Nitzy's Hockey Den

Through a dozen games of the 2023/24 season, Auston Matthews leads the NHL with 13 goals. He is the first Maple Leaf with at least that many goals in the first 12 games since Rick Vaive had 14 almost exactly 40 years ago.  Matthews has 4 multiple-goal games in his first dozen (including 3 hat-tricks) but has been kept scoreless in half of the games. Forty years ago, Vaive scored in 8 of 12 games with only one hat-trick and five multi-goal games.  NHL scoring leaders on November 1, 1983. On Nov. 1, 1983, Vaive was one goal ahead of both Wayne Gretzky and Vancouver's Tony Tanti. As the season progressed, Vaive slowed down a bit and potted 40 more goals in his final 64 games to finish fifth overall with 52 goals. Tanti, himself slowed even more, with 33 goals over his last 67 games to total 45 total, good for 12th in the league. Gretzky, of course, found another gear soon after, scoring a ridiculous 75 more goals in his final 62 games (he missed 6 due to injury). In fact, The Gre...

Here's a few homemade Gretzky cards using two of my favourite card designs, 1984/85 O-Pee-Chee and 1977/78 O-Pee-Chee WHA. The first image is from photojournalist Doug Petepiece who I've showcased in the past. He has shared with me many terrific, unpublished photos that he took from in the late 70's and early 80's. The shot of Gretzky is from the 1978 World Juniors, I believe it was taken during an exhibition game played in Cornwall, Ontario. I think I like the 77/78 WHA template version for this photo. It allows me to use the logo on the card, which is the wonderful blue version of the Team Canada logo that was used for the only time in this tournament. The second photo I found online from Gretzky's only time representing Canada at the World Championships in 1982. It's a great shot of Wayne posing with Dale Hawerchuk. Maybe I'll have to do a version of this card just of "Ducky". I really like the 84/85 template for this one. The red border works ...

Disappointing  "failing to meet expectations" -Merriam Webster Dictionary   The latest epoch of Toronto Maple Leafs playoff performances has been fraught with disappointment. Since the debuts of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in 2016/17, Toronto has been an outstanding regular season team. Over those seven seasons, the Leafs have 684 points in 536 games for a points percentage of .638. However, this regular season success has failed to translate to post-season results, seeing as it took the Leafs until their SEVENTH try to even win one round in the playoffs. During those seven playoffs, they have played to a won/loss record of  19-27 for a Winning Pct of .413. That, one would say, is disappointing. The Leafs have played .638 hockey (a 105 point pace) over seven seasons, and have one playoff round to show for it. Could the current iteration of the Toronto Maple Leafs be the most disappointing team in history? Being a supposedly quality team with inept playoff results ove...

Vegas Golden Knights goalie, Adin Hill replaced the injured Lauent Brossoit against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the 2023 Pacific Division Final. Hill became only the seventh goalie in NHL history to record their first post-season victory in relief, AFTER the first round of the playoffs. The first one to accomplish this was famously, Lester Patrick who came from behind the bench to lead the New York Rangers to a win in Game two of the 1928 Stanley Cup Final. The second ever goaltender was the relative unknown, Gord Henry. The 1953 Stanley Cup Final pitted the 3rd place Boston Bruins against the 2nd place Montreal Canadiens. Game 1 saw Montreal rookie Jacques Plante defeat "Sugar" Jim Henry by a score of 4-2. In Game 2, the Bruins goalie was injured with just over two minutes left in the first period and replaced by his namesake (unrelated) Gord Henry. Milt Dunnell of The Toronto Star described it eloquently: "Sugar Jim Henry, better known to Detroit as sugar-coated s...

I picked up this fantastic old program at an antique shop in New Wesminster, BC recently. The cover pictures all-time Toronto Maple Leaf goaltending great, Turk Broda. The program is from a hockey old-timers benefit game held at the Vancouver, PNE Forum arena, a game that featured many stars of yesteryear. The game was presented by the British Columbia Benevolent Hockey Association and was meant to raise funds for ex-players in need.  Featuring the likes of Broda, Babe Pratt, Lorne Carr, Sweeney Schriner, Jack Adams, Tiny Tompson, coached by Frank Fredrickson and Lester Patrick and officiated by Cyclone Taylor and Duke Keats, the game promised to be a star-studded affair. The Victoria Daily Colonist of March 5, 1953 detailed the match as follows. "Yesterday's hockey greats sparkled with some old-time brilliance in Vancouver Forum Tuesday to provide a tomorrow for a fellow player stricken with polio. More than 6,000 fans shoe-horned into the rink at $1 each watch the third annu...

"I don't really keep track of that stuff. I just try to go out and play the best I can. If the team wins and I don't get any points, that's fine." This was Darryl Sittler after he equaled the Maple Leaf record of points in 16 consecutive games on March 4, 1978. The mark was originally set by Babe Dye in 1921/22. Sittler would set the franchise record of 18 games straight a few days later. It was finally halted by Montreal on March 9 with the Canadiens checking line of Doug Jarvis, Bob Gainey and Rick Chartraw frustrated Sittler all evening. After the game Sittler stated, "I don't think it's so much putting Jarvis on me, but putting Gainey out to check my right winger. I might get the puck, but then I've got no one to pass to." During his 18 game streak, Sittler produced 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points and the team went 11-4-3. He'd end up with a career high 117 points and finish 3rd in Hart Trophy voting. Just over a decade later, E...

Dave Hanson at the WHA 50th Reunion Gala - Photo, Andrew Klaver This past weekend was the 50th Anniversary Reunion of the World Hockey Association in Whistler, BC. My friend, Greg Beaudin was one of the main organizers of the event; his father, Norm having been an original WHA Winnipeg Jet playing alongside Bobby Hull. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to help Greg in any small way I could. I got a phone call the night before I was to drive to Whistler from my home in North Vancouver asking if I could pick up one of the incoming WHA alumni at Vancouver International Airport the following day. Dave Hanson, of Slap Shot's Hanson Brothers fame needed a ride to Whistler. Needless to say, I said I would be more than happy to help. I actually bought Dave Hanson's autobiography that came out in 2008, and of course I am a huge fan of the movie Slap Shot. I printed a small sign to hold at the airport with "DAVE HANSON" on it. I know what he looks night even nowadays, I just th...