Equal parts exhilarating and devastating, sports are quite simply unpredictable. Ask the city of Pittsburgh. This week 25 years ago, Penguins fans experienced both emotions at the same time. Riding back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and looking like a team destined to three-peat, Mario Lemieux stepped to the podium at a sudden press conference to announce
Wayne Gretzky
During the 1980s, the Edmonton Oilers epitomized offense. From the 1981-82 season through 1985-86, they scored an average of 5.29 goals per game. They peaked in the 1983-84 season, putting up a whopping 446 goals in 80 games, a 5.58 goals-per-game average. Opposing teams couldn’t stop them, but could only try to limit the damage by
From the THW Archives, written by former contributor Alli Baker and originally published Feb. 16, 2015. So you think you know everything there is to know about hockey, eh? Well if you know more than half of these strange facts, you’re either a hockey buff or you’ve got too much time on your hands. 1. One
Numbers, stats, and figures are an integral part of the hockey viewing experience. The game is rife with scoring slumps, hot streaks, losing skids, and dynastic stretches of winning. The thing is, not all streaks are created equal. Sometimes remarkable individual accolades take center stage as one particular player lights the league on fire. During
On Wednesday night, May 19, the puck drops on Game 1 of the National Hockey League Scotia North Division semi-final between the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. More than three decades have passed since Edmonton and Winnipeg last met in the NHL postseason, but there is quite a storied playoff history between these two Prairie
In today’s NHL news and rumors rundown, the Boston Bruins are reportedly interested in keeping Taylor Hall but will have to do some roster shuffling to make it work. Meanwhile, where will former New York Rangers John Davidson wind up after being released by the organization? There is more news on Wayne Gretzky possibly becoming
Similar to other sports leagues, the NHL has been lucky to have some of its greatest players and biggest names play in the same era. The 1950s had Gordie Howe and Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard. Bobby Hull, Frank Mahovlich, and Stan Mikita headlined the 1960s while Guy Lafleur and Phil Esposito dominated the 1970s. Even in
April 25 has provided us with some great playoff moments throughout the history of the National Hockey League. Two of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of skates had offensive explosions on a date that saw plenty of great postseason moments. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all
Today’s date in National Hockey League history has been all about things happening for the first time, both in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs. The greatest player of them all had one of the biggest first in league history. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all the top moments
We are into March, which usually means the playoff push intensifies across the National Hockey League, leading to many big moments over the years. The greatest player to ever lace up a pair of skates took ownership of one of his many unbreakable records on this date. Also, March 1 has been a unique date
It’s been 32 years since the Wayne Gretzky trade to the Los Angeles Kings that sent shock waves throughout Edmonton, all of Canada, and the entire hockey world. This was a major event for the NHL, sparking hockey interest in the south and west and ultimately leading to a demand for more franchises. The Ducks,
For most hockey players, winning the Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal. From being drafted to helping a team through the regular season, playoffs and eventually Stanley Cup Finals, hoisting the cup is always the end-goal. Along the way, however, players all seek to play the best they can for a variety of purposes. While
On this date in National Hockey League history, the best two players of their generation both hit major milestones on the same night. Also, a whole slew of Hockey Hall of Famers had big nights and his date has given fans in Boston plenty to cheer about. Let’s take our daily trip back through time
Two of the greatest goal-scorers in the history of the National Hockey League had milestone moments on this date. Also, new franchise highs were established, memorable All-Star Games were played and San Jose had a very busy date. It is time to fire up the THW time machine for our daily trip through the decades.
As professional athletes, NHL hockey players will do whatever it takes to be successful on the ice. On top of their on and off ice training and preparation, many players throughout NHL history have adopted strange, often disturbing superstitions in order to ensure their on-ice success. Oddly enough, some of the best players to have played
In March of 1965, NHL President Clarence Campbell began a formal process to expand the National Hockey League from six teams to an even dozen. The maneuver would see franchises placed in both the midwest and the west coast, in addition to the league’s already established “Original Six”. Numerous cities sought to be a landing
Less than a week after a Wayne Gretzky O-Pee-Chee rookie card became the first hockey card to break the $1 million barrier, two arrests have been made in connection with the theft of the Great One’s memorabilia. The Brantford Police Service (BPS) announced that arrests were made on Dec. 15, 2020, after a joint investigation
This date in National Hockey League history was dominated by some guy in Edmonton who wore No. 99. Also, there were plenty of memories back in the day of black and white highlight reels. Dec. 17 was also a good day for offensive defensemen and taking a penalty shot. Hop into our daily time machine