A Rare Gordie Howe Hat Trick from Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky’s legacy is filled with scoring records, championships, and unmatched vision on the ice but on one rare night in 1982, he paid homage to his idol, Gordie Howe, in the most unexpected way. Despite winning the Lady Byng Trophy five times and never topping 59 penalty minutes in any season, it was that very 59-PIM year, 1982-83, when Gretzky recorded his only Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

The date was December 22, 1982. The Edmonton Oilers hosted the Minnesota North Stars at Northlands Coliseum in a matchup of two of the NHL’s top teams. Despite Minnesota holding a slight edge in the standings, the Oilers erupted for an 8-2 victory and Gretzky was in the middle of everything.

In the first period, “The Great One” dropped the gloves with Neal Broten, drawing an extra roughing minor. Minutes later, Gretzky set up Glenn Anderson for Edmonton’s third goal of the game. The scoring touch continued early in the second period as Gretzky buried his 27th goal of the season past Don Beaupre, officially completing the Gordie Howe Hat Trick just 2:27 into the frame. He later added another assist on Mark Messier’s 22nd of the year, finishing the night with a three-point performance.

Across his brilliant career, Gretzky totaled only 577 penalty minutes in 1,487 regular-season games, astonishing for a player logging that much ice time and attention. His five Lady Byng Trophy wins rank second all-time, behind only Frank Boucher. But on that December night in 1982, Gretzky showed he could honour Howe’s toughness and spirit while still being the NHL’s most dazzling playmaker.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: History of the Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. What three elements make up a Gordie Howe Hat Trick?

Two goals, one assist, and a fight
One goal, one assist, and a fight
Three assists and a penalty
Goal, fight, and game-winning goal

2. Despite the name, how many career Gordie Howe Hat Tricks is Gordie Howe widely credited with?

15
25
2
7

3. Which player is often cited as having the most Gordie Howe Hat Tricks in NHL history?

Rick Tocchet
Cam Neely
Jarome Iginla
Brendan Shanahan

4. Which era saw the Gordie Howe Hat Trick become especially common due to the mix of scoring and physical play?

1950s
1980s–1990s
Early 2000s
Post-2010 era

5. The Gordie Howe Hat Trick is often viewed as a symbol of what traditional hockey quality?

Toughness and all-around play
Defensive responsibility
Goaltending excellence
Special-teams dominance

From New York to St. Louis and Back: The Rod Seiling Saga

Few hockey stories from the 1960s are as chaotic and entertaining as Rod Seiling’s unbelievable hour during the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. The back of his 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee hockey card hints at the madness: “In 1967, Seiling was dealt from New York to St. Louis to New York in less than 1 hour.” It wasn’t exactly a trade the first time, but the card’s spirit wasn’t wrong, his rights did a full round-trip.

During the expansion draft, the St. Louis Blues selected Seiling from the New York Rangers with the 36th pick. Moments later, before he even had time to think about packing a bag, St. Louis shipped him right back to the Rangers in a multi-player deal involving Tim Ecclestone, Bob Plager, Gary Sabourin, and Gord Kannegiesser. For Seiling, it meant his tenure as a Blues player lasted only minutes, maybe even seconds.

Seiling had originally joined the Rangers in February 1964 as part of a blockbuster Toronto–New York trade that sent him, Arnie Brown, Bill Collins, Dick Duff, and Bob Nevin to Manhattan in exchange for Andy Bathgate and Don McKenney. He became a steady presence on the Rangers blue line until the 1974-75 season, when he was waived four games in and claimed by the Washington Capitals.

That’s where the story takes another twist. Washington traded Seiling almost immediately, after he played just one game, for none other than Tim Ecclestone, one of the very players St. Louis had once moved to reacquire Seiling in 1967. The deal sent Seiling back to his original NHL home, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After two seasons in Toronto, Seiling finally did what the 1967 expansion draft almost made happen: he joined the St. Louis Blues, where he spent two solid seasons and closed the loop on a hockey journey nearly a decade in the making.

About Rod Seiling

Rod Seiling played 979 regular season and 77 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1962-63 and 1978-79 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Flames. The low-scoring defenseman topped out with a nine goal season in 1972-73 with the Rangers.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Rod Seiling

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Rod Seiling was originally drafted by which NHL team?

Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens

2. In the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, which team selected Rod Seiling?

Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins

3. Which team claimed Rod Seiling on waivers early in the 1974-75 season?

Vancouver Canucks
Washington Capitals
Kansas City Scouts
California Golden Seals

4. Which player was involved in BOTH Seiling’s 1967 St. Louis transaction and his later move from the Capitals?

Bob Plager
Gary Sabourin
Tim Ecclestone
Gord Kannegiesser

5. Rod Seiling finally joined and played two seasons with which team late in his career?

St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks
Buffalo Sabres
Atlanta Flames

Jim Rutherford’s Stunning Shutout Ends Detroit’s Long Drought vs Montreal

For most of the 1970s, one NHL truth felt ironclad: Montreal was dominant, Detroit was not. But on April 9, 1978, Jim Rutherford delivered a rare moment that flipped the script and ended four long years of Red Wings frustration.

Detroit’s previous win against Montreal had come back on March 20, 1974, a wild 7-6 victory with Rutherford newly arrived from Pittsburgh. What followed was pure futility: 0-18-5 against the Canadiens from the start of 1974-75 through early 1978. Then came one unforgettable night at Olympia.

Montreal entered the matchup as a powerhouse at 59-9-11, gearing up for what would become their third straight Stanley Cup. Detroit was a modest 31-34-14, simply trying to build momentum heading into the playoffs. The Habs had their usual lineup, though backup Michel Larocque got the start instead of Ken Dryden. Rutherford seized the opportunity.

He stopped all 28 shots he faced, earning his only shutout of the 1977-78 season and giving Detroit a cathartic 4-0 victory, the franchise’s first against Montreal in four years.

The Red Wings struck quickly. Just 33 seconds in, Dennis Hextall scored the eventual game-winner, assisted by Nick Libett and Vaclav Nedomansky. Before the first period ended, Bill Lochead added two more goals, both set up by Dale McCourt. In the second period, Nedomansky capped the scoring with his 11th of the year, assisted by Hextall and Libett.

Detroit would go on to enjoy a milestone spring: their first playoff appearance since 1969-70 and their first series win since 1965-66, ironically, the year they had fallen to the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Jim Rutherford

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Which team originally drafted Jim Rutherford into the NHL?

Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens
Pittsburgh Penguins
Toronto Maple Leafs

2. Rutherford was traded to Detroit in January 1974. Which team dealt him?

Pittsburgh Penguins
Los Angeles Kings
Buffalo Sabres
Washington Capitals

3. Rutherford’s famous 4–0 shutout over Montreal came in which NHL season?

1975–76
1977–78
1979–80
1981–82

4. After retiring as a player, which major NHL award did Rutherford later win as a general manager?

NHL General Manager of the Year Award
Lester Patrick Award
Jennings Trophy
King Clancy Trophy

5. Which teams did Rutherford win the Stanley Cup with as a general manager? (Select all that apply)

Carolina Hurricanes
Pittsburgh Penguins
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues