Caught Left Height 1.78 m Role Ice hockey player Career end 1979 | Name Doug Favell Career start 1965 Playing career Weight 73 kg | |
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Born April 5, 1945 (age 78) St. Catharines, ON, CAN ( 1945-04-05 ) Played for | ||
Doug favell interview video
Douglas Robert Favell (born April 5, 1945) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League. He was also a box lacrosse player.
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Doug favell sings
Playing career
Favell, along with future Flyers' teammate Bernie Parent, played his junior hockey for the Niagara Falls Flyers in the OHA. After the club won the Memorial Cup in 1965, both goalies began their professional careers in the Boston Bruins organization, who held their rights. Over the next two seasons, Favell played in the Bruins' farm system.
Favell, like Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Tony Esposito, was one of the few goaltenders to employ the now popular butterfly style often going down to the ice to block shots in an era where the stand-up style of play dominated.
With the arrival of the six new expansion clubs for the 1967–68 NHL season, Favell and Parent were drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. The goalies split the work that first season and led the Flyers to a first-place finish in the NHL's Western Division. Favell had a stellar 2.27 GAA with four shutouts. Both goalies toiled for the Flyers until Parent was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 1971.
Without Parent, Favell became the Flyers' workhorse goalie. He recorded seasons of 44, 54 and 44 games with GAAs of 2.66, 2.81 and 2.83 on an improving Flyers team. In 1973, the Flyers reached the league semifinals and Favell was one of the top players, appearing in 11 playoff games and recording a 2.60 GAA and one shutout.
Before the next season, Favell was traded to the Maple Leafs for none other than Bernie Parent. The Leafs had three veteran goalies but Favell played the most games in the regular season and playoffs. He recorded a strong win-loss record with a solid 2.71 GAA in 32 games. The following season saw the Leafs rely on two goalies, but Favell struggled in 39 games with the poorest goals against (4.05) of his career. His third season with the team was his last with only three games played and extended time on the injury list.
Favell's NHL rights were sold to the Colorado Rockies for the 1976–77 NHL season. After appearing in 30 games that season, Favell became the Rockies #1 goalie the following year, appearing in 58 games and leading the team into the playoffs. His final NHL season saw him appear in only seven games, and he finished the season with the Philadelphia Firebirds of the American Hockey League.
Colorado exposed him to the expansion draft in 1979. Selected by the Edmonton Oilers, he opted to retire instead of start fresh with a new franchise.