Don Head
Encyclopedia
Donald Charles Head (born June 30, 1933 in Mount Dennis
, Ontario
) is a former professional ice hockey
player.
, played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros
where he won the Dave Pinkney Trophy
for outstanding goaltender in the 1952-53 season. He was the goalie for the Canadian ice hockey team at the 1960 Winter Olympics
, which was expected to take home gold, but settled for silver behind the United States
.
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.
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.
Mount Dennis
Mount Dennis is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, bordered by the intersection of Jane Street and Weston Road to the north, and Black Creek to the east and south, as the creek curves parallel to Alliance Avenue before crossing under Jane Street on its way to drain into the Humber River,...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) is a former professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player.
Amateur career
Head, a goaltenderGoaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
, played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboros
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association and Ontario Hockey League from 1904 to 1989...
where he won the Dave Pinkney Trophy
Dave Pinkney Trophy
The Dave Pinkney Trophy is awarded to the goaltenders of the team that has the best team goals-against-average in the Ontario Hockey League.-Winners:*2009–10 J.P. Anderson & Mickael Audette, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors...
for outstanding goaltender in the 1952-53 season. He was the goalie for the Canadian ice hockey team at the 1960 Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
, which was expected to take home gold, but settled for silver behind the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Professional career
Following the Olympics, Head signed with the expansion Portland BuckaroosPortland Buckaroos
The Portland Buckaroos was the name of several professional ice hockey teams based in Portland, Oregon.-PCHL/NWHL era :The first incarnation of Portland Buckaroos played their home games at the Portland Ice Arena. The Buckaroos initially played in the four-team Pacific Coast Hockey League from...
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League (minor pro)
The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. Managed for most of its history by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, it was created out of the merger of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior 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.
The next year, Head was called up to the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, 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
Seattle Totems
The Seattle Totems were a professional ice hockey franchise in Seattle, Washington. They were a member of various minor professional and semi-professional leagues between 1945 and 1975. They played their home games in the Mercer Arena and later at the Seattle Center Coliseum...
before ending his career with the Buckaroos in 1975, the same year the franchise folded.