Follow @BetNHLIn this article I’m goign to cover 5 of the most memorable moments of the last season – good or bad.
#1: John Scott
I’m sure by now you all know the story but it is a great one. John Scott spent most of his NHL career as an enforcer and when you are 6’8 and weigh 260 lbs you are going to be good at what you do. Scott was undrafted and spent most nights waiting on the bench for a tap on the shoulder knowing he was being asked to do what he does best; intimidate the other team and scrap if needed. Last year while playing for the Arizona Coyotes Scott was selected by the fan vote to participate in the NHL All Star game where he would be the captain of the Pacific Division team. Before the game though he was traded to another team in another Division, the Canadiens, and was quickly sent down to the AHL. The NHL and the Coyotes asked Scott to remove himself from the All Star game. But it all worked out for him as the NHL allowed him to still play, and captain the Pacific team wearing a generic NHL jersey for the skill competition. The Pacific went on to win the tourney and Scott was named all star MVP. This may have been the last NHL action Scott will ever see.
#2: Mr. Hockey
Technically not from last season but still a massive moment in the world of hockey
So much of what you see on the ice in today’s NHL can be seen in the way Gordie Howe played. He was ahead of his time and is considered the most complete player to ever lace em up. He could score, play the body and he could fight. There is an unofficial trick named after Howe called the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” or “Gordie” for short. For a player to get a “Gordie” they would need to score a goal, get an assist and have a fight in the same game. The best player to ever play the game, Wayne Gretzky, calls Howe the best player to ever play. Howe played 26 years in the NHL, 6 in the WHL and played up until he was 52 years old. He won the Art Ross Trophy 6 times, the Hart 6 times, 23 yime All star and 4 Stanley Cup’s. The hockey world lost a true legend and ambassador of the game.
#3: The Maple Leafs
After years of a “Rebuild” the Leafs finally went for it. The ended up getting the first overall pick of the draft which they used on Austin Matthews and they have plenty of young talent on their way also with Marner, Nylander and Kapanen ready to take the next step. The Leaf fans have been patient with the crap that this team has put out year after year but I think their patience will be rewarded over the next few years. The have a (potential) true superstar center in Matthews, great young D-man with Morgan Reilly and Frederik Andersen as their starter. All of the pieces are there.
#4: Dennis Wideman
Wideman was checked along the boards by Miikka Salomaki of the Preds. Wideman was clearly shaken up but on his way back to the bench linesman Don Henderson was in the way and Wideman crossed checked him hard. Wideman was handed a 20 game suspension. He argued that he had a concussion and testing showed he did. Henderson also suffered a concussion and missed the remainder of the season.
#5: Spacey In Space
In one of the more bizarre story’s of the year, the Florida Panthers and their Spacey In Space shirt. Most teams have something they pass out to the player of the game. Some teams have a gold helmet or a WWE belt but the Panthers have an ugly sweatshirt with a picture of Kevin Space in space. It ended with Kevin Spacey himself showing up to a game wearing the shirt. An of course the crowd went wild.
What memories – good or bad – do YOU have from last season?
