Worst Trades in NHL History & Little Known Facts About the Stanley Cup
Also, some "Today in Hockey History", top five greatest goaltenders, top 10 all-time European-born NHL forwards, and more.
Welcome to the THW Hockey History Substack newsletter, with all the best from our extensive archives.
Today in Hockey History: May 3
May 3 has seen quite a bit of National Hockey League history throughout the decades. Among the memorable moments include the first non-North American scoring champion, numerous overtime goals, and some great goaltending performances.
The Worst Trades in NHL History
Every NHL general manager wants to succeed. They want to build a roster that competes night in and night out. They want to win and raise the Stanley Cup. To that goal, they make trades to improve their respective squads. On most occasions, trades in the NHL work out well – both teams improve following the arrival of a new player(s) or assets. Weaknesses are addressed. Needs are fulfilled.
Little Known Facts About the Stanley Cup
Every hockey fan knows what the Stanley Cup is and hopes that their team will bring it home. Some even hope to be able to lift the coveted silver cup above their heads. What a lot of people don’t think about is the history behind the Cup. Most hockey fans know that Lord Stanley of Preston purchased the Cup and that every year one team wins it and now gets to take it back to their hometowns. But what about little-known facts. Like the fact that two babies were baptized in the Cup. Or how many women have their names on the Cup? And which team forgot they even won the Cup?
Today in Hockey History: May 2
There were quite a few memorable postseason moments to occur on this date throughout National Hockey League history. The final Stanley Cup champion before the expansion era was crowned, and there were plenty of wins in the City of Brotherly Love. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the best that May 2 has had to offer.
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The 5 Greatest Goaltenders in NHL History
Ranking goaltenders throughout the history of the NHL is an arduous task. Multiple factors must be considered: sheer dominance, longevity, impact on the sport, etc. For some, raw win and ring totals are more important than how those totals were achieved. With all of these factors in mind, let’s take a crack at ranking the five best goaltenders in NHL history:
Top 10 All-Time European-Born NHL Forwards
Europeans are having a bigger impact in the NHL now than ever before. Of the 1,022 players to play in at least one game this season, 299, or 29 percent, were born in Europe. Europeans have been at the pinnacle of success in recent seasons, winning seven of the past 10 Hart, Art Ross, and Norris Trophy winners. But European success in the NHL hasn’t just been recent.