Sept. 17 has been a really busy day in NHL historical past. One franchise performed in its first-ever recreation, whereas a future Corridor of Famer made his league debut. Plus, two of the very best aim scorers to ever lace up a pair of skates are celebrating one other journey across the solar. So. let’s take our each day journey again in time to revisit all of the reminiscences from this date.
Sabres Make League Debut
The Buffalo Sabres took to the ice for the primary time in franchise historical past on Sept. 17, 1970, as they ready for his or her inaugural season. They skated to a 4-4 tie with the New York Rangers in a recreation performed in Peterborough, Ontario. Billy Inglis scored the primary aim in Sabres historical past, one thing he didn’t do in 14 profession regular-season video games in Buffalo.
The Sabres made their official league debut with a 2-1 win on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 10, 1970. They performed their first house recreation, on the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, on Oct. 15, 1970, however the occasion was spoiled in a 3-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. They went 24-39-15 of their first season beneath head coach Punch Imlach.
Lafleur’s Spectacular Begin
Man Lafleur skated in his first NHL recreation, on Sept. 17, 1971, after being the primary total choose of the 1971 NHL Beginner Draft. He picked up three assists in a Canadiens 7-4 preseason victory over the rival Boston Bruins.
Lafleur made a right away impression with 29 objectives and 64 factors in his rookie season of 1971-72. He grew to become a celebrity when he scored 53 objectives in 1974-75. This began a streak of six straight seasons of not less than 50 objectives, together with 60 in 1977-78. Lafleur scored 518 objectives and 1,246 for the Canadiens earlier than retiring in 1985. He got here out of retirement in 1988 to play three extra seasons; one for the Rangers, adopted by two extra with the Quebec Nordiques.
Odds & Ends
The Atlanta Flames signed ahead Paul Henderson on Sept. 17, 1979, after spending the earlier 5 seasons within the World Hockey Affiliation (WHA). Henderson, who’s most remembered for his big aim within the 1972 Summit Collection, performed simply 30 video games for the Flames, scoring six objectives and 13 factors. He retired with 236 objectives and 477 factors in 707 profession NHL video games.
After a profitable faculty profession at Princeton, ahead Randy Wooden signed with the New York Islanders on Sept. 17, 1986. He performed 381 video games for the Islanders, scoring 94 objectives and 172 factors. He additionally hung out with Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars earlier than retiring after 11 seasons.
On Sept. 17, 1991, the Canadiens traded heart Andrew Cassels to the Hartford Whalers for a second-round choose within the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. They used that choose to pick out Valeri Bure, the youthful brother of Corridor of Famer Pavel Bure. He scored 46 objectives and 110 factors in 215 video games for the Canadiens. Cassels performed 438 video games for the Whalers, scoring 97 objectives and 350 factors, earlier than being traded to the Calgary Flames in 1997.
The Mighty Geese of Anaheim acquired ahead Scott Younger from the Colorado Avalanche on Sept. 17, 1997, in trade for a third-round choose within the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Younger had 13 objectives and 33 factors in his lone season with the Geese. He signed with the St. Louis Blues the next offseason, the place he had a profitable run, together with 40 objectives through the 2000-01 season. The Avalanche traded the choose to the Florida Panthers, and so they drafted defenseman Lance Ward, who finally spent two seasons in Anaheim.
The Maple Leafs acquired Michael Grabner on Sept. 17, 2015, for what many felt was a king’s ransom on the time. They despatched Carter Verhaeghe, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson, Taylor Beck, and Matt Finn to the Islanders for the speedy ahead. Grabner performed only one season in Toronto, scoring 9 objectives and 18 factors.
On Sept. 17, 2018, the Panthers named Aleksander Barkov their new captain. He was the tenth participant in franchise historical past to put on the “C” on his sweater, changing Derek MacKenzie.
On Sept. 17, 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Islanders, 2-1, in extra time of Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention Closing. A pair of defensemen scored within the first interval, with Devon Toews giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead, solely to be answered by Victor Hedman two minutes later. The sport remained tied till Anthony Cirelli scored at 13:18 of extra time to place the Lightning into the Stanley Cup Closing for the third time in franchise historical past.
Comfortable Birthday to You
A formidable group of 25 present and former NHL gamers have been born on Sept. 17. The primary was Frank Ingram, who was born on this date in 1907. He performed in 99 video games for the Chicago Blackhawks through the Thirties and scored 24 objectives and 40 factors. The newest is San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro, who’s celebrating his twenty fifth birthday in the present day.
It isn’t a matter of if, however reasonably when, Alex Ovechkin will change into the primary Corridor of Famer born on this date. The celebrity was born on Sept. 17, 1985, in Moscow, Russia. He was drafted first total by the Washington Capitals in 2004, perpetually altering the franchise.
He gained the Calder Trophy for being the highest rookie of the 2005-06 season after scoring 52 objectives and 106 factors. Since then he has gained three Hart Trophies (league MVP), 9 Rocket Richard Trophies (most objectives) and one Artwork Ross Trophy (most factors). In 2018, he gained the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the playoff MVP through the Capitals’ run to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory.
Ovechkin is likely one of the most prolific aim scorers in league historical past. He has 18 seasons of not less than 30 objectives and would have had a nineteenth if the 2020-21 season had not been shortened as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. He at the moment has 853 profession objectives and is now one among solely three gamers to attain 800 objectives, becoming a member of legends Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky within the feat.
Ovechkin isn’t the one first-overall choose born on this date. Auston Matthews, the primary participant chosen within the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, is popping 26 in the present day. He made a right away impression by scoring 4 objectives in his NHL debut, on Oct. 12, 2016, versus the Ottawa Senators. He gained the 2017 Calder for scoring 40 objectives and 69 factors in his rookie season. He has 368 objectives and 649 factors in his first eight NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs. He additionally has three Rocket Richard Trophies and in 2021-22 gained his first Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award. He shares a birthday together with his former head coach, Sheldon Keefe, who was born on Sept. 17, 1980.
Different notable gamers born on Sept. 17 embody Gene Carr (73), Grant Mulvey (68), Scott Arniel (62), Valeri Zelepukin (56), Rob Zamuner (55), Shawn Horcoff (46), Mason Raymond (39), and Nikolai Prohorkin (31).
*Initially constructed by Greg Boysen
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