Famous Momenst in October

Wayne Gretzky – October 1

1999 – Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers). Gretzky’s jersey number 99 was retired by Edmonton Oilers on October 1, 1999. Three years later, on October 9, 2002, Gretzky’s 99 was retired by Los Angeles Kings. Originally, Wayne Gretzky wanted to wear number 9 (because of Gordie Howe) but this number was already worn by his team-mate in Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, an OMJHL team.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu7PhQRMN3M

Mats Sundin – October 4

1990 – Mats Sundin (Quebec Nordiques) scored his first career goal in the NHL on October 4, 1990. This great ice hockey player from Sweden won Olympic gold medal in 2006 and has 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 2 bronze medal from World Championships. In 2012, Mats Sundin was introduced to the NHL Hall of Fame and in 2013 Mats Sundin was introduced to the IIHF Hall of Fame.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MzBcaakY1Q

Artūrs Irbe – October 7

2001 – Artūrs Irbe (Carolina Hurricanes, Latvia) recorded his 31st career shutout in the NHL on October 7, 2001. This Latvian goaltender won two gold medals in the World Championship 1989 and 1990 where Irbe represented Soviet Union. Artūrs Irbe was introduced to the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmns42ykNjI

Gordie Howe – October 8

1946 – Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) signed contract with the Detroit Red Wings on October 8, 1946. In the whole NHL career, Gordie Howe scored 801 goals. Howe won 4 Stanley Cups (1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955), all of them with Detroit Red Wings. He is nicknamed Mr. Hockey and he is regarded as one of the best players in the hockey history. He retired when he was 53 year old. In his last season 1979/80, Gordie Howe was 53 years old and still, he was able to score 15 goals and add 26 assists in 80 matches. The term Gordie Howe Hat Trick means that player is able to score a goal, record an assist and get in a fight in one single game. It is a reference to Howe, because he was great player and he liked to fight. However, in his career, Howe recorded only two Gordie Howe Hat Tricks. The all time leader is Brendan Shanahan with 17 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks. Watch Ilya Kovalchuk’s Gordie How Hat Trick:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAxhlmZzdfs

Thomas Sandström, NHL Lockout – October 11

2012 – During the NHL lockout 6 NHL players met in one match in Czech Extraleague – Jaromír Jágr (Dallas Stars), Tomáš Plekanec (Montreal Canadiens), Tomáš Kaberle (Montreal Canadiens), Jiří Tlustý (Carolina Hurricanes), Marek Židlický (New Jersey Devils) – all for Rytíři Kladno and Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins) for Škoda Plzeň. Jaromír Jágr met on the ice also with former teammate from Pittsburgh Penguins Martin Straka (Škoda Plzeň).

1984 – Thomas Sandström (New York Rangers) scored his first career goal in NHL on October 11, 1984 in a 4-4 Rangers tie vs Hartford.

Jaroslav Drobný – October 12

1921 – Jaroslav Drobný (Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia) was born on October 12, 1921. He won gold medal on World Ice Hockey Championship in 1947 and silver medal on Olympic ice hockey tournament in London 1948. He also won Wimbledon in 1954 (in his emigration as a representative of Egypt)! He is member of IIHF Hall of Fame and International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Mark Messier amd Henrik Zetterberg – October 13

1979 – Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers) scored his first career goal in NHL on October 13, 1979 in 3-3 Oilers tie vs Detroit Red Wings. Mark Messier played for Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He is member of NHL Hockey Hall of Fame.

2002 – Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings) scored his first career goal in NHL on October 13, 2002 in 4-2 Red Wings win over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He is member of Triple Gold Club (this is a group of ice hockey players and coacher who were able to win an Olympic Games gold medal, a World Championship gold medal and the Stanley Cup).

David Schultz and LA Kings – October 14

1949 – David William “The Hammer” Schultz (Canada) was born on October 14, 1949. He is owner of the NHL record for most penalty minutes in a single season (472 minutes in the season 1974-75). 1967 – Los Angeles Kings played their first NHL game on October 14, 1967. They won 4-2 over Philadelphia Flyers.

Mario Lemieux – October 15

1988 – Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) scored 2 goals and added 6 assists to gain incredible 8 points in one game (St. Louis Blues vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 2-9). The overall NHL record for most points in one game is held by Darryl Sittler (Toronto Maple Leafs) who scored 6 goals and added 4 assists on February 7, 1976.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu1Hq-13JcY

Paul Kariya – October 16

1974 – Paul Kariya (Canada) was born on October 16, 1974. Paul Kariya is gold medal winner from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and gold medal winner from the 1994 World Championship in Italy.

Ken Morrow, Mario Lemieux, Dough Gilmor and Paul Ranheim – October 17

1956 – Ken Morrow (USA) was born on October 17, 1956. New York Islanders player won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1980 (Miracle on Ice). In his career, he won 4 Stanley Cups with New York Islanders in 1980-1983.

1989 – Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) scored his 22nd hattrick on October 17, 1989.

1989 – Doug Gilmour and Paul Ranheim (both Calgary Flames) scored shorthanded goals just four seconds apart in 8-8 tie game with Quebec Nordiques and set an NHL record.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZlP748K_vs

Kjell Samuelsson, Phil Esposito, Jari Kurri, Wayne Gretzky – October 18

1958 – Kjell Samuelsson (Sweden) was born on October 18, 1958. Samuelsson won Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992.

1979 – Phil Esposito (New York Rangers) scored his final, 32nd, hat trick in the NHL career on October, 1979. Back in 1979, this was all-time record. Current record is hold by Wayne Gretzky: 50 hat tricks in career.

1980 – Jari Kurri (Edmonton Oilers) scored his first career goal in the NHL on October 18, 1980 in a 5-5 tie between Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders.

1984 – Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) scored his 29th career hat trick on October 18, 1984 and led Oilers to a 7-5 win over Minnesota North Stars. In his whole career, he scored 50 hat tricks (NHL record).

Maurice Richard – October 19

1957 – Maurice “Rocket” Richard (Montreal Canadiens) is the first NHL player who scored 500 goals. Maurice Richard scored his 500th goal on October 19, 1957.

Martin Brodeur – October 20

1993 – Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) recorded his first career NHL shutout in 4-0 Devils win over Anaheim Mighty Ducks on October 20, 1993. Now, Martin Brodeur is the rocord holder for most shutouts in the whole NHL history, as of 2013, Martin Brodeur recorded 121 shutouts.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOz4qXDRO5w

Phil Esposito – October 21

1979 – Phil Esposito (New York Rangers) became just the second player in the NHL history who achieved 1 500 points on October 21, 1979. Phil Esposito won Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972 with Boston Bruins. The first player who was able to achieve 1 500 points is Gordon “Gordie” Howe, Mr. Hockey.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=391-Blebyuo

Bobby Hull – October 22

1957 – Robert Marvin Hull, or Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) scored his first goal in the NHL on October 22, 1957. Bobby Hull is the first NHL player who scored more than 50 goals in one season (on March 12, 1966) and third player in the history of NHL who was able to score 50 goals in one season. The first one was Maurice Richard, The Rocket, in the season 1944-45 and the second one was Bernie Geoffrion, Boom Boom, in the season 1960-61.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyMwd1XvLd0

Mark Messier – October 23

1998 – Mark Messier (Vancouver Canucks) became the 10th player in the history of NHL to score 600 career goals on October 23, 1998. Mark Messier scored in his whole NHL career 694 goals in regular seasons and added 109 goals in playoffs.

Mike Bossy – October 24

1988 – Mike Bossy (Canada, New York Islanders) announced his retirement on October 24, 1988 in only 31 years due to a bad back. He is considered as one of the best ice hockey players in the history. He spend his whole NHL career in New York Islanders and in the first 9 seasons (out of his 10 seasons) Bossy scored more than 50 goals. This is still NHL record in most consecutive 50+ goal seasons. We recall that Wayne Gretzky scored more than 50 goals 9 times in his whole career. Mike Bossy won 4 Stanley Cups with New York Islanders in seasons 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1982-83.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROGrf6aYjI

Mike Eruzione and Tony Esposito – October 25

1954 – Mike Eruzione (USA) was born on October 25, 1954. He won, as a captain, Olympic Gold Medal in 1980 at Lake Placid. Mike Eurizione scored the winning goal at time 50:00 in the game known as Miracle on Ice and thanks to his goal USA defeated USSR 4-3. Mike Eruzione never played in the NHL. He retired after the Olympics. 1969 – Tony Esposito (Chicago Black Hawks) recorded his first shutout in the NHL on October 25, 1969. In his second season, 1969-70, Tony Esposito recorder 15 shutouts and he still holds NHL record for most shutouts for rookie goaltender. He is known as Tony ‘O’, because of his record. Tony Esposito is member of the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame.

Wayne Gretzky – October 26

1990 – Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) recorded an assist as the Los Angeles Kings loss 6-2 to Winnipeg Jets at Winnipeg. Thanks to this assist, Wayne Gretzky became the first NHL player to reach 2000 points in career.

Mike Ricci – October 27

1971 – Mike Ricci (Canada) was born on October 27, 1971. Mike Ricci scored 5 goals as Quebec Nordiques won 8-2 over San Jose Sharks in Quebec on February 17, 1994. In NHL history, we have seen only 60 games where some player was able to score 5 or more goals (Joe Malone was able to score 5 or more goals 5 times).

Terry Sawchuk – October 28

1962 – Terry Sawchuk (Detroit Red Wings) recorded his 100th shutout in the NHL (including playoffs) on October 28, 1962 as the Red Wings won 2-0 over Toronto Maple Leaves. Terry Sawchuk recorded 115 shutouts in his careers (103 in regular season and 12 in playoffs), he won 4 times Stanley Cup (1952, 1954, 1955 and 1967) and he is 4 times winner of Vezina Trophy (1952, 1953, 1955 and 1965). In 1971, Terry Sawchuk was introduced to the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame.

Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio – October 29

1970 – Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) became the first player in NHL to obtain 1 000 career assists on October 29, 1970. Current record is held by Wayne Gretzky, he recorded 1963 assists, or 2223 assists including playoffs, in his career.

1970 – Alex Delvecchio (Detroit Red Wings) reached, as the fifth player in the NHL history, 400 goals in NHL on October 29, 1970. Both famous moments were spotted in 5-3 Detroit Red Wings victory over Boston Bruins, played in Detroit.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMszVNNpT4g

Marc-Andre Fleury – October 30

2003 – Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins) recorded his first career shutout on October, 2003 in the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He won gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver with team Canada.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqHtFkCEijE

Marcel Dionne – October 31

1987 – Marcel Dionne (New York Rangers) scored his 700th goal in the NHL on October 31, 1987 and he became the third player in the NHL history to reach 700 goals. He was introduced to the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. In his career, he scored 731 goals and added 1040 assists in regular seasons and 21 goals and 24 assists in playoffs. With 731 goals, Marcel Dionne is 4th in goals (after Wayne Gretzky – 894, Gordie Howe – 801 and Brett Hull – 741).

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqBmeAPrxlc