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, the history of the LA Kings, the Canadiens great fan culture, the best NHL rookie seasons of all time, and the top Ukranians in NHL history.
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Today in Hockey History: Sept. 11
This date has been very busy over the years in the National Hockey League. There was the addition of two teams. The Hall of Fame officially began, multiple captains were named, a big international game was played, and exhibition contests took place all over the globe. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the top moments from Sept. 11.
Los Angeles Kings: The Foundation of Royalty
In March of 1965, NHL President Clarence Campbell began a formal process to expand the National Hockey League from six teams to an even dozen. The maneuver would see franchises placed in both the midwest and the west coast, in addition to the league’s already established “Original Six”.
Habs Have the Best Fan Culture in the League
The Montréal Canadiens occupy a position no other franchise in the National Hockey League occupies, and one only shared with a select few franchises across major sports. Alongside great teams like baseball’s New York Yankees, football’s Green Bay Packers, and the great soccer teams of Europe, the Canadiens form the pantheon of legendary franchises.
Today in Hockey History: Sept. 10
Sept. 10 has been a pretty busy date throughout NHL history. Two “Original 6” rivals made a trade that left only one side feeling good years later. A very successful general manager took the reins in New Jersey, and one of the most popular captains ever in Montreal announced his retirement. It is time to jump aboard the THW time machine to revisit all the great memories from this date.
The Best Rookie Seasons in NHL History
The National Hockey League has witnessed a number of sensational rookie campaigns throughout its storied history and this trend is set to continue. With the next squad of exceptional young stars, the NHL is stronger than ever in terms of elite young talent.
However, despite the incredible skills of these players, it is highly unlikely that any rookie this season will come close to the jaw-dropping success of various rookies in seasons past.
Today in Hockey History: Sept. 9
This date in hockey history saw some big moments in the NHL and on the international stage. Sept. 9 has been full of Hall of Fame players with induction ceremonies, trades, and retirements. So, let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the best moments this date has to offer.
Top-5 Ukrainians in NHL History
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, the NHL has found player representation from many countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. 1994 saw the first Russian-born players win the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers, and they have won Cups ever since. Additionally, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Belorussians have found names for themselves in North American rinks over the seasons. There is one country though that we North Americans have at times wrongfully attributed or grouped its players as being Russian, when they are not. We are talking about the Ukrainians of the NHL.