NHL Dream Team & Oilers' McFarlane Jersey
Welcome to the THW Hockey History Substack newsletter, with all the best from our extensive archives.
In today’s edition, we have a couple of “Today in Hockey History” posts, an NHL dream team, a look back at the Edmonton Oilers’ McFarlane jersey, why the 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche are the best team in franchise history, and more.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Today in Hockey History: Nov. 1
Nov. 1 was a big date for one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. Plus, there were numerous memories for hockey fans in Boston, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. So, let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all the best moments from this date.
NHL Dream Team
Scenario: you wake up in the morning with the incredible urge to spend your own money on 31 National Hockey League jerseys, one from the history of each franchise. Which ones would you choose? More importantly, whose name would be on the back?
There’s a lot that would go into such decisions. Do you value raw statistics, or are you more concerned with popularity? What about intangibles, things like character and leadership? How do awards and championships factor in? And what if you’ve found the perfect player, but they played at a time when their team was wearing clown outfits?
Below is a definitely perfect guide to this definitely all-too-common situation. You’re welcome.
Oilers’ McFarlane Jersey Remains Divisive 20 Years Later
by Brian Swane
Oct. 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the Edmonton Oilers’ original third jersey. Designed by legendary comic book artist and writer Todd McFarlane, it was unveiled on Oct. 26, 2001, and the team wore it for the first time the next evening when they beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Hockey Night in Canada in Edmonton.
As you might expect from the man who created Spawn, the design was like something from another planet, one that was far, far away from Edmonton. Mostly navy with silver and white and featuring a lace-up collar, the jersey could not have been further from the Oilers esthetic. Predictably, the reaction was all over the place. Some fans loved it, some hated it, but no one was without opinion.
2021-22 Avalanche Are the Best Team in Franchise History
Although the 2021-22 edition of the Colorado Avalanche just missed out on collecting a second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy, their play this season has warranted comparisons to the heralded 2000-01 outfit. That year’s team held the previous franchise record for wins and points in a single campaign, both broken by the current collection of Avalanche talent. On top of their regular-season excellence, the 2021-22 group claimed the third Stanley Cup in franchise history, conquering the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Final, a team looking to cement their legacy as a modern-day dynasty with three consecutive titles.
It’s impossible to fully compare the two, but that won’t stop me from proclaiming the 2021-22 team as the best version ever iced in the franchise’s brief, but storied history. From successfully navigating unfortunate injury luck, boasting unparalleled offensive depth, and slaying a dynasty, coach Jared Bednar’s charges stand alone. Let’s dig into how the two squads – separated by two decades – compare in a number of regular-season and playoff statistical categories.
Today in Hockey History: Oct. 31
Halloween has provided us with plenty of (hat) tricks and treats throughout the history of the National Hockey League. The Great One haunted goaltenders across the league, while some of the biggest names to play in Montreal and New York had big nights on this date. So, let’s all hop aboard the THW time machine and revisit all the best moments from Oct. 31.