Former greats returning for the first time

[CokenoPepsi]

Last night Patrick Kane played his first game back in Chicago after 16 seasons as a Blackhawk and it had a storybook ending with him setting up the game tying goal and then scoring on a breakaway in OT to a standing ovation

Any other similar moments? Gretzky set the all time scoring record in Edmonton which was great but he had already returned there the season before.

Bonus points for YouTube clips

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[MadLuke]

Lafleur in montreal as a Rangers, 2 goals I think, Montreal still won, perfect game for the fans.

New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens Box Score: February 4, 1989 | Hockey-Reference.com

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2g-1a



Got a standing ovation (and the Guyyyyyyy) on both goals.

 

[jiboy]

I remember Weber scoring a goal in his first game back in Nashville , think it was a tieing goal from a nice wrist shot.

 

[Albatros]

(2 assists)

 

[NyQuil]

His first game back as a Wing, he scored a goal and got an assist.

After he had retired as a Detroit Red Wing:



He warmed up but didn’t play.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Messier returns to MSG with the Canucks. November 1997. And in classic fashion, he scores a goal.

 

[mrhockey193195]

And of course, the all-time greatest return in Rangers (all of NY sports?) history: Eddie!

 

[McGarnagle]

Iginla's return to Calgary in 13-14 was weird, the fans were basically cheering more for him than for their own team

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

gino odjick (and trevor linden)’s first game back in vancouver after being traded to the islanders

gino fights fights, and in my memory decisively beats jason strudwick, the guy he was traded for

the building was flying with emotion

 

[Boreal01]

Probably the most "storybook ending" to a return post lockout until Kane's performance

 

[alko]

 

[The Panther]

gino odjick (and trevor linden)’s first game back in vancouver after being traded to the islanders

You perhaps missed the "former greats" part of the title...

 

[jigglysquishy]

(2 assists)

Was at this game. My favourite live sports moment. Crowd was absolutely electric.

 

[GMR]

Gordie Howe at the 1980 ASG?

Not sure if that was his first game back in Detroit.

 

[Davenport]

Bobby Orr participated in six of the Chicago Black Hawks' first nine games, before hanging up his skates for good. One of those 9 games was against his former Boston Bruins - in Chicago - but it was not one of the games involving Orr. Imagine the response there'd have been in Boston had he played there as a Hawk.

Can we safely assume that Bernie Geoffrion's first game back in Montreal - as a member of the New York Rangers - would have been a big deal for the folks on hand? Seem to recall that there was quite a response to Frank Mahovlich's first game - as a Wing - back in Toronto.

Correction: Bobby Orr's career in Chicago lasted parts of two seasons: 20 games in 1976-77, and 6 games in 1978-79. My post was in reference to the 1978-79. Perhaps Orr did visit Boston in 1976-77 as a Hawk.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Probably the most "storybook ending" to a return post lockout until Kane's performance

That was a very weird one, I remember most were booing him throughout the game

 

[VaporTrail]

Eichel with the hat trick and a 4 point night, and gives it to the Buffalo crowd...And, that's just how we roll in Buffalo

 

[McGarnagle]

Bobby Orr participated in six of the Chicago Black Hawks' first nine games, before hanging up his skates for good. One of those 9 games was against his former Boston Bruins - in Chicago - but it was not one of the games involving Orr. Imagine the response there'd have been in Boston had he played there as a Hawk.

Can we safely assume that Bernie Geoffrion's first game back in Montreal - as a member of the New York Rangers - would have been a big deal for the folks on hand? Seem to recall that there was quite a response to Frank Mahovlich's first game - as a Wing - back in Toronto.

Correction: Bobby Orr's career in Chicago lasted parts of two seasons: 20 games in 1976-77, and 6 games in 1978-79. My post was in reference to the 1978-79. Perhaps Orr did visit Boston in 1976-77 as a Hawk.

Orr only played the Bruins once in 1976-77, and it was in Chicago Stadium. He picked up an assist on a Dennis Hull goal and the Hawks lost 5-3.

 

[kaiser matias]

Gordie Howe at the 1980 ASG?

Not sure if that was his first game back in Detroit.

He played two games against Detroit before the All-Star Game: January 6 in Hartford, and January 12 in Detroit.