Don Lever

Donald Richard "Cleaver" Lever (born November 14, 1952) is the head coach of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) and a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1972–73 until 1986–87.
==Playing career==
Lever was drafted 3rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. The forward reached the 20-goal mark six times in Vancouver and played for Canada at the 1978 World Championships. Lever was traded to the Atlanta Flames alongside Brad Smith in exchange for Ivan Boldirev and Darcy Rota on February 8, 1980. He was later the first captain of the New Jersey Devils. Lever scored the first goal in Devils history. He was recognized for both his penalty killing and powerplay abilities. Lever played 1020 career NHL games, scoring 313 goals and 367 assists for 680 points.http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13385 Legends of Hockey/HHOF. Retrieved January 4, 2007. On March 9, 2009, Lever was named an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens by Bob Gainey after the firing of Guy Carbonneau. His contract was not renewed, and he was named head coach of the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on October 21, 2009.
==Awards and achievements==
*1972: OHA First All-Star Team 
*1972: Red Tilson Trophy (OHA MVP) 
*1982: Played in NHL All-Star Game
*1990–91: Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award
*2006–07: Head coached the Hamilton Bulldogs to their first franchise Calder Cup, AHL championship
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1969–70 	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA 	 	2 	0 	1 	1 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1970–71 	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA 	 	59 	35 	36 	71 	112 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1971–72 	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA 	 	69 	61 	65 	126 	69 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1972–73 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	78 	12 	26 	38 	49 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1973–74 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	78 	23 	25 	48 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	80 	38 	30 	68 	49 	 	5 	0 	1 	1 	4
1975–76 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	80 	25 	40 	65 	93 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
1976–77 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	80 	27 	30 	57 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	75 	17 	32 	49 	58 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1978–79 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	71 	23 	21 	44 	17 	 	3 	2 	1 	3 	2
1979–80 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	51 	21 	17 	38 	32 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1979–80 	Atlanta Flames 	NHL 	 	28 	14 	16 	30 	4 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	0
1980–81 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 	 	62 	26 	31 	57 	56 	 	16 	4 	7 	11 	20
1981–82 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 	 	23 	8 	11 	19 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1981–82 	Colorado Rockies 	NHL 	 	59 	22 	28 	50 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1982–83 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	79 	23 	30 	53 	68 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1983–84 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	70 	14 	19 	33 	44 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1984–85 	New Jersey Devils 	NHL 	 	67 	10 	8 	18 	31 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	29 	6 	11 	17 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	29 	7 	1 	8 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1986–87 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	57 	29 	25 	54 	69 	 	18 	4 	3 	7 	14
1986–87 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	10 	3 	2 	5 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1,020 	313 	367 	680 	593 	 	30 	7 	10 	17 	26
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Coaching statistics==
 Season Team Lge Type GP W L T OTL Pct Result 
 1987-88 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1988-89 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1990-91 Rochester Americans AHL Head Coach 80 45 26 9 0 0.619 Lost in Finals 
 1991-92 Rochester Americans AHL Head Coach 80 37 31 12 0 0.537 Lost in round 3 
 1992-93 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1993-94 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1994-95 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1995-96 Buffalo Sabres NHL Associate Coach 
 1996-97 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 1997-98 Buffalo Sabres NHL Associate Coach 
 1998-99 Buffalo Sabres NHL Associate Coach 
 1999-00 Buffalo Sabres NHL Associate Coach 
 2000-01 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 2001-02 Buffalo Sabres NHL Assistant Coach 
 2002-03 St. Louis Blues NHL Assistant Coach 
 2003-04 St. Louis Blues NHL Assistant Coach 
 2005-06 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL Head Coach 80 35 41 0 4 0.463 Out of Playoffs 
 2006-07 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL Head Coach 80 43 28 0 9 0.594 Won Championship 
 2007-08 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL Head Coach 80 36 34 0 10 0.512 Out of Playoffs
 2008-09 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL Head Coach 65 39 24 0 2 0.615
 2008-09 Montreal Canadiens NHL Assistant Coach
==Personal life==
He and his wife Karen have three children, Michael, Sarah, and Caitlin.
==References==
 
Category:Atlanta Flames players