Alain Chevrier
Sport: Hockey: Year Inducted: 2006
In 1974, Alain Chevrier won his first hockey award when he was selected best goaltender in the Alexandria Peewee Hockey Tournament. It wasn’t to be his last.
The lengthy list of honours would include more minor hockey tournament, college, and National Hockey League awards.
The Cornwall native soon came under the scrutiny of junior and college scouts. He opted for a scholarship offer from Miami of Ohio University in 1980 and didn’t waste any time, immediately presenting his impressive puckblocking credentials.
He was named the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 team’s Rookie of the Year. He closed out a stellar college career by winning the Blue Line Club of Oxford Ohio Award in recognition of his dedication to the team, for his academic accomplishments and for the goodwill he promoted in the community.
His journey to the NHL began in earnest in 1984 and 1985 with the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League, despite not being drafted by an NHL team. He was the Komets’ Rookie of the Year.
At least one NHL team was keeping tabs on Chevrier. In May 1985 he signed as a free agent with New Jersey Devils and quickly broke into the NHL.
In 1988, he became the first Devils’ player to win the NHL Player of the Month Award. During that stretch he had a 46 save performance in a 3 to 1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. This spectacular display of goaltending included foiling ex-Royals’ captain Bob Murray eight times.
The next season, while with the Winnipeg Jets he earned an NHL Player of the Week Award. As well as for the Devils and the Jets, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, the Pittsburg Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings before closing out his professional career.
In 1992, Chevrier returned to Miami of Ohio University to become the first hockey player to be inducted into the Miami of Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame.
He now lives in Boca Baton, Florida.