Today In NHL History - Heatley's Car Crash

On September 29th in 2003, Dany Heatley wrecked his Ferrari 360 Modena into a wall ejecting himself and passenger teammate Dan Snyder in the process.

Heatley escaped with a broken jaw, bruised lung and kidney, minor concussion, and torn ligaments in his right knee, returning to post 25 points in 31 games that season. Snyder suffered a severe skull fracture, never regained consciousness, and died six days later.

With the support of the Atlanta Thrashers community and forgiveness of Snyder's parents, a remorseful Heatley received only three years of probation on a charge of second-degree vehicular homicide.

That's today in NHL history.

Today In NHL History - Downie Hits McAmmond

On September 25th in 2007, the Philadelphia Flyers reckless rookie Steve Downie delivered a vicious headshot to Dean McAmmond rendering the Ottawa Senators unfortunate forward unconscious.

Downie received a match penalty and 20 game suspension for the second period preseason cheapshot, the fourth longest in NHL history, surrendering $63,101.60 in salary. McAmmond missed 10 games owing to injuries. Downie apologized to Dean after Ottawa's 4-2 victory.

That's today in NHL history.

* See also Today In NHL History - Downie Slewfoots Crosby.
* See also Today In NHL History - Downie Punches Blake.
* See also Today In NHL History - Pronger Hits McAmmond.

Today In NHL History - First Female Player

On September 23rd in 1992, Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in a NHL game. The appearance came in a preseason affair for the Tampa Bay Lighting against the St. Louis Blues. Wearing number 33 in honor of her idol Patrick Roy, Rhéaume stopped 7 of 9 shots in her one period of play before being pulled.

Winning Olympic silver (1998) and World Championship gold (1992, 1994) with the Canadian women's team, the older sister of NHLer Pascal Rhéaume and mother of one continues to stop pucks for the Flint Generals' practice squad. No other woman has ever played in the NHL.

That's today in NHL history.

Today In NHL History - 2004 NHL Lockout Begins

On September 16th in 2004, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the 2004-2005 season would not proceed as scheduled owing to a deadlock in Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. What would have been the NHL's 88th offering was officially canceled on February 16, 2005. The dispute was ultimately resolved on July 22, 2005.
At the heart of the 310 day 2004 NHL Lockout was an owner proposed mechanism to link league revenues to player salaries in an attempt to lower the alleged 76% of gross revenues attributed to player costs and $273 million in collective owner losses during the 2002-2003 season. NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow disputed these financial findings and refused to allow a cap to be applied against player salaries.

In the end, a cap was born and a season lost marking the first time since 1919 without a Stanley Cup champion. Though the 1992 NHLPA strike and 1994 NHL Lockout disrupted play, never before had a North American major sports league lost an entire season to such strife. Among the side effects of the stalled season was a temporary global redistribution of NHL talent and a unique lottery system for the 2005 NHL Entry Draft to direct Sidney Crosby and others to deserving teams.

That's today in NHL history.

Today In NHL History - Richard Brodeur

On September 15th in 1952, Richard Brodeur was born in Longueuil, Quebec. Stopping pucks for 16 seasons in the WHA (Nordiques: 7) and NHL (Islanders: 1, Canucks: 7.5, Whalers: .5), the pint-sized netminder won the Avco World Trophy with Quebec (1977) and led Vancouver to the Stanley Cup Finals (1982).

Skating seven seasons in the WHA before returning to the team that took him 97th overall in the 1972 Entry Draft, Brodeur found himself on the Islanders bench behind Billy Smith and Chico Resch. The next year he was traded to the Canucks and his NHL legend was born.

Trimming his regular season 3.35 GAA to a stingy 2.70 in the 1982 playoffs, King Richard forged an unlikely path through the Flames, Kings, and Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Canucks Cinderella story ended, however, when he met his former team in the third of their four year dynasty.

Winning club MVP honors for three years ('81, '82, '85) before being traded to Hartford for Steve Weeks in 1988 and subsequently retiring from the game, Brodeur remains a West Coast hockey hero .

Today Richard resides in Vancouver playing with the Canucks Alumni team, teaching toddlers and teens his trade at King Richard Brodeur's Hockey School, supporting local charities through the Richard Brodeur Celebrity Golf Classic, and painting local landscapes and childhood hockey scenes that may be found on display at Diskin Galleries.

Richard Brodeur. Once a Canuck. Always a King.

That's today in NHL history.

Today In NHL History - Jared McCann Hugs Ref

On September 13th in 2015, Vancouver Canucks prospect Jared McCann scored his first goal for the pro club during an all-rookie match-up against the Winnipeg Jets during the 2015 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC.

What made the marker memorable was McCann's election to celebrate with the referee, engaging him in a long embrace and a pat on the head before his teammates arrived to rejoice the milestone.
When asked afterwards why he hugged the referee after whistling a wrist shot past netminder goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, McCann remarked "he looked lonely over there, he looked like he needed a hug". The Canucks added three more goals to beat the Jets rookie quad 4-1.
That's today in NHL history.