Oct. 7 has been a particularly busy date in NHL historical past, beginning in 1954 all the way in which till 2017. Three groups made their NHL debuts, a complete number of private milestones had been hit, captains had been named, and there was even a quantity retired. So, let’s start our day by day journey again in time to relive all the very best recollections from this date.
A Trio of League Debuts
The brand-new Nassau Coliseum hosted a pair of debuting groups on Oct. 7, 1972, because the New York Islanders hosted the Atlanta Flames within the first NHL sport for each franchises. Morris Stefaniw scored the primary aim in Flames historical past, which additionally occurred to be the one aim of his NHL profession. Ed Westfall was the first-ever Islander to seek out the again of the online. Nevertheless, the Flames spoiled the massive night time on Lengthy Island with a 3-2 win because of third-period targets by Bobby Leiter and Rey Comeau.
Precisely 20 years later, the Tampa Bay Lightning made their NHL debut on Oct. 7, 1992. The Lightning hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on the previous Expo Corridor in Tampa, FL, and handled the gang to an thrilling 7-3 victory. Chris Kontos scored the primary two targets in franchise historical past and ended the night time with 4 in whole. Defenseman Joe Reekie added 4 assists within the large win, one in every of simply 23 throughout their inaugural season.
A Plethora of Private Milestones
Jaromir Jagr scored the primary aim of his NHL profession on Oct. 7, 1990, in simply his second sport. The tally got here within the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 7-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Pat Lafontaine led the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-3 win on the Boston Bruins on Oct. 7, 1993, with a pair of targets. They had been the 99th and 100th targets since coming over from the Islanders in 1991.
On Oct. 7, 1995, Ron Francis scored two targets to provide him 350 in his profession. He additionally had two assists within the Penguins’ 8-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. That very same night time, Mario Lemieux performed within the 600th sport of his profession after a 17-month absence. He had 4 assists within the blowout victory.
Additionally, on this date in 1995, Cam Neely scored a hat trick on the opening night time for the second straight season. He scored as soon as in every interval throughout a 4-4 tie with the Islanders. He grew to become the primary participant ever to have hat tips in a couple of season-opening sport.
A busy night time in 1995 was capped off when Brett Hull picked up an help for the 700th level of his profession. The helper got here on the St. Louis Blues’ lone aim in a 4-1 loss on the Washington Capitals.
On Oct. 7, 1999, a pair of non-public milestones had been met within the Detroit Crimson Wings’ 7-1 win over the growth Atlanta Thrashers. Chris Chelios picked up his 800th profession level with an help. On the time, he was simply the eleventh defenseman ever to attain 800 factors and the 99th participant general. Additionally, Sergei Fedorov tallied the 400th and 401st assists of his profession within the victory.
The Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-3, on Oct. 7, 2000. Within the sport, Chicago middle Alexei Zhamnov scored a power-play aim for the five hundredth level of his profession.
Alex Ovechkin made historical past on Oct. 7, 2017, within the Capitals’ 6-1 win versus the Montreal Canadiens. He scored 4 targets, together with three within the first interval, to develop into the primary participant in 100 years to have a hat trick in every of his first two video games to begin a season. On this similar sport, Washington ahead Nathan Walker scored the primary aim of his NHL profession on the night time he grew to become the primary Australian-born participant to ever skate in a regular-season sport.
A Historic Night time in 1976
The 1976-77 second began on Oct. 7, 1976, with a slew of memorable moments.
First, the Canadiens beat the Penguins 10-1 on the previous Discussion board to increase their opening night time unbeaten streak to 14, going 10-0-4 throughout this span. Steve Shutt scored twice to provide him 100 profession NHL targets, and he additionally had an help. Talking of assists, Pete Mahovlich had 4 of them.
Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita had a aim in a 6-4 win on the St. Louis Blues to develop into simply the third participant in NHL historical past to attain 1,300 factors. This milestone got here precisely 17 years after he scored the primary aim of his profession in opposition to the New York Rangers on Oct. 7. 1959. This was additionally Bobby Orr’s first sport with the Blackhawks. He scored a aim and added an help in his debut.
Lastly, Rick Middleton made his debut with Orr’s previous group, the Bruins, after being acquired from the Rangers. He scored his second profession hat trick as Boston rolled previous the Minnesota North Stars, 6-2.
New Captains Named
The Crimson Wings named Steve Yzerman their group captain on Oct. 7, 1986. At simply 21 years previous, he was their youngest captain in franchise historical past. He grew to become their longest-serving captain as he wore the “C” on his sweater till his retirement following the 2005-06 season.
On Oct. 7, 1991, Mark Messier was named the 22nd group captain in Rangers’ franchise historical past, changing Kelly Kisio. He served the position till he signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 1997. When Messier returned to New York in 2000, he was reinstated as captain till he retired in 2004.
Olli Jokinen was named captain of the Florida Panthers on Oct. 7, 2003, changing Pavel Bure. He was the fourth participant to put on the “C” in franchise historical past. He remained as captain till 2008 when he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes.
A Massive Date for Goaltenders
Martin Brodeur earned the seventh shutout of his profession on Oct. 7, 1995, in a 4-0 blanking of the Panthers. This set the file for probably the most shutouts in New Jersey Devils’ historical past. Brodeur went on to file 124 shutouts in a Devils uniform. His franchise and league information are protected as Cory Schneider is second all-time in New Jersey historical past with 17 shutouts.
On that very same night time, the Canadiens retired the No. 1 worn by goaltending legend Jacques Plante. He gained 314 video games and had 58 shutouts throughout his 11 seasons in Montreal. He was part of six Stanley Cup championships, together with 5 in a row between 1956 and 1960.
When Ron Tugnutt took the ice for the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 7, 2000, he grew to become simply the third goaltender to play for seven completely different NHL groups. He performed for an eighth group earlier than he retired in 2004. Along with the Blue Jackets, Tugnutt performed for the Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Mighty Geese of Anaheim, Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Penguins, and Dallas Stars throughout his 16-season profession.
On that very same night, Ron Low grew to become the primary former goaltender in league historical past to educate two completely different NHL groups when he made his head teaching debut for the Rangers. New York beat the Thrashers 2-1 to open the 2000-01 season. Low had beforehand been the top coach of the Oilers, one of many six groups he suited up for throughout his taking part in profession.
On Oct. 7, 2001, Arturs Irbe recorded his one hundredth victory with the Carolina Hurricanes and his thirty first profession shutout in a 3-0 win over the visiting Stars.
Odds & Ends
The Crimson Wings defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1 on Oct. 7, 1954, to increase their unbeaten streak on opening night time to fifteen video games. That they had 14 wins and one tie throughout this streak. In the meantime, in Montreal, Maurice Richard scored two targets and had two assists within the Canadiens’ 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.
Oct. 7, 1983, was a loopy night time within the NHL. First, Jari Kurri earned 4 assists within the second interval of the Oilers’ 8-6 win on the Winnipeg Jets. In Vancouver, the Canucks and North Stars performed a wild sport. The 2 groups mixed for 10 power-play targets earlier than the Canucks gained 10-9 on a shorthanded aim by Patrik Sundstrom.
On Oct. 7, 1996, the Flyers beat the Devils 3-1 in Philadelphia for his or her 700th residence win in franchise historical past. They grew to become the primary post-1967 NHL group to file 700 residence victories.
On that very same night time, Mike Gartner scored his 18th profession hat trick within the Coyotes’ 5-2 win on the Bruins. This was the second sport and first win for the Coyotes after they relocated from Winnipeg. After dropping their opening night time sport 1-0 to the Hartford Whalers, Gartner’s first aim was the first-ever scored by a Coyote.
Luc Robitaille scored his 14th profession hat trick and added an help on Oct. 7, 1999, because the Kings beat the Lightning, 5-2, in Tampa Bay.
Shane Willis grew to become the primary rookie in Hurricanes group historical past to file three factors in a season opener on Oct. 7, 2000. He had a aim and two assists in a 3-3 tie in opposition to the visiting Capitals.
The Oilers traded former primary general decide, Nail Yakupov, on Oct. 7, 2016, to the Blues for prospect Zach Pochiro, who has by no means performed within the NHL. Yakupov was a bust in Edmonton with simply 50 targets and 111 factors in 252 video games. He had simply three targets and 9 factors in St. Louis. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche the next offseason, the place he performed for one season earlier than heading again to his native Russia.
The Vegas Golden Knights grew to become the primary growth group in 50 years to win their first two video games, on Oct. 7, 2017, by beating the Coyotes 2-1. James Neal scored the game-winning aim for the second straight night time. They joined the 1967-68 Oakland Seals and Kings as the one growth groups to begin with two victories.
On this date in 2022, the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks opened their 2022-23 seasons in Prague, Czechia as a part of the NHL International Collection. It was the primary time the Predators had performed in Europe whereas the Sharks had 4 earlier video games below their belt. They matched up in opposition to the Blue Jackets twice in Stockholm and the Flames in Tokyo in 1998. Nino Niederreiter scored in his debut with the Predators as they took down the Sharks 4-1.
Comfortable Birthday to You
A complete of 19 present and former NHL gamers had been born on Oct. 7. The primary was additionally the lone Hockey Corridor of Famer of the group. Born on this date in 1901, Frank Boucher performed 557 video games for the unique Senators and Rangers, scoring 160 targets and 424 factors.
The newest birthday boy to seem within the league was Nikolay Goldobin, turning 29 at present, when he made his debut for the San Jose Sharks in 2016.
Different notable gamers born on this date embrace Brian Sutter (68), Scottie Upshall (41), Josh Manson (33), Oscar Fantenberg (33), Kerby Rychel (30), and the late Gary Bergman and Jacques Richard.
*Initially constructed by Greg Boysen
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