Mogilny is Hall of Fame Worthy & Legacy of the Muskoka Five
Also, some "Today in Hockey History", top 3 all-time Canadiens goalies, and more.
Welcome to the THW Hockey History Substack newsletter, with all the best from our extensive archives.
In today’s edition, we have a few “Today in Hockey History” posts, a look back at the Toronto Maple Leafs and the legacy of the Muskoka Five, reasons why Alex Mogilny should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the top three goaltenders in Montreal Canadiens history, and more.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Today in Hockey History: Feb. 19
Three big-time hockey cities – Montreal, Edmonton, and Washington – all had plenty of memories on this date. Feb. 19 has also provided us with some great performances and milestones between the pipes. It is time for us to take our daily trip back through National Hockey League history and relive the best moments from this date.
The Maple Leafs and the Legacy of the Muskoka Five
Feb. 11, 2012 was a bittersweet night for Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Mats Sundin, the classy and consummate captain, was honoured with his #13 raised to the rafters. A familiar face in Tomas Kaberle took the ceremonial faceoff. The Maple Leafs squad was horribly overmatched on the night, losing 5-0 to the Montreal Canadiens.
A number of Maple Leafs had poor nights, and the loss only served to heighten speculation that trades could be made at the deadline to bolster the team’s playoff chances. But with Sundin and Kaberle (and other former Maple Leafs) in the building, the minds of some fans turned back to February 2008 and the legacy of The Muskoka Five.
Top 3 All-Time Canadiens Goalies
While the adage goes that defense wins championships, 17 goalies have won the Conn Smythe Trophy in NHL history compared to just 12 defensemen. Considering the Montreal Canadiens have won a league-high 24 Stanley Cups, that’s a lot of good goalies from which to choose when selecting the best in team history.
Granted, championships alone don’t necessarily dictate the skill level of whoever’s manning the crease. Just tell Carey Price. And, since we’re being honest, 17 centers have won the Conn Smythe. Nevertheless, when the league recently announced the 100 greatest NHL players ever, 24 had once suited up for the Canadiens. Of those, six were goalies.
Today in Hockey History: Feb. 18
Feb. 18 is remembered for numerous events the NHL had never seen before. In addition, some of the greatest players to skate in Boston had special moments and a whole slew of Hall of Famers added to their great careers. It is time to fire up the THW time machine and take a trip back through history and relive the best memories this date has to offer.
Alexander Mogilny Is Hockey Hall Of Fame Worthy
The fact that Alexander Mogilny has not received enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame is more than a bit perplexing. The man who was nicknamed “Magic” during his early years in Buffalo assembled perhaps the least considered storied career in the NHL. Fans and hockey historians are beginning to forget how talented he truly was.
While he is certainly not the only noteworthy HHOF snub, what Mogilny did since becoming hockey’s original Cold War defector needs to be given props. In what was reminiscent of a late-night spy movie, he slipped out of Stockholm, Sweden in 1989 at the end of the World Junior tournament and headed to Buffalo alongside Sabres executives.
Today in Hockey History: Feb. 17
The Great One had an infatuation with the number five, while 200 was another lucky number on this date in National Hockey League history. Also, there were multiple memories in Chicago, and some of the game’s early pioneers raised the bar. Let’s take our daily trip back in time to enjoy all the best moments Feb. 17 has given us.
Ranking the Islanders Jerseys
For the most part, when you think of the New York Islanders sweaters, you really only think of the blue home and white road sweaters that have been around since the 1972-73 season (minus the names on the back).
Since then, not much has changed on those uniforms, and honestly, that’s a wonderful thing. The home and road uniforms are classic-looking clean, traditional sweaters, and there is no need to change anything about them.
So this got us thinking, where do the Islanders sweaters throughout history rank? Let’s dive into the jersey history, starting with the worst, to the best.
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