Ed Giacomin's Dramatic Return to Madison Square Garden After Trade to Detroit Red Wings in 1975

In one of the most emotional moments in NHL history, longtime New York Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin was unexpectedly sold to the Detroit Red Wings on October 31, 1975. The shocking transaction was even noted on the front of his 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee hockey card, marking a significant turning point in his Hall of Fame career.

Just two days later, Giacomin made his first start for the Red Wings against none other than the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 2, 1975. The emotional tension in the arena was palpable as Giacomin faced his former team and fans who had revered him for years.

Detroit Dominates in Giacomin’s Red Wings Debut

In a powerful show of support for their new netminder, the Red Wings came out flying, dominating the opening period with a 4-0 lead. Bill Hogaboam led the charge with two goals, while Nick Libett and Danny Grant each added one. The Rangers managed to respond in the second period with goals from Bill Fairbairn and Rick Middleton, but Detroit held a commanding 6-2 advantage going into the third.

Though the Rangers scored two more times in the final frame, Ed Giacomin turned aside 42 of 46 shots to earn a 6-4 win in his Detroit debut. Offensively, Hogaboam and Dan Maloney led the way with three points each, while Grant, Libett, Phil Roberto, and Barry Salovaara all posted two-point games.

The moment was bittersweet for Rangers fans, many of whom gave Giacomin an emotional ovation, despite rooting for the opposing team. It remains one of the most iconic nights in Madison Square Garden hockey history.

A Quieter Return: Second Game Back at MSG

Giacomin’s second game back in New York came just weeks later but this time, the result wasn’t as favorable. Despite a solid performance with 36 saves on 39 shots, the Rangers shut out the Red Wings 3-0.

John Davidson made just 23 saves for the shutout, as the Rangers controlled much of the play. The game remained scoreless until Pete Stemkowski broke the deadlock at 14:42 of the second period. In the third, SteveVickers and Walt Tkaczuk added goals to seal the win for New York.

About Ed Giacomin

Eddie Giacomin played 609 regular season and 65 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1977-78 with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Ed was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rangers retired his jersey number 1 in 1989.

He was a First Team All-Star twie and was selected to the Second Team three times. In 1970-71, he shared the Vezina Trophy with Gilles Villemure. His 54 career regular season shutouts tie him for 24^th all-time with Bernie Parent. Before getting his start with the Rangers, Giacomin spent seven years in the minors playing for six different teams in three leagues.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Ed Giacomin

Bernie Parent: Backbone of the Flyers Historic 1973-74 Season Starts It Off With A Pair Of Shutouts

When hockey fans discuss the legendary 1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers, the conversation often centers around their hard-hitting identity and the infamous "Broad Street Bullies" style that defined the era. But while their physicality set the tone, the foundation of the Flyers' Stanley Cup championship was built in net, thanks to elite goaltending by Bernie Parent.

A Dominant Start to a Legendary Season

Parent kicked off his record-setting campaign with back-to-back shutouts to open the season. On October 11, 1973, the Flyers hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Spectrum. In a game that saw early fireworks, including a first-period fight between Dave Schultz and Borje Salming, Philadelphia came out on top with a 2-0 victory. Goals from Terry Crisp and Bill Barber sealed the win, while Parent stopped all 28 shots he faced. Across the ice, former Flyers goalie Doug Favell made 22 saves on 24 shots for Toronto.

Just two nights later, the Flyers visited Long Island to face the New York Islanders. Parent was once again perfect, turning aside all 23 shots in a 6-0 rout. Bill Flett scored the game-winning goal just 1:49 into the first period. Philadelphia showcased their penalty-killing strength with two shorthanded goals, one from Flett and another by Barber, assisted by Bobby Clarke. Don Saleski led the offensive charge with two goals and an assist.

Vezina-Worthy Performance

By Christmas, Bernie Parent had already recorded seven of his league-leading 12 shutouts. He appeared in 73 of the Flyers' 78 regular-season games, finishing with a remarkable 1.89 goals-against average. His performance earned him the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender and a second-place finish in Hart Trophy voting, just behind Boston’s Phil Esposito.

Postseason Heroics and the Conn Smythe Trophy

Parent continued his dominance into the 1974 NHL playoffs, adding two more shutouts and posting a 2.02 GAA. His stellar play backstopped the Flyers to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship. For his efforts, Bernie Parent was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the postseason.

About Bernie Parent

Brought up in the Boston Bruins system, Bernie Parent played 608 regular season and 71 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1978-79 with the Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also appeared in 63 regular season games and one more in the post season with the Philadelphia Blazers of the WHA in 1972-73.

A Hockey Hall of Fame member since 1984, Parent had his jersey number 1 retired by the Flyers in 1979. Berie won the Conn Smythe Trophy and Vezina Trophy in both 1973-74 and 1974-75 while leading Philadelphia to consecutive Stanley Cup championships. In both those years, he recorded 12 shutouts and was named an NHL First Team All-Star. He finished his career with 55 regular season and six playoff shutouts.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Chicago Blackhawks Retired Numbers

The Chicago Blackhawks have been a fixture in the National Hockey League since the 1926-27 season. Many great hockey players have worn the red, black and white of the Blackhawks. Only a select group of these hockey legends have had their numbers taken out of circulation by the team and raised to the rafters for eternity.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Chicago Blackhawks retired numbers with these four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Two goaltenders have had their numbers retired by the Chicago Blackhawks. What goalie is the number 35 retired for?

A. Tony Esposito played for Chicago from 1969-70 until 1983-84. With exception of 13 games played with the Montreal Canadiens in 1968-69, Esposito played his whole career in Chicago. Tony finished his career with 76 shutouts and a 2.92 goals against average in 886 regular season games. Esposito was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, four years after his brother Phil Esposito.

The other number retired by Chicago for a goaltender is number 1 in honour of Glenn Hall. Glenn played for Chicago from 1957-58 to 1966-67. He came to the Blackhawks from the Detroit Red Wing and ended his career with the St. Louis Blues. The three time Vezina Trophy winner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

Both Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall had their numbers retired by the Blackhawks on the same day, November 20, 1988.

Q. What number is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks for two different players?

A. The number 3 is retired in honour of two defensemen, Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson. Both were long time blue liners in Chicago. Pilote was a three time winner of the Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

Pilote played for Chicago from 1955-56 to 1967-68, spending one last year in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1968-69. Magnuson played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1969-70 to 1979-80. Both Pilote and Magnuson had their number retired by the Blackhawks on the same night, November 12, 2008. For Magnuson, it was posthumously, having died in 2003.

Q. The number 21 is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks in honour of what long-time great?

A. Stan Mikita holds the all-time Blackhawks career records for points and assists. He is the only NHL player to win the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy in the same year. He accomplished this in two consecutive seasons during the 1960’s.

Mikita played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1958-59 to 1979-80. His number was retired on October 19, 1980 and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later in 1983.

Q. The Blackhawks retired number 9 for what Hockey Hall of Fame player?

A. Easy question. Bobby Hull wore number 9 for the Blackhawks from 1957 to 1972 before becoming the face of the fledgling World Hockey Association. In 1983, Bobby entered the HHOF along with long time line mate Stan Mikita. On December 18, 1983, his number was retired by Chicago.

 

NHL Hockey Trivia: Tony and Phil Esposito

Phil and Tony Esposito are two brothers that played in the National Hockey League in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. Both are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, both have their jersey numbers retired by an NHL club and both were members of Team Canada at the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.

One brother started his National Hockey League career with the same team the other ended up with. Read on and find out what team that was.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Esposito brothers with the following four trivia questions.

Q. What NHL team did Tony Esposito first play for?

A. All but thirteen of Tony’s NHL games were played with the Chicago Black Hawks. However, in 1968-69, he played those thirteen games with the Montreal Canadiens. At the time, both regular goalies were injured and Esposito was a call-up from the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League. Tony did not take part in the Stanley Cup playoffs that season when the Canadiens won the Cup.

1968-69 was before Ken Dryden came on the scene in Montreal. However, Tony still had Gump Worsley and Rogie Vachon to compete with. Worsley soon after entered the HHOF and Vachon should be there but has repeatedly been denied. The following year, 1969-70, Esposito walked into the number one spot in Chicago, appearing in 63 of 76 regular season games for the Blackhawks with Gerry Desjardins and Denis DeJordy seeing sparse action in backup roles.

Q. What NHL team did Phil Esposito first play for?

A. Phil was sponsored by the Chicago Black Hawks right from junior hockey with the St. Catherines TeePees of the Ontario Hockey Association. Esposito played four seasons with Chicago, in the shadow of Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita before being traded to the Boston Bruins where his career rocketed.

That trade is notorious for its one-sidedness. On May 15, 1967, going to Boston along with Phil were Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. Heading to Chicago were Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris. Esposito was part of another blockbuster trade in November, 1975 that sent him to the Rangers. Phil and Carol Vadnais went to the Big Apple while Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi went to Bean Town. He ended his career with New York.

Q. Which Esposito’s rookie hockey card is worth the most, according to Beckett Hockey?

A. The Tony Esposito rookie card was part of the 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee series and has a book value of $150. However, the Phil Esposito rookie card from the 1965-66 Topps series tops that with a book value of $400. Both Esposito rookie cards show the brothers as members of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Q. Which Esposito brother entered the Hockey Hall of Fame first?

A. Phil Esposito was the first of the two brothers to enter, being inducted in 1984. Tony followed in 1988. Phil played his final games in the National Hockey League during the 1980-81 season with the New York Rangers. This meant that he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame after the minimum three year waiting period. At his side in 1984 were goaltender Bernie Parent and career Montreal Canadien Jacques Lemaire.

Tony appeared in 18 games with the Blackhawks in 1983-84, his last games in the NHL. Four years later, he entered the HHOF, along with Guy Lafleur and Brad Park. Buddy O’Connor was also posthumously inducted.

Pat Burns: Only 3 Time Winner Of The Jack Adams Award

The Jack Adams was first awarded to the NHL's top head coach for the 1973-74 season. Fred Shero was the first recipient and Pat Burns is the only three time winner. Both Shero and Burns are deceased and both were inexplicably denied entry to the Hockey Hall of Fame while still alive.

In a National Hockey League head coaching career that lasted from 1988-89 to 2003-04, Pat Burns became the only person to win the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach three times. The Jack Adams Award was introduced for the 1973-74 season, with Fred Shero of the Philadelphia Flyers being the first recipient.

1988-89 Montreal Canadiens

Burns won the Jack Adams in his first year of coaching in the NHL, 1988-89. The Montreal Canadiens finished first overall in the Prince of Wales Conference and second overall in the NHL, behind only the Calgary Flames. The Canadiens and Flames met in the Stanley Cup finals with Calgary coming out victorious in six games.

1992-93 Toronto Maple Leafs

In 1992-93, in his first year as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Burns saw a 32 improvement over the previous season. In 1991-92, Toronto had finished last in the Norris Division with just 67 points. Their point total improved to 99 points under Pat and the team made it to the Conference finals before losing to the Los Angeles Kings in seven games.

1997-98 Boston Bruins

In 1997-98, in his first year as coach of the Boston Bruins, the team saw a similar turnaround that the Maple Leafs had experience under Burns. The team improved 30 points over 1996-97. The previous year was the first time Boston had failed to qualify for the post season since the 1966-67 season. The team bowed out to the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.

Pat Burns

Never a player at the professional level, Burns rose quickly to prominence in the coaching world. He was behind the bench of the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for three years, from 1984-85 to 1986-87. In the second year, the Olympiques won the Jean Rougeau Trophy as regular season champions and the President’s Cup as champs in the playoffs. Pat was selected as QMJHL First Team All-Star coach.

The Olympiques qualified for the Memorial Cup that season, making it through to the final game. The Guelph Platers (today’s Owen Sound Attack) were crowned Memorial Cup champions with a 6-2 victory over Hull. Hockey Hall of Fame member Luc Robitaille was a member of that Olympiques team.

After a year coaching the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the American Hockey League in 1987-88, it was straight up to the NHL Canadiens. Along with coaching in Montreal, Toronto and Boston, Burns won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, where he coached in 2002-03 and 2003-04.

Along with Fred Shero, now both deceased, the Hockey Hall of Fame were under fire for denying the two entry. Shero won two Stanley Cups and was a finalist on two other occasions, as well as winning championships in three other professional league and was inducted posthumously in 2013. Pat’s qualifications for the Hall of Fame are obvious from his accomplishments stated above and is finally allowed entry for 2014.

 

1993 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees

In 1993, four National Hockey League players entered the Hockey Hall of Fame. Three of the four starred on either the Montreal Canadiens or New York Islanders teams that dominated the Stanley Cup from 1976 to 1983. The other was a mainstay with the New York Rangers in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Guy Lapointe

Guy Lapointe played 894 regular season games in the NHL between 1968-69 to 1983-84. He played the bulk of his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens while also having stints with St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins nearer the end of his career. The defenseman was a part of six Stanley Cup championship teams with Montreal during the 1970’s.

Despite putting up great numbers from the blue line, Guy was denied the Norris Trophy during his playing days, not able to steal the limelight from the likes of Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin and Montreal teammate Larry Robinson. Lapointe played seven of the eight games for Canada at the 1972 Summit Series with the Soviet Union.

Edgar Laprade

Edgar Laprade played his entire NHL career with the New York Rangers between 1945-46 and 1954-55, appearing in exactly 500 regular season games. With 34 points in 49 games during his rookie season, Laprade was selected as the recipient of the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top first year player. His 34 assists In 1947-48, Edgard placed third in the National hockey League with 34 assists.

Edgar was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy in 1949-50, amassing just one minor penalty over 60 games. In fact, Laprade sat just 42 minutes in the penalty box over his 500 games.

Steve Shutt

At the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected Steve Shutt fourth overall. Fresh off the roster of the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey League, Shutt jumped right into the Montreal lineup without missing a beat. Steve appeared in 930 regular season NHL games between 1972-73 and 1984-85. All his time was spent with the Habs with exception of 59 games with the Los Angeles Kings in his final season after he was traded.

Steve was a member of four consecutive Stanley Cup championship teams in Montreal between 1975-76 and 1978-79. The pinnacle of his NHL career was 1976-77 when he scored 60 goals and amassed 105 points. He led the league in goals that season and placed third for points. Three more times during his NHL career, Shutt placed in the top ten for goals in the NHL but he never again surpassed the 50 goal plateau.

Billy Smith

Billy Smith was the backbone of the New York Islanders Stanley Cup dynasty of the early 1980’s when the team won four straight between 1979-80 and 1982-83. Although drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, Smith played just five games with the club before becoming a member of the Islanders.

Billy Smith was a goalie in the National Hockey League from 1971-72 to 1988-89. He earned the Vezina Trophy in 1981-82 and the Conn Smythe Trophy for his performance during the 1982-83 Stanley Cup playoff run.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Stan Mikita

Stan Mikita is one of the most decorated Chicago Blackhawk to ever play in the National Hockey League. Between 1959 and 1980, Mikita was an ever-present force in a Black Hawks uniform. After all, he spent his entire NHL career with Chicago. Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Stan Mikita with the following four trivia questions.

Q. How many times was Stan Mikita a ‘triple crown’ winner, taking home the Lady Byng, Art Ross and Hart Trophies all in the same season?

A. Mikita was a triple crown winner twice. He is the only NHL player to accomplish this and certainly the only NHL player to do it in consecutive seasons. In both 1966-67 and 1967-68, Stan won the Byng, Ross and Hart. He won the Byng in 1966-67, accumulating just 12 PIM. Just two years before, Mikita was a completely different player, sitting out 154 minutes in penalties.

In 1966-67, Stan totalled an NHL record (at the time) 97 points over 70 regular season games. He finished with 17 points more than teammate Bobby Hull, who finished in second. Hull led the league in goals with 52 while Mikita was second with 35. Stan obviously led the league with his 62 assists, 13 more than Phil Goyette of the New York Rangers.

In 1967-68, the first year of the 12 team National Hockey League, Mikita dropped to 87 points on 47 assists and 40 goals over 72 games. Stan led the league with just three more points than Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins. He came within four goals of league leader Bobby Hull and placed fourth for assists behind Esposito, Rod Gilbert and Alex Delvecchio. All four were within two assists.

Q. In 1966-67, Stan Mikita totalled 97 points. At the time, he tied an NHL record. Who did he share the NHL record for most points in a single season with?

A. Just the season before, Mikita’s teammate, Bobby Hull, set the league mark with 97 points. After the 1968-69 season, these numbers would become just distant memories with Phil Esposito shattering the mark with 126 points. Esposito would increase the record to 152 points in 1970-71 and that would be considered unreachable until a kid named Wayne Gretzky came along in the 1980’s.

Q. In 1980, the Chicago Black Hawks retired Stan Mikita’s jersey number. What number did he wear during his NHL career with Chicago?

A. Stan Mikita’s number 21 was retired at the start of the 1980-81 season. It was just a year after his final season in the National Hockey League. Mikita wore number 21 right from 1958-59 when he appeared in just three games with Chicago while still a junior with the St. Catherines Teepees of the OHA.

Q. In what year was Stan Mikita inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

A. Mikita was part of the HHOF class of 1983. Joining him was long-time teammate in Chicago, Bobby Hull and goaltending great Ken Dryden. Harry Sinden was inducted the same year in the builder category.

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1956-57	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA	52	16	31	47	0
1957-58	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA	52	31	47	78	0
1958-59	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA	45	38	59	97	0
1958-59	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	3	0	1	1	4
1959-60	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	67	8	18	26	119
1960-61	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	66	19	34	53	100
1961-62	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	25	52	77	97
1962-63	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	65	31	45	76	69
1963-64	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	39	50	89	146
1964-65	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	28	59	87	154
1965-66	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	68	30	48	78	58
1966-67	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	35	62	97	12
1967-68	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	72	40	47	87	14
1968-69	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	74	30	67	97	52
1969-70	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	76	39	47	86	50
1970-71	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	74	24	48	72	85
1971-72	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	74	26	39	65	46
1972-73	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	57	27	56	83	32
1973-74	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	76	30	50	80	46
1974-75	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	79	36	50	86	48
1975-76	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	48	16	41	57	37
1976-77	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	57	19	30	49	20
1977-78	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	76	18	41	59	35
1978-79	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	65	19	36	55	34
1979-80	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	17	2	5	7	12
	NHL Totals		1394	541	926	1467	1270

NHL Hockey Trivia: Denis Potvin

Denis Potvin was to be the next Bobby Orr when picked by the New York Islanders in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft. Although not quite achieving the greatness of Orr, Potvin’s career went down as one of the greatest ever for a defenseman.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Islanders great, Denis Potvin, with the following four hockey trivia questions.

Q. In what year did Denis Potvin become only the second defenseman in NHL history to surpass 100 points in a single regular season?

A. Potvin contributed 101 points in 1978-79 for the New York Islanders while missing seven games. Denis became the second defenseman to accomplish the feat with Bobby Orr being the first. Just Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis and Brian Leetch have reached the plateau since.

Q. What Ontario Hockey League team’s record does Denis Potvin still hold for most points by a defenseman in a single season?

A. Potvin had 35 goals and 88 assists for 123 points in just 61 games in 1972-73 for the Ottawa 67’s. The total stood as an OHL record until Bryan Fogarty had 155 with the Niagara Falls Thunder in 1988-89.

Q. The New York Islanders retired number 5 in honour of Denis Potvin in 1992. His number is also retired by the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, however it is not number 5. Which number is retired by the Ottawa 67’s in honour of Potvin?

A. Denis Potvin wore number 7 with the Ottawa 67’s and that is the number that is retired for Denis, as well as Doug Wilson. When Potvin arrived with the Islanders for the 1973-74 season, despite being the first overall pick, he lost number seven to Germain Gagnon who was in his second season with the Islanders and was therefore the veteran. Gagnon made it 62 games into the season before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. Potvin could have reclaimed the jersey number but chose to stick with number 5. Gagnon made it two more seasons in the NHL before retiring with the Kansas City Scouts after the 1975-76 season.

Q. To this day, in which NHL arena will you hear the chant, “Potvin Sucks”?

A. Of course, Madison Square Garden, the home of the New York Rangers when the Islanders cross the river to play their rivals. Some people still have the nerve to argue that Toronto and Montreal have the most heated rivalry in the NHL. It just doesn’t compare to the hatred that Islanders and Rangers fans have for each other.

Bonus: Denis Potvin won the Max Kaminsky Trophy twice, 1971-72 and 1972-73, as the Ontario Hockey League’s top defenseman. He also won the James Norris Trophy three times as the NHL’s top defenseman.

Potvin is one of just three players to win the Kaminsky Trophy on more than one occasion. The other two are Bryan Berard and Ryan Ellis. There are also just three players that have won both the Kaminsky Trophy and Norris Trophy. The other two are Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler is one of the greatest legends in the history of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs. Sittler is a Hockey Hall of Fame member that has certainly left his mark on the game. His record of ten points in a single game that was set in 1976 against the Boston Bruins still stands today. Test and expand your hockey knowledge with the following four hockey trivia questions and answers.

Q. When Darryl Sittler was traded from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Detroit Red Wings for the start of the 1984-85 season, what player, who would play over 1,000 career NHL games, went in the other direction?

A. Sittler was traded to Detroit for an unproven youngster named Murray Craven. Philadelphia got the best of the deal with Sittler playing just 61 games with Detroit before retiring. Craven played 1,071 regular season NHL games with the Red Wings, Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks.

Joe Paterson also went to the Flyers in the deal. Joe played just six games for Philadelphia in 1984-85 and five more with the club in 1985-86 before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Paterson, who played his junior hockey for the same OHL team as Sittler, appeared in 291 NHL regular season games between 1980-81 and 1988-89 with the Red Wings, Flyers, Kings and New York Rangers.

Q. In 1977-78, Darryl Sittler finished third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with 117 points. Who finished first in the NHL that season?

A. Guy Lafleur of the Montreal Canadiens won the Art Ross Trophy with 132 points. Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders took second spot with 123 points. The three were the only ones to surpass the 100 point plateau that season.

It was the second and last time Darryl would reach the 100 point plateau. He totalled exactly 100 in 1975-76 over 79 games with the Maple Leafs. The 100 points placed him ninth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

Q. With what OHA team did Darryl Sittler record 99 points for in 1968-69?

A. Darryl was a member of the London Knights for three years from 1967-68 to 1969-70. 99 points was his highest single season total in the junior league and was accomplished over 53 games on 34 goals and 65 assists. He finished third in the OHA that season behind only Rejean Houle of the Montreal Junior Canadiens and Marcel Dionne of the St. Catherines Black Hawks.

In his third and final year with London, Sittler scored 42 and assisted on 48 for 90 points over 54 regular season games. He was the team’s leader by far with 24 more points than Dan Maloney. He tied Bobby Lalonde of the Montreal Junior Canadiens for sixth in goal scoring. Darryl was also tied for seventh in assists and held the sixth spot for total points.

Q. In what year was Darryl Sittler inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

A. Sittler entered the Hall of Fame in 1989. The only other two players to be inducted that season were Herbie Lewis, a member of the Detroit Cougars / Falcons / Red Wings in the late 1920’s and 1930’s and Vladislav Tretiak, the great Russian goaltender.

Frank Brimsek Of The Boston Bruins: Mr. Zero

He was one of the great goaltenders of the National Hockey league in the 1940’s, yet it took 16 years after he retired for Frank Brimsek to finally get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Brimsek spent all but one of his seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins, leading the club to a Stanley Cup championship in his rookie year.

Frank Brimsek – Minor Pros

Before his big break with the Bruins in 1938-39, Brimsek played a few years in the minor pros. In 1935-36 and 1936-37, he appeared with the Pittsburgh Yellowjackets of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. The EAHL evolved into the EHL, a pro league that existed until the end of the 1972-73 season before splitting in to the NAHL and SHL.

In his first year with the Yellowjackets, the team placed second in the five team league and was led offensively by Gordie Drillon. Drillon would go on to be a scoring leader in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The following year, the team fell to fourth as most of the star players had moved on.

In 1937-38, Brimsek played all 48 regular season games for the Providence Reds of the IAHL. The ‘I’ in IAHL was dropped as the league became the present day American Hockey League. The Bun Cook coached Reds were crowned Calder Cup champions with a win over the Syracuse Stars in the finals.

Frank Brimsek – NHL Career

‘Mister Zero’ played goal in the National Hockey League from 1938-39 to 1949-50 with the Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. Shortly into the 1938-39 season, Boston shipped their number one goaltender Tiny Thompson to the Detroit Red Wings and relied solely on the rookie Brimsek.

Frank started the year with nine games in the AHL with Providence. Over 43 games with the Bruins, he posted a 1.56 goals against average and recorded ten shutouts. Brimsek won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year. He also won the Vezina Trophy and was named First Team All-Star goalie.

The Art Ross coached Bruins placed first overall in the 1938-39 NHL. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Boston ousted the Toronto Maple Leafs in the finals for the championship. Frank played all 12 playoff games, posting a 1.25 GAA.

Brimsek played every game for the Bruins in five different seasons between 1939-40 and 1947-48. He would do the same in his final year of NHL hockey in 1949-50 for the Chicago Blackhawks. He won his second and final Vezina Trophy in 1941-42, playing 47 games for the Bruins with three shutouts and a 2.35 GAA. His only other Stanley Cup championship came in 1940-41 when the Bruins swept the Red Wings in the finals after finishing first overall during the regular season.

After missing the 1943-44 and 1944-45 seasons because of military commitments during the Second World War, Frank stormed back into the NHL for the 1945-46 season. The Dit Clapper coached Bruins finished second overall in the six team league. Brimsek played 34 games during the regular season, sharing duties with Paul Bibeault.

In the 1945-46 Stanley Cup playoffs, Frank played in all ten games for Boston. The Bruins fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the finals, winning just one of the five games. The series was closer than it looked, though, with three of the five games going to overtime to decide a victor.

His final year in the NHL was Frank’s only year not with the Bruins. He played all 70 games for Chicago with five shutouts and a 3.49 goals against average. The Charlie Conacher coached Blackhawks finished last in the six team league, six points behind the fifth place Bruins. It was the only year during his NHL career that Brimsek did not compete in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Frank was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, along with eight others. The group included hockey greats Max Bentley, Toe Blake, Emile Bouchard, Ted Kennedy, Elmer Lach, Ted Lindsay, Ken Reardon and Babe Pratt. Brimsek was inducted into the U.S.A. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Al Arbour

Al Arbour played 626 games in the National Hockey League from 1953-54 to 1970-71. Yet it was his accomplishments as a head coach with the New York Islanders than earned him a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Test and expand your knowledge of Al Arbour and the NHL with these hockey trivia questions.

Q. What team did Al Arbour begin his NHL career with?

A. Arbour began his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1953-54 season. Arbour played with Detroit until the end of the 1957-58 season. He began the next year with the Chicago Black Hawks. He would also play for the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 1953-54, Al played in 36 games with the Red Wings and contributed just one assists. He also appeared in 19 games in the QHL with the Sherbrooke Saints. Arbour would not play in the National Hockey League again until the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1955-56. After a full season in the WHL with the Edmonton Flyers, Al joined the Red Wings for the playoffs. He played in four of the team’s ten post season games as Detroit fell in the finals to the Montreal Canadiens.

Q. What team did Al Arbour play his final NHL game with?

A. Arbour played his final season, 1970-71 with the St. Louis Blues. He took over as head coach of the Blues during that season. In that final year, Arbour played just 22 regular season games. He was credited with 50 games as head coach of the team before being replaced by Scotty Bowman. In the playoffs, Al played another six games for the Blues. St. Louis fell in the opening round to the Minnesota North Stars in six games, ending their run of consecutive Stanley Cup finals appearances at three. In his four years as a player with St. Louis, Arbour served as team captain.

Q. How many years did Al Arbour coach the New York Islanders?

A. Arbour coached the Islanders for nineteen seasons, beginning in 1973-74. He coached through to the end of the 1985-86 season. He then took over as head coach again in 1988-89 and lasted until the end of the 1993-94 season. He coached one game in the 2007-08 season.

Q. How many Stanley Cup winning teams did Al Arbour coach?

A. Arbour coached the New York Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1979-80 to 1982-83. These were the only four Stanley Cups that Arbour would win. Leading up to that dynastic run, the Islanders reached the final four in four of Al’s first six years behind the bench in Long Island. The team fell in the semi-finals in 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77 and 1978-79. In 1983-84, New York reached the final again, looking for their fifth straight championship but fell to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. Arbour reached the semi-finals one more time, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93.

5 Greats From Hockey Hall Of Fame That Started Out In The OHL

Even those who aren’t hockey fans have heard the names Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky or Steve Yzerman. Like any other professional sport, hockey has its iconic heroes. What might not be known is that a great number of hockey’s superstars started out playing junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. What follows is a list of five greats that played in the OHL and went on to NHL careers worthy of a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Steve Yzerman – Peterborough Petes

Steve Yzerman played two seasons with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes in 1981-82 and 1982-83. Yzerman was a first round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 1983 NHL draft, fourth overall. Steve went on to a twenty-two year NHL career, all with the Red Wings. He captained Detroit for his last nineteen seasons, an NHL record for the longest serving captain. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a two-time Olympian. He is sixth overall in the NHL for most career points and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

Phil Esposito – St. Catherines TeePees

Phil Esposito played just one season in the OHL in 1961-62 with the St. Catherines TeePees. Phil started his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1964-65 but it was after being traded to the Boston Bruins for the 1967-68 season when Esposito became an NHL superstar. Phil spent eight full seasons with the Bruins and scored over 100 points in six of those. Phil was the holder of the NHL record for most goals (76) and points (152) in a season until Wayne Gretzky came along. Phil finished up his seventeen year NHL career with the New York Rangers and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.

Denis Potvin – Ottawa 67’s

Denis Potvin played five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 1968-69 to 1972-73, all with the Ottawa 67’s. Potvin was the number one overall pick in the 1973 NHL draft. Denis went on to a fifteen year NHL career, all with the New York Islanders. Eight of his seasons on Long Island were as captain of the team. He was part of four Stanley Cup winning teams and was a three time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman. Denis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.

Bobby Orr – Oshawa Generals

Bobby Orr played three seasons with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals from 1963-64 to 1965-66. Orr’s NHL career was cut short at twelve seasons by devastating knee injuries. Over his final three seasons, Bobby played just 36 games and missed the entire 1977-78 season. His ten years with the Boston Bruins were nothing less than spectacular. He has six consecutive 100+ point seasons, unheard of for a defenseman. He still stands as the only defenseman to win the Art Ross Trophy as NHL leading scorer with 139 points in 1970-71. He won two Stanley Cups and eight Norris Trophies. Orr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 at the age of 31. Bobby stands today as the youngest player to enter the hall.

Wayne Gretzky – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Wayne Gretzky played just one full season in the Ontario Hockey League. Gretzky was a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1977-78. The previous year, he played just three games with the Peterborough Petes as a 15 year old. His 182 points that season were surprisingly not the best in the league, but do stand as the OHL record for most points in a single season by a first year player. Wayne played twenty years in the NHL, fourteen as team captain. Gretzky hold countless single season and career records. Wayne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Fred Shero

Fred Shero is perhaps one of the best hockey coaches to ever stand behind a bench in professional hockey. The fact that the Hockey Hall of Fame took over two decades after his death to finally honour Shero is an enormous injustice. Test and expand your knowledge of “The Fog” with the following four hockey trivia questions and answers.

Q. Long before he was a head coach in the National Hockey League, what NHL team did Fred Shero play for?

A. For the New York Rangers, Shero played a total of 145 regular season and 13 playoffs games between 1947-48 and 1949-50. As a defenseman, Shero totaled 22 points in the combined 158 games. Fred played pro from 1943-44 to 1957-58 in the EHL, AHL, USHL, NHL, PCHL, WHL and QHL. He was a member of consecutive Calder Cup championships in the AHL with the Cleveland Barons in 1952-53 and 1953-54. He exploded offensively with the Barons in 1953-54 with 21 goals and 53 points.

Q. Fred Shero twice coached the Stanley Cup finalists, in the form of the 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers and the 1978-79 New York Rangers. In both these occasions, what team defeated Shero’s team?

A. The Montreal Canadiens were Stanley Cup champions in four consecutive seasons from 1975-76 to 1978-79. In the first and last years of their dynasty, the Habs met and defeated team’s coached by Fred Shero. In 1975-76, the Flyers were denied their third consecutive championship, swept by the Canadiens in four games. In 1978-79, the Rangers were able to win one game against Montreal.

Q. In what year did Fred Shero win the Jack Adams Award as the top coach in the NHL?

A. Shero was the first ever recipient of the Jack Adams Award, winning in 1973-74. His Philadelphia Flyers became the first of the 1967 expansion teams to win the Stanley Cup. The Flyers were also the first non-Original 6 team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Maroons captured the championship in 1934-35.

Q. Fred Shero coached championship teams in four professional hockey leagues. What team did he lead to a Calder Cup victory in the American Hockey League?

A. Going into the 1969-70 AHL season, it was understood to be a swan-song season for the Buffalo Bisons. There wasn’t enough room at the Auditorium in Buffalo for two professional hockey teams and the Buffalo Sabres were set to start their inaugural NHL season in 1970-71. The Bisons swept the Springfield Kings to capture their fifth and final Calder Cup.