A well-known face returned to Pittsburgh on this date, however this time as an proprietor. Additionally, there have been some large moments for a few the NHL’s earliest stars. Let’s start our every day journey again in time to relive all the highest moments from Sept. 1.
Lemieux Strikes to the Proprietor’s Field
On Sept. 1, 1999, the NHL Board of Governors authorized Mario Lemieux’s utility to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins, the staff that drafted him and for who he turned a celebrity.
Lemieux retired from taking part in simply over two years prior to creating the acquisition. The Penguins had been in critical monetary hassle presently, and Lemieux stepping in helped them stay in Pittsburgh. He deferred a lot of the $32 million nonetheless owed to him and converts it into fairness within the staff. That is the primary time in North American sports activities historical past the place a staff is owned by considered one of its former gamers.
(Picture by: Harry How/Getty Photos)
A bit over a 12 months later, on Dec. 27, 2000, Lemieux turned the primary proprietor to ever play for his staff. He additionally joined Gordie Howe and Man Lafleur as the one three gamers to skate in a recreation after being inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame.
Morenz Returns to Montreal
Hockey Corridor of Famer Howie Morenz is taken into account one of many first main stars within the NHL. Throughout his 11-season stint with the Montreal Canadiens, Morenz scored 253 objectives and 401 factors over 430 video games. He helped the Canadiens win three Stanley Cup championships, and on a person degree, he received three Hart Trophies for being voted the league’s most dear participant.
Simply previous to the 1934-35 seasons, Morenz was traded to the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. He scored a career-low six objectives in his first season with the Blackhawks earlier than being traded to the New York Rangers halfway by means of the 1935-36 season.
On Sept. 1, 1936, the Canadiens introduced Morenz again by buying his contract. He scored 4 objectives and 20 factors in 30 video games. On Jan. 28, 1937, his profession was ended by a horrific leg damage when his skate obtained caught within the boards, inflicting 4 separate fractures. Whereas nonetheless within the hospital, Morenz died from a coronary embolism brought on by blood clots in his injured leg. He was 34.
Odds & Ends
The Los Angeles Kings acquired defenseman Barry Beck on Sept. 1, 1989, from the Rangers for money. The 32-year-old defenseman was a veteran of 563 video games however hadn’t performed for 3 years. He retired following the 1985-86 season attributable to persistent shoulder accidents. He performed in 52 video games throughout the 1989-90 season earlier than retiring for good.
Longtime govt Brian Burke resigned as president and normal supervisor of the Hartford Whalers on Sept. 1, 1993, to grow to be the NHL’s govt vice chairman and director of hockey operations. He served because the league’s chief disciplinarian on this function till he stepped down in 1998 to grow to be the final supervisor (GM) of the Vancouver Canucks.
Head coach Paul Holmgren added GM to his job description after Burke left. He resigned as head coach on Nov. 16, 1993, to give attention to his entrance workplace duties. On March 30, 1994, he was fired after a drunk driving arrest and changed with Pierre McGuire.
On this similar day in 1993, the Buffalo Sabres acquired two-time Stanley Cup winner Craig Simpson from the Edmonton Oilers for winger Jozel Cierny and a fourth-round draft choose. Simpson had scored a minimum of 24 objectives in every of the earlier seven seasons, together with 56 in 1987-88. Nevertheless, accidents restricted him to 46 video games and 12 objectives over the following two seasons with the Sabres. Cierny solely performed in a single NHL recreation for the Oilers, and the draft choose was used on Jussi Tarvainen, who by no means performed within the league.
The Mighty Geese of Anaheim signed Paul Kariya to a three-year deal on Sept. 1, 1994. They drafted the long run Corridor of Famer with the fourth general choose of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He performed 47 video games the next seasons, scoring 18 objectives and 39 factors. He scored 300 objectives and 669 factors in 606 profession video games with the Geese earlier than signing with the Colorado Avalanche in 2003.
(Picture by: Brian Bahr/Getty Photos/NHLI)
The Phoenix Coyotes signed veteran free-agent ahead Greg Adams on Sept. 1, 1998. He scored 38 objectives and 89 factors over the following two seasons with the staff. He signed with the Florida Panthers in 2000 for a 17th and ultimate season within the NHL.
Thomas Vanek signed with the Canucks on Sept. 1, 2017. He scored 17 objectives and 41 factors in his 61 video games in Vancouver. On the 2018 NHL Commerce Deadline, Vanek was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jussi Jokinen and Tyler Motte, who was a giant contributor throughout the Canucks’ 2020 Stanley Cup playoff run.
Completely happy Birthday to You
There have been 20 gamers born on this date who performed within the NHL over time.
The primary was Corridor of Famer Didier Pitre, born in Valleyfield, Quebec, on Sept. 1, 1883. He was a star for the Canadiens within the Nationwide Hockey Affiliation earlier than the franchise joined the NHL. He earned the nickname “Cannonball” due to his velocity and booming slap shot and was a part of the Canadiens’ first Stanley Cup win in 1916. He spent 15 whole seasons with Montreal, taking part in in 127 NHL video games earlier than retiring in 1923.
The newest Sept. 1 birthday boy to play within the league was Otto Koivula. The 26-year-old Finnish-born winger made his league debut with the New York Islanders throughout the 2019-20 season. He has 4 factors in 28 NHL video games.
On Sept. 1, 1964, Brian Bellows had the most effective profession out of those 20 gamers. He performed in 1,118 video games with 5 completely different groups between 1987 and 1998. He scored 485 objectives and 1,022 factors and received a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993.
(Picture by B Bennett/Getty Photos)
Different notable gamers born on this date embody Dave Lumley (70), Alan Haworth (64), Norm Maciver (60), Mats Zuccarello (37), Gustav Nyquist (35), Tomas Nosek (32), and Nathan MacKinnon (29).
*Initially constructed by Greg Boysen
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