Greatest Hockey Legends.com

Jack Shill & The 1942 AHL All Star Game

2009-11-21T03:01:00.001-05:00

This is Jack Shill, a little known left winger who played 163 NHL games way back in the 1930s.Though he also played with Chicago (winning the Stanley Cup in 1938), Boston and the New York Americans, he is best known for playing in his hometown of Toronto with many teams, including the Maple Leafs.Shill rose to the professional ranks thanks to a great junior and senior career with the Toronto

Wings vs. Habs Tonight

2009-11-21T03:00:00.001-05:00

The Detroit Red Wings face the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night. It is the only time this season that the two Original Six rivals will face off.Because of the heavy inter-conference scheduling, these once great rivals rarely meet anymore.Montreal holds the decided advantage in the all time head-to-head record. In 565 regular season matches Montreal has won 270 while losing 199, one as an OTL.

Spanish Uprising?

2009-11-21T00:27:00.001-05:00

World of HockeyWhen you think of Spain you think of beaches, bullfighting and FC Barcelona, not hockey. But could Spain be making a move up in the hockey world?Hockey has been played in Spain since the early 1900s, thanks to outdoor ice in the Pyrenee Mountains. By the 1920s Spain joined the IIHF and even hosted 1924

Weekend Reading: Mike Liut

2009-11-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

Here's Mike Liut on the cover of Goal Magazine. Gotta love that mask.

2010 Olympic Hockey Books

2009-11-20T21:13:00.004-05:00

Looking to give the gift of Olympic Hockey this holiday season? There are several intriguing titles just in time not only for Christmas 2009, but also for February's 2010 Olympics. Let's take a look, courtesy Hockey Book Reviews.com.Canada's Olympic Hockey History, 1920-2010 by Andrew Podnieks.Home Ice: 2010 Olympic Hockey Guide by Lorna Schultz Nicholson.Let The Games Begin by Ralph Mellanby

Ovechkin Greatest LW Ever?

2009-11-20T12:22:00.004-05:00

So I'm making my morning rounds around the blogosphere and I find (via Kukla's Korner) this feature where Adam Proteau of The Hockey News agrees Alexander Ovechkin is the greatest left winger in the history of hockey.I then spit my Rice Krispies all over my computer monitor!Let me introduce all you youngin's to a fellow named Bobby Hull:913 major league goals. Only Gordie (975) and Wayne Gretzky

Long Live The Nordiques . . . in the swimming pool?

2009-11-20T01:35:00.001-05:00

The classic rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and now defunct Quebec Nordiques continues to linger, thanks to Canada's national synchronized swimming team.For an upcoming FINA World Trophy competition hockey will be used in the thematic duet competition, where Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon of Riviere-du-loup, Que., and Chloe Isaac of Brossard, Que., will swim a routine that uses plastic sticks,

Ask The Hockey History Blogger

2009-11-20T00:04:00.001-05:00

Besides Wayne Gretzky, who else has worn #99 in NHL history?This is a pretty common question I get. The answer is 5 other players wore #99, including two who wore it at the same time as Gretzky in the early 1980s.The first occurrence of number 99 came way back during the 1934-1935 NHL season. The Montreal Canadians had three players wear #99: Joe Lamb, Desse Roche and Leo Bourgault. The story

Classic Snap Shot: Terry Sawchuk

2009-11-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

Terry Sawchuk steps in front of Claude Provost to clear the puck

Fedorov, Graves Added

2009-11-19T13:54:00.001-05:00

I've been adding many player profiles this week. The two most recent additions are names everyone will be quite familiar with - Sergei Fedorov and Adam Graves.

The Crazy Story of Detroit's 1943 Stanley Cup Championship Rings

2009-11-19T00:10:00.003-05:00

These are Carl Liscombe's 1943 Stanley Cup championship rings:Liscombe was the MVP of the Wings' 1943 Stanley Cup championship, playing on the top line with Syd Howe and Mud Bruneteau. In the playoffs he led all scorers with 6 goals and 8 assists in 10 games.According to the attached letter of authenticity, Liscombe's 14 karat, size 9 ring's flat rectangular face features crossed hockey sticks

Classic Snap Shot: Brad Marsh

2009-11-19T00:00:00.001-05:00

An awkward though powerful skating style unfairly gave Brad Marsh the reputation of being a skater slower than a tax refund cheque.In actuality he was one of the best, if unheralded, defensive defensemen of his time.Here's the full Brad Marsh biography.

Player Of The Decade?

2009-11-18T00:48:00.000-05:00

History suggests the best hockey player of each decade is pretty easy to decipher.In the 1950s it was between Gordie Howe and Rocket Richard. In the 1960s it was Bobby Hull. In the 1970s it was Bobby Orr until his knees wore out, then Guy Lafleur. In the 1980s it was all Wayne Gretzky. Mario Lemieux took the torch and was the dominant player of the 1990s.Since Lemieux the torch has been touched

Classic Snap Shot: Canada Cup 1987

2009-11-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it was game 2 highlighted. Today, the winning goal in game 3. Photo: Blaise Edwards/Canadian Press

Shanny's The Man

2009-11-17T20:08:00.002-05:00

Without doubt today's Greatest Hockey Legend has to be Brendan Shanahan, who officially announced his retirement today after 21 NHL seasons.He retires as the only man to score over 600 goals (656) and accumulate over 2000 penalty minutes (2489), as well as the all time leader in Gordie Howe hat tricks with 17.Which begs the question - where does Shanny fit in on the NHL's list best power forward

Howie Morenz's Death Bed

2009-11-17T01:26:00.002-05:00

It is one of the most stirring images in hockey history. Howie Morenz, the NHL's first superstar, lying in his death bed.Tragedy struck on the night of January 28, 1937. Howie Morenz suffered a horrific injury. He broke 4 bones in his left leg and ankle in a game against Chicago. He was tripped in the corner of the rink and somehow his skate got lodged into the boards. Chicago defenseman Earl

Top Ten Goals

2009-11-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at the top goals in NHL history:

Classic Snap Shot: 1987 Canada Cup

2009-11-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Who will ever forget this overtime moment from game 2 of the 1987 Canada Cup finals:

Pelle Lindbergh: Behind The White Mask

2009-11-16T19:17:00.002-05:00

Over at Hockey Book Reviews.com, I take a look at Thomas Tynander's hit title Pelle Lindbergh: Behind The White Mask.This book was released in Swedish only in 2006, and it subsequently was a best seller. Bill Meltzer has translated the book for English audiences.The book looks at Pelle Lindbergh, the human being as much as Pelle Lindbergh, the hockey icon. The book does not try to hide anything

Glennie's Olympic Gaffe

2009-11-16T00:04:00.006-05:00

When you think of international hockey, you think of nimble skaters and passing fancies, not lumbering, hard hitting defensemen like Brian Glennie. He, too, had Olympic dreams, and he almost risked a NHL career to achieve it.Glennie was a junior star with the 1967 Memorial Cup champion Toronto Marlies. But he resisted the temptation to turn pro with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who won the Stanley

Classic Snap Shot: Wayne Gretzky

2009-11-16T00:01:00.001-05:00

I just love that photo of Wayne Gretzky and Phil Esposito after the game where Gretzky breaks Espo's single season goal scoring record. Here's a couple more early classics of a young Gretz getting know hockey's legends:Wayne and Walter make friends with Gordie Howe, Rocket Richard and Mssrs. Trophy, Art Ross and Hart:Friends across continents and political spectrums, Gretz and Vladislav Tretiak:

Mikita's Unconventional 2 on 1

2009-11-16T00:00:00.001-05:00

The 1972 Summit Series provided many unforgettable moments, but there is one little known memory that Stan Mikita and Brian Glennie will never forget.The veteran Mikita (who only got into 2 Summit games) and youngster Glennie (0 games) formed an unlikely bond that September. A couple of days before the opening game in Montreal neither was named to the opening day roster. It was no surprise for

I Found Bobby Orr

2009-11-15T00:31:00.003-05:00

Stephen Brunt may be "Searching For Bobby Orr," but I found him. He's in Prince George, BC this weekend. He and Cassie Campbell are here with Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey, which teaches youth about the values of respect and responsibility on the ice.I'm in P.G., too, though not for any hockey related reason (nor curling either, as the Canadian Olympic curling qualifications are here this weekend

Weekend Reading: Henri Richard

2009-11-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a Hockey Illustrated magazine from 1964 with Henri Richard on the cover.Henri Richard is interestingly portrayed in the new children's book The Rocket by Mike Leonetti. Be sure to check that out courtesy of HockeyBookReviews.com

Classic Snap Shot: Hulls & Gretz

2009-11-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

What a line this would have been: Wayne Gretzky centering Bobby Hull on LW and Brett Hull on RW!