Obscure hockey facts/stats

[jigglysquishy]

20 years and 190 days - Time between Chara last and next game for Islanders.

Is this the NHL record?

 

[The Panther]

In 1988-89, Steve Duchesne, defenceman for the Kings (first year with Gretzky), had a good season. But it was like two seasons in one:

Up to Christmas:
-- 45 points in 37 games (97-point pace)
-- tied (with Paul Coffey) for 13th in NHL scoring
-- 1st in NHL defenceman scoring (tied with Paul Coffey)
-- 1st in NHL plus/minus, with +40

After Christmas:
-- 30 points in 42 games (57-point pace)
-- tied (with Pat Elyniuk) for 105th in NHL scoring
-- 18th in NHL defenceman scoring (behind Glen Wesley)
-- 520th NHL in plus/minus, with -9

 

[alko]

Is this the NHL record?

Yes, it is. Shanahan had i think 17 years and some days.

 

[Big Phil]

In 1988-89, Steve Duchesne, defenceman for the Kings (first year with Gretzky), had a good season. But it was like two seasons in one:

Up to Christmas:
-- 45 points in 37 games (97-point pace)
-- tied (with Paul Coffey) for 13th in NHL scoring
-- 1st in NHL defenceman scoring (tied with Paul Coffey)
-- 1st in NHL plus/minus, with +40

After Christmas:
-- 30 points in 42 games (57-point pace)
-- tied (with Pat Elyniuk) for 105th in NHL scoring
-- 18th in NHL defenceman scoring (behind Glen Wesley)
-- 520th NHL in plus/minus, with -9

That is very bizarre because I looked it up and the Kings didn't really have much of a change from one end of the season to the other. Neither did Gretzky. So it is strange that Duchesne did. Was it an injury or something?

 

[Big Phil]

The New York Yankees, Boston Celtics and Montreal Canadiens are all by a good distance the best franchises in all of their sports' history. They also all had dynasties at the same time in the 1950s and 1960s and won a bunch of championships after this as well. Despite the fact that they all won at the same time, there is never a year in history where all three won the championship the same season. If there was a "perfect storm" for anything it would be this because there are several times they were just a year off (or in 1957 a game off) from doing this. Boston wins 8 in a row, but loses in 1958 just before this run. Yet when they won in 1959 the Yanks went a couple of years before winning again and by 1961 the Habs were on their own personal hiatus. By 1965 the Celtics were still winning but the Yankees stopped and the Habs were starting up too. 1976 the Celtics won again but the Yankees didn't win until 1977. Ditto 1986 with just the Yanks as hold outs. Lots of years where it was extremely close, but never all three, not once.

 

[DeysArena]

Randy Carlyle is the only eligible Norris winner who is not in the HHOF.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Randy Carlyle is the only eligible Norris winner who is not in the HHOF.

I figure Giordano will join him eventually, we’ll see about Burns, Subban, Josi and Fox.

 

[Kahvi]

Another interesting thing about Giordano is that he won Norris before he was drafted.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Another interesting thing about Giordano is that he won Norris before he was drafted.

As did Bobby Orr.

 

[Kahvi]

As did Bobby Orr.

Was Bobby Orr ever drafted? Giordano was, after his Norris (expansion draft, but none the less drafted)

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Was Bobby Orr ever drafted? Giordano was, after his Norris (expansion draft, but none the less drafted)

Ah so that’s what you meant! Was puzzled about that comment, but now I see. No, I don’t think Orr was ever drafted.

On a similar note, Vanbiesbrouck was a former Vezina winner who was left unprotected in an expansion draft. Are there any other cases like these?

 

[kaiser matias]

Ah so that’s what you meant! Was puzzled about that comment, but now I see. No, I don’t think Orr was ever drafted.

On a similar note, Vanbiesbrouck was a former Vezina winner who was left unprotected in an expansion draft. Are there any other cases like these?

Wasn't Carey Price just left exposed this year? A Hart and Vezina winner there.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Wasn't Carey Price just left exposed this year? A Hart and Vezina winner there.

Yeah, actually they had a boatload of big names and former award winners to choose from. Getzlaf, Tarasenko, Subban, Weber, Bishop, Quick, Holtby, Miller…

 

[NyQuil]

Bobby Orr was born when Gordie Howe was playing in his 2nd NHL season.

By the time Gordie Howe retired, Bobby Orr was already in the HHOF.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

By the time Gordie Howe retired, Bobby Orr was already in the HHOF.

As was Gordie himself

 

[The Panther]

On a similar note, Vanbiesbrouck was a former Vezina winner who was left unprotected in an expansion draft. Are there any other cases like these?

Not sure, but Dominik Hasek was put on waivers by Chicago in 1991 or 1992 (can't recall which, more remarkable if '92). Every team in the NHL passed on him.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

The only players in NHL history that played at least eight NHL seasons of 60+ GP and scored over 0.41 goals/game in every one of the those seasons are: Mike Bossy, Mario Lemieux, Richard Martin.

My Best-Carey

I was surprised Pavel Bure wasn't listed, but he barely misses out. He went 7/8, scoring "only" 0.37 goals per game that 8th year.

I believe the only player you're missing is Joe Mullen. I probably wouldn't have guessed him if you gave me 50 tries.

 

[The Panther]

The following stats simply accord with NHL scoring rates that we're all familiar with. Nevertheless, I thought it was interesting.

Number of NHL goalies (min. 15 GP) with a .900 or better save percentage:

1986-87
2
1987-88
1
1988-89
2
1989-90
5
1990-91
5
1991-92
9
1992-93
5
1993-94
17
1995
27
1995-96
28
1996-97
31

What was interesting to me is that (minor blip in '92 aside) the early-90s frequency of .900+ save percentages is consistent from 1989-90 through 1992-93, but it's actually in 1993-94 that it surges upward, and then it become very commonplace for all top goalies from 1995 onward.

Has there ever been a similar occasion in NHL history when a goaltending statistic changed so drastically in just two years?

 

[hacksaw7]

Not sure, but Dominik Hasek was put on waivers by Chicago in 1991 or 1992 (can't recall which, more remarkable if '92). Every team in the NHL passed on him.

That is kind of strange since he was known back then from his international play and he did play well as a backup when called upon...wasn't like he was some fringe guy bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the minors

Honestly I have no idea how waivers worked back then? Could it be that a bunch of teams just never checked or even had an idea he was on waivers for the period he was? That he just passed through in the dead of night and some interested GM's never noticed?

 

[frisco]

That is kind of strange since he was known back then from his international play and he did play well as a backup when called upon...wasn't like he was some fringe guy bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the minors

Honestly I have no idea how waivers worked back then? Could it be that a bunch of teams just never checked or even had an idea he was on waivers for the period he was? That he just passed through in the dead of night and some interested GM's never noticed?

Really any NHL team could've had Hasek for the asking had they had decent interest pre-1994. Either waivers or just a nothing deal (how Buffalo got him) would've sufficed. Had international success but due to the Iron Curtain didn't come over until 1989 or so after being drafted in 1983. By the time he was in North America he was 26 or so and not really considered any type of top tier prospect or anything.

My Best-Carey

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Really any NHL team could've had Hasek for the asking had they had decent interest pre-1994. Either waivers or just a nothing deal (how Buffalo got him) would've sufficed. Had international success but due to the Iron Curtain didn't come over until 1989 or so after being drafted in 1983. By the time he was in North America he was 26 or so and not really considered any type of top tier prospect or anything.

My Best-Carey

The Panthers and Ducks could have had Hasek in their expansion draft. They both passed on him.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Please continue here:
Obscure hockey facts/stats (Part 2)