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.

Hockey Trivia: The WHA And Its Amateur Draft

The World Hockey Association existed for just seven years in the 1970’s. Most years, they ran an amateur draft alongside that of the National Hockey League. Often, the results of the drafts in each league were quite similar and the prospects had the option to choose between the two professional hockey leagues. The NHL was stable and the WHA was a risky venture that offered a chance to make a whole lot of money or lose everything.

Test and expand your knowledge of hockey trivia with these four questions based on the WHA’s Amateur Draft.

Q. In 1973, the first overall draft pick at the WHA Amateur Draft opted to play for what NHL team?

A. Bob Neely was selected first overall in the 1973, WHA Amateur draft but decided to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs chose Neely tenth overall in the 1973 NHL Entry Draft. Bob went on to play 283 regular season games in the NHL, scoring 39 goals and assisting on 59 for 98 points. He played an additional 26 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, adding 12 points.

Neely played pro hockey from 1973-74 to 1979-80 in the NHL, CHL and AHL. Typically, a player will go from being an offensive star in junior to a role player and even enforcer in the NHL. Bob is an odd case study where that went nearly in reverse.

With the Roger Neilson coached Peterborough Petes of the OHL in 1972-73, Neely led the league with 304 penalty minutes over 55 regular season games. However, he also scored 24 and totalled 76 points. With the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1976-77, he wasn’t exactly a powerhouse but his 17 goals and 33 points over 70 games were decent numbers for that time in NHL history. However, his penalty minute totals were certainly eye-catching at just 16 PIM.

Q. Bob Neely was a draft pick of what World Hockey Association team?

A. The Chicago Cougars selected Bob Neely. The Cougars were an original WHA team that played three seasons before folding. Their greatest success came in their second season when they lost in the Avco Cup finals to the Houston Aeros.

Q. What first overall pick in 1974 played one season in the WHA then moved to the NHL where he had a 700+ regular season game career?

A. Pat Price was selected first overall by the Vancouver Blazers. Price played one full season with the Blazers then went on to play for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars.

In 1975, Pat was the eleventh overall pick at the NHL Amateur Draft by the Islanders after four years of junior with the Saskatoon Blades. The defenseman topped out with eleven goals as a member of the Edmonton Oilers in 1979-80, the team’s first year in the NHL. Price retired after playing just 14 games with the North Stars in 1987-88.

Q. Who was the last first overall pick in the WHA Entry Draft?

A. Scott Campbell was taken first overall by the Houston Aeros in 1977. The league would continue for one more season but did not have a draft before that last season. Campbell played a year for the Aeros then moved on to the Winnipeg Jets.

Scott was also taken ninth overall by the St. Louis Blues at the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. He would play three games with St. Louis but not until 1981-82. After three years of junior with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Campbell played pro from 1977-78 to 1981-82 in the WHA, NHL and CHL.