Gordie Howe Turns 83

It's Gordie Howe's 83rd birthday today, believe it or not. Hence all the Gordie Howe special features on the front page of GreatestHockeyLegends.com.

Gordie Howe once said "Hockey is a man's game." In the game of hockey, Gordie Howe is the man.

Bobby Orr on Gordie Howe

"My first game, Gordie wanted to let the young kid know that he was still around. I made a pass and skated around the net and watched my pretty pass and he knocked me down. I can't say I was surprised. I was just sitting there watching my pass. I had my head down and he drilled me. I didn't see him coming and it was a good lesson for me in this league. Later on I had asked him about the hit, and in typical Gordie-fashion he said, 'It's better to give than to receive.'

"I've never met anyone like him. In my mind he's the best ever. Nobody will ever touch him. There have been a lot of great players in the past, and there will be a lot of great players in the future, but none will be as good as Gordie Howe."

- Bobby Orr

Mark and Marty on Gordie Howe

"I don't know if it ever dawned on me that my dad was a famous hockey player. To me, he was my dad. People would ask, 'What does he do for work,' and I'd say, 'He really doesn't work. He plays hockey.' I didn't think of it as a job, he was just having fun playing hockey." - Marty Howe

"I've always looked at my dad as a kind, gentle person, and he has such a great charisma. He has a certain gift and people respond to him. He's very quiet and doesn't say much.

"I think a lot of it probably has to do with his upbringing. My dad was always taught to keep your eyes open, your ears open and your mouth shut and you'll learn a lot. He was taught to respect everybody and everything. He does have a certain charisma that not too many people that I've seen have. He has an actual way with people and to me, that's something that you're born with. He has a way of winning over people by just being who he is." - Mark Howe

Alex Delvecchio on Gordie Howe

"Playing with Gordie attributed a heck of a lot to my hockey career. He was always very helpful, coming up with pointers and what you're doing, maybe a little bit wrong. He was always helpful and that's always critical. He had everything, so I guess you would say he was sharing it with the rest of us to try and make us better.

"I can recall the guys telling me, 'Hey, get the puck to the big guy and he'll deliver the mail.' He was my favorite target on right wing. I always tried to set him up the best I could, because I knew he was going to get a goal or get us an opportunity to get us a goal."

- Alex Delvecchio

Delvecchio played 1351 regular season games with Gordie Howe, and another 121 in the playoffs, making him Gordie's most common teammate.

Delvecchio assisted on 210 of Gordie's goals, and Gordie on 183 of Delvecchio's. Both are bests for each player.

Phil Esposito on Gordie Howe

"It was my second game in the NHL and we were playing in the Olympia. I was sitting on the bench and Billy Reay, who was coach of the Blackhawks, said, 'Esposito, you go out there with (Bobby) Hull and let Hull take the face-off.' This is almost the third period. I'm out there and I'm scared. I'm looking around. There's Bobby Hull, Alex Delvecchio, Bill Gadsby, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Pierre Pilote, Ted Lindsay and there's Gordie Howe. I can't believe it. I'm standing on the left wing next to Gordie, and Hull says to me, 'You got that old son-of-a-bitch?' Gordie just looks at me and smiles. The puck drops and I go in to get it and suddenly. . . WHAM! He gives me an elbow right beneath the nose in the upper lip. I still have the scar where I got six stitches.

- Phil Esposito

Guy Lafleur on Gordie Howe

"When I was a kid, Gordie was one of my idols. I had his book that my dad gave to me for Christmas when I was 12. The first time I played against Gordie, I was so impressed because I had followed his career as a kid. He was one of the top players in the NHL, so for me it was a pleasure of getting the chance to play against him.

The thing is, sometimes when I was beside him on the ice, he used to talk to me, and say 'Hey, you better watch out tonight,' and he would say it laughing. It was actually kind of funny."

- Guy Lafleur

Jean Beliveau on Gordie Howe

"His strength and his ability and the desire to perform the best that he could in every game made Gordie very special. I always had a lot of respect for Gordie. He was not only an asset for the Wings, but an asset for the league and for this great game of hockey.

"People kind of forget that in his second year he had some kind of a skull fracture in a game against Toronto. After that, he kept everybody away from him. So, don't forget, it's very difficult when you have somebody on you all of the time. But, because of his great talent, his desire to win, and his physical strength made him certainly one of the great hockey players."

- Jean Beliveau

The Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Gordie Howe will live on forever in the history of hockey if only for the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick." Accomplishing 1 goal, 1 assist and 1 fight all in the same game is a great accomplishment of pride in hockey.

Gordie Howe's Elbows

"He's got more elbows than an octopus. If an octopus has elbows." - Frank Selke

Gordie and the Other Howe

Here's how legendary Wings coach/manager Jack Adams remembers his first impressions of Gordie Howe:

"We had a flock of young kids in at training camp and I couldn't take my eyes off a big rangy one. I called him over and asked his name. 'Gordon Howe' he drawled back and added, 'But I'm no relation to that other Howe over there.' I told the kid that if he worked hard, some day he might be as good as Syd Howe, one of our best forwards at the time. But honestly, I never dreamed that he'd do it."

When Gordie Howe came to Detroit, no one really knew much about the big kid. The most common question he was asked was "Are you related to Syd Howe?"

The answer is no, they aren't related. But for Gordie at that time, it was quite an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as the great Syd Howe. Syd retired the summer before Gordie arrived for his first training camp. At the time of his retirement, Syd was the NHL's all time leading scorer.

Here's more on Syd Howe.

Gordie Howe: Baseball Star

Here's a photo of Gordie Howe in a Detroit Tigers uniform:

Brother vs. Brother: Gordie and Vic Howe

If there is anybody who could understand what it was like to be Brent or Keith Gretzky, it was Vic Howe.

Vic, the younger and smaller brother of the legendary Gordie Howe, could appreciate the unfair pressure placed upon Wayne Gretzky's siblings. Coming from the same family everyone expects you to be similar to the most successful brother, and if you faltered early you were considered to be a big bust.

"Being Gordie's brother was great," admitted Vic. "But trying to play like him, well, that was another story! At times there was a great deal of pressure on me. I know I put a lot of pressure on myself."

"There was never any doubt in my mind that Gordie was a better player than me. But it just seemed that every time I turned around, somebody was always comparing the two of us. It was just something I had to live with."

Vic recalled a specific incident back in Saskatoon with the WHL that he would relive in his career several times.

"I had a breakaway and I went in on goal but had some trouble putting the puck past the goalie." said Vic, who like Gordie played right wing. "I missed the shot. I got back over to the bench and sat down and our coach, Doug Bentley, stepped behind me and said 'Gordie wouldn't have missed that shot.' So it didn't matter what I did. It would never be good enough."

Vic Howe never seriously pursued a hockey career until his brother turned pro. Ironically, he likely never would have been given a shot at the NHL if he wasn't the brother of Gordie Howe.

Vic played parts of 3 seasons with the New York Rangers - 33 games in total - and scoring 3 goals and 7 points. His biggest highlight was getting a chance to play against Detroit and his brother.

"I can remember playing against Gordie a couple of times. I even recall lining up against him and then having to go into the corner against him for a puck. He took it easy on me and didn't give me any of the elbows he is famous for!"


"The second time I played the Wings was an amazing time because I scored the tying goal in the third period. When the goal went in, Gordie was sitting on the bench and let out a 'Yeah!'"

When he wasn't making a rare appearance with the Rangers, Vic bounced around the minor league circuit. He played in 6 different leagues ranging from Nelson British Columbia to the British Isles - where he played with the Harringay Racers.

Vic returned to Canada and became a constable for the Canadian National Railway in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Gordie Howe's Scariest Moment

Here's a pretty rare photo: Gordie Howe wearing a helmet.

So why is Gordie wearing a helmet. Here's why:

I just love this photo. It shows Gordie Howe answering fan mail in the hospital. He is there with a fractured skull, courtesy of the famous and controversial collision with Toronto's Teeder Kennedy. Howe's career was almost over before it began. 

But Howe came back, and became the greatest player not only of his day, but perhaps of all time. I think that is why I like the photo so much. Hockey players put their bodies through the most amazing physicality and abuse, but they always come back. No other photo captures that quite like this one.

Here is another amazing though less famous photo of Howe's plight:

More Players Added

Closing in on 1800 player profiles, some of the most recent additions to GreatestHockeyLegends.com include Garry Valk, Shawn Chambers, Jimmy Mann, Tomas Sandstrom and Keith Tkachuk.

Make sure you are following me on Twitter @HockeyLegends for all new player profile announcements.

History Fights Back

History Never Says Never

Gordie Howe Jersey Selling For $28,000

I've been to (and quickly exited) those fancy stores in Manhattan and Las Vegas where they actually sell cropped off tie-dyed denim jackets for thousands of dollars. I just don't get it.

But what I do get is the rising price of the 1970 game worn Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings jersey. The shining jewel of the current Classic Auctions hockey memorabilia offering is currently priced at over $28,000!

What does $28,000 get you? Blood stains, paint marks and unrepaired snags.

"This all-original uniform boasts the famous number "9" on the back in single-layer tackle twill and this is repeated twice more on the arms in smaller white numerals. Tagged in the collar by Olympic Sporting Goods with a frayed size 48 tag hanging below. Rust colored blood stains show up high up on the shoulder and in a few other spots on the front and Howe has added a perfect red marker signature just below the embroidered winged-wheel crest. Game wear includes some green paint transfer on the front, more red paint on the lower hem, a handful of smaller unrepaired holes and material snags, at least a dozen solid stick marks and fraying at the inner seams from contact with Howe's equipment."

Be sure to keep your eye on this Classic Auctions offering. Bidding closes today.

History Begins With A Wish

Pucks On The 'Net

How is it the Calgary Flames can decide not to activate Daymond Langkow? He has been on injured reserve for more than a calendar year, suffering a horrific injury after taking a puck to the back of the head. Doctors have given him full medical clearance to resume his career, but the Flames, under the guise of "lack of fitness," keep him on the IR due to salary cap considerations. Does this not basically amount to salary cap circumvention?

Here's some more thoughts to start the week:

• Ryan Kesler has 4 goals in last 20 games, including 2 empty netters. Kesler has a bad playoff history and really needs to return to his first half form if the Canucks hope to make it to the Stanley Cup finals. Especially in the absence of Manny Malhotra.
• Last summer Mike Gillis added two key free agents to the Canucks - Malhotra and Dan Hamhuis - specifically for playoff success. Malhotra's done for the year and Hamhuis suffered his 4th career concussion on Sunday. No word on how long he will be out, but suddenly the mighty Canucks are heading into the playoffs with a more similar team to last year than they had hoped.
• From the Elias Sports Bureau: Henrik Lundqvist posted his league-leading 11th shutout of the season with a 1-0 win at Boston on Saturday afternoon. His 11 shutouts are the most in one season by a Rangers goaltender since 1928-29, when John Ross Roach set the club record with 13 (in a 44-game schedule). Lundqvist's shutout was the 35th of his career and his fifth against the Bruins. The only other goaltenders with five shutouts versus the Bruins in the NHL's expansion era (i.e., 1967-68 to date) are Ed Belfour and Curtis Joseph.
  
• Also from the Elias Sports Bureau, concerning Montreal's three consecutive games being shut out: It's only the third-time in the Canadiens' 93 seasons in the NHL that they've been shut out in three or more consecutive regular-season games. They suffered four straight shutouts in February 1928 and three in a row in October 1949.
• Attention playoff poolies: I've said it before, but I will say it again: Washington's rookie goalie Brayden Holtby is worth a gamble.
• One of the interesting changes that would come about of the potential Coyotes returning Winnipeg would be divisional realignment. Winnipeg would almost certainly go into the Northwest division, but who would slide into the Pacific to take Phoenix's spot? Vancouver makes sense, since it is on the Pacific Ocean, but there's no way the Canadian teams would want to be separated, for natural rivalry and marketing purposes. Similarly, it would make sense for Colorado to drop south. They may have more success selling tickets to casual fans if big name American teams were coming to town rather than the Canadian prairie teams. 
• The Penguins and Devils 0-0 game through overtime was the 10th time in the past 2 seasons that has happened in the NHL. Interestingly, the road team won the shootout 8 times.
• Is hockey too violent right now? Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, an expert on hockey violence, says no way.
• Congratulations goes out to Montreal, who defeated Toronto to win the Clarkson Cup. Sarah Vaillancourt was named as tournament MVP. Here's hoping the Clarkson Cup win promotes the Canadian Women's Hockey League. 

Join me on Twitter @HockeyLegends for more Pucks On The 'Net and hockey talk. 

Squee Allen

Bayfield, New Brunswick's Viv Allen only played in 6 NHL contests, all for the New York Americans during the 1940-41 season. An eye injury scared away NHL teams. As a result Viv is best known as a minor leaguer for 11 seasons in a wide variety of teams and leagues. He is also the younger brother of George Allen, a 8 year veteran with 3 NHL teams.

The most interesting story about Viv Allen is his name and his nickname. Best known as Squee to even his wife, Allen's original nickname was Squeaky (often shortened to Squeak) because he had a very high pitched voice. However when he and George moved to North Battleford Saskatchewan to play junior hockey, Squeaky became known as Squee. Squee was originally the nickname of a well known amateur skater in the area, and it became a natural for the fans to shorten "Squeak" to "Squee."

When you are a hockey player named Viv, it is probably best to have a nickname that sticks as well as Squee Allen's. Squee once asked his mother why she named him Viv, and she said it was a biblical name. Squee read the bible from cover to cover twice but couldn't find any mention of a Viv. Allen's mother then told him "Well, it was the only way I could get you to read it!"

Allen was a miniature right winger standing just 5'6" and weighing 140lbs. He collected just 1 assist in his 6 games with the Americans. With the exception of the 1941-42 season he struggled in the minor leagues until 1945 when he joined the Dallas Texans of the lowly USHL. Allen enjoyed 5 productive seasons in Texas before returning to Saskatchewan.

Hardy Astrom

Meet Hardy Astrom - the man who made Don Cherry a millionaire.

"Grapes" was hired as the new coach of the Colorado Rockies and Hardy, a Swede, was the team's number one goalie. Goaltending was always the Achilles heel of the Rockies and kept Cherry from turning the team around. As a result Cherry was soon fired and he turned to the world of broadcasting where he became a huge hit. He managed to parlay his popularity into endorsement contracts and business opportunities to become a very rich man.

"I never thought of myself as the ultimate connoisseur of goaltenders but one look at the guys we had between the pipes convinced me that our goalie problems weren't big, they were colossal. Astrom, if he was at his best, would be lucky to make it in the American league, and he was our number one goalie!" recalled Cherry in his autobiography.

"Hardy was our main man, as nice a guy as you would ever hope to meet" said Cherry diplomatically. But.....
"Astrom was killing us. Astrom was driving the guys nuts. Players would come up to me, almost in tears, saying that in all the years they played hockey, they had never played on a team with a goalie like him.

"Instead of improving, (Astrom) was getting worse. By now the opposition was scoring on shots from center
ice. I couldn't take it anymore. One night, between periods of another Hardy Horror Show, I walked into (GM Ray) Miron's office and got down on my knees begging him to make a trade for a goalie. I felt sorry for the players because they were working their asses off. They'd come up with a goal and then, bing, bing, Hardy would let two easy ones go by and we would be finished.

"Once, during a practice, Bobby Schmautz tested Astrom with 4 shots from the blue line. Each one of them went right along the ice and beat Astrom. I doubt that my wife, Rose, would have missed more than two of them!"

Okay, so Cherry blames Astrom for his lack of success in Colorado. That kind of makes you wonder about how bad the other goalies were!

Hardy was originally signed out of Sweden by the New York Rangers in 1977-78. After starring with his hometown squad in Skelleftea, Astrom caught attention from NHL scouts in Canada Cup tournament and World Championships.

Astrom spent his first season in North America, Astrom lit up the American league. In just 27 games he led the league with 5 shutouts and a small 2.63 GAA. He went 17-5-3. He also appeared in 4 games with the Rangers, going 2-2-0 with a 3.50 GAA.

A homesick Astrom returned to Skelleftea in 1978-79 but returned to North America as a member of Cherry's Rockies after a summertime trade which saw the Rangers acquire Bill Lochead.

You know what Cherry thought of Astrom's play. Let's take a look at the stats to see if they back up Grapes' always exaggerated thoughts. Hardy played in 49 games in 1979-80, going 9-27-6 with a 3.75 GAA. In 1980-81 Hardy went 6-15-6 in 30 games, with a 3.76 GAA.

Hmmm......maybe Grapes has a point. Although the Rockies weren't the best team in the league, they didn't get quality goaltending from Astrom. But at least he lasted longer in Denver than Cherry.

Hardy was demoted to the CHL in 1981-82 where he struggled through a poor season with the Oklahoma Stars. He returned to Sweden for 4 years starting in the 1982-83.

What's Thy Bidding?

There are only a couple of days left in the latest Classic Auctions hockey memorabilia offering.

Here's some of the financial highlights of the auction. It's not too late to get in on the action:

• Bryan Trottier's 1982 Stanley Cup championship ring - over $8,000
• Gordie Howe 1970 game worn jersey - nearly $28,000
• Wayne Gretzky's 1851st point puck - $11,500
• Vladislav Tretiak's game worn mask - over $7,000
• Syl Apps game worn 1930s wool sweater - nearly $16,000

These items are as pricey as they are cool, but there a lot of bargains to be had. I'm actually quite surprised how low the bidding is for some of these treasures. Some have not even received a single bid yet. So don't forget to check out the Classic Auctions hockey memorabilia offering!

History Makes A Mess

Talking Pittsburgh Puck History

My first impression of Rick Buker's new book Total Penguins: The Definitive Encyclopedia of the Pittsburgh Penguins: Holy Frank Pietrangelo, Batman!

(Actually my first impression contained a more distinct expletive, but this is a family website.)

At over 700 pages, this is a really big book - a true encyclopedic history of the Pittsburgh Penguins. I think I equally floored at the low price for such a thick book - jacket price of just $29.95 US which means you can usually get it for just $20 bucks at most bookstores and online sources.

You can read my original book review here, or buy the book at Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

I recently had the great pleasure to sit down with author Rick Buker and talk some Pittsburgh Penguins hockey history. We talked about everything from Syl Apps and Jean Pronovost to Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis to Sidney Crosby.  Here is the interview.

Here's What Dave Hannan Is Up To Nowdays

History Keeps Us Up All Night

Pucks On The 'Net

The New York Islanders mid-season resurrection is nothing short of amazing. The perennial league laughing stocks are 14-6-5 since the All-Star break and 6-1-4 in March. Jack Capuano will likely not get much consideration for coach of the year, but he should.

Perhaps the most impressive part of that story is the fact that goaltender Al Montoya is leading the way. He was previously dismissed as a failed NHL prospect and was the Islanders' seventh choice this season in net. All previous goaltending options faltered, including the departed Dwayne Roloson who tried valiantly, and the injured Kevin Poulin, the always injured Rick Dipietro, and rookies Nathan Lawson and Mikko Koskinen.

The forgotten man in all of this is Evgeni Nabokov, who was suspended for failing to report to the team after the Islanders claimed in on waivers as he attempted to return to the NHL with Detroit.

Nabokov balked at joining the lowly Isles because it was beneath him. Now he sits suspended, and lawyers may end up telling him he, like Alexei Yashin before him, owes the Islanders a year of service for his holdout.

Without taking away anything from the unlikely hero Montoya, can you imagine the position Nabokov would be in had he just reported and bide his time in New York? His arrival would havenicely coincided with the Islanders resurrection. He would have looked like a miracle worker and would be set to nicely cash in this summer as a UFA.

Here's some other Thursday Thoughts:

• Congratulations to Daniel Sedin and wife Marinette on the birth of their new child. But should we be concerned that his kids look a whole lot like Uncle Henrik?
• Another great goaltending story is that of James Reimer, who made his NHL debut just before Christmas, who recorded his third NHL shutout with a 3-0 win at Minnesota on Tuesday. Reimer's three shutouts are the most by a Leafs rookie netminder since Mike Palmateer. 
• Reimer somehow got the Toronto Maple Leafs turned around just enough to save Ron Wilson's job for next year. Leafs fans should not be happy about that. 
• The other day Martin Brodeur made 13 saves in a 3-0 shutout of Columbus. It was the 115th shutout of Brodeur's career. For those asking, that was not a personal record for fewest saves made by Brodeur in a shutout. He stopped nine shots in a shutout against the Capitals in 2003 and 11 versus the Rangers in 2001.
• Bruins vs. Canadiens rematch on Thursday. A lot of people are not happy with Mark Recchi's comments suggesting Max Pacioretty embellished his concussion. Though it was not well publicized, I know Vancouver felt Colorado was too quick to throw out the term broken neck term rather than fractured vertebrae in the Steve Moore case to make sure Todd Bertuzzi was suspended more severely.
• I don't quite understand why there is such hulabaloo by several veteran NHLers about PK Subban's supposed lack of respect shown to them. The kid may be a cocky, but he's good. It's time others start giving him more respect.
• I've been busy adding lots of new player biographies to the archives. I usually announce such additions on Twitter. So join me @HockeyLegends for all the updates and other hockey talk.

Pete Laframboise Passes Away

This is Pete Laframboise. Check out those, umm...colorful California Golden Seals sweaters.

Laframboise spent a couple of seasons in Oakland, remembered best  for a 4 goal outburst in an 11-3 whitewashing of the Vancouver Canucks on January 3rd, 1973. He was described as a talented player who did not apply himself often enough. A likeable teammate known for his constant joking around, he was known to enjoy himself a bit too much off the ice, undoubtedly affecting his play on more than a few nights.

As a result he bounced around the league after leaving Oakland. He briefly appeared in Washington, Pittsburgh and, in the WHA, Edmonton.

In 227 NHL games Pete Laframboise scored 33 goals, 55 assists and 88 points.

Sadly, Pete Laframboise passed away a few days ago. Here is his obituary.

Eye Injuries In Hockey

This is Greg Neeld, the first player to wear a visor. He was a promising junior defenseman with the Toronto Marlboros. His career took a major turn on February 17th, 1974 when he lost his left eye thanks to an errant high stick courtesy of Kitchener's Dave Maloney.

But he tried to play on and was even drafted by both the NHL and the WHA. The WHA let him play (just 17 games with the Toronto Toros in 1975-76) but the NHL would not, despite Neeld's protective helmet featuring a visor then dubbed as "the Neeld Shield."

Neeld even took the NHL to court to try to play. The NHL refused to let a one-eyed player in the league, because if Neeld were to injure his good eye, the insurance costs of having a player to go blind due to injuries would be insane not to mention the bad publicity.


Bylaw 12:6 of the National Hockey League forbids players who are sightless in one eye from playing in the NHL. It states that players with one eye, or 3/60ths of normal vision, shall not be eligible to play for a member club. Loss of 75 percent of sight in an eye is required for insurance to take effect.

The regulation became known as the "Trushinski Bylaw" because of a major leaguer named Frank "Snoozer" Trushinski who played right defense for the Kitchener Greenshirts. According to NHL officials at the time, Trushinski lost sight in one eye due to a high stick in 1921. He came back and lost most of the sight in his other eye after fracturing his skull in another accident. The NHL didn't want that to risk having its players lose their eye sight and they didn't want to pay the high insurance costs, so they created Bylaw 12:6

Mrs. Trushinski once recalled her husband's problems several years after he died:

"A year or so before he lost his eye, his skull was fractured in a game against the Toronto Granites hockey team. He got along seeing, but not too well."

"All his life he had a film on his left eye, so he really had trouble after the puck hit his right eye; that was during a game in 1921 when a puck hit the eye. He never saw out of it again. He was able to work a long time, though, for Schneider's, a meat company in Kitchener, Ontario."

The Trushinski Bylaw became important in March 1939 when Toronto Maple Leafs left winger George Parsons lost his left eye in an injury during an NHL game at Maple Leaf Gardens against the Chicago Black Hawks.

"NHL president Frank Calder told me that I couldn't play in the NHL again" said Parsons, who was 25 at the time of forced retirement. "Calder said that the NHL governors wouldn't allow one eyed players in the league because of the Trushinski precedent. Calder said the NHL didn't want that happening again."

The ruling was challenged in June 1975 when forward Greg Neeld was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. Neeld had lost sight in one eye while playing amateur hockey in 1973. Neeld felt he could play with his specially designed helmet, featuring the first visor in hockey, nicknamed the Neeld Shield. Neeld's lawyer Roy McMurtry threatened to sue the NHL when Neeld was kept out of the league because of the Trushinski Bylaw.

NHL governors voted 13-3 (with two abstentions) to continue to bar one-eyed players from the league. The league felt that it could not afford to insure Neeld and that his special helmet could cause injury to other players. Neeld ended up playing in the WHA, which did not bar one-eyed players.

As far as I understand it, the Trushinski Bylaw still exists, but it has been successfully challenged. The NHL changed its policy and allowed Bryan Berard to play. The difference here is advances in medical technology. Berard had been fitted with a special contact lens that gave him more sight than Neeld had.

I absolutely cringe every time I see a player suffer a serious eye injury. It is probably the scariest injury in all of hockey. High sticks and flying pucks to face happen all too often in hockey. Name dropping could be an endless task, but here's just a few examples.

Bryan Berard,  Al MacInnis, Anders Hedberg, Kevin Smyth, Pierre Mondou, Hector Marini,  Jeff Libby, Mark Deyell, Jamie Hislop, Glen Sharpley, and, now, Manny Malhotra.


I don't really want to weigh in on the mandatory visor rule debate. I understand the desire for choice, although I would think a grandfathered clause forcing all newcomers to the league to wear a protective shield.


Eye injuries and illnesses are of great concern to me. I suffer from glaucoma, a degenerative disease that unfortunately I've been forced to become an expert on. The loss of sight hits kind of close to home for me.

With that in mind, GreatestHockeyLegends.com like to take this time to announce the adoption of Canadian National Institute for the Blind as my official charity of choice.

I'm not going to ask you to donate any money, as that is your prerogative. I'm adopting a charity of choice more so to spread information and education about eye injuries and illnesses, and to inform about the services out there for people who may need it.

I'm also doing this because I believe hockey bloggers can make a difference. There's a number of top quality hockey blogs out there that have a significant and loyal following of readers. I'd like to think we as a blogging community can dig a little deeper than hockey and help out in a bigger cause that we believe in.

That's why I'm going to challenge other hockey bloggers to adopt a charity of their choosing. You don't have to put up a big story as to why you have chosen the charity you have, but somewhere on the main page of your blog I'd like to see some form of link or advertisement of a charity that you support.

Malhotra Injury Big Blow To Canucks Cup Hopes

Obviously his health his the primary concern, but Manny Malhotra's season (and perhaps career) ending eye injury is a huge blow to the Vancouver Canucks chances of winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Outsiders may look at the stats and underestimate Malhotra's importance to the Canucks, who are easily the class of the NHL's regular season and a serious Stanley Cup threat.

But what Malhotra provides can not be measured on any stats sheet - except wins. He provides leadership and intangibles that few other players provide. Yes, he is the NHL's best face-off man, but that also translates into the best specialty teams in the NHL. The Canucks have enjoyed the best power play and penalty kill all season long, and a lot of that has to do with Malhotra.

Stanley Cup champions almost always have a few things in common - good goaltending and coaching obviously, but strong specialty teams play and strength down the middle almost as importantly. The Canucks will significantly miss the long under-rated Manny Malhotra.

Matt Cooke Suspension Draws Praise

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the NHL suspending Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke for the rest of the regular season plus the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is that no one seems to object. Not even the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"The suspension is warranted because that’s exactly the kind of hit we’re trying to get out of the game. Head shots have no place in hockey. We’ve told Matt in no uncertain terms that this kind of action on the ice is unacceptable and cannot happen. Head shots must be dealt with severely, and the Pittsburgh Penguins support the NHL in sending this very strong message," said Penguins general manager Ray Shero.

Shero's stance closely echoes owner Mario Lemieux's comments a few weeks ago about the need to eliminate head shots in hockey. Ironically, Lemieux was criticized heavily at that time because he employed Cooke, one of the dirtiest players in the league.

What Lemieux opts to do with Cooke from here on out will be interesting. He could really make a stand on the issue by further punishing Cooke. He could announce that Cooke's days with the Penguins are over, sending him home regardless if Pittsburgh advances past the opening round of the playoffs.

That is unlikely though, as Cooke has 2 years and a total of $3.6 million left on his guaranteed contract. It would not make much sense to pay him to stay home the next two seasons. But that would be an amazing stance to take.

One has to think, despite his contractual commitments, that Cooke will not play in Pittsburgh next season. They could bury him in the minor leagues, or try to trade him, although I'm not sure which team would take him given his controversial history.

Matt Cooke is a dangerous player. He has been a useful role player throughout his career, and is a great person who is very devoted to charity work, but he hits to hurt and is not afraid to do so in dirty fashion. Such players need to be excused from the ice. Players are supposed to hit for the purpose of removing a player from the puck, not to hurt a person. Furthermore, pests in hockey are like goons - they are there, but the game would be so much better off if they were not.

Brothers: The Sutter Brothers

These fellows need no introduction. They are the Sutter brothers Brian, Brent, Darryl, Duane, Rich and Ron.

It still seems unbelievable as it sounds. Six brothers all from one family making it to the National Hockey League.

And if you ask any of them who was the best hockey player in their family, they will all mention Gary, the oldest brother who never made it out of Alberta and to the big leagues.

Top Ten Toronto Maple Leafs of All Time

Take a look at this great old photo I found. It's David Letterman wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey:

Naturally, upon seeing this photo I became immediately obligated to come up with a Top Ten list of the greatest Toronto Maple Leafs of all time.

10. King Clancy - The first of many great hockey heroes at Maple Leaf Gardens, Francis Clancy was truly the King of Carlton Street.

 9. Tim Horton - Known now for Honey Dip TimBits, Double Doubles and Rrrrroll up the Rrrim to Win, Tim Horton was originally a Hall of Fame blue liner.

8. Darryl Sittler - The hard working center a 1976-77 season few Leaf fans will ever forget. 

7. Mats Sundin - Affable Swede leads all Leafs in history in goals and points.

6. Dave Keon - This beloved Toronto Maple Leaf was an offensive threat and defensive ace, he did it all while picking up only 151 PIMs in 1725 big league games.

5. Borje Salming - The NHL's great European influx would never have been possible without a great pioneer. That man was Borje Salming.

4. Frank Mahovlich - The Big M is one of Toronto's most cherished superstars. He led the Leafs to 4 Stanley Cups, but his detractors, namely coach Imlach, made sure he paid a heavy price.

3. Johnny Bower - "The China Wall" was an aging superstar goalie before he even made it to the NHL. His profile includes war stories and a full version of his song Honky The Christmas Goose.
2. Syl Apps - A CFL footballer, an Olympic pole vaulter, and a politician, Syl Apps will always be remembered as a Toronto Maple Leafs legend.

1. Teeder Kennedy - C'mmmon Teeder! was one of the favorite cries from the hallowed stands of Maple Leaf Gardens. The faithful of the white and blue were cheering on Teeder Kennedy, one of the greatest playoff performers of all time.

Sanderson's Big Date

Derek Sanderson was hockey's biggest playboy. So when the New York Rangers held a charity auction in April 1975, they knew exactly how to take advantage of his popularity.

Win a "Date With Derek" was the contest. The man who was nicknamed Turk was quick to agree to the  promotion. After all, he probably knew all the puck bunnies in every NHL city already. I'm sure he'd be game for meeting another.

But even Derek was shocked when the winner was announced - a 73 year old lady!

The Magnificent Mario Lemieux

With some hesitation I am featuring Mario Lemieux today. I say with hesitation because I do not know that I am capable of putting into words just how good Mario Lemieux was. I do not know that anyone is that gifted of a wordsmith. I am almost certain that I’ve never seen any writer truly capture the greatness of number 66.

Mario Lemieux

Mario Lemieux is without doubt one of the greatest players ever to play the game of hockey. He ranks on most people's "Top 5" list, and many people's top 3 list. Based on pure talent, it is hard to argue that he is not number 1.

Notwithstanding his many awards and championships, and his impressive statistics, perhaps the most amazing thing about Mario is he did this while battling a chronic back and hip injuries and Hodgkin's Disease.

He was the complete package. He was a pure scorer and the ultimate playmaker fused into the body of giant. Often compared to Jean Beliveau, Lemieux was big and strong but rarely had to rely on brute strength to fend off defenders. Instead he left them baffled with an incredible series of fakes and dekes. With a few long strides he was seemingly untouchable in effortless end to end rushes. Rarely has a sport's dominant player made the game look so easy and natural.

Complete Mario Lemieux Biography

Gretzky's Greatest Record?

What is Wayne Gretzky's greatest record? 2856 career points? 894 career goals? 215 points in a season? 92 goals in a season? How about 50 goals in 39 games?

One thing is for sure: Wayne Gretzky's greatest record isn't the one:

The Styx? C'mon Great One! You must have better musical taste than that!

Don Cherry Did What?

This is Gerry Blaine, a nice junior hockey player. He played in the Manitoba Junior League with St. Boniface, a junior team sponsored by the Montreal Canadiens. That junior team almost captured junior hockey's most cherished prize, the Memorial Cup, in 1953, but fell short to the Barrie Flyers. The Flyers boasted the likes of Don McKenney, Doug Mohns, and a young Don Cherry!

A very interesting incident occurred between Blaine and Cherry. Cherry of course went onto a career as minor league tough guy and later coach and broadcaster who controversially promoted fighting and rough hockey.

Well, in game 5 of the Memorial Cup final in 1953, Blaine became very angry at one of the Barrie players, and began chasing him around the ice in order to fight him, but the player ran away scared and unwilling to drop the gloves.

Hal Sigurdson of the Winnipeg Free Press remembered the story in a 1996 article, and claimed it was Cherry who had cowardly hid.

"Blaine's teammate, Ab McDonald....says it was Cherry. So does former provinicial cabinet minister Larry Desjardins, who was general manager of Blaine's St. Boniface Canadiens at the time."

Gerry Blaine himself isn't sure.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," he said. "Orval Tessier had just slashed our goaltender, Hal Dalkie and I drilled him. When he went down I tried to pick him up, but he turtled. I'd never seen a guy do that before. Anyways, I heard another of their players chirping so I went after him. he took off and I chased him. When I asked our guys who it was they told me his name was Don Cherry."

Like Cherry, Blaine would only go on to play one game in the National Hockey League. Total Hockey suggests the once promising winger fell victim to the "Demon Rum"..

Gump Worsley Concussed By An Egg?!

You've got to check out this crazy story from Nitzy's Hockey Den:

Lorne "Gump" Worsley was knocked out of an NHL game after being hit in the temple with an egg thrown from the stands. It was at Madison Square Garden in New York and Gump had just surrendered the first goal of the game to Jean Ratelle in the third minute.

The Montreal Gazette reported, "The Gumper was hit flush on the right temple by the egg which was thrown from about 100 feet away...the egg-tosser, a 25 year-old fan who had a bag of them when caught by Garden police, got off lucky when Worsley refused to press charges."

Here's the full story.

Wayne Gretzky Breaks Gordie Howe's All Time Point Record

One of my greatest memories in hockey was the night Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's NHL record for the most points in a NHL career.

Fittingly, the game came in Edmonton, on October 15th, 1989, only a little over a year earlier Gretzky had been traded to the Los Angeles Kings. In his always-anticipated return to Edmonton Gretzky scored a goal in the final minute of play, tying the game at 4-4, but more importantly, giving him 1851 career points, surpassing Gordie Howe for the all time lead.

Rather than continue the game, which was ultimately heading into overtime, immediately, there was a lengthy stoppage of play to honour The Great One.



Note that in the video above that the Hockey Hall of Fame's Scotty Morrison was on hand to take Gretzky's stick and the puck used to break the record for inclusion in the Hall. Well, that puck is now up for auction at Classic Auctions, fetching in excess $6,000 already.

By the way, the Los Angeles Kings won the game in overtime, 5-4. Blessed with his usual touch of destiny, the winning goal was scored by none other than Wayne Gretzky!

Gretzky went onto to record 2857 points, including 1963 assists, 113 more than Gordie Howe had points!

Sidney Crosby: Hall of Fame Worthy?

In case you missed it, last week extremely popular Toronto Fan 590 sports radio host Bob McCown reported that a family member of Sidney Crosby is urging the NHL superstar to retire. That sent out shockwaves across the hockey world regarding just how serious Crosby's concussion injury really is.

Of course, Crosby's parents and agent vehemently deny the story. But what a story that would be. The face of the game, Stanley Cup champion, Hart trophy winner, Olympic gold medalist and Canadian hero, forced to retire at the age of 23, half a season into his greatest campaign yet - a campaign that not only was on pace to be one of legends, but a campaign that saw him realizing his destiny as the greatest player in the game.

And just like that, the lights are turned off.

Admittedly this is way too premature, but my question today is - if Sidney Crosby was forced to retire now, would his career be enough to get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame? And even if Crosby is able to come back, but, like Eric Lindros, is never the same player again? Does he get into the Hockey Hall of Fame under those circumstances?

Rick Martin Passes Away

Shocking news this morning as former Buffalo Sabres star Rick Martin has passed away. Reports suggest the 59 year old suffered a heart attack while driving a car.

Rick Martin was a famed member of the Sabres' French Connection line in the 1970s, along side Gilbert Perreault and Rene Robert.

Trail To Gold

James Christie has an absolutely fantastic look back at the 1961 World Champion Trail Smoke Eaters in this weekend's The Globe and Mail.

Canada's Trail Smoke Eaters were making a stand as amateur hockey players against a Soviet system that was decidedly professional – army men recruited from all of its republics against Canadian farm boys, factory workers and firemen. The 1961 world hockey championship in Geneva, Switzerland, would come to be a touchstone of Canadian hockey. There have been other Olympics and other world championships, but the Smokies are an enduring icon.

Here's the full article.

This also reminds me of one of the most unique items up for grabs at ClassicAuctions.net right now - this beautiful Trail Smoke Eaters team jacket:

What a beautiful jacket. It would be hard to find shoes to match, but I love the patch.

Ken Dryden Speaks Out On Concussions

Since entering federal politics Ken Dryden has all but left hockey behind. He was once one of the greatest the game has ever seen, and followed that passion up into a literary and business career predicated on his love of ice and pucks.

He does not have time to talk about hockey anymore, he said recently, due to political commitments on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. And he seems to have no regrets in adopting this stance.

But with the hockey world rocked by continuing incidents of scary brain injuries, the heady Dryden has broken his silence. One of the most articulate men you will ever hear has one clear message: How could we be so stupid?

Dryden penned a guest column in The Globe and Mail this weekend.

"I feel the same when I remember that the effects of smoking or of drunk driving were ignored for so long. I feel it when I think of women in the past having no right to vote and few rights of any kind, and when I think about slavery: How could people 50, 100 or 200 years ago not have known? How could they be so stupid?

"I wonder what will make people say that about us 50 years from now. What are the big things we might be getting really wrong? Chemicals in our foods? Genetic modifications gone wrong? Climate change?"

"In sports, I think, the haunting question will be about head injuries."

He goes on to talk about the nature of sports, specifically hockey and football. He ends his lengthy article with this:

"The voices of the future will not be kind to us about how we understood and dealt with head injuries in sports. They will ask: How is it possible we didn't know, or chose not to know? 

"For players or former players, owners, managers, coaches, doctors and team doctors, league executives, lawyers, agents, the media, players' wives, partners and families, it's no longer possible not to know and not to be afraid, unless we willfully close our eyes. 

"Max Pacioretty was only the latest; he will not be the last. Arguments and explanations don't matter any more. The NHL has to risk the big steps that are needed: If some of them prove wrong, they'll still be far less wrong than what we have now. 

"It is time to stop being stupid."

Powerful stuff from a visionary man. Only it should not take visionaries to see this. We all just have to open our eyes.

You can read the full Globe and Mail article here.

International Hockey Memorabilia

The international hockey collection is always my favorite section at every ClassicAuctions.net offering. The current auction does not disappoint. Here's the highlights:

• Vladislav Tretiak's 1973 world championships game worn mask - Hey, I know it doesn't look like much compared to today's fancy art pieces, but this is cool. My birthday is in August.
• Tretiak's 1981 Canada Cup 25th anniversary trophy - As co-author of the book The World Cup of Hockey (which I still argue should have been named The History of the Canada Cup #damnpublishers) I would absolutely love to have this on my mantelpiece. I'm moving my birthday up to April. Call me for my mailing address.
• A lot of people collect game worn jerseys, but how many can boast a 1960s Anatoli Tarasov sweater in their collection.
• Probably even fewer people have a game worn 1970s KooKoo Kouvala sweater worn by a mystery player named Lemminkainen.
• I'm shocked! There are no bids yet on the chance to get into Alexander Ovechkin's pants.
• There are 27 items in the Team Canada 2010 Olympics game worn collection. I need more birthdays this year. 

Be sure to check out ClassicAuctions.net for some amazing items up for auction. The sale ends on March 29th, 2011.

Hockey A Family Tradition For Apps

He is one of Canada's most successful athletes and accomplished people. His family's legacy is just as interesting.

He captained the McGill University football team to an inter-collegiate title in 1936. He later played in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts. He was also a two-time Canadian pole vault champion, also capturing the 1934 British Empire championship and competing at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.

He was also a veteran of World War II. And for 11 years he was an elected politician, including 3 years as a Minister of Correctional Services in Ontario.

But he will forever be remembered as captain of three Stanley Cup championship teams; as a Calder and Byng trophy winner and 7 time all star; as a Hockey Hall of Famer; as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

He is Syl Apps, "English Canada's Jean Beliveau." The "Nijinsky of the ice" was one of the most graceful and clean players ever to play the game, not unlike a modern day Joe Sakic.

He died of a mysterious neurological disorder over a decade ago, but the Apps legacy lived on his children and grandchildren.

Syl had 5 children of his own, including Robert (Bob) who went on to play in the Canadian Football League, and Syl Apps Jr., who starred with the Pittsburgh Penguins, among other teams, in the 1970s.

Syl Jr., has two kids who have continued on the proud family name in hockey.

Syl Apps III was team captain at prestigious Princeton University. Though never drafted into the NHL, he was signed by the Maple Leafs organization and spent several seasons in the minor leagues, but never got a chance at the big leagues. He retired in 2003 to pursue scholastic pursuits at Oxford University in England.

Syl Jr's daughter Gillian Apps was also a collegiate star at Dartmouth while studying psychology. She has emerged as one of the most dominating female hockey players in the world. A mainstay on the Canadian women's national team, winning gold medals at world championships and the 2006 and 2010 Olympic games.

Syl Jr. has another daughter, Amy, who is on Canada's national women's soccer team.

Steve Yzerman on Gordie Howe

 
"I was only 18 years old and just drafted by the Red Wings, and casually, I remember Gordie just walking down the hall at Joe Louis Arena. Obviously, I recognized him, every Canadian would recognize Gordie Howe. He was just down to earth and said, 'Hi, how are you doing?' For me, I was very nervous meeting him and somewhat intimidated because I knew who he was forever, so it was just a shock to see him in person. He's very humble and a very easy person to be around. You're intimidated by the name initially, but as soon as you meet him he makes you feel comfortable."

- Steve Yzerman

Canadiens Saved Scotty, Hotel Guests From Fire

The Montreal Canadiens play in St. Louis tonight, their first game against goaltender Jaroslav Halak. No doubt the former Habs goaltender will be all fired up for tonight's game.

Speaking of "fired up," did you know that in St. Louis way back in 1972 Montreal Canadiens players played the role of heroes by helping balcony stranded hotel guests - including their coach Scotty Bowman - during a raging hotel fire?

It's true. J.C. Tremblay, who had been a volunteer fireman in his hometown, led the way. He grabbed a ladder, and with the assistance of Guy Lapointe, Pierre Bouchard and Rejean Houle, he began assisting scared guests.

Everyone was okay, thanks to the brave Habs. Bowman was treated for smoke inhalation, as were ten other hotel guests. Serge Savard suffered an 18 stitch gash in his leg when he kicked in a window. Floyd Curry, then an assistant general manager, suffered a cut to his hand.

Jennifer Conway has the full details.