Ed Chadwick, the final Maple Leafs goaltender to complete an entire season without missing a game, passed away this week at the age of 90. Hailing from Fergus, Ontario, Chadwick began his hockey journey with the St. Michael’s Majors before transitioning to a professional career that spanned various minor league teams in Pittsburgh, Sault Ste. Marie, Buffalo, and Winnipeg, where he earned a recall in February 1956.
His NHL debut came in a 1-1 tie against Montreal, and he solidified his position as the team’s starting goaltender the following season. During the 1956-57 and 1957-58 seasons, Chadwick played every minute of all 70 games, a remarkable feat considering the absence of full-time backups at the time. Despite the competitive nature of their roles, Chadwick and newcomer Johnny Bower fostered a supportive relationship, as noted by Bower in his book “The China Wall.”
Throughout his career, Chadwick appeared in a total of 180 games, securing victory in 57 and earning the distinction of 10th in team history with 10 shutouts. Unfortunately, the Leafs did not make the playoffs during his consecutive game streak, and eventually, Chadwick yielded his position to Bower. He was later traded to Boston in 1961 for goalie Don Simmons, where he played a few more NHL games before returning to the minor leagues with Hershey and Buffalo in the AHL.