On July 27th in 1995, Hartford Whalers GM Jim Rutherford and St. Louis Blues GM Mike Keenan swapped second overall draft picks in Chris Pronger (1993) and Brendan Shanahan (1987), marking a rare exchange of matched talent.
Pronger's slower than expected development coupled with his rookie season bar room brawling and drunken driving led Hartford to move their baby-faced bruiser for some scoring punch in Shanahan.
Pronger remained in St. Louis for nine seasons, captaining the club for seven. Shanahan, however, left Hartford after one season in a trade sending him and Brian Glynn to the Detroit Red Wings for forward Keith Primeau, defenceman Paul Coffey, and a first-round draft pick.
After five years working for the NHL as Vice-President of Hockey and Business Development and Chief Disciplinarian, Shanahan was named President of the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 11, 2014. Shanny was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 11, 2013.
Several blows to the head sidelined Pronger in December 2011. He has not skated since, nor does it appear he will ever return to the game, despite being under contract with the Philadelphia Flyers through 2017. Upon retirement, Pronger is a shoe-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The pair played a combined 39 NHL seasons resulting in over 2,600 games, 2,000 points, 4,000 penalty minutes, and four Stanley Cup wins. Internationally, they won three Olympic Gold Medals and three World Championships for Canada. Both are Triple Gold Club members.
That's today in NHL history.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Today In NHL History - Pronger Shanahan Trade
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Today In NHL History - Claude Lemieux
Taken 26th in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft the feisty winger fetched four Stanley Cup wins (1986, 1995, 1996, 2000) and a Conn Smythe (1995) becoming 1 of 9 to hoist with three different teams and 1 of 11 to win in consecutive seasons with distinct clubs (NJD 1995, COL 1996). Resting 9th overall with 80 playoff goals, Lemieux thrice lit the lamp more times in the postseason than the regular season (1986, 1995, 1997).
Boasting a resume of biting (Jim Peplinski), boarding (Kris Draper), and pregame fighting (PHI v. MTL), Lemieux's vicious acts have earned him 2nd place in ESPN's Most Hated NHL Players of All Time.
In 1997, the dirty deeds of playoffs past caught up with the cheapshot francophone in a now famous brawl between the Red Wings and Avalanche featuring Darren McCarty pummeling his turtled mass.
Lemieux retired on July 8, 2009 after a one-season stint with the Sharks.
That's today in NHL history.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Today In NHL History - Clarence Campbell
Moonlighting as an official in the CAHA while lawyering at an Edmonton firm, Campbell whistled his way to the NHL. He lasted three years, witnessing Howie Morenz's career-ending broken leg and even taking a punch from Bruins' bruiser Dit Clapper, before NHL President Frank Calder stole his stripes on the urging of Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe for an allegedly under-penalized incident that bloodied Red Horner.
Calder kept Campbell in the game, however, hiring him to work in the league office though he left shortly thereafter enlisting in the Canadian Armed Forces. With Calder's passing in 1943 a reluctant Red Dutton presided until Campbell's return upon which the presidency was passed.
Major events that occurred during his tenure as NHL President include:
- Extension of NHL regular season from 50 to 80 games;
- Introduction of NHL All-Star Game (1947);
- Expulsion of players Billy Taylor and Don Gallinger for gambling on NHL games (1948);
- Enactment of NHL Pension Fund (1948);
- Suspension of Maurice Richard for punching a linesman (1955);
- Richard Riot at Montreal Forum (1955);
- Limitation of one goal per minor penalty power play (1956);
- Placement of Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto (1958);
- Implementation of NHL Amateur Draft (1963);
- NHL Expansion from 6 to 18 teams (1967-1976);
- Realignment to two conferences and four divisions (1974);
- Renaming of conferences and divisions (1974);
- NHL Relocation of two teams (1976); and
- Protection from rival league WHA (1972-1977).
That's today in NHL history.
Monday, June 30, 2014
History Of NHL Team Renaming
Typically reserved for NHL expansion and NHL relocation, seven cities (Toronto, Detroit, New York, Oakland, Chicago, Anaheim, Phoenix) have assigned eleven new names for their NHL team absent a move, since the league's inaugural season in 1917.
The chart below shows each instance of a renaming absent expansion or relocation, sorted by year, old team name and new team name.
| Year | Old Team Name | New Team Name |
| 1918 | Toronto Blueshirts | Toronto Arenas |
| 1919 | Toronto Arenas | Toronto St. Patricks |
| 1927 | Toronto St. Patricks | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1930 | Detroit Cougars | Detroit Falcons |
| 1932 | Detroit Falcons | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1941 | New York Americans | Brooklyn Americans |
| 1967 | California Seals | Oakland Seals |
| 1970 | Oakland Seals | California Golden Seals |
| 1986 | Chicago Black Hawks | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2006 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2014 | Phoenix Coyotes | Arizona Coyotes |
The most recent team renaming came last night as part of a last ditch effort to avoid relocation and keep the Coyotes in Phoenix under new ownership after years of financial distress and league ownership.
Of the eleven newly named teams, five have won the Stanley Cup under their new namesake (Toronto St. Patricks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks) including one in the inaugural year of their name change (Anaheim Ducks 2007), one relocated (California Golden Seals to Cleveland Barons), and two fell prey to NHL contraction (Brooklyn Americans, Cleveland Barons).
Here's hoping the desert dogs enjoy more success on and off the ice with their new name. They're due some good fortune in the Sonoran.
* See also History of NHL Expansion.
Today In NHL History - Lindros Trade (QUE-PHI)
On June 30th in 1992, Quebec Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut and GM Pierre Page traded 1991 draft day holdout Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.
Amidst confusion among two competing bids, arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi selected Flyers GM Russ Farwell's proposal over New York Rangers GM Neil Smith's package of Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck, three first round draft picks, and $12 million.
The trade ultimately saw Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon, two first-round picks (Jocelyn Thibault, Nolan Baumgartner), and $15 million going to Quebec in exchange for the inaugural Next One. The deal remains one of the most significant and lopsided trades in NHL history.
The club would later exchange Hextall for Adam Deadmarsh and package Thibault for Patrick Roy and Mike Keane, claiming two Stanley Cups as the Colorado Avalanche. The Flyers remain winless since 1975.
That's today in NHL history.
Friday, June 27, 2014
NHL League Size And Regular Season Length
With this week's release of the regular season schedule for the NHL's 97th season of play, it's a good time to consider this season's offering in the historical context of the number of participating teams and regular season games played since the league's inception 98 years ago.
Games
Teams
Games
Teams
1917-1918
1978-1979
1918-1919
1979-1991
1919-1924
1991-1992
1924-1925
1992-1993
1925-1926
1993-1994
1926-1931
1994-1995
1931-1932
1995-1998
1932-1935
1998-2000
1935-1938
2000-2004
1938-1942
2004-2005
1942-1946
2005-2012
1946-1949
2012-2013
1949-1967
2013-2015
1967-1968
1968-1970
1970-1972
1972-1974
1974-1978
Rising from 3 to 30 teams and 18 to 84 games since 1918, the NHL regular season now sits at 30 teams playing 82 times a piece for a total of 1,230 games. Aside from three work stoppages - abbreviating, canceling and abbreviating the proceedings respectively (1994-1995, 2004-2005, 2012-2013) - and a fire finishing a team (Montreal Wanderers) part-way through the year (1917-1918), most NHL regular season schedules have been played as planned with few, if any, interruptions.
Amidst endless stories of financially troubled clubs, the league has done well to quell rumors of NHL relocation and NHL expansion despite several hockey hungry markets, most notably Quebec City and Seattle.
On the heels of last year's NHL realignment, expect regular season length to remain at 82 games for the foreseeable future in order to preserve their commitment to extended divisional play, every team visiting every rink each year, and the pursuit of the all-mighty dollar which directly influences player salaries. In short, fans' preference for fewer regular season games appears unlikely to be realized anytime soon.
* See also NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Length By Days And Games.
* See also Fewest And Most Games Needed to Win Stanley Cup.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Length By Days And Games
This historic playoff run begs the question, how long does a typical NHL postseason last? The chart below describes each postseason since 1987 (when the NHL expanded each playoff round to seven games) by start date, end date and length (i.e., total days and games).
| Year | Start Date / End Date | Days | Games |
| 1987 |
April 8 - May 31
|
54
|
87
|
| 1988 |
April 6 - May 26
|
51
|
83
|
| 1989 |
April 5 - May 25
|
51
|
82
|
| 1990 |
April 5 - May 24
|
50
|
85
|
| 1991 |
April 3 - May 25
|
53
|
92
|
| 1992 |
April 18 - June 1
|
45
|
86
|
| 1993 |
April 18 - June 9
|
53
|
85
|
| 1994 |
April 16 - June 14
|
60
|
91
|
| 1995 |
May 6 - June 24
|
50
|
80
|
| 1996 |
April 16 - June 10
|
56
|
86
|
| 1997 |
April 16 - June 7
|
53
|
82
|
| 1998 |
April 22 - June 16
|
56
|
82
|
| 1999 |
April 21 - June 19
|
60
|
86
|
| 2000 |
April 12 - June 10
|
60
|
83
|
| 2001 |
April 11 - June 9
|
60
|
86
|
| 2002 |
April 17 - June 13
|
58
|
90
|
| 2003 |
April 9 - June 9
|
62
|
89
|
| 2004 |
April 7 - June 7
|
62
|
90
|
| 2006 |
April 21 - June 19
|
60
|
84
|
| 2007 |
April 11 - June 6
|
57
|
81
|
| 2008 |
April 9 - June 4
|
57
|
85
|
| 2009 |
April 15 - June 12
|
59
|
87
|
| 2010 |
April 14 - June 9
|
57
|
89
|
| 2011 |
April 13 - June 15
|
64
|
89
|
| 2012 |
April 11 - June 11
|
62
|
86
|
| 2013 |
April 30 - June 24
|
56
|
86
|
| 2014 |
April 16 - June 13
|
59
|
93
|
| Average |
56.5
|
86.1
|
Since the NHL expanded all four rounds of the playoffs to a seven game series, the maximum number of playoff games that could possibly be played if all series went to a game 7 is 105. Alternatively, the least possible number of playoff games if all 15 series resulted in a sweep is 60 games.
In terms of total games played in a postseason since 1987, the fewest is 80 games (1995). Only three times has a playoff lasted more than 90 games (1991, 1994, 2014), the longest postseason being 93 games in 2014. The average playoff length during this span is 86 games.
Only once in the past 27 postseasons has a playoff lasted fewer than 50 days (45 days in 1992) and just four times has it exceeded 60 days (2003, 2004, 2011, 2012), the longest lasting 64 days (2011). The average playoff length during this span sits at 56.5 days.
With each team playing 82 regular season games for a total of 1,230 games, this year's winner skated in 108 games (82 + 26) during 256 days dating back to the opener on October 1, 2013, representing over 70% of the days in a calendar year and leaving only 116 days off between the Stanley Cup winning game and opening night of the next regular season.
Players on the 14 teams that did not skate in this year's postseason will enjoy 177 days off between regular season games, 61 more days off than their Stanley Cup winning counterpart. For those suffering such a playoff drought, here's hoping that rest translates into success.
* See also NHL League Size And Regular Season Length.
* See also Fewest And Most Games Needed to Win Stanley Cup.
