Old School Jerseys & Treliving's Best and Worst Trades as Flames GM
Also, some "Today in Hockey History", Penguins picks that didn't work out, ranking Flyers first rounders, and more.
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Welcome to the THW Hockey History Substack newsletter, with all the best from our extensive archives.
In today’s edition, we have a couple “Today in Hockey History” posts, remembering old school jerseys, Brad Treliving’s best and worst trades as Calgary Flames GM, Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks that didn’t work out, and more.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Today in Hockey History: Dec. 8
Dec. 8 has been a very unique date in National Hockey League history. It gave us the first goal that was actually shot into the net by a goaltender. It was also a big date for hockey-playing brothers, both as teammates and bitter enemies. In addition, there were some memories made in St. Louis. So, let’s get in our hockey time machine to travel through the decades.
Old School NHL Jerseys – Gone But Not Forgotten
Over the last decade-plus, NHL teams have been getting creative when redesigning their logos or creating their third alternate jerseys. New sleek designs have been on the rise lately, which beckons the question of what will happen to older jerseys as the years pass by.
Teams such as the Minnesota North Stars, Hartford Whalers, California Golden Seals, Quebec Nordiques, and Colorado Rockies might be gone from the NHL, but they certainly shouldn’t be erased from the memories of hockey fans. As a matter of fact, if one attends enough hockey games for a given NHL team, then chances are that they will run into most, if not all, of the jerseys shown below. Much in the same light, the new generation(s) of hockey fans also deserve to have a bit of hockey history embedded in their minds – even if that history is dictated through a team’s apparel.
Brad Treliving’s 5 Best & Worst Trades as Flames GM
Brad Treliving was just over a week short of hitting the nine-year mark as the Calgary Flames general manager (GM). He was hired in April 2014 after the team had missed the playoffs for five consecutive years. During his tenure as GM, the Flames made the postseason five times and finished with the second and third most points in franchise history. All that, and they won two playoff series.
It’s true that Treliving could only be accountable for so much, but he was responsible for how the team looked on the ice year in and year out. We will look at all his best and worst trades as GM over the nine years and how they all turned out for the Flames.
Today in Hockey History: Dec. 7
This was a significant date in Montreal as their greatest captain played his first game with the “C” on his sweater. There were numerous Hall of Famers who had big performances on this date in National Hockey League history, including one in Boston who had four memorable nights. So, let’s take a trip back in time to enjoy all the best moments from Dec. 7
6 Penguins Draft Picks That Didn’t Work Out in Pittsburgh
Every team has them. Players they took in a draft but went on to have success in other cities. Maybe the original team didn’t think the player was good enough, or they figured they could get a better return in a trade. Or maybe, they just let the rookie contract run out, and another team swooped in. Either way, these players are castoffs who went on to have stellar NHL careers with other teams.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are no stranger to this dilemma. Over the years, the organization has had plenty of talented players who just couldn’t find their groove in Pittsburgh. In other towns with different teams, these players would flourish into something special.
Flyers’ 10 Best First-Round Picks All-Time
The Philadelphia Flyers have had themselves their fair share of great first-round picks through the years, and since they are set to pick fifth overall this year, it’s a good time to take a look back at the best of the best that have helped the franchise.