While some fans believe that a professional athlete has it all when it comes to fame and wealth, they do not always see the internal struggle experienced by some sporting heroes. Sometimes, this comes to the surface in the form of addiction and poor life decisions and it’s often difficult to acknowledge that our heroes are ultimately as human as we are.
In the case of former NHL player Real Chevrefils, he was a player with massive potential and showed glimpses of greatness while struggling with alcoholism during his playing days and beyond. Even though he rose to prominence in the early television era, he has been largely forgotten today by both fans and collectors.
Born in Timmins, Ontario on May 2, 1932, Chevrefils was scouted by the Boston Bruins as a teenager and was sent to the Ontario Hockey Association’s Barrie Flyers at the age of 16. The 1948-49 campaign proved to be a respectable one for him as he put up 26 points, but the team was unable to successfully defend their OHA crown that year.
There was no sophomore jinx for him, either, as he delivered 59 points over 48 appearances in 1949-50 and buzz around him began to grow in the Bruins organization and beyond. The following year was by far his best before heading to the pro ranks as he paced the Flyers with 103 points – including an impressive 52 goals. In hockey circles, many had him ranked as the second-best prospect around behind Jean Beliveau – who was enjoying the game at the senior level in order to get an appropriate contract from the Montreal Canadiens.
After capturing another OHA crown with future Bruins teammates like Jerry Toppazzini and Leo Labine, the Flyers were off to face Beliveau and his Quebec Citadelles for the chance to compete for the Memorial Cup. The series had some controversy which resulted in the crucial Game 7 having to be played on neutral ice at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, but Barrie prevailed. Heading off to Manitoba to face the Winnipeg Monarchs, they dominated the competition and came away with junior hockey’s top prize.
Turning Pro
Real Chevrefils proved ready for the next level of hockey in 1951-52 and the Bruins put him on the fast track to the NHL. Starting the year with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, the 19-year-old was a scoring machine. Over 34 games, he lit the lamp 20 times and set up 28 more before being called up to Boston.
On Jan. 13, 1952, he debuted in a home game against the Chicago Black Hawks (then the spelling) and it took a few games to get accustomed to NHL action. Just nine days later, he posted his first NHL points with a pair of assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs and it was the start of a four-game point streak. Ultimately, it took him until his 17th appearance on Feb. 17 to score a goal – but he did it in fine fashion by slipping two pucks past Chicago’s Harry Lumley. The second tally proved to be the winner and he set up a later power play marker from Milt Schmidt.
After spending nearly half the year in the NHL and proving to be one of the team’s key offensive catalysts, it was time for the playoffs. Matched up with the mighty Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins took it to the seven-game limit. Chevy’s only goal in the series opened up Game 4 and helped even it at two victories apiece before the Habs eventually came back to win it all thanks to the heroics of Maurice Richard scoring what was arguably the greatest goal of his career.
With his first NHL duty behind him, Real Chevrefils was on his way to becoming a household name thanks in part to his early collectibles that were eagerly obtained by Canadian kids. While you could now get him on a Beehive photo for the cost of a bottle of corn syrup and a stamp, there was also the opportunity to get him in a slightly smaller size – a hockey card. The 1952-53 Parkhurst set was the second one to be released by the Toronto-based company and it was only natural that they included one of the game’s top youngsters on the checklist. While the card is quite primitive compared to future offerings, it does have a colorful charm to it. It does have an uncorrected error as it mentions him having only 40 points with Hershey the previous year, but it seems that no one has really picked up on this mistake over time.
As a second-year player, Chevrefils was a strong contributor from the left side. Missing just one game, he chipped in 33 points and was second on the team in goals behind Fleming Mackell. The Bruins weren’t an offensive powerhouse by any means this year, but they did perform well in the playoffs. Boston only used him sparingly during the first round win over the Detroit Red Wings, but he was in the lineup for all five games of the Stanley Cup Final against Montreal. Boston’s only victory came in Game 2, but he helped play hero by earning one of the assists on Ed Sandford’s winning goal.
Downward Spiral Begins
It was also in this era where Chevrefils was encouraged by team management to start drinking beer with meals in order to bulk up. Choosing to follow that advice ultimately shaped his future and it would not take long for him to become an alcoholic.
The relationship between hockey and alcohol goes back to even the earliest days of the pro game, but in this era and well into the 1980s, it was only spoken of in hushed tones. It was not until the tragic automotive death of Pelle Lindbergh in 1985 where it became a bigger topic of public discussion. Today, there are more resources available to players struggling with addiction, but in the 1950s, there was not much help offered.
Real Chevrefils missed much of the 1953-54 season, only appearing in 14 games and struggling to produce four goals and an assist. There was a hockey card this year from Parkhurst, but his campaign was cut short on Nov. 14, 1953 after sustaining a broken leg in a collision with Toronto’s Fern Flaman.
For 1954-55, Chevrefils staged a bit of a comeback as he hit a new career high with 40 points. This was the year where Parkhurst faced new competition and created a Lucky Premium program to help ensure kids were breaking open packs. As a result, we have two variations on his card – one with stats and a bio along with another which you could send in along with $4.75 to obtain a pair of “Junior Professional” hockey gloves.
Vying for the attention of Canadian kids, though, was Topps and their set only featured the four clubs based in the United States. With a gorgeous and iconic design, there is a lot of love out there for the 1954-55 debut release and the Chevefils card is a beauty. Interestingly, the image which got an artistic treatment from Topps is the same one from his Beehive photo. The set was not necessarily a big hit, though, and Topps would not return to the hockey card market for the next two seasons.
On the ice, the left winger appeared to be in good health – when he wasn’t playing with a hangover. Still, he finished third in the lineup with 40 points and helped Boston to its only playoff victory against Montreal. In Game 3 of first round play, he chased Charlie Hodge out of the net by making it 3-0 and that goal served as the winner.
Motown Bound and Back
With unspoken concerns about his dependence on alcohol, Real Chevrefils suddenly became expendable and the Bruins packaged him off to Detroit in a blockbuster trade on June 3, 1955. Going to Motown with him were Sandford, Warren Godfrey, Norm Corcoran, and Gilles Boisvert while Boston secured the legendary Terry Sawchuk along with Marcel Bonin, Vic Stasiuk, and Lorne Davis.
Now playing with the defending Stanley Cup champions, this could have been an opportunity to shine – but it proved to be a disaster. Before the season began, he and his new teammates won the 1955 NHL All-Star Game and time in Detroit went downhill from there. With no points in his first nine appearances, and only a goal and an assist after 20, things were looking grim. Sensing that he’d be better off back in Boston, he was traded back to the Bruins along with Toppazzini for Murray Costello and Norm Ferguson on Jan. 17, 1956.
Being back in familiar surroundings was a big boost for Chevrefils as his production immediately bounced back to its usual level. Over the last 25 games, he scored 11 times and set up eight more. Despite the spark he provided, the team still finished in last place.
The Outlier Year
With the pressure to meet potential that is faced by many young players, there is sometimes some level of redemption for at least one season where everything seems to finally click for an underperforming talent. Sustaining that performance over time can be difficult, but at least for a brief period, Real Chevrefils was one of hockey’s best.
For 1956-57, the Bruins were on the road to making a major comeback and ready to return to the playoffs. Allan Stanley was now helping shore up an already-strong defense corps, but there was some controversy as Sawchuk struggled to recover from mononucleosis and ended up temporarily retiring mid-season.
Despite this, Chevrefils took his game to a new level and began scoring at a tremendous pace. Finishing the year with 31 goals, he posted his only NHL hat trick against the Rangers on Nov. 17, 1956. Finishing fifth among all players in that category, he ranked second with nine game-winners as well. The effort was recognized with a spot on the NHL Second All-Star Team behind Detroit’s Ted Lindsay.
Boston’s playoff run was also notable in 1957 as Don Simmons shone in net while the rest of the team struggled to score. The defenders were stellar while eliminating the Red Wings in five, but the Bruins were unable to get much going against Montreal in the Stanley Cup Final. Chevrefils was relatively ineffective in the postseason, mustering just two tallies and an assist in the Detroit series.
The Downfall
With the hockey world thinking that Real Chevrefils was finally a star, it all began to crash down once again in 1957-58. As Topps returned to the hockey card market that year, he was prominently placed as the first card in the set – but it proved to be the final issue of his lifetime. Before the season began, he was selected to play in his second NHL All-Star Game and had three points in his first four games. Missing large chunks of the schedule due to injury after that, his totals dropped dramatically and he finished the year with just 18 points over 44 appearances while also returning to the AHL for conditioning with the Springfield Indians. In one of his absences, was brought up to make his historic NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 18. 1958. Once the playoffs rolled around, he was barely in the lineup and only skated in a single first round battle with the Rangers. The Bruins went on to the Stanley Cup Final, but were once again beaten by the Canadiens.
The Bruins gave Chevrefils one last shot in 1958-59, but it proved to be a failure. With his alcoholism impacting his play, he made his last NHL appearance against the Red Wings on Jan. 3, 1959. In the years that followed, he went on a depressing minor league odyssey which began with stops in the AHL’s Providence Reds and QHL’s Quebec Aces. The next two years were spent in the Eastern Pro League with Sudbury Wolves and Kingston Frontenacs before moving over to the WHL’s Winnipeg Warriors.
For Chevrefils, the 1961-62 season was a last hurrah as he suited up for the Los Angeles Blades. Even though the team flew out his wife and children to provide support, the couple fought and drank heavily according to a former teammate and future Washington Capitals coach, Danny Belisle in Don Boyd;s book, All Roads Lead to Hockey.
In 1962-63, Chevrefils played a few games for the San Francisco Seals before heading back to Canada to settle in Windsor, Ontario. With the local Bulldogs seniors, he helped his new teammates the Allan Cup – a trophy with a lengthy and respected tradition. The next year was his last as a pro as he played for the IHL edition of the Bulldogs before calling it a career at the age of 32.
The rest of Chevrefils’ life is somewhat mysterious and tremendously sad. His dependence on alcohol went unabated and his NHL pension was meagre at best. Red Wings executive Jimmy Skinner convinced the club to augment the pension with an additional $200.00 – more than the $130.00 the league was providing at the time. It would be many years before the NHL’s pension plan was adjusted and corrected thanks to the hard work of former players.
By the early 1980s, Chevrefils was essentially homeless and frequented the Windsor Mission. Taking odd day jobs to augment his income, his remaining days were bleak and he passed away on Jan. 8, 1981 at the age of 48.
Minimal Modern Collectibles
Since Chevrefils’ early death predates the hobby boom by roughly a decade, his story was largely forgotten by collectors outside of those building vintage sets. Since he did play during the 1956-57 campaign, he did get a modern card as part of the 1993-94 Parkhurst Missing Link set and the photo used here was the same one which appears on his 1957-58 Topps card.
It would be another 20 years before he’d get another cardboard appearance and this time, it was on a one-of-one Lumbergraphs card seeded into packs of 2013-14 In The Game StickWork. Featuring a piece of a vintage stick that was signed by Chevrefils, it could be sitting in a collection somewhere and you have to wonder if the owner realizes how good of a player he was.
Due to his relative obscurity today, building a Real Chevrefils collection is a relatively easy task. Low to mid-grade copies of his vintage cards are quite affordable and while some may ask for the moon for an authentic signature, it may be easiest to get one through a multi-signed piece like a game program. This may take a little diligence and hunting, but the story behind the player makes the challenge worthwhile.
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