Hockey Trivia TV - Episode 3 - San Jose Sharks

This is the more detailed show notes for the YouTube episode number 3 of Hockey Trivia TV. Featured in this episode is hockey trivia related to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. It’s been a long time between episodes but interest in the first two has spurred us to carry on with the series. In the video, there are ten trivia questions. Here, there is a bonus with eleven. The video can be found at the bottom of this article.

1. Who was the first head coach in San Jose Sharks franchise history?

George Kingston served as head coach of the Sharks for the first two years, 1991-92 and 1992-93. Over that time, San Jose won just 28 games while losing 129 and tying seven for 63 points or a winning percentage of just .192.

Kingston was a long time head coach of the University of Calgary and spent the two years previous to his time with the Sharks as head coach of Norway’s National Team. He was replaced for the 1993-94 season by Kevin Constantine. George was never a head coach again in the NHL. He did have a stint as assistant coach with the Minnesota North Stars before San Jose and stints as assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers and Florida Panthers after his days with the Sharks.

2. What team did the Sharks beat in their first home win?

On October 8, 1991, San Jose hosted the Calgary Flames and won the game 4-3.

3. What team did the Sharks beat in the first road win?

Ironically, it was once again the Calgary Flames. However, it took until November 30, 1991 before they registered that first win away from home. It was another one goal game as the Sharks took out the Flames 2-1.

4. What team did San Jose face in their first ever regular season game?

In the opening game in franchise history, the Sharks took on the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver came out on top by a score of 4-3.

5. Who is the first player to appear with the Sharks and be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Igor Larionov entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008. Igor played for San Jose from 1993-94 until a trade sent him to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Ray Sheppard four games into the 1995-96 season.

Larionov appeared in 921 regular season games in the NHL between 1989-90 and 2003-04 with the Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils. Over that time, Igor scored 169 goals and assisted on 475 for 644 points. He appeared in an amazing 150 Stanley Cup playoff games, adding another 97 points. Larionov was a lowly 11^th round pick by the Canucks at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 214^th overall.

6. Who was the first team captain of the San Jose Sharks?

Doug Wilson ended his NHL career with the Sharks, playing 44 games in 1991-92 and 42 in 1992-93. He served as team captain during both those years. Doug played 1,024 regular season games in the NHL from 1977-78 to 1992-93 with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Sharks. The defenseman scored 237 and assisted on 590 for 827 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Wilson played 95 additional games, adding 80 points.

After a stellar junior career in the Ontario Hockey League with the Ottawa 67’s, Doug was the sixth overall pick by Chicago at the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. He was awarded the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman with the Blackhawks in 1981-82.

7. Who is San Jose’s only Calder Trophy winner?

Goaltender Evgeni Nabakov played 66 games for the Sharks in 2000-01, posting a 2.19 goals against average and recording six shutouts. His first NHL action came in 1999-00 but his eleven games that year meant he still qualified as a rookie.

Nabakov was a ninth round pick by the Sharks way back at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 219^th overall. He played with San Jose until the end of the 2009-10 season.

8. Who is San Jose’s only Rocket Richard Trophy winner?

Jonathan Cheechoo led the National Hockey League with 56 goals in 2005-06 and remains the only 50 goal scorer in franchise history. Cheechoo was a second round pick by the Sharks at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft after his second of three years in the OHL with the Belleville Bulls. He played with the club through the end of the 2008-09 season.

Cheechoo’s first year with the Sharks came in 2002-03. That year, he had just nine goals over 66 games. On September 12, 2009, Jonathan was traded to the Ottawa Senators, along with Milan Michalek for Dany Heatley.

9. Who has scored the most points in a single season for the Sharks?

Joe Thornton totalled 114 points in 2006-07, his first full season with San Jose. The previous year, Thornton won the Art Ross Trophy with 125 points. However, the first 33 points were with the Boston Bruins with the final 92 with the Sharks. That year, Joe was also honoured with the Hart Trophy.

Thornton was the first overall pick at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, going to the Bruins. At the time, he was a junior with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Joe was traded to San Jose from Boston in exchange for Wayne Primeau, Brad Stuart and Marco Sturm.

10. How many games did San Jose lose in 1992-93?

The answer is 71. No other team in the history of the National Hockey League has lost as many games. In their defense, the NHL had just moved to a 84 game schedule that season from the 80 the year before.

11. What three teams did San Jose beat on the road in 1992-93?

With losing 71 of 84 games, there wasn’t a whole lot of winning going on. San Jose won just three games on the road and eight at home for eleven total. On the road, the Sharks were only able to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets. Of their eight home wins, two each were against the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings with a single against the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.

Check out the video:

NHL Hockey Trivia: Bobby Orr

Arguably the best defenseman to ever play the game of hockey, Bobby Orr is a legend in NHL history. Orr played with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks over an injury shortened career that spanned from 1966-67 to 1978-79.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Bobby Orr with the following four trivia questions.

Q. In 1969-70 and 1974-75, Bobby Orr became the only defenseman to ever win which NHL award?

A. With 120 points in 1969-70 and 135 points in 1974-75, Orr remains the only defenseman to ever win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top point-getter. Interestingly, his highest point total was 139 in 1970-71 but he came a distant second to teammate Phil Esposito and his 152 points that season.

The 139 points does still stand as an NHL record for most points in a single season by a defenseman. Paul Coffey came within a point of that mark in 1985-86. Playing for the Edmonton Oilers, Coffey scored 48 goals and assisted on 90 over 79 games. The 48 goals does stand as a National Hockey League record, eclipsing the 46 the Orr put up in 1974-75 with the Bruins.

Q. In what hockey card set was the Bobby Orr rookie card featured in?

A. The Bobby Orr rookie card was number 35 of the 1966-67 Topps series. The card has a book value of $3000, according to Beckett Hockey Monthly. Orr’s RC is by far the most valuable hockey card in the set. Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings is a distant second with a book value of $200.

Q. What was the first major NHL award won by Bobby Orr?

A. Bobby Orr won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1966-67 as the NHL’s top rookie. Orr scored 13 goals and totalled 41 points that season in 61 games, a far cry from his offensive explosiveness in the 1970’s.

Boston teammate Derek Sanderson won the award the following year. It would then be until the 1979-80 season before another member of the Bruins would be named rookie of the year in the NHL. In 1979-80, it was Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque. Sergei Samsonov and Andrew Raycroft have been the only Boston players to win the Calder Trophy since.

Q. In what year did Bobby Orr win the Lou Marsh Award?

A. Bobby Orr was the 1970 recipient of the Lou Marsh Award. The Lou Marsh is handed out each year to the top athlete in Canada. Bobby is one of eight NHL players to win the Lou Marsh. The other seven include Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Rocket Richard, Phil Esposito, Bobby Clarke, Guy Lafleur and Mario Lemieux.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Los Angeles Kings Retired Numbers

In the 40+ year history of the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings, five jersey numbers have been retired by the club. The Los Angeles Kings retired numbers feature some of hockey’s greatest players of the past four decades and all are well deserving of the honour.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Los Angeles Kings and the numbers that the NHL club has retired with the following four questions.

Q. Number 16 is retired by the Los Angeles Kings in honour of what player?

A. Marcel Dionne played for the Kings from 1975-76 until 1986-87. In that time, he won an Art Ross Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy and two Lester B. Pearson Trophies. He remains the all-time team leader in assists with 757 and points with 1307.

After dominating the OHA with the St. Catherines Black Hawks for three years from 1968-69 to 1970-71, Dionne’s National Hockey League career started with the Detroit Red Wings in 1971-72 after the Wings took him second overall at the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft. Marcel played four years with Detroit before moving to Los Angeles, where he played the bulk of his career. Dionne finished his Hockey Hall of Fame career with the New York Rangers, after being traded from Los Angeles near the end of the 1986-87 season.

Q. Who is the only goaltender to have his number retired by the Los Angeles Kings?

A. Rogatien ‘Rogie’ Vachon’s number 30 was retired by the Kings in 1985. Vachon played between the pipes for Los Angeles from 1971-72 to 1977-78. Rogatien remains the all-time leader amongst Los Angeles Kings goalies for games played, minutes played, wins, losses, ties and shutouts.

Vachon’s NHL career started with the Montreal Canadiens in 1966-67, leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship in 1968-69.After playing 70 of 80 games for the Kings in 1977-78, he was shipped off to Detroit for the following season. Rogie played two years with the Red Wings and two years with the Boston Bruins before retiring. For some unknown reason, Rogie Vachon is still not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Q. Number 20 is retired by the Kings for what ‘lucky’ player?

A. Luc Robitaille wore number 20 for the Kings over three different tenures during his NHL career. He first was a King from 1986 until 1994. He returned for 1997 until 2001 then finished off his career with Los Angeles from 2003-04 to 2005-06. Robitaille was the first and only Calder Trophy winner for the Kings. Luc was a lowly ninth round pick at the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, 171^st overall, after just his first of three years as a star in the QMJHL with the Hull Olympiques. With Hull, Robitaille would total 148 points in his second year and an amazing 191 points in his final season.

Q. Drafted 210^th overall by the Kings in 1975, what player overcame the odds and had his number 18 retired by the team?

A. Dave Taylor is the lowest drafted player in National Hockey League history to record more than 1,000 points in a career. The Los Angeles Kings were the only team Taylor played for during a career that stretched from 1977-78 to 1993-94. He served as team captain for the Kings from 1985-86 to 1988-89 before relinquishing the ‘C’ to Wayne Gretzky. Taylor was part of the Triple Crown Line that consisted of himself, Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer.