totals | WHL totals | 418 | 219 | 148 | 42 | 25,083 | 1166 | 25 | 2.79 | — | 47 | 29 | 17 | 2849 | 114 | 7 | 2.40 | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 38 | 9 | 26 | 3 | 2280 | 158 | 2 | 4.16 | .879 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
| 1960 | Canada | OLY | | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 385 | 12 | 2 | 1.87 | — |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 385 | 12 | 2 | 1.87 | — |