Bob Perreault starred in the American Hockey League during a professional career that spanned more than two decades.
Born in Trois-Rivieres, Que., Perreault made his pro debut with the AHL’s Providence Reds in 1951 playing behind another future AHL Hall of Famer, Harvey Bennett. In 1956-57, Perreault joined the Rochester Americans, helping the expansion club reach the Calder Cup Finals in its inaugural season.
Perreault’s next five campaigns were spent with the Hershey Bears, and he soon became one of the league’s elite netminders. In both 1957-58 and 1958-59, Perreault earned Second Team AHL All-Star honors while backstopping the Bears to consecutive Calder Cup championships. He was a Second Team selection again in 1961-62, winning a league-high 36 games for Hershey.
Returning to Rochester in 1965, Perreault reached three more Calder Cup Finals and won championships with the Americans in 1966 and 1968. His 1967-68 season saw him lead the AHL in wins (31), shutouts (six) and goals-against average (2.88), earning his fourth career berth on the Second All-Star Team.
Perreault, whose four Calder Cups are tied for the most ever by a goaltender, ranks sixth with 229 victories and third with 37 shutouts in his American Hockey League career. Perreault passed away in 1980 at the age of 49.