John Ferguson Fights, Scores, and Shines in First Canadiens Game

When the Montreal Canadiens brought in John Ferguson, the mission was clear, protect Jean Beliveau and keep opponents honest. But on October 8, 1963, in his NHL debut against the Boston Bruins, Ferguson proved he was more than just muscle. He was a scoring threat.

Just 12 seconds into his first NHL game, Ferguson tangled with Boston’s Ted Green, earning a roughing minor and an early trip to the penalty box. It seemed the Canadiens had gotten the enforcer they wanted but then came the scoring.

Midway through the first period, Ferguson netted his first NHL goal, set up perfectly by none other than Jean Beliveau, and beat Bruins goalie Eddie Johnston. In the second period, Ferguson struck again, this time assisted by Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion and Jacques Laperriere. Moments later, he returned the favor, assisting on a Geoffrion goal for a remarkable three-point debut.

Before joining the NHL, Ferguson had shown his scoring chops with the AHL’s Cleveland Barons in 1962-63, finishing third in goals (38) and second in penalty minutes (179). That same mix of grit and scoring followed him to Montreal.

By the end of his rookie season, Ferguson had 18 goals and 45 points over 59 games while also racking up 125 penalty minutes (seventh most in the NHL that year). He finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy, behind teammate Jacques Laperriere. Fellow Hab Terry Harper finished third.

About John Ferguson

Between 1963-64 and 1970-71, John Ferguson played 500 regular season and 85 playoff games in the National Hockey League, all with the Montreal Canadiens. Despite playing just eight seasons in the NHL, Ferguson was a member of five Stanley Cup championship teams with the Habs.

Known for his toughness, John could provide offense, as well. Twice, he reached the 20 goal plateau, putting up a career best 29 in 1968-69. That number tied him with Jacques Lemaire for fourth on the team. That year, he finished third in the NHL with a career high 185 penalty minutes, 34 PIM behind leader Forbes Kennedy.

The Mahovlich Brothers Turn the Tide in 1971 Cup Final

On January 13, 1971, the Montreal Canadiens made a bold move, sending Guy Charron, Bill Collins, and Mickey Redmond to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Frank Mahovlich. It proved to be a game-changing trade in their chase for the Stanley Cup.

By the time Montreal reached the 1971 Stanley Cup Final, the payoff was clear. Facing the Chicago Blackhawks, the Habs found themselves in a tough spot, down two games to none, then trailing 3-2 in the series heading into Game 6 at the Montreal Forum on May 16. That’s when the Mahovlich brothers took over.

Despite falling behind again in Game 6, the Canadiens battled back. At 5:10 of the third period, Frank “The Big M” Mahovlich tied the game 3-3 with his 14th goal of the playoffs, assisted by the legendary Jean Béliveau. Just minutes later, Pete “The Little M” Mahovlich scored the go-ahead, shorthanded goal, on a slick pass from his big brother.

Frank finished the night with a goal and two assists, while Pete added two goals. All of it came at the expense of Blackhawks goalie Tony Esposito, who gave up four goals on just 16 shots, six of which came from Mahovlich sticks.

The win forced a decisive Game 7, where the Canadiens traveled to Chicago Stadium and completed the comeback with a 3-2 victory to claim the Stanley Cup. Over the course of the 1970-71 playoffs, the Mahovlich brothers were an offensive force, combining for 43 points in 20 games, Frank with 27, Pete with 16. Despite their heroic efforts, neither won the Conn Smythe Trophy. That honor went to a rookie sensation named Ken Dryden.

The Mahovlich Brothers

From Timmins, Ontario, Frank Mahovlich is six years older than brother Pete. Frank got his NHL start in 1956-57, playing three games for the Toronto Maple Leafs while still a junior with Toronto St. Michael's. Peter was a prospect of the Detroit Red Wings and played his first NHL games in similar fashion, appearing in three games with the Wings in 1965-66 while still a junior with the Hamilton Red Wings.

The two were teammates with Detroit after Frank was traded from Toronto on March 3, 1968 with Carl Brewer, Pete Stemkowski and Garry Unger for Doug Barrie, Paul Henderson, Floyd Smith and Norm Ullman. Peter came to Montreal first, arriving on June 6, 1969 in a trade with Bart Crashley for Garry Monahan and Doug Piper. Frank was traded to the Habs on January 13, 1971 for Guy Charron, Bill Collins and Mickey Redmond.

Between 1956-57 and 1973-74, Frank Mahovlich played 1,181 regular season and 137 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Maple Leafs, Red Wings and Canadiens. He also played 237 regular season and nine playoff games in the WHA between 1974-75 and 1977-78 with the Toronto Toros and Birmingham Bulls.

Pete Mahovlich played 884 regular season and 88 playoff games in the NHL between 1965-66 and 1980-81 with the Red Wings, Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a four time Stanley Cup champion with the Habs and topped the 100 point plateau twice during his career.

Former Canadiens Power Rangers to 4-3 Win Over Montreal on December 24, 1966

It was a Christmas Eve clash that felt more like a ghost story for the Montreal Canadiens. On December 24, 1966, the New York Rangers came to the Montreal Forum and stunned the home crowd with a 4-3 victory, led almost entirely by former Habs.

Phil Goyette and Don Marshall had been traded from Montreal to New York before the 1963-64 season. Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion joined the Rangers for the 1966-67 campaign after coming out of retirement. All three had something to prove, and they made their point loud and clear.

Ralph Backstrom got Montreal off to a hot start, scoring just 1:37 into the first period. But it wasn’t long before Bob Nevin tied the game for the Rangers, assisted by Goyette and another ex-Hab, Reg Fleming. Backstrom struck again in the second to give the Canadiens a 2-1 edge. Then the ghosts of Montreal’s past came knocking.

Geoffrion scored twice in the span of six minutes, his first tied the game at 12:16, and his second came on the powerplay, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead. Goyette and Nevin picked up the assists on both.

Bobby Rousseau, himself a future Ranger, tied it once more midway through the third period. But with just 33 seconds left in regulation, Donnie Marshall delivered the dagger, his 15th of the season, once again set up by Goyette and Nevin.

The trio of ex-Habs finished the night with a combined six points and 14 of New York’s 37 shots on Charlie Hodge. The Rangers may have been the visitors, but on this night, they owned the Forum. Also suiting up for New York that night? Two more former Canadiens: Bill Hicke and Al MacNeil.

The Next Game Didn't Go So Well

The two teams met again on New Year's Eve at the Montreal Forum. This time, the Rangers were blanked 3-0 with Charlie Hodge making 25 saves for the shutout. Marshall led the Rangers with five shots while Geoffrion and Goyette managed just one each. 

Scoring the game winner for the Habs at 14:29 of the first period was Yvan Cournoyer. The Roadrunner put one past Ed Giacomin on the powerplay with help from Dick Duff and J.C. Tremblay. Duff had spent a short time with the Rangers between his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. Over parts of the 1963-64 and 1964-65 seasons, he played 43 games for the Blue Shirts.

Tony Esposito’s First Shutout with Chicago Comes Against Canadiens

When the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Tony Esposito from the Montreal Canadiens in the 1969 off-season, few could’ve predicted just how quickly he’d begin carving out a legendary career. But on October 25, 1969, the hockey world got its first real glimpse of “Tony-O” in top form and it happened in poetic fashion.

After a rough start to the season, Chicago had gone 0-5-1 in its first six games, Esposito had already suffered losses to St. Louis and Detroit. But the tides shifted in Montreal, where Esposito had once made his NHL debut. Playing against the team that let him go, he shut the door, literally.

Esposito turned aside all 30 shots he faced at the Montreal Forum to earn his first NHL shutout as a member of the Blackhawks. It marked his second career NHL shutout overall, but his first in Chicago colors. At the other end, Canadiens netminder Rogie Vachon gave up five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-0 Chicago victory.

Lou Angotti got things rolling early, scoring the game-winner just over four minutes into the first period with help from Eric Nesterenko and Pat Stapleton. Nesterenko and Dennis Hull also tallied goals and assists in the statement win.

Adding to the historical flavor of the night, rookies Keith Magnuson and Marc Tardif dropped the gloves in the third period. The bout marked the first NHL fight for both players.

Esposito’s shutout was the first of 15 that season, a staggering total that helped earn him the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. It also marked the beginning of one of the greatest goaltending careers in league history.

Tony Esposito's 15 Shutouts In 1969-70

Being that it was just the third season of the post Original 6 era, you might think that this is a watered down record due to weak expansion teams. However, eight of the 15 shutouts for Esposito in 1969-70 came against Original 6 teams. Two were against the Boston Bruins, powered offensively by his brother Phil Esposito. He also had a pair of blanks each against the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The highest scoring was a 9-0 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tony made 23 saves in that one while also assisting on the game winning goal by Lou Angotti. The most saves in a one of his shutouts was 36 in a 1-0 win over the Bruins. His other blank against the Bruins was a 0-0 tie with Ed Johnston also not allowing a goal. 

Bernie Geoffrion Booms Back with 4-Point Game Against Former Team

When Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion returned to the NHL in 1966-67, it wasn’t in a Montreal Canadiens jersey, but rather in the blue of the New York Rangers. After retiring in 1964 following the Canadiens’ playoff run, Geoffrion made his comeback three seasons later. His first game back at the Forum was quiet, but the second? Pure Boom Boom.

On November 12, 1966, the Rangers rolled into the Montreal Forum and left with a 6-3 victory over the Habs. Geoffrion led the charge with a standout four-point performance. He scored once and set up goals by Rod Gilbert, fellow former Canadien Bill Hicke, and Harry Howell. Interestingly, he only fired two shots on Gump Worsley, taking on a more creative playmaker role in his triumphant return.

Geoffrion wasn’t the only former Hab making waves. Reg Fleming, who briefly suited up for Montreal earlier in his career, brought chaos and contributions. He assisted on both Geoffrion’s and Howell’s third-period goals, but not before logging serious time in the penalty box.

In the opening frame, Fleming dropped the gloves with Terry Harper, earning five for fighting. Then in the second period, he tangled with Dick Duff for another fighting major and picked up a 10-minute misconduct for good measure. All that downtime seemed to recharge him, as he contributed offensively to seal the Rangers' win.

About Bernie Geoffrion 

Bernie Geoffrion played 883 regular season and 132 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1950-51 and 1967-68 with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers. He was the second NHL player to reach the 50 goal plateau, scoring exactly 50 for the Habs in 1960-61.

The six time Stanley Cup champion was the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie in 1951-52. He won the Art Ross Trophy twice and the Hart Trophy once. Geoffrion was named a first team All-Star once and was selected to the Second Team twice. Bernie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 and his jersey number 5 was retired by the Canadiens in 2006.

The Last NHL Player to Score 4 Goals in a Stanley Cup Final Game: Maurice Richard’s Historic Night

Scoring four goals in a single Stanley Cup Final game is a rare feat, only five players in NHL history have ever done it. The most recent? None other than the legendary Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who accomplished this 67 years ago.

On April 6, 1957, the Montreal Canadiens faced off against the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at the iconic Montreal Forum. The Canadiens had just dispatched the New York Rangers, while Boston earned their spot by eliminating the Detroit Red Wings, despite not making the playoffs the season before.

Boston struck first with a goal from Fleming Mackell midway through the second period. But it didn’t take long for Rocket Richard to take over. He scored two quick goals, with the second becoming the game-winner. Before the period ended, Richard completed his hat trick, pushing Montreal’s lead to 4-1. He capped off the night with his fourth goal in the third period, assisted by his brother, Henri Richard.

All five Canadiens goals were scored on Bruins goalie Don Simmons in a dominant 5-1 victory. Richard’s four-goal explosion made up half of his total goals during the 1956-57 playoffs. Defenseman Doug Harvey added three assists, while Henri Richard contributed two.

Montreal went on to win the series in five games, capturing their second of five straight Stanley Cup championships. Maurice Richard’s four-goal performance remains one of the most iconic individual efforts in Stanley Cup Final history.

1957 Stanley Cup Playoffs

In the six team NHL, the Detroit Red Wing finished first overall with 88 points over 70 games. The Montreal Canadiens were next, six points behind the Wings. The Boston Bruins were just two points behind the Habs for third and the New York Rangers rounded out the playoff qualifiers with 66 pionts in 70 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks missed the post season.

Montreal vs. New York (Semi-Final)

Despite the large gap in points between the Canadiens and Rangers, their semi-final series was the tightest. It took Montreal just five games to advance but overtime was needed in games 2 and 5. After the Canadiens won game one, it was the Rangers winning tying up the series with a 4-3 overtime win. In that match at Madison Square Garden, Andy Hebenton scored the game winner on Jacques Plante at 13:38 of the extra frame.

In game 5, New York fell 3-0 after two periods but came back with goals by Parker MacDonald, Red Sullivan and Harry Howell in the third to force the extra frame. Rocket Richard clinched the series with a goal 1:11 into OT on Gump Worsley, assisted by Henri Richard and Dickie Moore.

Boston vs. Detroit (Semi-Final)

This series lacked overtime but was close nonetheless, regardless of the Bruins dispatching the Red Wings in five games. Over the five, Boston outscored the Wings by just a single goal. Like the other semi-final series, the teams were tied after two games. Boston the won three straight and the series.

Game 4 featured a 20 save shutout by Don Simmons with Real Chevrefils scoring the game winner at the 6:00 mark of the first period. Boston eliminated the Red Wings on April 4, 1957 at Detroit Olympia in a tight 4-3 win. Ted Lindsay gave Detroit a 2-1 lead just 36 seconds into the third period but Boston scored three straight with Cal Gardner putting in the game winner. Wings goalie Glenn Hall allowed the four goals on just 15 shots on net.

Montreal vs. Boston (Stanley Cup Final)

Again, the final series went five games before the Montreal Canadiens were crowned Stanley Cup champions. The series featured a shutout for each team. In game 2, Plante stopped all 24 shots put his way while Boston goalie Simmons allowed just one on 23 shots in the 1-0 Habs win. Jean Beliveau scored the lone goal at 2:27 of the second, assisted by Dollard St. Laurent and Bernie Geoffrion.

Simmons got his second blank of the playoffs in game 4, turning away all 21 shots. Plante stopped 27 of 28 with one going into the empty net in the 2-0 Boston win. Fleming Mackell scored both goals for the Bruins in the game.

In the 5-1 Cup clinching win on April 16, 1957 at the Montreal Forum, it was Dickie Moore's goal 14 seconds into the second period that would stand as the game winner. Moore had a three point game, also assisting on third period goals by Don Marshall and Floyd Curry.

Version Française

Marquer quatre buts lors d’un match de finale de la Coupe Stanley est un exploit rare, seuls cinq joueurs dans l’histoire de la LNH y sont parvenus. Le plus récent? Nul autre que la légende Maurice "Rocket" Richard, qui a accompli cet exploit il y a 67 ans.

Le 6 avril 1957, les Canadiens de Montréal affrontaient les Bruins de Boston lors du premier match de la finale de la Coupe Stanley, au légendaire Forum de Montréal. Les Canadiens venaient tout juste d’éliminer les Rangers de New York, tandis que Boston s’était qualifié en battant les Red Wings de Detroit, malgré leur absence des séries éliminatoires la saison précédente.

Boston a ouvert la marque grâce à un but de Fleming Mackell à mi-chemin en deuxième période. Mais il n’a pas fallu longtemps avant que le Rocket prenne les choses en main. Maurice Richard a inscrit deux buts rapides, dont le deuxième s’est avéré être le but gagnant. Avant la fin de la période, Richard a complété son tour du chapeau, donnant une avance de 4-1 à Montréal. Il a terminé sa soirée avec un quatrième but en troisième période, aidé par son frère Henri Richard.

Les cinq buts des Canadiens ont été inscrits contre le gardien des Bruins Don Simmons dans une victoire dominante de 5-1. L’explosion offensive de quatre buts de Richard représentait la moitié de sa production totale pendant les séries éliminatoires de 1956-1957. Le défenseur Doug Harvey a ajouté trois passes, tandis qu’Henri Richard en a obtenu deux.

Montréal a remporté la série en cinq matchs, décrochant ainsi sa deuxième conquête consécutive dans une séquence de cinq Coupes Stanley de suite. La performance de Maurice Richard reste l’une des plus marquantes de l’histoire des finales de la Coupe Stanley.

Séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley 1957

Dans la LNH à six équipes, les Red Wings de Detroit ont terminé au premier rang avec 88 points en 70 matchs. Les Canadiens de Montréal suivaient à six points, puis les Bruins de Boston à seulement deux points derrière les Habs. Les Rangers de New York ont complété le carré d’as avec 66 points. Les Maple Leafs de Toronto et les Blackhawks de Chicago ont manqué les séries.

Montréal vs New York (demi-finale)

Malgré un écart important au classement, la série entre les Canadiens et les Rangers fut la plus serrée. Montréal a remporté la série en cinq matchs, mais deux d’entre eux se sont rendus en prolongation. Après une victoire du CH dans le premier match, les Rangers ont égalisé la série grâce à une victoire de 4-3 en prolongation. Lors de ce match au Madison Square Garden, Andy Hebenton a marqué le but gagnant contre Jacques Plante à 13:38 de la période supplémentaire.

Lors du cinquième match, New York tirait de l’arrière 3-0 après deux périodes mais est revenu à égalité grâce à des buts de Parker MacDonald, Red Sullivan et Harry Howell. Rocket Richard a ensuite clos le débat avec un but après seulement 1:11 en prolongation, aidé par Henri Richard et Dickie Moore.

Boston vs Detroit (demi-finale)

Même si cette série ne s’est pas rendue en prolongation, elle a été très serrée. Les Bruins ont éliminé les Red Wings en cinq matchs, mais n’ont marqué qu’un but de plus que Detroit au total. Après deux matchs, les équipes étaient à égalité. Boston a ensuite remporté les trois suivants.

Lors du match numéro 4, Don Simmons a obtenu un blanchissage de 20 arrêts, et Real Chevrefils a inscrit le but gagnant à la sixième minute de la première période. Boston a éliminé les Wings le 4 avril 1957 au Detroit Olympia, avec une victoire serrée de 4-3. Ted Lindsay avait donné l’avance 2-1 à Detroit seulement 36 secondes après le début de la troisième période, mais Boston a marqué trois buts consécutifs, dont le but gagnant de Cal Gardner. Le gardien Glenn Hall a accordé quatre buts sur seulement 15 tirs.

Montréal vs Boston (finale de la Coupe Stanley)

Encore une fois, la série finale s’est terminée en cinq matchs, les Canadiens de Montréal étant couronnés champions. La série a été marquée par un blanchissage de chaque côté. Lors du match numéro 2, Plante a bloqué les 24 tirs dirigés contre lui, tandis que Simmons n’a cédé qu’une fois sur 23 tirs dans une victoire de 1-0 du CH. Jean Béliveau a inscrit l’unique but à 2:27 de la deuxième période, aidé par Dollard St. Laurent et Bernie Geoffrion.

Simmons a obtenu son deuxième blanchissage des séries au match 4, repoussant 21 tirs. Plante en a arrêté 27 sur 28, l’un d’eux étant marqué dans un filet désert lors de la victoire de 2-0 de Boston. Fleming Mackell a inscrit les deux buts des Bruins.

Dans la victoire décisive de 5-1 le 16 avril 1957 au Forum de Montréal, c’est le but de Dickie Moore après seulement 14 secondes en deuxième période qui s’est avéré être le but gagnant. Moore a connu un match de trois points, ajoutant des passes sur les buts de Don Marshall et Floyd Curry en troisième période.

Phil Goyette's First NHL Game Winning Goal

Phil Goyette went into the 1957-58 NHL season technically still a rookie. He played 14 regular season games the previous year and all ten in the playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens, hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first of four times during his NHL career.

1st Of 36 Career NHL GWG

Playing all 70 regular season games for the Habs, Goyette scored nine goals. On February 27, 1958 in a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Montreal Forum, Phil put in his sixth of the year and it turned out to be the game winning goal.

At 13:08 of the second period, he put one past Toronto goalie Ed Chadwick to put Montreal up 2-0. With the final score ending in a 3-1 win for the Canadiens, Goyette's goal stood as the game winner. He also assisted on the first of the game, scored by Claude Provost in the first period.

Also scoring for Montreal were Marcel Bonin and Don Marshall. Jacques Plante stopped all but one of 30 shots put his way. The only one to get past Jake the Snake was off the stick of Brian Cullen early in the third period, assisted by Bob Pulford and Ron Stewart.

Phil Goyette's NHL Career

Goyette played 940 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1956-57 and 1971-72 with the Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres. Over that time, he scored 207 goals. Of those 207, 36 were game winners.

His performance with Montreal in 1957-58 got him a look for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Phil finished third in voting, a distance behind a tight battle between winner Frank Mahovlich of the Toronto Maple Leafs and runner-up Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks.

1 NHL Rule Change To Bring Back Offence

Gary Bettman rolled into town in February of 1993 as the first ever Commissioner of the National Hockey League. Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins was the Art Ross Trophy winner in that 1992-93 season with 160 points. Since, the Art Ross Trophy winner has, with the exception of a few blips, scored less and less.

This year, Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars won the award with just 87 points. That is the lowest total since Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks equalled that mark back in 1967-68.

Each and every year, the NHL's brain trust meets, frantically coming up with goofy ideas meant to increase offence. Almost every year, there are tweaks to the rules that do nothing to increase offence and, quite frankly, make a mockery of the game.

Well, one simple rule change has the potential to bring back some goal scoring. It wouldn't actually be a new rule. It would simply be reverting back to the way things were before the 1956-57 NHL season. I propose the league makes this change but with a twist.

As someone who has played hockey for the past 40 or so years and a who is Canadian, I do not like Gary Bettman. He may have rescued the NHL from financial disaster but he has done little for the actual game. The NHL that exists today is for idiots with short attention spans who are entertained by anything but what is actually going on on the ice.

However, the tweak I'm proposing might meet Bettman's approval because it is bastardized from basketball, Little Gary's first love.

The Two Minute Major

Well, it was never called the 'two minute major' in the olden days, just a minor penalty. Before the 1956-57 season, when a player was put in the box for a minor infraction, he remained for the full two minutes, regardless of how many goals his opponents scored.

The rule was changed to its present form because of the ridiculous success of the 1955-56 MontrealCanadiens. The numbers were crazy with the Habs accounting for more than a quarter of the entire league's power play goals. At the request of the other five teams, the rule was changed to allow the penalized player to leave the box before the two minutes were up if his team was scored upon.

I say, it's time to go back to a full two minute penalty. But, as mentioned, with a twist.

Fouling Out

I propose that the two minute major doesn't come into effect right from the start of the game. Stealing sort of from basketball, once a player has been called on his third minor of the game, then the rule goes into effect. Also, once a team is called for its fifth minor of the game, the hard two minutes apply. These numbers are arbitrary but you get the picture.

It has been suggested before, I believe by Stan Fischler, that the two minute major return but for certain types of calls like high sticking. That's not a bad idea, either.

One other twist ties in the two minute major and the penalty shot rule. I have issues with the penalty shot rule. Currently, which team is really at an advantage when a penalty shot is called? It's a one shot chance to beat a goalie who is wearing today's oversized equipment. Would not there be almost a better chance of scoring over two minutes with a man advantage? The numbers are actually not that far apart.

Of course, this goes back to Bettman trying to sell the game to people who don't play the game and don't know a thing about the game. 'The most exciting play in sport', it has been dubbed. Bullshit. In a time when half the games end in a shootout anyway, the penalty shot is nothing but a free timeout for both clubs.

Here's what I think. They NHL should allow a team to either accept or decline the penalty shot. If they decline, they get the two minute major, regardless of whether the offending player or team has 'fouled out'.

And Another Thing...

Want to make the game more exciting? Want to make teams play for the win in regulation time? Two things.

1. Do a shootout at the start of every game.
2. Make each game a proper three point game.

Fans love shootouts, no matter how impure they are. Run a shootout before each and every game to determine who will win in the case of a tie after the overtime. This means one team will have a reason to be in the lead from the get-go. There will be no dogging and playing for the point. If the game is decided in regulation or overtime, then the shootout means nothing but the entertainment it provided.

Item number two would probably eliminate the need for item number one. Most leagues in Europe play with a proper three points per game system. The IIHF World Championships are based on this. Before the days of overtime and shootouts during the regular season, each and every game was worth the same, two points. If a team won, they got both points. If there was a tie, each team got a point. Each and every game was valued exactly the same.

Then came overtime and shootouts. Now, some games are worth two points and some games are worth three. This is wrong. It just doesn't make any logical sense. Each game should be three points. Three points go to the winner and none to the loser if the game is decided in regulation. The split is two points / one point if the game is decided in extra time.

Vintage Hockey Card Video Series

As I write this, I'm fighting with some sort of glitch that is freezing up the upload for the final of six videos featuring vintage hockey cards from the NHL's Original 6 teams. This is just a shout out to anyone reading 'Hockey History Hub' that these videos are nearly 100% online at YouTube. If you're reading something here and enjoying this site, then chances are you'll want to kill some time looking at some of the greatest in the game's history on some classic cardboard.

Each of the Original 6 team videos has at least 100 different vintage hockey cards and each video lasts between three and five minutes. Each is produced with what I think is some pretty great background music. So, if you're at work, yes - there is audio so turn it down...

Mostly, the cards are from the 1951-52 to 1979-80 range and come from sets produced by Parkhurst, Topps and O-Pee-Chee. There are cards from before and after the range in some of the videos but not a whole lot. Because it just didn't look right to have 'landscape' card fronts mixed with the usual 'portrait' fronts, some years have been left out. These would be your 1963-64 Topps, 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee and sets like that. Also, we didn't put in any of the 1964-65 Topps tallboys because they just wouldn't fit the format (yep, I'm a little anal about that stuff...).

All the cards are included in the Virtual Hockey Card Collection at Vintage Hockey Cards Report. This is what is becoming a fairly complete online collection of hockey cards (front and back). This is a project that I hope will expand beyond the NHL and the range of years given above. I plan to move into minor league, junior and even European sets in the relatively near future. It's pretty time consuming, though. The images have to be collected, straightened, cropped then added to a template and uploaded. I'm not the most technical so my method is pretty labour intensive (aka slow).

I've embedded one of the videos below to give you a taste. Hopefully you'll head over to the YouTube channel to check out the others. Links to each video are found in the index of the Virtual Collection. I've also grouped them into a clean and tidy YouTube playlist so they can be watched consecutively without having to keep hitting play...

The video below features the Chicago Blackhawks. Of course, there's a fair share of Bobby Hull, Glenn Hall and Stan Mikita cards but there's a lot more there, as well. Be sure to hit the Thumb's Up if you like it!

1960-61 NHL Top 5 Goal Scorers

The hockey gods looked down with irony on the National Hockey League in 1960-61. Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard became the first 50 goal scorer in the NHL with 50 goals in 50 games in 1944-45. The next 50 goal scorer didn’t come until 1960-61, the first year that Richard was absent from the league after retiring. Let’s take a look at the top five goal scorers in that 1960-61 NHL season.

Bernie Geoffrion – Montreal Canadiens

Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion of the Montreal Canadiens led the NHL with 50 goals while playing in 64 of the team’s 70 regular season games. He also led the league with 95 points, earning the Art Ross Trophy. To top things off, Geoffrion was named the recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s MVP. It was a career season for Bernie, who played in the NHL from 1950-51 to 1967-68.

Frank Mahovlich – Toronto Maple Leafs

Frank Mahovlich of the Toronto Maple Leafs came a close second with 48 goals. In a National Hockey League career that lasted from 1957-58 to 1973-74, Mahovlich would have just one season with more goals, 1968-69, scoring 49 with the Detroit Red Wings.

Dickie Moore – Montreal Canadiens

Dickie Moore was a two time winner of the Art Ross Trophy in 1957-58 and 1958-59. 1960-61 was Moore’s swan song, finishing third in the NHL with 35 goals. His numbers would drop drastically over the next two years before retiring. Dickie would make two comeback attempts in 1964-65 with Toronto and 1967-68 with the St. Louis Blues but neither were lengthy or successful.

Jean Beliveau – Montreal Canadiens

Jean Beliveau was the third member of the Canadiens among the top five goal scorers. Beliveau finished with 32 goals, a far cry from his career best of 47 in 1955-56. Beliveau played his entire NHL career with the Canadiens from 1953-54 to 1970-71.

Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks

Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks had a lull in his NHL career in 1960-61 but still finished fifth in the league with 31 goals. The season before, he scored 39. The following season, he would become just the third NHLer to score 50. Hull would score 50 or more five times during his career with the Black Hawks, including a career high 58 in 1968-69.

With all that goal scoring power, the Canadiens finished first overall in the six team league during the regular season. Montreal finished just two points ahead of second place Toronto but scored 20 more goals. Despite finishing in third, fifteen points behind the Canadiens, the Chicago Black Hawks eliminated Montreal in the opening round of the playoffs. Chicago met the Detroit Red Wings in the finals and won the Stanley Cup in six games.

 

1974-75 NHL Season By The Numbers

The 1974-75 National Hockey League season featured the Philadelphia Flyers finishing first overall and winning their second Stanley Cup championship in a row. It would be the end of a great run for the Broad Street Bullies as the following season would see the Montreal Canadiens enter their dynasty of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

1 – The Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals played their inaugural season in the National Hockey League. The Capitals stayed put and are a threat in the NHL today. The Scouts didn’t last long in Kansas City, moving first to Denver to become the Colorado Rockies then to the east coast to become the present day New Jersey Devils.

12 – Bernie Parent recorded twelve shutouts while leading the Philadelphia Flyers to the lowest goals against total in the NHL. The next best goaltender in the league had six shutouts. Parent earned the Vezina Trophy and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP.

51 – The Philadelphia Flyers were the only team to achieve the 50 win plateau in 1974-75. Their 113 points tied put them in a three-way tie for first overall with the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. The Los Angeles Kings were the only other team to cross the 100-point threshold with 105. Philadelphia was the top team in the Clarence Campbell Conference and the Patrick Division.

67 – The upstart Washington Capitals lost 67 of 80 games in 1974-75. The Capitals won just eight, the lowest total ever recorded since the league moved to a 70 game schedule for the 1949-50 season. Expansion cousins, the Kansas City Scouts, fared a little better, winning 15, losing 54 and tying 11.

135 – Bobby Orr won the second Art Ross Trophy of his career with 135 points. Orr finished eight points ahead of teammate Phil Esposito and fourteen ahead of Marcel Dionne of the Detroit Red Wings. Orr won his first Art Ross in 1969-70 and is the only defenseman to win the award.

374 – The Montreal Canadiens led the NHL with 374 goals. Guy Lafleur was tops on the team with 53. Ten Montreal players had 20 or more goals and five scored 30 or more. The league leader in goals was Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins with 61.

1,047 – Eddie Shack, ‘The Entertainer’, played his 1,047^th and final game in the National Hockey League. Shack played 26 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1974-75 before retiring. Eddie started in the NHL way back in 1958-59 with the New York Rangers. Along the way, he also played for the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

Top NHL Teams In Each Decade

It is an on-going argument which NHL teams are the best of all-time. It is hard to compare the 1930 Boston Bruins with the 1977 Montreal Canadiens when the rules, conditions, equipment, training and number of teams have changed drastically through the years.

 We go Vulcan with this article, showing the best NHL team from each decade since the 1920’s based entirely on single season winning percentage. The number of games played in a season has gone from 24 to 82 in just a short 80 years and winning percentage is the only true measure of a team’s success during the regular season. Just to be clear, this is based on the top single season performance by a team during the decade and not the collective winning percentage over the ten years.

1919-20 Ottawa Senators

The 1919-20 Ottawa Senators played in a young NHL with only 3 other teams and with only a 24 game schedule. The team won 19 of the 24 games and had no ties for a winning percentage of .792. The Senators won the Stanley Cup that season which is, from what we will find out, somewhat of a rarity among teams who excel to extreme levels of success during the regular season.

Ottawa was led offensively by Frank Nighbor and in net by Clint Benedict. Nighbor, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1947, played for Ottawa from 1915-16 to 1929-30. Benedict is also enshrined in the HHOF but entered in 1965. He played with the Senators from 1912-13 to 1923-24 before finishing his career with the Montreal Maroons.

1929-30 Boston Bruins

The 1929-30 Boston Bruins had the highest single season winning percentage of all-time. In the 44 games schedule, the Bruins had 38 wins and 1 tie to go along with their 5 losses for a winning percentage of .875. This was the era before the ‘Original 6’ and the NHL consisted of two divisions of 5 teams. The Bruins were easily the top team in the American Division. However, the Montreal Canadiens from the Canadian Division would be the eventual winners of the Stanley Cup that season.

Art Ross coached the Bruins, and was Boston’s first ever head coach. He would lead the team to a Stanley Cup championship at the end of the decade in 1938-39. In 1929-30, Cooney Weiland of the Bruins led the NHL in goals and points. Other greats playing with Boston that year were Dit Clapper, Eddie Shore and goaltender Tiny Thompson.

1943-44 Montreal Canadiens

The 1943-44 Montreal Canadiens would achieve a winning percentage of .830 with 38 wins, 5 losses and 7 ties over a 50 game season. The league consisted of 6 teams and the Canadiens were crowned Stanley Cup Champions. The Dick Irvin coached team had a healthy 25 point lead over the second place Detroit Red Wings.

Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard was just in his first full season in the NHL after appearing in just 16 games with the Canadiens the year before. His 32 goals led the Canadiens and tied him for 6^th in the league with Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks and Syd Howe of the Red Wings. Playing all 50 games in net for the Habs was Bill Durnan.

1950-51 Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings had a winning percentage of .721 in 1950-51 on 44 wins, 13 losses and 13 ties over 70 games. The league still consisted of the original 6 teams. Despite Detroit’s success, the Toronto Maple Leafs would steal the Stanley Cup away. The Red Wings fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round, four games to two. Montreal finished the regular season in third place, 36 points behind the Red Wings. It was a close battle with the Habs outscoring Detroit over the series by just one goal and two of the six games going into overtime.

Detroit’s Gordie Howe led the NHL in both goals and assists. He won the Art Ross Trophy with a commanding 20 point lead over Rocket Richard. Only one man stood between the pipes for Detroit during the 1950-51 NHL season, Terry Sawchuk.

1961-62 Montreal Canadiens

The 1961-62 Montreal Canadiens had a winning percentage of .700 on 42 wins, 14 losses and 14 ties over 70 games. The league was in its final decade of just 6 teams with expansion arriving in 1967-68. Once again, the Toronto Maple Leafs snatched the Stanley Cup away from the regular season league leader.

The Toe Blake coached Canadiens were led offensively by Ralph Backstrom and Claude Provost. Jacques Plante played every single game in goal for the team. Montreal was knocked out in the first round by the third place Chicago Blackhawks.

1976-77 Montreal Canadiens

The team that is considered by many to be the best of all-time put in a winning percentage of .825 in 1976-77. The Montreal Canadiens lost just 8 games while winning 60 and tying 12 over 80 games in the 18 team league. The Canadiens would breeze to a Stanley Cup win that season, losing just two playoff games. Montreal dropped two to the New York Islanders in the semi-finals while sweeping the St. Louis Blues in the opening round and the Boston Bruins in the finals.

Offensively, Steve Shutt led the league with 60 goals while Guy Lafleur led the NHL with 80 assists and 136 points. Of course, the Scotty Bowman coached Habs were led in goal by Ken Dryden with Michel Larocque doing an admirable job as backup.

1983-84 Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky and his Edmonton Oilers controlled the 1983-84 season with a winning percentage of .744 on 57 wins, 18 losses and 5 ties over 80 games. Not only would the Oilers top the 21-team league over the regular season but would take the Stanley Cup, as well. The Oilers took out the defending champion New York Islanders in five games in the finals. New York had won the Stanley Cup for the past four seasons. Edmonton’s toughest challenge came in the quarter-finals when the Calgary Flames took them to the seven game limit.

Gretzky led the league with 87 goals, 118 assists and 205 points. He was a whopping 79 points ahead of second place Paul Coffey, also of the Oilers. Gretzky, Coffey, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier all topped the 100 point plateau. Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr shared the goaltending duties with what would have been lacklustre numbers on any other team.

1995-96 Detroit Red Wings

In 1995-96, the Detroit Red Wings set the record for most wins in a single season with 62, a record that stands today. The Wings posted a winning percentage of .799 over the 82 game schedule, losing 13 and tying 7. The league had expanded to 26 teams at this point. Despite the record number of wins, Detroit would fall to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup semi-finals. Colorado then swept the Florida Panthers to win the championship.

The Scotty Bowman coached Red Wings were led offensively by Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman. Sharing the goaltending duties were Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon.

2005-06 Detroit Red Wings

Ten years after their record performance, the Detroit Red Wings posted the best record of the decade with a .756 winning percentage in 2005-06. The feat was accomplished on a record of 58 wins, 16 losses and 8 ties. At this point, the league was up to 30 teams and remains at that number today. Once again, the Wings would not take home the Stanley Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes would win their first. In fact, Detroit was upset in the opening round by the Edmonton Oilers in six games.

It was Mike Babcock’s first year as head coach of the Red Wings and just two years later, he would have his first Stanley Cup championship. 2005-06 marked the start of the Pavel Datsyuk era and the end of the incredible career of Steve Yzerman. Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg led the team offensively while Manny Legace played the bulk of games in net.

 

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.

 

4 Canadiens Draft Picks In 1984 To Play 1,000+ NHL Games

Some NHL franchises just have a superior system for developing players from within. Where some teams since the 1960’s have only drafted a handful of players that have gone on to play over 1,000 NHL regular season games, from just the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens drafted and developed four players that went on to surpass the 1,000 game plateau in the National Hockey League. Even the first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984, Mario Lemieux, played just 915 over his Hockey Hall of Fame career.

Petr Svoboda

Petr Svoboda was the fifth overall pick at the 1984 NHL draft. He is listed as playing for the Czechoslovakia national junior team but his junior hockey club was HC Litvinov. The defenseman and native of Most, Czech Republic played with Montreal from 1984-85 until a trade sent him to the Buffalo Sabres midway through the 1991-92 season and continued on in the NHL until 2000-01.

Along with the Habs and Sabres, Svoboda also played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Over 1,028 games, he scored 58 goals and totalled 399 points. Petr was part of the 1985-86 Stanley Cup winning team in Montreal and went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1996-97 before being swept by the Detroit Red Wings.

Shayne Corson

Shayne Corson was taken eighth overall by Montreal after playing three years of major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League from 1983-84 to 1985-86, one with the Brantford Alexanders and two with the Hamilton Steelhawks. Both those teams are predecessors to the present day Erie Otters. Corson played two separate stints with the Canadiens, 1986-87 to 1991-92 and 1996-97 to 1999-00. He saw his first action with the club in 1985-86 with three regular season games while still a junior.

He played in the NHL until the end of the 2003-04 season, also appearing with the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars. Corson played 1,156 regular season games, contributed 693 points. He also played in 140 playoff games but the closest he came to a Stanley Cup championship was a loss in the finals to the Calgary Flames in 1988-89.

Stephane Richer

Stephane Richer was drafted from the QMJHL’s Granby Bisons in the second round, 29^th overall. Richer played two years in the QMJHL, 1983-84 and 1984-85. Part way through his second season, he was traded from Granby to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Like Shayne Corson, Richer had two stints with the Canadiens, 1985-86 to 1990-91 and 1996-97 to 1997-98. His first action with the Habs came in the form of a single game played during the 1984-85 season while still a junior in the QMJHL. He also appeared in nine AHL Calder Cup playoff games that year with the Sherbrooke Canadiens.

Stephane played 1,054 regular season NHL games before retiring after 2001-02, also playing for the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins. He scored 421 goals and totalled 819 points. Twice with the Canadiens, Richer reached the 50 goal plateau with 50 in 1987-88 and 51 in 1989-90. He played for two Stanley Cup winning teams, the 1985-86 Canadiens and the 1994-95 New Jersey Devils.

Patrick Roy

Like Richer, Patrick Roy was drafted out of the Granby Bisons. Roy, a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie since 2006, played for the Bisons from 1982-83 to 1984-85. He was a third round pick of the Canadiens, 51^st overall. He played for Montreal from 1985-86 to 1995-96, earning the first of his three Conn Smythe Trophies as he led the Habs to the Stanley Cup in his rookie year.

Patrick was traded to the Colorado Avalanche during the 1995-96 season and finished his career with that club, retiring after the 2002-03 season. Roy was part of four Stanley Cup winning teams, two with Montreal and two with Colorado. Along with his three Conn Smythe’s, he won the Jennings Trophy five times and the Vezina Trophy on three occasions. His number 33 has been retired by both the Canadiens and Avalanche.

 

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: Guy Lafleur

Guy Lafleur was a huge part of the Montreal Canadiens dynasty during the 1970’s in the National Hockey League. He played with the Canadiens from 1971-72 until 1984-85. He came out of retirement and played three more seasons from 1988-89 to 1990-91.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Guy Lafleur with the following four trivia questions.

Q. How many times did Guy Lafleur win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading point-getter?

A. Lafleur won the Art Ross three times consecutively, 1975-76, 1976-77 and 1977-78. His point totals in those seasons were 125, 136 and 132 respectively. This was right in the middle of a six year stretch of 100+ point season for Guy that spanned from 1974-75 to 1979-80.

In 1975-76, Lafleur finished with a six point edge over Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers. That year, he neither led the league in goals or assists. The following year, Guy’s cushion over second place increased to 14 points, this time finishing ahead of Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings. He once again did not lead the NHL in goals but did lead in assists. In 1977-78, Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders was second best, nine points behind. Lafleur led the National Hockey League in goals with 60.

Q. Guy Lafleur finished his NHL career off playing for what team?

A. When Lafleur made his three year comeback from 1988-89 to 1990-91, he played his first year with the New York Rangers and his final two with the Quebec Nordiques. In the two seasons in Quebec, Lafleur managed just 39 and 59 games with twelve goals in each season.

Q. When Guy Lafleur was taken first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft, who was second overall?

A. Always a rival of Lafleur’s in the scoring race, Marcel Dionne was selected second overall in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Lafleur came out of the QMJHL where he played for the Quebec Remparts. Dionne was a Quebec born hockey dissident, playing in the OHA for the St. Catherines Black Hawks. When Guy won his three Art Ross Trophies, Marcel Dionne was never very far behind. The bulk of Dionne’s success came while playing for the Los Angeles Kings. The two played together for the Rangers in 1988-89.

Q. What was the highest single regular season goal total during Guy Lafleur’s NHL career?

A. He scored 103 and 130 goals in his final two seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Guy Lafleur’s NHL single season best was not nearly as high as those totals but still quite respectable. Lafleur scored 60 goals in 1977-78. At the time, Guy was just the fourth player in NHL history to reach 60 goals in a single season. He was the second Montreal Canadien to reach the plateau with Steve Shutt scoring 60 the year before.

The 130 goals stood as a QMJHL single season record until 1983-84. That year, Mario Lemieux of the Laval Voisins topped the mark with 133 goals. Lemieux played in seven more games.