AMERKS LEGEND GERRY CHEEVERS RETURNS TO ROCHESTER
The Hockey Hall of Famer made an appearance at the Rochester Red Wings
Aug 31, 2026By Griffin Della Penna | @GriffinDP_
As the gates opened at ESL Ballpark on Friday night, fans didn’t rush to their seats prior to first pitch between the Buffalo Bisons and Rochester Red Wings. Instead, they flooded the concourse and waited in line for a chance to meet one of the best goaltenders the sport has ever seen.
For the Red Wings inaugural “Hockey Night at the Ballpark” promotion, the organization hit a home run in landing former Rochester Americans goaltender Gerry Cheevers as the special guest for the evening. Cheevers began his professional career with the Amerks from 1961-65, setting goalie records that don't appear to be broken anytime soon.
His 72 appearances and 48 wins during the 1964-65 season are still the best in AHL history, playing a pivotal role in Rochester’s first-ever Calder Cup championship as the league’s top goaltender. The Class of 1987 Amerk Hall of Famer went on to be drafted by the Boston Bruins where he played 12 seasons with the original six franchise, winning two Stanley Cups in 1970 and 1972. After retiring as a player, Cheevers was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985, but stayed around the game as a coach and color analyst.
(INTERVIEW LINK HERE)
Now at 85-years-old, Cheevers currently resides in Florida and doesn’t make routine trips back up to the northeast anymore. However, he made the 22 hour drive from the sunshine state to Boston for a quick visit before making his return to Rochester.
“It brings a lot of emotions being back here,” Cheevers said. “It’s a wonderful city that I’ll always remember. To me, [Rochester] is one of the greatest cities that I ever played in.”
Throughout the 45-minute autograph session, Cheevers interacted with hockey fanatics from all different age groups, sharing a laugh and reminiscing on his time in the Flower City. Cheevers impressed fans with his ability to recall stories from 60 years ago as if they were yesterday, sharing everything from the day his son was born at St. Mary’s hospital to the postgame celebration festivities after winning the Calder Cup.
“I learned so much during my time in Rochester that set me up for the rest of my career,” Cheevers said. “I’ll always remember that team because it was my first championship and we were a veteran group with lots of guys who were on their way down from the NHL. We were one of the best teams in all of pro hockey that year and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 in an exhibition game… they never wanted to play us again after that.”
Rochester opens its 71st American Hockey League season at home on Friday, Oct. 2 against the defending Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. Season Ticket Memberships for the 2026-27 season, which start as low as $22 per game, are on sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.