Gilles Gilbert

Gilles Gilbert (March 31, 1949 – August 6, 2023) was a Canadian professional goaltender in ice hockey who was drafted in the third round of the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft from the London Knights. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings, but most notably for the Boston Bruins.

Playing career

Early years Gilles Gilbert was born on March 31, 1949, in Saint-Esprit, a small rural municipality in Quebec, Canada, to French-Canadian parents. He played in the 1961 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the junior Quebec Aces.

Gilles Gilbert played his junior hockey for the Trois-Rivières Reds in the Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL), appearing in 43 games with a 4.44 goals-against average (GAA) and a 23-18-2 record the team had a competitive season and Gilbert made 5 appearances in the 1967 Memorial Cup playoffs as the Quebec representatives (under the name Thetford Mines Canadiens banner), however they were eliminated in the semifinals. In the 1967-68 season, Gilbert remained with the Trois-Rivières Reds, appearing in 46 games and improving his performance to a 4.30 GAA, At age 18, he led all goalies in QJHL with six playoff wins for Trois-Rivieres in 1967.

Minnesota North Stars (1969-1972) Following his junior career Gilbert was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1969. He spent almost the entire 1969-70 season with the clubs CHL affiliate the Iowa Stars, in 39 games he would go 17-16-5 with a 3.25 GAA. That year he helped the Stars reach the Adams Cup where they were defeated by the Omaha Knights 4-1. During the year he also made his first NHL appearance of February 8, 1970 vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins where he lost 6-3. Gilbert then joined Minnesota for good the following year serving in a back up role to Cesare Maniago. He got his first career NHL victory vs. Montreal Canadiens on October 21, 1970 at Montreal Forum in a 3-1 victory. He finished the year appearing in 17 games going 5-9-2.

During his time with the North Stars, Gilles additionally played shortstop on a semi-pro baseball team.

Boston Bruins (1973-1980) In 1973-74, Gilbert was traded to the Boston Bruins as a replacement for Gerry Cheevers who had gone to the World Hockey Association (WHA). Gilbert's arrival immediately boosted the Bruins while sinking the North Stars whose general manager was later fired as a result of that trade. Gilbert would go on to have a tremendous season in a starting role for the first time in his career he would boast a 34-12-8 record. This resulted in him playing in the NHL All-Star Game. Additionally, Gilbert had a career high 6 shutouts and finished the year with a 2.95 GAA and a .900 SV%.

Gilbert remained the Bruins main goalie the following year in 1974-75 appearing in 53 games for the Bruins he compiled a 23-17-11 record, along with 3 shutouts however his GAA went up to 3.13 and SV% dropped to 8.93. Gilbert had another great year during the 1975–76 NHL season, when he set the NHL record for most consecutive wins by a goaltender with 17, and finished with a 33-8-10 record for a .843 winning percentage in 55 games. He also finished with 3 shutouts a 2.90 GAA (his best as a starter) and a .887 SV%.

At the end of the 1975-76 season Gerry Cheevers had returned to the Bruins and from 1976-1980 he and Gilbert would form one of the best goaltending duos in the NHL. Due to him splitting time with Cheevers, Gilbert only appeared in 34 games for the Bruins during the 1976-77 NHL season going 18-13-3, with a 2.85 GAA and .884 SV%. Only starting 23 games for the Bruins that year Gilbert went 15-6-2 with 2 shutouts and a career low 2.53 GAA.

By the start of the 1978-79 season Gilbert remained in a backup role, in 23 games Gilbert went 12-8-2 with a 2.54 GAA and a .869 SV%.

Gilbert's final season with the Bruins came in 1979-80 where he appeared in 33 games boasting a 20-9-3 record with a 2.73 GAA and a .890 SV%, as he and Cheevers finished runners up for the Vezina Trophy, which was won by Don Edwards and Bob Sauvé of the Buffalo Sabres. Gilbert did not appear in the postseason and the Bruins were eliminated in the second round.

Gilbert recorded 17 playoff victories for Boston. As of 2019, he ranks sixth in all-time playoff wins among Boston goaltenders. He also set the Bruins record for most assists by a goaltender in one singular postseason with 3. He also holds the record for most assist by a Bruins goalie in the postseason, with 4. He is still remembered fondly by Bruins fans for his 7 great seasons with the team and all of his acrobatic saves. As a result, in 2023, he would be named one of the 100 best Bruins players of all time.

Detroit Red Wings (1980-1983) In July of 1980 Gilbert was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Rogie Vachon. with two successful penalty shots in the same game, as Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka scored for the Canucks in the third period of a 4-4 tie. He served in a backup role for the red wings for his final two seasons going 10-24-7 ultimately retiring after the 1982-83 season putting an end to his NHL career that lasted over a decade.

Gilbert played in the NHL between 1969 and 1983 and retired with a record of 192-143-60 and a 3.27 goals against average.

Post-playing career Gilbert hired as a pro scout and goaltending consultant for the New York Islanders in 1996. He was later promoted to their goaltending coach the following year in 1997, he would this position and his scouting position until 2001.

During his playing days he was the part-owner of a Quebec City nightclub.

He died on August 6, 2023, at the age of 74.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV% 1966–67 Trois-Rivières Reds QJHL 43 23 18 2 2540 188 1 4.44 — 14 9 5 850 65 0 4.59 — 1966–67 Thetford Mines Canadiens M-Cup — — — — — — — — — 5 3 1 276 18 0 3.91 — 1967–68 Trois-Rivières Reds QJHL — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1968–69 London Knights OHA-Jr. 37 — — — 2200 167 1 4.55 — — — — — — — — — 1969–70 Iowa Stars CHL 39 17 16 5 2340 127 2 3.26 — 4 2 2 245 14 0 3.43 — 1969–70 Minnesota North Stars NHL 1 0 1 0 60 6 0 6.00 .846 — — — — — — — — 1970–71 Minnesota North Stars NHL 17 5 9 2 931 59 0 3.80 .889 — — — — — — — — 1971–72 Minnesota North Stars NHL 4 1 2 1 218 11 0 3.03 .891 — — — — — — — — 1971–72 Cleveland Barons AHL 41 20 15 5 2319 140 2 3.62 — 4 1 2 187 18 0 5.78 — 1972–73 Minnesota North Stars NHL 22 10 10 2 1320 67 2 3.05 .904 1 0 1 60 4 0 4.00 .900 1973–74 Boston Bruins NHL 54 34 12 8 3210 158 6 2.95 .900 16 10 6 977 43 1 2.64 .912 1974–75 Boston Bruins NHL 53 23 17 11 3029 158 3 3.13 .893 3 1 2 188 12 0 3.83 .859 1975–76 Boston Bruins NHL 55 33 8 10 3123 151 3 2.90 .887 6 3 3 360 19 2 3.17 .868 1976–77 Boston Bruins NHL 34 18 13 3 2040 97 1 2.85 .884 1 0 1 20 3 0 9.00 .571 1977–78 Boston Bruins NHL 25 15 6 2 1326 56 2 2.53 .885 — — — — — — — — 1978–79 Boston Bruins NHL 23 12 8 2 1254 74 0 3.54 .869 5 3 2 314 16 0 3.06 .901 1979–80 Boston Bruins NHL 33 20 9 3 1933 88 1 2.73 .890 — — — — — — — — 1980–81 Detroit Red Wings NHL 48 11 24 9 2618 175 0 4.01 .866 — — — — — — — — 1981–82 Detroit Red Wings NHL 27 6 10 6 1478 105 0 4.26 .849 — — — — — — — — 1982–83 Detroit Red Wings NHL 20 4 14 1 1137 85 0 4.49 .850 — — — — — — — — 1982–83 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 4 3 0 0 198 11 0 3.33 .890 — — — — — — — — NHL totals 416 192 143 60 23677 1290 18 3.27 .883 32 17 15 1919 97 3 3.03 .895

Awards

WTCN-TV Trophy (awarded to Minnesota North Stars' player selected by his teammates as most proficient first-year NHL player), 1972-73. Played in the 1974 NHL All-Star Game 1979–80 – Runner-up for the NHL's Vezina Trophy Named one of the 100 best Bruins players of all time.