NHL Trivia and Stories
1. How many people are a part of one NHL team?
2. How many teams are in the NHL?
3. When was NHL founded?
4. Who is awarded the Stanley Cup?
5. Who won the Stanley Cup in 2020?
6. Who were the finalists NHL teams in 2020?
7. How many teams have never won the Stanley Cup?
8. How many times did the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup?
9. What scheduling system is used in hockey?
10. Which NHL player is called the ‘Goat’ in hockey?
11. Which team has the longest Stanley Cup winning streak?
12. Who were the original NHL Teams?
13. Which NHL player is known to goal 50 goals in 50 games?
14. Who is the highest paid NHL player?
15. What is the highest scoring hockey game in NHL history?
16. How many seasons did Wayne Gretzky play?
Answers:
Each team can have a maximum of 20 NHL players. 2. NHL comprises of 31 teams. 3. 26 November 1917, Montreal, Canada. 4. The Stanley Cup is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff winner. 5. The Tampa Bay Lightning. 6. The Dallas Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning. 7. 11 teams. 8. 24 times. 9. Round robin scheduling. 10. Wayne Gretzky. 11. The Montreal Canadiens. 12. Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. 13. Mario Lemieux. 14. Sidney Crosby. 15. 16-3, Montreal Canadiens Over Quebec Bulldogs. 16. 20 seasons.
THE SAN JOSE SHARKS WERE ALMOST NAMED THE “RUBBER PUCKIES”
When San Jose was awarded an expansion team to begin play in the 199192 season, the team owners, Gordon and George Gund, held a name-the-team contest that rendered more than 2,000 entries with suggestions that ranged from creative to ridiculous and everything in between. The finalists included “Screaming Squids,” “Salty Dogs,” “Blades” and yes, “Rubber Puckies.”
THE MAPLE LEAFS ONCE THREW THE STANLEY CUP INTO A FIRE
Despite its sacred status within the NHL and the hockey community as a whole, the Toronto Maple Leafs, after winning the 1962 Stanley Cup championship by knocking off the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, let their revelry get the better of them, and somehow Lord Stanley’s precious chalice ended up in a bonfire. As you can imagine, it was damaged pretty badly, so the Leafs had to come up with the cash to make the repairs and then probably get a stern talking-to from the league.
PITTSBURGH USED TO HAVE A REAL-LIFE PENGUIN MASCOT
The Pens first introduced the live bird, named Pete, in 1968, prior to a game in February against the Philadelphia Flyers. Pete was an Ecuadorian-born penguin on loan from the Pittsburgh Aquazoo and was a ninth birthday present to young Doug McGregor, son of Penguins then-president Jack McGregor. The bird made several live appearances throughout the season and even had his own pair of skates.
GARY BETTMAN IS THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF THE NHL
Love the guy or hate him, but Gary Bettman is the polarizing head of the NHL, and is, believe it or not, the very first commissioner of the league. No, he hasn’t been around since 1917 when the league evolved into what it is today. He’s actually the first one because before him, the league designated its top executive as “president.”
THE FIRST OUTDOOR NHL GAME HAPPENED IN A DESERT
Surprise. In 1991, the Los Angeles Kings hosted the New York Rangers in a preseason contest outside Caesar’s Palace in sunny, hot Las Vegas, Nevada. As you can imagine, there were several issues with maintaining an outdoor rink in the 100-degree temperatures of the desert, but the game was eventually played in front of a sellout crowd.
MARK MESSIER HAS TAKEN THE CUP TO A STRIP CLUB... TWICE
all-time great Mark Messier is known to have brought the Holy Grail along as a special guest to strip clubs on at least two occasions. After the Oilers won the Cup in 1987, Messier allegedly brought the hardware to The Forum Inn, an Edmonton gentlemen’s entertainment joint, where it was placed on stage and used as a prop by the “performers.”
When Messier won the Cup in 1994 with the Rangers, he toted it to SCORES, a popular gentleman’s club in Manhattan, where it was probably exposed to some very naughty behavior.
THE DISASTER DRAFT
In the NHL rulebook, the league’s contingency plan “activates if five or more players on a team are killed or disabled.” Once the rule is triggered, “The team would select players from other NHL teams, paying with funds from a special insurance fund. Once its roster has one goaltender and 14 other players, a special draft involving the teams unaffected by the earlier selection could be held, with each team able to protect one goaltender and 10 other players.” So basically, there would be a “disaster draft” to replenish the affected team’s roster.