Sept. 21 has been an intriguing day in NHL historical past. One among its earliest superstars was born on this date. A goaltending legend made his first of two returns after retirement. The best participant in league historical past scored his first purpose in his new dwelling, and the first-ever recreation in China was performed. So, let’s start our day by day journey again in time to revisit all the most effective recollections.
Plante Returns to the Crease
All through the a long time, there have been quite a few occasions the place gamers announce their retirement solely to return to the ice in a while. This was the case for Corridor of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante.
Plante initially retired in 1965, on the age of 36, after two seasons with the New York Rangers. He was again in uniform on Sept. 21, 1967, beginning for the California Seals in a preseason recreation versus the Los Angeles Kings. The sport, performed in Port Huron, MI, led to a 3-3 impasse.
The six-time Stanley Cup winner by no means performed in a regular-season recreation for the Seals, however he returned for the St. Louis Blues the next season. He and fellow goaltending legend, Glenn Corridor, gained the Vezina Trophy for the 1968-69 season, which, on the time, was given to the goaltenders who gave up the fewest objectives through the season.
Plante performed in 4 extra NHL seasons after this; yet one more with St. Louis, two with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and one remaining season break up between the Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He retired a second time in 1973 however got here again once more to play 31 video games for the Edmonton Oilers through the 1974-75 season after they have been members of the World Hockey Affiliation (WHA).
One other Nice Class Inducted
The Hockey Corridor of Fame opened its doorways to seven new members on Sept. 21, 1992. Marcel Dionne, Woody Dumart, Bob Gainey, and Lanny McDonald entered as gamers whereas Keith Allen, Bob Johnson, and Frank Mathers have been voted in as builders.
Dionne performed in 1,348 video games over 18 NHL seasons, scoring 731 objectives and 1,771 factors. He had probably the most success throughout his 12 seasons with the Kings after breaking into the league with the Detroit Pink Wings. He gained the Artwork Ross Trophy after scoring 53 objectives and main the league with 137 factors through the 1979-80 season. He scored at the least 36 objectives in every of his 11 full seasons with the Kings, together with six with 50 or extra. He was traded to the Rangers through the 1986-87 season and performed with them till his retirement in 1989.
Dumart performed 774 video games over 16 seasons with the Bruins, the place he scored 211 objectives and 430 factors. His finest season got here in 1946-47 when he scored 24 objectives and 52 factors in 60 video games. He was a part of the 1939 and 1941 Stanley Cup championships in Boston.
Gainey spent his whole 16-season profession with the Montreal Canadiens. He scored 239 objectives and 501 factors in 1,160 profession video games. He was a member of 5 Stanley Cup championship groups and gained the Conn Smythe Trophy for being probably the most priceless participant of the 1979 postseason. He gained the Selke Trophy for being the most effective defensive ahead within the league 4 occasions. After his retirement in 1989, he had a profitable teaching profession with the Minnesota North Stars and Dallas Stars earlier than turning into the final supervisor of the Canadiens in 2003.
McDonald scored 500 objectives and 1,006 factors in 1,111 profession video games with the Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies, and Calgary Flames. He was so in style in Toronto that when he was traded to the Rockies in 1979, followers protested the transfer exterior of Maple Leafs Backyard. His remaining act as captain of the Flames, in 1989, was accepting the Stanley Cup after scoring the Cup-clinching purpose versus the Canadiens.
Allen was the primary coach in Philadelphia Flyers’ franchise historical past and served because the staff’s government vp from 1980 till he died in 2014. Johnson, referred to as “Badger Bob,” coached the College of Wisconsin from 1966 to 1982, successful three nationwide championships. He took the Flames to the 1986 Stanley Cup Last and gained a championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991, simply 5 months earlier than dying of mind most cancers. Mathers is finest recognized for his 35-year relationship with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a participant, coach, normal supervisor, and president.
Odds & Ends
After scoring 20 objectives and 42 factors through the 1974-75 season, the Blues traded defenseman Larry Sacharuk on Sept. 21, 1975, to the Rangers for Bob MacMillan. Sacharuk by no means repeated that success as he performed in simply 44 video games over the following two seasons earlier than a short stint in WHA. MacMillan, a proper wing, scored 46 objectives and 129 factors in 187 video games for the Blues earlier than being traded to the Atlanta Flames.
On Sept. 21, 1988, the Kings and Vancouver Canucks performed a preseason recreation in Portland, OR. The Canucks earned a 4-3 extra time win, however the recreation is memorable as a result of Wayne Gretzky scored his first purpose as a member of the Kings, though it by no means formally counted within the document books.
The Ottawa Senators traded defenseman Sami Salo to the Canucks on Sept. 21, 2002, for left wing Peter Schaefer. Salo performed 566 video games for the Canucks over the following 9 seasons. Schaefer spent the following 4 seasons in Ottawa, scoring 53 objectives and 158 factors.
The Kings and Canucks performed one other memorable preseason recreation on Sept. 21, 2017. The 2 rivals met in Shanghai within the first-ever NHL recreation performed in China. Almost 11,000 followers watched the Kings win 5-2, due to a pair of objectives by Tanner Pearson.
Joyful Birthday to You
A complete of twenty-two present and former NHL gamers have been born on Sept. 21.
The primary was additionally the most effective as Howie Morenz was born, in Mitchell, Ontario, on this date in 1902. He earned the nickname “The Stratford Streak” due to his elite velocity whereas enjoying junior hockey in Stratford, Ontario. Morenz made his NHL debut with the Canadiens through the 1923-24 season and rapidly grew to become a star within the league. He used his velocity to excel at end-to-end rushes for the reason that ahead cross was in opposition to the foundations for a lot of his profession. After 253 objectives and 401 factors in 430 video games, Morenz was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1934. After a short stint with the Rangers, he returned to Montreal for the 1936-37 season.
On Jan. 28, 1937, Morenz’s profession ended when his leg was severely damaged after being hit whereas his skate was caught within the boards. He by no means left the hospital as a blood clot finally brought on his dying on March 8, 1937. He was a part of the Hockey Corridor of Fame’s first induction class in 1945.
Different notable gamers born on this date embrace Gord Dineen (62), Troy Loney (61), Bob Errey (60), Curtis Leschyshyn (55), and Nick Jensen (34).
*Initially constructed by Greg Boysen
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