Vegas Golden Knights – Knight Time

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we travel to Sin City to take a gamble on the Vegas Golden Knights:

Establishment Story: The Golden Knights joined the NHL as an expansion team in 2017. Vegas played their expansion draft to perfection, putting together a lineup of “misfits/castoffs” that ended up working very well together. This changed the trajectory of the franchise and instead of struggling for many years, as most expansion clubs do, the Golden Knights have chased the Stanley Cup instead.

Stanley Cups: The Golden Knights captured their first Stanley Cup (2023) in only their sixth season of existence, just as owner Bill Foley forecast, defeating the Florida Panthers. They also came incredibly close in their first year of operation, losing in the 2018 Finals to the Washington Capitals. Vegas has been a contender nearly every season, missing the playoffs only once.

Celebrity Fan: Being based in the entertainment capital of Las Vegas has allowed for many celebrity supporters to adopt the team. This includes long-time performers in the city, such as Wayne Newton, Criss Angel and Carrot Top. Other inhabitants of Vegas, including poker player Daniel Negreanu, chef Gordon Ramsay and boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer have also had associations with the team.

Golden Knights

Super Fan: John ‘Hulk’ Baratta was an original Golden Knights season ticket member, who attended games sporting a Hulk Hogan-style mustache and dressed in a shirt he would rip off when Vegas scored. Sadly, Baratta passed away in March 2020, prompting the Golden Knights to honour him with a video tribute at their next home game. Fans in Baratta’s usual section were given tear-away shirts, which they ripped off when Vegas scored.

Mascot: Chance is a gila monster who came to the team from Red Rock Canyon, located outside Las Vegas. The lizard, coloured the same as the hockey team, debuted at the Golden Knights second ever home game on October 13, 2017. Vegas purposely stayed away from using a knight as their mascot, as they felt examples from other teams weren’t very child-friendly.

Tradition: The Golden Knights home rink, T-Mobile Arena, has quickly become one of the most raucous barns in the NHL. This is thanks to in-game entertainment, highlighted by a battle between knights, themed around that game’s combatants. Given T-Mobile Arena’s location along the Vegas strip, the fun begins well before game time, including a parade that winds its way from the Brooklyn Bridge outside New York New York up to the building.

Appearances in Media: The Golden Knights inaugural season is documented in the film Valiant, released in 2019. The movie received its premiere screening at T-Mobile Arena. Many also believe that first Cinderella season could eventually be turned into a Hollywood film, with casting choices including Anthony Hopkins as coach Gerard Gallant, Jon Hamm as GM George McPhee and Adrien Brody as goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

Chance

Events/Scandals: As the Golden Knights chased the Stanley Cup, under the mandate of owner Bill Foley, some have accused the team of being disloyal to players who helped the team become successful. Original misfits, such as Erik Haula, Nate Schmidt and Marc-Andre Fleury (the first face of the franchise), were callously jettisoned to make room for replacements/in salary cap dumps. With a Stanley Cup won in just year six of existence, some would argue the ends justify the means.

Rivalry: A top rival to the Golden Knights, thanks to a nasty playoff history, is the San Jose Sharks. Facing each other in back-to-back post-seasons, both clubs have won one series. The hatred between the teams has diminished lately, though, as San Jose is going through a long-term rebuild. Another adversary of Vegas is any fan who believes their success came to soon and more suffering should have been endured in the team’s earliest years.

Tragedy: On October 1, 2017, days before the Golden Knights played their first-ever game, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock shot and killed 58 people from his 32^nd-floor suite in the Mandalay Bay hotel. The victims were attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival nearby. For Vegas’ home opener on October 10, the team paid tribute to those slain, retiring jersey #58, as a remembrance of the incident.

Player Nicknames: Phil Kessel, holder of the NHL’s Iron Man record at 1,064 consecutive games played, joined the Golden Knights for the 2022-23 season. Known for his prolific scoring, rather than his defensive acumen, Kessel was nicknamed Selke by teammates, a reference to the NHL trophy given to the best defensive forward each season. Another good moniker was given to goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who was dubbed The Dude, during his time with Vegas, comparing him to the protagonist of The Big Lebowski.

Phil Kessel

Line: The Misfit Line, comprised of William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith, played together since the Golden Knights began play in 2017, up until Smith was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 off-season. Each joined the team as part of the Expansion Draft, with Karlsson and Marchessault being selections and Smith being traded so Vegas selected Marchessault. In year one, Karlsson scored 43 goals, a single-season NHL expansion team record.

Captain: Mark Stone is the only captain in Golden Knights history, given the distinction on January 13, 2021. Prior to Stone’s appointment, the team had gone with groups of alternate captains, with Deryk Engelland and Reilly Smith being part of the leadership group for each season, along with others. In 2017-18, six different players wore an ‘A’ at some point for the club.

Enforcer: Ryan Reaves holds the Golden Knights single-season penalty minutes record with 74. The record was set in 2018-19, Reaves first full season with the team after coming over from the Pittsburgh Penguins in February 2018. In the 2021 off-season, Reaves was traded to the New York Rangers, in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2022. Brayden McNabb holds the team’s all-time penalty minute record, while Keegan Kolesar has the most fighting majors in Vegas history.

Family Values: Vegas has yet to have any family members play together or even at different times in their brief history. The best I can fill this section is to highlight second generation/brotherly players who have suited up for the Golden Knights, such as Jake Leschyshyn, whose father Curtis Leschyshyn played 1,033 NHL games; Brett Howden whose older brother is Quinton Howden; and Reilly Smith whose older brother is Brendan Smith.

Mark Stone

Returning Players: While his tenure with the team technically never ended, the Golden Knights did attempt to trade forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Anahemi Ducks at the 2022 NHL trade deadline, with the transaction voided, due to Dadonov having Anaheim on his no trade list. The Ottawa Senators, who had previously traded Dadonov to Vegas, had neglected to inform the Golden Knights of his no-trade contract clause, leading to later punishment of the Senators organization.

Short Stint: A number of the players that were integral to the Golden Knights successful inaugural season left the team that campaign. This included early stars David Perron and James Neal. Also, goaltender Jonathan Quick joined Vegas for 10 regular season games and zero playoff appearances, winning his third Stanley Cup as the Golden Knights took home the 2023 championship.

Undrafted: Defenseman Zach Whitecloud was signed out of college by the Golden Knights in 2018. He remains with the team to this day, having signed a six-year, $16.5 million contract extension in 2021. Whitecloud is the first player to reach the NHL from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and was a member of the team’s 2023 Stanley Cup championship squad. During that playoff run, Whitecloud contributed two goals and six assists.

Trade: With the early success of the franchise, the Golden Knights have often gone big game hunting, in on every NHL star that becomes available. This has led to the team acquiring the likes of Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Jack Eichel via trade. While giving up notable assets to add these players to the roster, both Stone and Eichel were key cogs of the 2023 Stanley Cup-winning crew.

Jack Eichel

Signing: Much like going after big fish in trades, Vegas has also pursued many of the top free agents in their early years. The organization’s best signing was luring Alex Pietrangelo from the St. Louis Blues in 2020, inking the former Blues captain to a seven-year, $61.6 million pact. Pietrangelo brought with him to Vegas the experience of winning the 2019 Stanley Cup, hoisting a second championship with the Golden Knights.

Draft Pick: Vegas entered their first ever draft in 2017 with three first round picks. They selected Cody Glass (6^th overall), Nick Suzuki (13^th overall) and Erik Brannstrom (15^th overall), all of which have been traded away in an attempt to sustain the unprecedented success of the team’s first season. Later, Peyton Krebs (17^th overall in 2019) would also be sent packing as part of another trade package.

Holdouts: Following his breakout rookie season, defenseman Shea Theodore was due a new contract. With each side looking for a different length to his next deal, Theodore missed the first two weeks of training camp, before finally putting pen to paper. With a seven-year, $36.4 million pact finalized, Theodore continued his upward trajectory, even while being treated for testicular cancer.

Buyouts: Vadim Shipachyov’s time in the NHL was brief, but interesting. The Golden Knights signed him out of the Kontinental Hockey League in May 2017, before they had even formed the bulk of their team via the expansion draft. After three games to begin Vegas’ inaugural season, Shipachyov was demoted to their minor league affiliate. After failing to report to the team, Shipachyov’s contract was terminated and he returned to Russia.

Vadim Shipachyov

Unique Game: Despite their short history, the Golden Knights have already been summoned to participate in a number of marquee NHL events. First, Vegas faced the Colorado Avalanche as part of the 2021 Outdoors at Lake Tahoe. They are also set to oppose the Seattle Kraken for the 2024 Winter Classic. Lastly, the Golden Knights played a pre-season game in both 2021 and 2022 against the Los Angeles Kings in Salt Lake City, with the contests dubbed Frozen Fury.

Goal: James Neal scored the first two goals in franchise history, earning the Golden Knights their first ever victory. Years later, Jonathan Marchessault tallied three game-winning goals in the 2023 playoffs, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy for his efforts, becoming the first undrafted player to win the playoff MVP award since Wayne Gretzky in 1988. Vegas’ cup-clinching game was won with a score of 9-3, the game-winning goal coming off the stick of Reilly Smith.

Fight/Brawl: As the Golden Knights took a commanding 3-1 lead at the end of Game 4 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Florida Panthers, a typical scrum between the two teams began. The gathering quickly turned into more than just players grabbing jerseys, as some combatants started fighting with one another. Adding to the chaos was frustrated Florida fans littering the ice with debris. The Panthers were assessed 26 penalty minutes in the melee, while Vegas walked away with just two penalty minutes.

Injury: The Golden Knights have always seemed to struggle with injuries to their goaltenders. In their first month of NHL play, they were forced to use four different backstops and five goalies appeared for the team in that inaugural campaign. The trend has continued with starting netminder Robin Lehner missing two full seasons with chronic hip issues and the team using a triage of goalies en route to their Stanley Cup championship.

Lake Tahoe

Penalty: In the first round of the 2019 playoffs, the Golden Knights were up 3-0 in Game 7 of their series against the San Jose Sharks. Off a faceoff, Vegas center Cody Eakin cross-checked Sharks center Joe Pavelski, who fell awkwardly, hitting his head and becoming injured. The referees gave Eakin a five-minute major for a hit to the head. San Jose scored four goals on that power play, eventually winning the game 5-4 in overtime. Golden Knights GM George McPhee said the NHL later called to apologize for the penalty call error.

Wildest Story: For their inaugural season, the Golden Knights were given 500-1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. When the team exceeded expectations and made the Finals, sportsbooks must have grown a little nervous about potential payouts. All tolled, only 13 bets were placed on Vegas at 500-1, all $20 or less. That said, a $20 wager would earn $10,000 in winnings, while $1 gambles would translate to a $500 payout. It was all moot, though, as Vegas failed to win the championship.

Blooper: During an April 2022 game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Golden Knights handed their opponents an easy power play goal. William Karlsson won a faceoff in his own zone, drawing the puck back to defenseman Alec Martinez, who while trying to play the puck, redirected it past goaltender Robin Lehner. The tally was credited to Bo Horvat, who took the faceoff for Vancouver. In the end, Vegas still managed to win the game 3-2 in overtime.

Miscellaneous: Lil Jon, who has been attached to the Golden Knights on occasion, is actually listed as the team’s Offensive Coordinator on their website, thanks to a funny viral video, featuring the rapper. The video sees head coach Bruce Cassidy bring in Jon to help his club’s offensive woes, with the rapper advising all will be well if the team just takes “shots, shots, shots… YEAH!”

Vegas Golden Knights: Knight Time

Knight Time

1.5 oz Whiskey
0.5 oz Orange Liqueur
Top with Sweet & Sour Mix
Garnish with Lemon and Lime Slices

A number of bars around Vegas have got in on the act of supporting the Golden Knights with themed cocktails. This particular offering can be found at Station Casinos around the infamous vacation destination.

Sip Trips #228: Wild Winter

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

November was interesting, with two getaways spread throughout the month – one a guy’s weekend and the other a family vacation. Let’s see what the Sip Advisor got up to as the temperatures dropped and winter announced its arrival:

The fun got started early, as the Sip Advisor joined a group of guys on a weekend away at a cabin in Concrete, Washington. The trip was full of drinking debauchery, including stops at a couple restaurants in the area, which each provided amazing eats. En route to our destination, we stopped for drinks at Double Barrel BBQ in Sedro-Woolley, where I enjoyed a pint of Boneyard IPA, one of my all-time favourite brews. The place also offers to-go Bourbon Slushies, which we took advantage of upon leaving. We returned to Double Barrel on our way out of town for lunch, where I had a delicious Turkey Bacon Ranch sandwich, paired with another serving of Boneyard.

Slushie

As for our day spent in downtown Concrete, we began with a beverage at The Hub, where I had the Mac & Jack’s African Amber. Following that, we went for lunch a few doors down at The Lonestar. There, I had a scrumptious Ambush sandwich (turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato), paired with an Elysian Space Dust IPA. We also added orders of Sidewinder Fries (steak-curly fry hybrid), which completed a very good feast.

A week later, the Sip Family was off to the Mayan Riviera for a week at an all-inclusive resort. Unfortunately, some kind of stomach bug hit me on our second day, which drastically affected how much I ate and drank during the holiday. I tried to still participate in as much of the fun as I could, but quickly grew tired of sugary drinks and shitty beer. Mrs. Sip found me my favourite cocktail of the vacation, a double Cucumber Gin and Soda offering that really hit the spot and steered me away from the overly sweet options.

Upon returning home, we took the kids to Disney on Ice, beginning our evening with dinner at Gino’s Restaurant in Sapperton. Boy Sip and I shared the Chicken Tenders platter and I look forward to trying other menu items at the eatery when we can return.

Disney on Ice

Towards the end of the month, we joined friends to celebrate a birthday, including a wine tasting at Township 7 Vineyards in Langley, followed by dinner at the nearby Milestones Grill + Bar. I really enjoyed my Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl, which was accompanied by a glass of Trading Post Hazy IPA.

To wrap the month, Mrs. Sip and I had dinner and drinks at Ludica Pizza, prior to our Vancouver Canucks game. We shared the Hansa Pizza (Mozzarella, Chicken, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Smoked Gouda), which was pretty good. I also had a pair of Phillips Free Ride Hazy IPAs to complete the meal.

December is already loaded with events, to the degree one wonders how we’ll be able to survive the madness. I will say, our normal schedule doesn’t look all that different, so I guess it’s just par for the course!

Vancouver Canucks – Vancouver Canucks Cocktail

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we look at the Vancouver Canucks, the Sip Advisor’s hometown and favourite squad. I’ll try my best to not show any bias!:

Establishment Story: The Canucks joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1970. Previously, minor league versions of the Canucks played in the Pacific Coast Hockey League and Western Hockey League from 1945-70. Canucks owners had bid to join the NHL for its 1967 expansion, but were denied. They also tried to have the Oakland Seals moved to Vancouver, but that was vetoed by the NHL.

Stanley Cups: The Canucks have not won the big one, despite appearing in three Stanley Cup Finals (1982 vs. New York Islanders, 1994 vs. New York Rangers and 2011 vs. Boston Bruins). In two of those championship series, they played to a seventh and deciding game, coming up short both times. Vancouver did win back-to-back President’s Trophies in 2011 and 2012, but the ultimate prize has always eluded the franchise.

Celebrity Fan: Singer Michael Bublé is a passionate supporter of the Canucks, as the Burnaby native has been for most of his life. Bublé even has an ownership stake in the Western Hockey League Vancouver Giants junior team. Bublé is such a hockey fan, part of his concert contract rider asks each promoter to include the puck of a local team in his dressing room.

Buble

Super Fan: First appearing on December 22, 2009, the infamous Green Men – wearing full-body spandex outfits – quickly became recognizable fixtures at Canucks games. Taking their seats next to the visitor’s penalty box, the Green Men (Adam ‘Force’ Forsyth and Ryan ‘Sully’ Sullivan) would mercilessly mock those sent to the sin bin with signs and other antics. The duo was inducted into ESPN’s Hall of Fans, before retiring after the 2014-15 season.

Mascot: Fin the Whale was introduced on June 4, 2001. Among the orca/killer whale’s favourite things are B.C. salmon, the book Moby Dick and the movie Free Willy… not to mention arena popcorn! His least favourite team, of course, would be the defunct Hartford Whalers. While Fin is perhaps best known for his charity appearances, he also has a habit of chomping unsuspecting fan’s heads.

Tradition: Towel Power was born during the 1982 Campbell Conference Finals. When coach Roger Nielson grew frustrated over what he viewed to be lopsided officiating, he waived a white towel attached to a raised stick as his sign of surrender. Upon the team’s return to home ice, fans began waving towels in support of the coach and team. The Canucks won three straight, advancing to their first Stanley Cup Finals.

Appearances in Media: Thanks to actress Cobie Smulders hailing from Vancouver, like her How I Met Your Mother character Robin Scherbatsky, a number of references to the Canucks occurred over the course of the sitcom’s nine seasons. These included multiple occasions where Scherbatsky is clad in a Canucks jersey, mentions players from the team and attends a Canucks-New York Rangers game.

Green Men

Events/Scandal: Following their defeats in both the 1994 and 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, Downtown Vancouver became engulfed in riots that destroyed property and caused numerous injuries. Thankfully, in both incidents, no deaths were reported. In the aftermath of the 2011 riot, 887 criminal charges were laid against 301 suspects, hopefully deterring future similar behaviour.

Rivalry: The Canucks lacked a true geographic rival until the Seattle Kraken entered the NHL in 2021. Up to that point, rivalries with fellow western Canada clubs the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers have always existed, as well as incident- and playoff-born rivalries with teams such as the New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins.

Tragedy: The Canucks franchise has been struck with tragedy on a few occasions. One of the team’s first stars, Wayne Maki, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1972, succumbing to the disease in 1974, aged 29. Then, in 2008, defenseman Luc Bourdon was killed in a motorcycle accident at the young age of 21. Finally, forward Rick Rypien committed suicide in the 2011 off-season, after his tenure with Vancouver, but before debuting with the Winnipeg Jets.

Player Nicknames: Canucks history is loaded with great nicknames. Among them: Russian Rocket (Pavel Bure), Steamer (Stan Smyl), Captain Kirk (Kirk McLean), Brockstar (Brock Boeser), King Richard (Richard Brodeur), and JovoCop (Ed Jovanovski). An underrated entry would be Cowan the Brabarian, given to Jeff Cowan after a bra was thrown on the ice following a goal from the enforcer.

Riot

Line: Two Canucks lines had very successful runs as a unit. First, the West Coast Express (Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison) terrorized opponents from 2002-06. The line was named after Vancouver’s commuter train line. Second, the Lotto Line (Brock Boeser, Elias Petterson and J.T. Miller) had a shorter but memorable stint together. The trio received its moniker when a Twitter user realized their numbers 6, 40 and 9, matched the local 649 lottery.

Captain: While the Canucks have had a number of memorable leaders, including Stan Smyl, Trevor Linden and Henrik Sedin, in 2008, the organization abandoned all convention, naming goalie Roberto Luongo as the team’s captain. He was the first netminder to hold such an honour since 1947-48. Luongo’s reign as team leader lasted only two seasons, before it was mutually agreed he should relinquish the role.

Enforcer: Canucks history is littered with teams that couldn’t beat opponents on the scoreboard, so they just tried to beat them up. Among the franchise’s many fighters, perhaps the most beloved was – and still is – the ‘Algonquin Assassin’ Gino Odjick. Odjick holds the team record for total penalty minutes at 2,127, over eight seasons with the club. Odjick also holds five of the top 10 slots for penalty minutes in a season.

Family Values: The Canucks have a long history of family relations within the organization. This is best highlighted with the Sedin twins, who were able to come to Vancouver together thanks to the incredible draft day dealings of GM Brian Burke. The Canucks also united the Courtnall brothers – Geoff and Russ, from nearby Vancouver Island – for 13 games in the 1994-95 season.

Gino Odjick

Returning Players: The trading of Trevor Linden during the 1998 Olympic break never seemed right for both the player and the organization. That was all remedied in 2001, when Linden was reacquired by the Canucks. Linden played out the rest of his career with the team, reaching 1,000 games played and points scored with the club it was meant to happen with.

Short Stint: A free agent in 2008, Toronto Maple Leafs icon Mats Sundin weighed contract offers from a number of teams, while also considering retirement. The Canucks two-year, $20 million offer would have made Sundin the highest paid player in the NHL. After sitting out the start of the season, Sundin finally put pen to paper with Vancouver on December 18, 2008, being paid a prorated $5 million for the season. Sundin played 49 games combined (regular season and playoffs) with the Canucks, before retiring.

Undrafted: Alex Burrows story of perseverance from undrafted to star player is inspiring. He quickly rose through the ranks of the minor leagues, joining the big league squad in January 2006 and never looked back. Originally a checker, Burrows eventually found himself on the top line, where he and the Sedins became a popular trio. Burrows was added to the Canucks Ring of Honour in 2019.

Trade: Among the best moves the Canucks have made are acquiring Roberto Luongo from the Florida Panthers and stealing Markus Naslund from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both trades are among the most lopsided in NHL history. On the flip side, dealing a young, homegrown Cam Neely to the Boston Bruins has always been lamented by Canucks fans. While the return was decent, Neely blossomed into a superstar, plus they also gave up a first-round draft pick in the transaction.

Trevor Linden

Signing: There are more bad signings in Canucks history than good ones. Among the worst would be Mark Messier’s three-year, $18 million pact in 1997 and Loui Eriksson’s six-year, $36 million deal in 2016. Messier was a cancer in the Canucks locker room, while Eriksson vastly underperformed his contract, both drawing the ire of the fan base. Also, Roberto Luongo’s 12-year, $64 million resigning in 2009, eventually led to a three-year, $3 million cap recapture penalty, upon Luongo’s retirement.

Draft Pick: The Canucks have never selected first overall, but have done fairly well with the number two pick, using their first ever choice in 1970 on Dale Tallon and also getting Trevor Linden (1988) and the Sedin twins (1999) at second and third. Their greatest draft steal was Pavel Bure in the sixth round, 113^th overall. The Nucks drafted Bure in 1989, despite confusion over his eligibility.

Holdouts: Once the team’s most popular superstar, Pavel Bure’s exit from the Canucks was ugly. Following the 1997-98 season, Bure gave new GM Brian Burke the first headache of his tenure, stating he would not play the final year of his contract. It took until January 17, 1999, for Bure (along with Bret Hedican, Brad Ference and a third-round draft pick) to be sent to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Ed Jovanovski, Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes, and a first-round draft pick.

Buyouts: The Canucks own the largest non-compliance buyout in the NHL salary cap era, used to terminate the contract of defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson had joined Vancouver via trade in 2021, lasting only two seasons before his eight-year, $66 million deal was bought out with four seasons remaining. Ekman-Larsson will be paid by the Canucks $19.33 million over eight years.

Roberto Luongo

Unique Game: The Canucks have taken part in a number of NHL international firsts. The first regular season games played outside North America saw Vancouver and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim meet for a pair of 1997-98 season-opening contests in Tokyo, Japan. In 2017, the Canucks would play two pre-season games against the Los Angeles Kings in Shanghai and Beijing, China. These were the first NHL matches ever played in the country. Vancouver also hosted the 2014 Heritage Classic, facing the Ottawa Senators.

Goal: Two Alex Burrows goals during the 2011 run to the Stanley Cup Finals are among the greatest in team history. First the ‘Slay the Dragon’ Game 7 overtime winner versus the Chicago Blackhawks finally put the Canucks past their nemesis. Later, Burrows tally mere seconds into overtime of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Boston Bruins gave Vancouver a 2-0 series lead, causing mass hysteria across the province.

Fight/Brawl: When Canucks coach John Tortorella saw the Calgary Flames starting lineup flush with goons prior to a 2014 game, he knew something was up. Kellen Lain was playing his first NHL game and a receipt was due for an injury he’d caused in an earlier minor league contest. A line brawl ensued to start the game, with Lain and others ejected from the match. At intermission, Tortorella went to the Flames dressing room, trying to confront Calgary coach Bob Hartley. This resulted in a 15-day suspension for Tortorella.

Injury: On February 11, 2000, Canucks enforcer Donald Brashear fought and defeated his Boston Bruins counterpart Marty McSorley. McSorley pursued a rematch, which Brashear turned down. Late in the contest, McSorley hit Brashear in the side of the head with his stick, knocking Brashear unconscious. Brashear suffered a seizure and concussion, while McSorley was suspended indefinitely, ending his career. McSorley was later convicted of assault with a weapon and sentenced to 18 months probation.

John Tortorella

Penalty: The Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident is one of hockey’s biggest black eyes. The Canucks were out for revenge after Moore had previously elbowed Canucks captain Markus Naslund, resulting in a concussion. In the midst of a blowout loss, Bertuzzi punched Moore in the back of the head, knocking him out. The resulting fall fractured three of Moore’s neck vertebrae. Criminal and civil action followed, along with Bertuzzi being suspended for the rest of the 2003-04 season and throughout the 2004-05 lockout.

Wildest Story: Canucks fans have long had a feeling the team is cursed, dating back to one of the team’s first official activities. To decide which of Vancouver and the Buffalo Sabres would get the first overall choice in the 1970 NHL Draft, a roulette wheel was used. NHL president Clarence Campbell declared the Canucks the winners, before it was pointed out the ball didn’t stop on number one, but 11 instead. Thus, the Sabres earned the right to select junior standout Gilbert Perreault.

Blooper: In the first round of the 2002 playoffs, the surprising Canucks were up 2-0 in their series against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings. What happened next changed the entire course of the series, as Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom launched a shot from center ice, beating Canucks goalie Dan Cloutier. Detroit won four straight games, eliminating the Canucks, en route to another Stanley Cup.

Miscellaneous: Wayne Gretzky, the greatest player in NHL history, twice almost became a Canuck. In 1988, before he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, the Canucks could have had ‘The Great One’ for $25 million, Kirk McLean, Greg Adams and three first-round draft picks. A decade later, Gretzky was a free agent and had committed to signing with Vancouver, until he was pressured to put pen to paper and didn’t like the pushy approach. He ended up with the New York Rangers to finish his career.

Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver Canucks Cocktail

Vancouver Canucks Cocktail

1 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Melon Liqueur
0.5 oz Blue Curacao
Splash of Lemon Lime Soda

For this cocktail, you mix the Vodka, Melon Liqueur and Lemon Lime Soda, before adding a float of Blue Curacao. The Canucks are looking good this season, renewing the faith of the countless disappointed diehards of this franchise. Go Canucks Go!!!

Toronto Maple Leafs – Toronto Maple Leafs

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we *looks at calendar*… ugh, travel to Toronto to investigate why the Maple Leafs have often been named the “Most Hated Team in Hockey”:

Establishment Story: The Toronto hockey team was founded in 1917. The club was known as the Arenas and later St. Patricks, before finally receiving the Maple Leafs moniker in 1927, when the team was bought by Conn Smythe. An Original Six franchise, the Leafs were rebranded by Smythe to match the national symbol of Canada. They were also to wear red and white jerseys, but briefly wore white and green, before settling on their iconic blue and white.

Stanley Cups: None since 1967 and that’s all that really matters. Seriously, though, the Leafs have won 13 championships, all of which occurred when the league consisted of only six teams. The Leafs have two recognized dynasties, from 1946-51 and 1961-67. Not only has the team not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, they have no Finals appearances since then, as well, with five Conference Finals losses during that time.

Celebrity Fan: Somehow, the Leafs have quite the collection of celebrity supporters. Actors Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, Will Arnett and Keanu Reeves support the team, along with musicians Justin Bieber and Drake. Professional wrestler Edge is a fan, as is astronaut Chris Hadfield. As for female celebs, tennis star Bianca Andreescu can often be seen rocking the blue and white. Personally, I think they’re all nuts!

Leafs Blue

Super Fan: Steven Glynn, better known by the moniker Steve Dangle, turned his Leafs fandom into a career. Dangle went from posting YouTube videos to becoming an analyst for Sportsnet. His book This Team Is Ruining My Life (But I Love Them): How I Became A Professional Hockey Fan, was released in 2019 to critical acclaim. Today, Dangle co-hosts a podcast and the blooper web series Steve’s Dang-Its.

Mascot: Carlton the Bear is a polar bear, named for the street Maple Leaf Gardens was located. Carlton wears jersey number 60, in homage to the address of the iconic arena. Carlton debuted for the 1995-96 season. At the 2000 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, Carlton hosted the inaugural Mascot Summit. Carlton is on track to surpass long-time Leafs player George Armstrong for most appearances with the franchise during the 2023-24 season.

Tradition: The Leafs greatest ritual is losing, particularly in the first round of the playoffs, if they even get there. Just kidding! When the team has made the post-season in more recent years, fans have gathered in Maple Leaf Square, located outside Scotiabank Arena. This has provided the Sip Advisor with many moments of schadenfreude, as Toronto supporters have been visibly crushed by losses. I must admit, their tears sustain me!

Appearances in Media: The Leafs most prominent appearance in popular culture is in the Mike Myers’ movie The Love Guru, where Myers plays a guru tasked with fixing the team’s players, particularly star Darren Roanoke. The Leafs were also heavily featured in the 1971 Canadian film Face-Off. Another notable appearance in media is Toronto’s inclusion in the children’s book The Hockey Sweater.

Carlton the Bear

Events/Scandals: The Harold Ballard years as owner of the Leafs were filled with controversies, with perhaps the most notable blemish on the franchise being the Maple Leaf Gardens child sex abuse scandal. Ballard owned the arena during the time a trio of employees abused at least two dozen children. Ballard was also convicted of 47 counts of fraud, theft and tax evasion, during his ownership tenure, serving one-third of a nine-year prison sentence.

Rivalry: Everyone hates the Leafs, right? Okay, they do have a substantial fan base, much of whom probably don’t like me very much, but I’m not wrong that many revile Toronto. Enemy teams include the Ottawa Senators (Battle of Ontario), Montreal Canadiens (only two Canadian clubs, divided by language and other cultural differences, until 1967), Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres (Battle of the QEW).

Tragedy: Bill Barilko spent his entire NHL career with the Leafs. He was the overtime hero of the 1951 Stanley Cup Finals, but disappeared that off-season while on a fishing trip. In 1962, the wreckage of the plane Barilko had been travelling in was discovered. Barilko is the subject of The Tragically Hip song Fifty Mission Cap, which has become an anthem of sorts for Leafs fans. Also, Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov succumbed to a brain tumour in August 2023.

Player Nicknames: As much as I hate the Leafs, their fans have come up with some creative monikers for players. Tops among them, would be Optimus Reim for goaltender James Reimer. The name was based on Optimus Prime from the Transformers franchise. Other popular culture nicknames for players include The Cat (Felix Potvin), from the character Felix the Cat, Captain Crunch (Wendel Clark), based off the children’s cereal, and Uncle Leo (Leo Komarov), borrowed from Seinfeld.

Harold Ballard

Line: Many trios in hockey history have been dubbed ‘The Kid Line’, but the original played for the Leafs during the 1930s. Joe Primeau was 23 years old, while his linemates, Charlie Conacher and Harvey Jackson were only 18 when they were put together in late 1929. The unit only won one Stanley Cup together, despite five Finals appearances. The line has remained popular over the years, with a children’s book published in 2001.

Captain: George Armstrong was captain of the Leafs for a club record 12 seasons. He played his entire 21-campaign career with the team, winning four Stanley Cups. Armstrong’s jersey number 10 was retired by the Leafs in 2016. Another notable captain for Toronto was Mats Sundin, who in 1997, became the first non-Canadian to wear the ‘C’ in franchise history. Sundin served in the role for 11 seasons, becoming the longest serving non-North American born captain in NHL history.

Enforcer: Tie Domi is the Leafs single-season and all-time penalty minute king, with 365 and 2,265 minutes in the sin bin. Domi also has the most fighting majors in NHL history with 333, a majority of those recorded during his time with Toronto. Domi was originally drafted by the Leafs in 1988, but didn’t play for them until 1995, after stops with the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets.

Family Values: Perhaps the most notable family members to play together with the Leafs were brothers-in-law Shayne Corson and Darcy Tucker, from 2000 to 2003. Tucker is married to Corson’s sister, with the two also previously playing for the Montreal Canadiens together. Father and son combos to play for the Leafs, include Mike and Nick Foligno, Bryan and Mason Marchment and Tie and Max Domi.

Tie Domi

Returning Players: Wendel Clark spent three stints with the Leafs. He was drafted first overall by the team in 1985, playing nine seasons (three as captain) in his first tenure. Clark then spent two campaigns with other teams, before returning to Toronto for another go around. Clark retired after the 1999-2000 season, following a final 20 games with the Leafs. Fellow franchise icon Doug Gilmour also ended his career with the Leafs in 2003, injured in his first game back after a trade deadline deal.

Short Stint: For a time, each season seemed to feature the Leafs bringing in an aged star – or two – hoping they would add something to their upcoming playoff chances. This included Tom Barrasso (four games in 2002), Phil Housley (four games in 2003), Glen Wesley (12 games in 2003), Brian Leetch (28 games in 2004), and Ron Francis (24 games in 2004). Another brief tenure with the club, belongs to Joe Thornton, who suited up with Toronto for 51 games in 2020-21.

Undrafted: Borje Salming was brought to the NHL from Sweden as a free agent in 1973. By the end of his long tenure with the Leafs, he changed the perception of European players being seen as soft. This was perhaps best exemplified when Salming had his face accidentally stepped on by a skate in 1986, requiring over 200 stitches and cosmetic surgery to repair. Salming holds a number of Leafs records for a defenseman.

Trade: One of the largest transactions in NHL history was the 1992 10-player deal between the Leafs and Calgary Flames that brought cult hero Doug Gilmour to Toronto. During his first full season with the Leafs, Gilmour recorded 127 points and earned the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the league. Gilmour’s tenure would also see the team make back-to-back appearances in the Conference Finals.

Doug Gilmour

Signing: The Leafs struggled mightily from the late 2000s to the mid 2010s, exacerbated by a number of misguided free agent deals. This included contracts for Jeff Finger (four-year, $14 million in 2008), Mike Komisarek (five-year, $21.5 million in 2009) and David Clarkson (seven-year, $36.75 in 2013). Finger played half his contract with Toronto’s minor league affiliate, Komisarek had his contract bought out in the final season and Clarkson was traded after two campaigns.

Draft Pick: The Leafs have picked first overall twice in their history, taking Wendel Clark in 1985 and Auston Matthews in 2016. Some of their other top picks include Darryl Sittler (8^th overall in 1970), Lanny McDonald (4^th overall in 1973), Morgan Rielly (5^th overall in 2012), and Mitch Marner (4^th overall in 2015). Perhaps their greatest diamond in the rough selection was taking Tomas Kaberle 204^th overall in 1996. He would go on to play 12 seasons in Toronto.

Holdouts: During the 1981-82 season, Darryl Sittler requested a trade due to the deterioration of his relationship with Leafs management and ownership. When no deal was reached after months of waiting, Sittler left the team, at the advice of his doctor, on the basis he was “mentally depressed”. Sittler was eventually dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers, ending his 12-season tumultuous stint with the franchise.

Buyouts: Mikhail Grabovski had completed the first season of his five-year, $27.5 million contract, when the Leafs surprisingly used one of their compliance buyouts from the 2012-13 lockout on him. This meant Grabovski was due $14.33 million over the next eight seasons. Two days earlier, the Leafs used their other compliance buyout on defenseman Mike Komisarek, owing him $2.33 million over two years.

Darryl Sittler

Unique Game: Given the Leafs profile, the team has been used for many marquee NHL events. This included the 2014 Winter Classic and 2017 NHL Centennial Classic, both against the Detroit Red Wings, a 2018 Stadium Series contest versus the Washington Capitals, and the 2022 Heritage Classic opposite the Buffalo Sabres. Toronto also played two 1993 pre-season games against the New York Rangers in London, United Kingdom.

Goal: Each game of the 1951 Stanley Cup Finals went to overtime, with the Leafs pulling off a 4-1 series victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Bill Barilko scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal at 2:53 of Game 5’s extra period. Another famous tally in Leafs lore is the one Bobby Baun scored in overtime of Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals, while playing with a broken ankle. The Leafs would win Game 7 4-0, earning their third consecutive championship.

Fight/Brawl: Things got out of hand during a 2013 pre-season game versus the Buffalo Sabres, leading to a brawl. When Buffalo enforcer John Scott went after Toronto star Phil Kessel, newly-signed Leaf David Clarkson left the bench to protect Kessel. This resulted in an automatic 10-game suspension for Clarkson, who never got going in Toronto, and was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets after 118 games and only 15 goals and 26 points, despite an annual salary of $5.25 million.

Injury: When Leafs forward Ace Bailey suffered a severe head injury, following a hard check by Eddie Shore of the Boston Bruins, two major developments came from the incident. First, the inaugural NHL all-star game was played months later to raise money for Bailey and his family. Second, at that all-star benefit game, Bailey’s number 6 jersey was retired, becoming the first player in professional sports history to receive such an honour.

Ace Bailey

Penalty: Leafs enforcers have a history of getting into trouble. Tiger Williams was charged with assault (later acquitted) for a 1977 stick hit on Dennis Owchar, which required 46 stitches to seal. A decade later, John Kordic high sticked Keith Acton, resulting in a 10-game suspension. Tie Domi had two infractions earn him lengthy bans, one for sucker punching Ulf Samuelsson in 1995 (eight games) and another for elbowing Scott Niedermayer in the 2001 playoffs (rest of series and eight games the following season).

Wildest Story: When Brian Spencer was to make his debut with the Leafs on December 12, 1970, he informed his father, Roy, of the good news. Later, Roy tried to watch the game on TV, but was greeted with a Vancouver Canucks-California Golden Seals contest instead. Upset, Roy drove 135 km to the closest TV station, where he threatened employees at gunpoint to air the Leafs game. A standoff with police and shootout ensued, resulting in Roy’s death. Brian would later also die by gunshot during a drug robbery.

Blooper: In one of the most viewed NHL videos of all-time, enforcer Tie Domi was banished to the penalty box during a game in Philadelphia. A Flyers fan was heckling Domi, so the enforcer squirted his water bottle into the crowd. Another angered fan ended up falling into the penalty box when the pane of glass separating players from the audience gave way. Domi punched the fan multiple times before being pulled away. Domi was fined $1,000 for the incident.

Miscellaneous: In an event that would make international headlines, the Leafs lost a 2020 game with Emergency Back-up Goalie David Ayres in net for the opposing Carolina Hurricanes. Worst of all, Ayres was employed by the Leafs, as a building operator/Zamboni driver. Ayres became a legend following the 6-3 victory, receiving his own day in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the story is set to become a Disney feature film.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

0.75 oz Blue Curacao
0.75 oz Irish Cream

I still find it hard to believe, as a youngster, I was a fan of the Leafs. Today, everything about Toronto and their sports landscape irks me. This is because the sports networks are all based there and we who live elsewhere in the country are treated to an unwanted deluge of coverage on Toronto teams.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Lightning Bolt Lemonade

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we stop for a smoke in the Cigar City (what a nickname!), and learn about the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Establishment Story: The Lightning joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1992. Two groups had bid to bring a team to Tampa Bay, with the consortium led by Phil and Tony Esposito being awarded a franchise, as they were able to pay the full $50 million expansion fee in advance. The Lightning moniker was given to the team because Tampa Bay is the Lightning Capital of North America.

Stanley Cups: The Lightning have won three Stanley Cups, including back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021, defeating the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens, respectively. Their other win came in 2004, over the Calgary Flames. Tampa Bay has also lost in two Stanley Cup Finals appearances, defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, as they attempted to complete a three-peat.

Celebrity Fan: Hulk Hogan, a Tampa Bay resident, has been a Lightning fan for some time. The Hulkster appeared regularly at games during the team’s 2004 Stanley Cup run and has continued to support the franchise, despite his own scandals. Fellow wrestler Chris Jericho, another Floridian, has been the Lightning’s Social Media Captain before, but the Canadian has also showed up to a Lightning-Winnipeg Jets game wearing a Jets jersey.

Hulk Hogan

Super Fan: The Malektronic Rocketman began life as a Lightning super fan, appearing at games during the 2014-15 season, before becoming a viral sensation and marketing campaign during Tampa Bay’s 2015 run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The character was created by Malektronic (wireless speaker/headphones company) CEO Ben Malek, who is an avid supporter of the Lightning, having both rink-side season tickets and owning a suite at Amalie Arena.

Mascot: ThunderBug is a lightning bug who wears jersey number 00. He is known to play a drum as Thunderstruck by AC/DC blasts through the arena in one of the team’s pre-game customs. A 2012 viral video of ThunderBug spraying a Boston Bruins fan with silly string, prior to the fan becoming upset and pushing the mascot, resulted in the performer being fired by the team. The team stated the incident was among other issues leading to the dismissal.

Tradition: The Lightning’s home building, Amelia Arena, has a very unique fixture inside. A Tesla Coil hangs from the roof of the stadium, shooting lightning bolts as part of the teams entrance, as well as when they score a goal. Also comprising the team’s arrival is the song Thunderstruck by AC/DC. Another tune important to the club is Thunder and Lightning by Vo Williams, with the track known as the official anthem of the squad.

Appearances in Media: The animated series American Dad! Has featured a number of references to the Lightning, including a character being decked out in numerous Lightning logo tattoos, as well as the talking fish character Klaus asking if anyone knows the score in the Lightning game. Also, one of the guys playing hockey on top of the Quick Stop in the movie Clerks is wearing a Tampa Bay jersey.

ThunderBug

Events/Scandals: Today, the Lightning are viewed as a model NHL organization. However, that wasn’t the case in the franchise’s earliest years, as the team was owned by a rarely seen Japanese businessman, who was rumoured to have ties to the yakuza (Japan’s mafia) and was operating with 236 per cent debt in 1997. Some believed the Lightning were merely a money laundering device. Later owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie weren’t much better, as their interference with the team led to the resignation of GM Jay Feaster.

Rivalry: The Battle of Florida, between the Lightning and the Florida Panthers, has existed since both teams joined the NHL in subsequent years in 1992 and 1993. The teams compete annually for the Governor’s Cup (aka Sunshine Cup/Nextel Cup Challenge), with the Panthers holding an advantage of 15-12-1. That said, the teams have only met in the playoffs twice, with the Lightning winning both series.

Tragedy: John Cullen was one of the Lightning’s top players when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. The disease forced Cullen to sit out the 1997-98 season, during which he went into cardiac arrest while attending a treatment. Cullen survived and the cancer went into remission, leading to the forward attempting to make a comeback. He made the 1998-99 roster, but wasn’t the same player and decided to retire early that campaign. Cullen was awarded the 1999 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his efforts.

Player Nicknames: Wayne Gretzky’s less famous, less successful younger brother Brent played 13 games for the Lightning over two seasons from 1993 to 1995. While Wayne was nicknamed ‘The Great One’, Brent received the dubious title ‘The Other One’. Brent’s four points, combined with Wayne’s NHL record 2,857 points make the pair the highest scoring brothers in league history.

Brent Gretzky

Line: Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier were a formidable duo, being combined with Vaclav Prospal to form the MVP Line. Later, Prospal would be replaced by Steven Stamkos, establishing the Centers Line. Other notable units, include The Triplets/Coop’s Troops (Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson) and Dirt Line (Dave Andreychuk, Tim Taylor, Chris Dingman).

Captain: Steven Stamkos was named captain on March 6, 2014, replacing Martin St. Louis. He is the longest serving captain in franchise history, still in the role as of this article. And why not? Stamkos holds the franchise records for goals and points and is on track to takeover the games played and assists marks in due time. While injuries were thought to have taken their toll on the former first overall pick, Stamkos is still putting up great statistical seasons.

Enforcer: Zenon Konopka (aka Zenon the Destroyer) only played one full year with the Lightning, but he set the franchise single-season penalty minute record at 265, during that campaign. The next two highest totals belong to Enrico Ciccone, who likely would have set a higher bar for Konopka, had he not been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1995-96 season, while sitting at 258 penalty minutes.

Family Values: A couple brother combos have been members of the Lightning at the same time. First, Nolan and Cal Foote were first round draft picks by Tampa Bay in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Unfortunately, before the two could play together, Nolan was traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2020. Also, Darren and Taylor Raddysh were briefly members of the 2021-22 squad at the same time.

Steven Stamkos

Returning Players: Chris Gratton had three separate stints with the Lightning. He was drafted by the team third overall in 1993, immediately joining the team that season. Gratton signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1997, but was traded back to Tampa Bay early in the 1998-99 campaign and traded again to the Buffalo Sabres in March 2000. His final run with the Lightning lasted from 2007 to 2009. Gratton holds the franchise record for career penalty minutes at 828.

Short Stint: Two goalies, known for their time with other teams, finished their careers with brief Tampa Bay tenures. First, after rewriting most of the Washington Capitals goalie records, Olaf Kolzig played eight games with the Lightning in 2008-09. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, but never suited up for them. Second, Evgeni Nabokov played 11 games with the Lightning in 2014-15, before being traded back to the San Jose Sharks, retiring with the team he backstopped for a decade.

Undrafted: Yanni Gourde, a 5’9” undersized junior star, almost gave up on having a hockey career, feeling stuck in the minor leagues. He was finally signed by the Lightning in March 2014, becoming a full-time member of the roster in 2017-18. Gourde would go on to be an integral part of Tampa Bay’s 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup championship squads, before being selected by the Seattle Kraken in their expansion draft.

Trade: The arrival of Vincent Lecavalier in Tampa Bay changed the team’s fortunes. Lecavalier only ended up with the Lightning due to a trade with the San Jose Sharks, which gave them the first overall selection in the 1998 draft. Lightning owner Art Williams (who also owned the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association) proclaimed that Lecavalier would be “the Michael Jordan of hockey”. For his part, Lecavalier did bring a Stanley Cup championship to Tampa Bay.

Vincent Lecavalier

Signing: When Martin St. Louis signed with the Lightning in 2000, he had just endured being exposed and not selected in the Expansion Draft and being bought out by the Calgary Flames. St. Louis had recorded only four goals and 20 points over a combined two seasons and 69 NHL games. Upon arriving in Tampa Bay, his game grew and he became a star and leader with the team.

Draft Pick: The Lightning selected two franchise players with the first overall choice, taking Vincent Lecavalier (1998) and Steven Stamkos (2008). Tampa Bay also did well choosing Victor Hedman second overall in 2009. The Lightning have also made some steal selections, with the likes of Brad Richards (64^th overall in 1998), Nikita Kucherov (58^th overall in 2011) and Brayden Point (79^th overall in 2014) all coming in later rounds.

Holdouts: Jonathan Drouin was drafted by the Lightning third overall in 2013. As the young winger struggled during the 2015-16 season, he was sent to the minor league Syracuse Crunch. After a few games, though, Drouin refused to further play for the team and demanded a trade. The holdout ended after two months, with Drouin agreeing to rejoin the Crunch. Shortly after, Drouin was recalled by the Lightning and played the full 2016-17 year with them, before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

Buyouts: The Lightning have paid out a fair bit of money to players they no longer want on their roster, including Vaclav Prospal ($7 million) and Matt Carle ($7.33 million), but nothing compares to the team using one of their compliance buyouts, coming out of the 2012-13 lockout, on captain Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier had signed an 11-year, $85 million deal in 2008, so he was due $32.67 million over 14 years. He will be paid $1.76 million per year until 2026-27.

Martin St Louis

Unique Game: In 1998, the Lightning and Buffalo Sabres took part in a four-team tournament in Austria, with the Lightning defeating the Sabres in the finals. Tampa Bay returned to Europe to open their 2008 season with a pair of contests against the New York Rangers in Prague, Czechia. As part of the 2019 Global Series, the Lightning once again faced the Sabres, this time in Stockholm, Sweden. As for outdoor games, Tampa Bay battled the Nashville Predators as part of the 2022 NHL Stadium Series.

Goal: In Game 1 of the 2020 playoffs for the Lightning, center Brayden Point scored the winning goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth overtime period. This ended the fourth longest game in NHL history and started Tampa Bay’s run to the 2020 Stanley Cup. Point would also score the winner in Game 5 of that series, in only the first overtime period, helping the Lightning advance to the second round.

Fight/Brawl: Lightning teams of recent years have been involved in a number of skirmishes with opposing clubs. This includes in back-to-back playoffs, with the Lightning having early line brawls with the Florida Panthers in 2021 and Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022. They also had a memorable melee with the Vegas Golden Knights near the end of the 2022-23 season, which resulted in all 10 players involved being ejected from the contest.

Injury: During a November 11, 2013 game against the Boston Bruins, Lightning star Steven Stamkos crashed into the Bruins net, breaking his leg. A stretcher was needed to remove Stamkos from the ice and surgery was required to repair his right tibia. At the time of the injury, Stamkos was tied for the league lead in scoring. He would be forced to miss the 2014 Olympics due to the injury.

Lightning-Maple-Leafs

Penalty: During a pre-season game against the Washington Capitals on September 19, 2000, winger Gordie Dwyer left the penalty box to join a bench-clearing brawl. During that fracas, Dwyer verbally and physically abused the on-ice officials, earning himself a 23-game suspension. This total was based on adding up three automatic suspensions for his actions. Dwyer played 78 games with Tampa Bay over three seasons, scoring zero goals, with four assists and 291 penalty minutes.

Wildest Story: When Lightning GM Steve Yzerman didn’t name Martin St. Louis to the Canadian Men’s Hockey Team for the 2014 Olympics, he didn’t realize the events he’d set off with his own star player and captain. Feeling disrespected, St. Louis requested a trade and despite eventually joining the Olympics team as an injury replacement and winning a gold medal, St. Louis still wanted out. He was dealt to the New York Rangers shortly after returning from Sochi, Russia.

Blooper: Steven Stamkos is among the most offensively dangerous players in NHL history, but his scoring acumen failed him during a 2011 penalty shot attempt. Down 5-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot. As he broke in on goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, he lost control of the puck, then fell, sliding into the end boards, as Fleury easily knocked the puck away, negating the penalty shot attempt.

Miscellaneous: Female goaltender Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in a major North American sports league, when she attended the Lightning’s inaugural training camp in 1992. While the invite was a bit of a publicity stunt, with Rhéaume appearing in one pre-season period, she played well enough to earn a contract with Tampa Bay’s International Hockey League affiliate, the Atlanta Knights.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Lightning Bolt Lemonade

Lightning Bolt Lemonade

2 oz Vodka or White Rum
1 oz Blue Curacao
Top with Lemonade
Garnish with Lemon Slices

There are a number of Lightning-named cocktails, with some of them having a similar composition to this drink. I’m finding it quite interesting how many of the hockey-themed beverages include Blue Curacao as an ingredient.

Sip Trips #227: Halloween Haze

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

October was busy, with many Halloween events on the calendar. That said, there wasn’t a whole lot of going to places (compared to other months, at least) for drinks and meals. Let’s see what the Sip Family got up to in a mixed bag month:

For the (Canadian) Thanksgiving long weekend, we surprised the Sipplings with another voyage to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washington. Our journey began with an overnight stay in nearby Olympia, where we once again had a nice dinner at Red Lobster. Enjoying the Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl so much last time, I ordered the entrée again, paired with a Blue Moon Wheat Ale.

Thanksgiving

For this trip, we only stayed at the Lodge for two nights (our first expedition was for four nights) and we’ve come to the conclusion that three nights is the perfect stay duration. Mrs. Sip purchased the Sip & Savor Pass again, which offered an appetizer at the Wood Fired Grill, $40 arcade game card, two tiki drinks at Grizzly Robs, a wine/beer package (we selected the ‘Kids Snoring, More Pinot Noir-ing’ truffles and Pinot Noir option), and two Mimosas or Bloody Marys at Loose Moose.

Upon arriving at the resort, we needed some lunch, so visited the Wood Fired Grill, using our free appy on the Jumbo Chicken Wings (Korean and Hickory BBQ flavours). While I enjoyed a Great Wolf LIT (Long Island Iced Tea), Mrs. Sip drank a Lodge Mojito. For dinner the following night, we tried The Cantina. I had a very filling Carnitas Burrito, washed down by a Sam Adams Summer Ale.

On our way home, we returned to Olympia to visit the Well 80 Brewhouse. I had very good L.A. Street Truck Style Drive-In Fries, while sharing the Mahalo Chicken Bites with Mrs. Sip. I later combined leftovers of the two for another good meal. To drink at the brewery, we had servings of the Muffin Man’s Thai Farm Saison and Volle Pulle! Hefeweizen.

Fries

The following weekend, I joined some friends for a guy’s night out, beginning with dinner at The Story Café in Richmond. The eatery had an odd $65 minimum per person policy, but it wasn’t hard to get to that amount, with drinks, appies, mains and dessert for some. My beers for the evening included the Strange Fellows Jongleur Wit, East Van Humble Hive Honey Brown and Hoyne Dark Matter (my dessert). To eat, I went with Garlic Escargot and a very tasty Great Canadian Burger.

After our feast, we walked over to the River Rock Casino, which was full of interesting clientele (folks getting kicked out as we arrived, another getting sick outside later in the night) and had a bizarre liquor serving rule, where you had to wait an hour for your next serving, after ordering a shot or double drink. The shots we ordered were necessary after one of the guys in our group put $20 into a slot machine on a whim and it turned into $1,200, following a 100 free games win. The drinks I did have while we were at the casino were a trio of their featured cocktails.

That wraps the month. I’m not sure yet if November will see a return to our normal level of activity or not. Already schedule is a guy’s weekend away and the Sip Family spending a week at a Mexican all-inclusive. There will also be a soft lean into Christmas, so I’m betting it’ll be busy!

St. Louis Blues – Monday Night Miracle

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we journey through the Gateway to the West, checking in with the St. Louis Blues:

Establishment Story: The Blues entered the NHL during the 1967 expansion from the Original Six to 12 teams. The league had previously dabbled with the city by relocating the original Ottawa Senators there, becoming the St. Louis Eagles. The Eagles played one season (1934-35) before folding. The Blues are named for the W.C. Handy song Saint Louis Blues, released in 1914.

Stanley Cups: The Blues lone Stanley Cup victory occurred in 2019. The team also made the Stanley Cup Finals three times in their first three seasons, when the league’s divisions were split into the Original Six and the 1967 expansion teams (Next Six). St. Louis lost each time, twice to the Montreal Canadiens and once to the Boston Bruins. Revenge against Boston finally came with that 2019 championship.

Celebrity Fan: There are a number of famous supporters of the Blues, including actors Jon Hamm and Jenna Fischer, who both call St. Louis home. Hamm and Fischer were honourary coaches during the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis and were prominent in the Blues Stanley Cup run in 2019. Because of his lifelong love of the Blues, Hamm has also done a fair bit of work for the NHL, including hosting the NHL100 event.

Jon Hamm

Super Fan: Laila Anderson is often credited with inspiring the Blues to turn around their 2018-19 season, which climaxed with their Stanley Cup championship. Anderson, who battled a rare auto-immune disease during that season, became a mascot of sorts for the club, as she celebrated the Stanley Cup win with them on the ice and at their rally. Anderson was also presented with a Stanley Cup ring, which is etched with her name on the inside.

Mascot: Louie is a blue polar bear, who debuted during the 2007-08 season. Louie’s backstory says he travelled to St. Louis from the Arctic Circle, inspired to search out his favourite hockey team. A 2021 poll conducted by Play Canada ranked Louie as the fourth most popular mascot in the NHL, but given the winner of the poll was Carlton the Bear of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the poll loses all credibility.

Tradition: The Blues and their fans have a couple rituals of note. First, following a goal, a bell tone is played for each tally scored that night, as the crowd counts along. Also, during the team’s 2018-19 season turnaround and Stanley Cup run, the song Gloria by Laura Branigan became the Blues theme track, played after each win. The tune was retired after St. Louis celebrated raising their Stanley Cup banner.

Appearances in Media: The Tom Hanks post-apocalyptic movie Finch is set in St. Louis and features his characters wearing a classic Blues jersey. Also, musician Nelly, a proud St. Louis native, can be seen alternating between St. Louis Cardinals and Blues gear throughout the music video for his hit song Country Grammar. Nelly can often be seen in Blues paraphernalia and is a big fan of the team.

Nelly

Events/Scandals: Just days after the Blues were eliminated from the 2004 playoffs, player Mike Danton was arrested on a conspiracy to commit murder charge. Danton had attempted to hire a hitman to murder his agent David Frost. Danton was sentenced to 90 months in prison, serving 63 before he was released. Danton later claimed his estranged father was the intended target of the murder-for-hire plot.

Rivalry: The Blues have had a long-standing feud with the Chicago Blackhawks, as the two teams have shared a division since 1970. While brawls between the clubs were common, one particular melee in 1991 is known as the St. Patrick’s Day Massacre. The result of the fights was 12 players ejected and three players suspended. Interestingly, all six Sutter brothers were members of each team in 1991-92.

Tragedy: Bob Gassoff played for the Blues from 1973 to 1977. At a party following the 1976-77 season, hosted by teammate Garry Unger, Gassoff was involved in a motorcycle accident, killing him at only 24 years old. Following his death, Gassoff’s number 3 jersey was retired by the Blues and the Bob Gassoff Trophy was created, rewarded to the most improved defenseman of the Central Hockey League. Gassoff holds the Blues record for penalty minutes in a season at 306.

Player Nicknames: Brett Hull’s father, Bobby Hull, was nicknamed the Golden Jet during his illustrious hockey career. Therefore, the moniker the Golden Brett was bestowed upon Brett, who shared his father’s scoring touch. Once Brett joined the Blues in 1988, he became one of the league’s most dangerous scorers, holding the franchise records for single-season and career goals. Hull’s jersey number 16 was retired by the Blues in 2006.

Brett Hull

Line: Sometimes, it doesn’t matter who the third member of a line is, so long as the first two pieces have tremendous chemistry. Such was the case when Brett Hull and Adam Oates were paired together, comprising the duo of Hull & Oates, a play on the musical tandem Hall & Oates. Together, Hull and Oates played together from 1989 to 1992, with Hull scoring 212 goals during that span, while his frequent playmaker Oates recorded 228 assists.

Captain: Brian Sutter was the longest-serving captain in Blues history, holding the mantle from 1979 up until his retirement in 1988. Sutter played his entire career with St. Louis, drafted by the team 20^th overall in 1976. After hanging up his skates, Sutter became head coach of the Blues, leading them behind the bench from 1988 to 1992. Sutter’s number 11 jersey was retired by the organization on December 30, 1988.

Enforcer: Kelly Chase and Tony Twist were known as the Bruise Brothers while they played together for the Blues in 1989-90 and later from 1997 to 1999. The two had been together in junior hockey with the Saskatoon Blades and the minor leagues with the Peoria Rivermen. Despite being good friends and Twist living in Chase’s house while he was with the Hartford Whalers, the two even fought each other during a March 9, 1996 game.

Family Values: The Plager brothers (Bobby, Barclay and Bill) played together for the Blues from 1968 to 1972. The trio helped lead St. Louis to their three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances after the Blues joined the NHL. Another brother set to suit up together with St. Louis was Gino and Paul Cavallini. They were both members of the franchise from 1987 to 1992.

Plager Brothers

Returning Players: David Perron has had three stints with the Blues. He was drafted by the team in 2007, playing six seasons, before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2013. Perron returned to St. Louis as a free agent in 2016, but after one season, was the Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft choice from the Blues. He was back in St. Louis in 2018, playing four seasons, before signing as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in 2022.

Short Stint: Some of the greatest players of all-time have had such short stints with St. Louis, that seeing them in a Blues jersey looks odd. This includes goalies Martin Brodeur (seven games after two decades with the New Jersey Devils), and Tom Barrasso (six games), along with Peter Stastny (27 games, regular season and playoffs combined), and even Wayne Gretzky (31 games, regular season and playoffs combined).

Undrafted: Curtis Joseph, nicknamed Cujo, from the Stephen King novel of the same name, was signed out of the NCAA University of Wisconsin in 1989. He would remain in St. Louis until 1995, gaining a reputation as one of the best goalies in the league, including being a Vezina Trophy finalist for the 1992-93 season. In 2015, Joseph was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

Trade: Among the Blues better acquisitions were bringing in Brett Hull from the Calgary Flames in March 1988 (along with Steve Bozek for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley), followed by Adam Oates from the Detroit Red Wings in June 1989 (along with Paul MacLean for Bernie Federko and Tony Mckegney). The two combined to make one of the most lethal offensive duos in NHL history, as noted above.

Curtis Joseph

Signing: In the early 90s, the Blues made a number of offer sheet signings to restricted free agents. They threw out contracts to the likes of Scott Stevens (twice!), Dave Christian, Brendan Shanahan, Michel Goulet, Marty McSorely, Petr Nedved, and Shayne Corson. Only Goulet, McSorely and Stevens (the second time) didn’t end up with the club, but the cost of the acquisitions was a number of draft picks and key players lost in compensation.

Draft Pick: The Blues have had an interesting draft history. The team passed on their opportunity to make any picks in their very first draft in 1967, didn’t participate in the 1983 draft, and had five straight first rounders (1991-95) transfer to the Washington Capitals, as compensation for the successful Scott Stevens offer sheet. They have selected first overall just once, taking defenseman Erik Johnson in 2006.

Holdouts: Alex Pietrangelo only missed one training camp practice before signing a seven-year, $45.5 million contract with the Blues in 2013. The hope was that Pietrangelo would spend his entire career with the team, but the defenseman, who was selected fourth overall in 2008, joined the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency in 2020 (seven years, $61.6 million), upon the expiry of the aforementioned pact.

Buyouts: The Blues have only used two buyouts in their history and none since 2009. In 2007, the team parted ways with captain Dallas Drake, following six seasons in St. Louis. Drake would move onto the Detroit Red Wings for a season, retiring as a Stanley Cup champion. Two years later, defenseman Jay McKee was bought out of the final year of his four-year, $16 million contract signed in 2006. His final campaign came with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pietrangelo

Unique Game: The Blues have participated in two Winter Classic games. First, they hosted the rival Chicago Blackhawks in 2017, followed by facing the Minnesota Wild in 2022. St. Louis and the Edmonton Oilers also participated in the 1990 Epson Cup in Dusseldorf, West Germany, which included a game against each other as part of the tournament. Finally, the Blues opened their 2009-10 season with a pair of games against the Detroit Red Wings in Stockholm, Sweden, for the 2009 NHL Premiere.

Goal: Blues fans waited 52 years for the club’s first Stanley Cup and it took a 4-1 win in Game 7 of the finals against the Boston Bruins to get that title. The St. Louis faithful were put at ease when Ryan O’Reilly tallied the opening goal of that game at 16:47 of the first period and the Blues never looked back. O’Reilly was later named the Conn Smythe Trophy recipient as playoff MVP.

Fight/Brawl: Blues history is littered with infamous brawls. These include melees against the Philadelphia Flyers (1972), Pittsburgh Penguins (1973), New York Rangers (1974), Chicago Blackhawks (1991 St. Patrick’s Day Massacre), and Detroit Red Wings (1993). The fracas with the Penguins occurred during a pre-season contest and lasted 20 minutes, with fighting occurring in the penalty boxes and the hallway leading from them to St. Louis’ dressing room.

Injury: Two Blues defensemen have suffered serious heart issues during games with the team. First, during the 1998 playoffs, Chris Pronger was hit with a slapshot to the chest in a contest against the Detroit Red Wings. This caused Pronger to go into cardiac arrest due to his heart rhythm being disrupted. Next, in 2020, Jay Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench due to cardiac arrest. Thankfully, both players survived their ordeals, but Bouwmeester never played in the NHL again.

Ryan O'Reilly

Penalty: During a 1969 pre-season game, Wayne Maki got into a stick swinging fight against Ted Green of the Boston Bruins. Maki clubbed Green over the head, resulting in a fractured skull and brain injury. Both players were charged with assault, becoming the first NHL players to face criminal prosecution for an on-ice incident, but were acquitted. Maki was suspended 30 days, while Green missed the entire season recovering.

Wildest Story: The Blues were almost moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1983, but the NHL’s Board of Governors voted to reject the proposed $12 million sale. This led to lawsuits between then owner Ralston Purina (of the Purina animal food empire) and the NHL, with control of the franchise taken over by the league. The result was the Blues stayed in St. Louis, when a new ownership group, led by businessman Harry Ornest, was put together.

Blooper: In February 2006, Blues defenseman Dennis Wideman made one of the most memorable shootout attempts of all-time… memorable for all the wrong reasons. As Wideman swiftly skated towards Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, he made a nice deke move, but lost a skate edge and went flying up in the air, landing flat on his back, with the puck sliding into the corner of the rink.

Miscellaneous: Bernie Federko deserves some mentioning, as he’s the Blues career leader in games, assists and points, while sitting second all-time in goals. Federko was drafted by St. Louis seventh overall in 1976, remaining with the team until a 1989 trade to the Detroit Red Wings. Federko would have his number 24 jersey retired by the Blues in 1991 and for an extended period was the color commentator on the team’s TV broadcasts.

St. Louis Blues: Monday Night Miracle

Monday Night Miracle

1.5 oz Gin or Vodka
1 oz Blue Curacao
Splash of Lime Juice
Garnish with a Lime Slice

This cocktail is named after the greatest comeback in Blues history, Game 6 of the Campbell Conference Finals, which occurred on Monday, May 12, 1986. The Blues were down 5-2 with 12 minutes left in the contest, when they rallied to force overtime and won 6-5. Despite the momentum change, they would still lose the series to the Calgary Flames.

Seattle Kraken – Seattle Kraken Drop

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we head to the Emerald City to look at the NHL’s newest franchise, the Seattle Kraken:

Establishment Story: The Kraken joined the NHL as an expansion team in 2021. The nickname Kraken was chosen from a list of contenders, as it resembles the giant Pacific octopus, found in the nearby Puget Sound waters. Previous professional hockey teams based in Seattle, included the Seattle Totems (Western Hockey League, 1943-75) and Seattle Metropolitans (Pacific Coast Hockey Association, 1915-24).

Stanley Cups: In only their second year of operation, the Kraken earned a Stanley Cup playoffs berth, even making it to Game 7 of the second round, before they were eliminated for post-season competition. The Seattle Metropolitans did capture Lord Stanley’s chalice all the way back in 1917. A banner was raised by the Kraken prior to their second home game, as they hosted the Montreal Canadiens, the team the Metropolitans defeated. A 1919 rematch was never finished, due to the Spanish Influenza outbreak.

Celebrity Fan: Musician and Seattle native Macklemore is not only a fan of the Kraken, he has a minority ownership stake in the club. Joining Macklemore on the ownership side of things is former Seattle Seahawk, Marshawn Lynch, and Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, as well as the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TV empire.

Macklemore

Super Fan: The city of Seattle has quickly embraced the Kraken. One fan has become popular not only because of his support of the team, but because he also looks like a doppelganger for Seattle forward Brandon Tanev. Nicknamed Twin Turbo, based on Tanev’s nickname Turbo, Connor Roestel even bumped into the player at the team’s training facility, taking a photo together. Roestel also received a signed stick from Tanev.

Mascot: Buoy the Troll was introduced on October 1, 2022. Buoy is a nephew of the Fremont Troll, a sculpture found in the Seattle suburb of Fremont. Buoy wears jersey #0 and his favourite meal is Shark with Maple Leaf seasoning. Prior to Buoy’s arrival, which was delayed almost a year because of game postponements due to the Covid pandemic, the Kraken had a team dog named Davy Jones.

Tradition: While it’s customary for home players to toss a souvenir stick or puck into the crowd when they are named one of the three stars of the game, in Seattle, stuffed sockeye salmon toys are thrown into stands, similar to the Pike Place Market fish toss. Another ritual for the Kraken is having Lithium by Nirvana (the band famously formed in Seattle) as the team’s goal song.

Appearances in Media: As mentioned earlier, musician Macklemore is involved with the Kraken as a minority owner. Taking advantage of that association, the singer filmed the music video for his song No Bad Days during a 2023 Seattle game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The video features Macklemore, along with his daughter Collett, singing from the Zamboni, as it cleans the ice between periods of the contest.

Buoy

Events/Scandals: One of the first orders of business for the new Kraken franchise was to conduct their Expansion Draft. While the event was filled with celebrities helping to announce the team’s selections, many of the choices had already been leaked to the public, making for an anticlimactic affair. The organization was also critiqued for not exploiting the 31 other teams the way the Vegas Golden Knights had under identical rules.

Rivalry: A natural rival for the Kraken are the geographically close Vancouver Canucks. Although a true hatred between the two clubs has yet to fully materialize, fans on both sides have already dreamt up various names for the feud, including Krakens vs. Killer Whales (the Canucks logo features an orca), Cascadia Clash/Battle of Cascadia, The Feeding Frenzy and even The Pig War, based on an 1859 border dispute in the San Juan Islands.

Tragedy: During a 2022 pre-season game, Kraken forward Joonas Donskoi collided with teammate Kole Lind, suffering a concussion on the play. Donskoi would go on to miss the entirety of the 2022-23 season, and then announced his retirement on August 27, 2023, due to ongoing head issues. Donskoi cited experiencing a number of concussions over the course of his career as a factor in his decision to hang up his skates.

Player Nicknames: Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is known as Big Rig, thanks to his 6’7” height, which makes him among the tallest NHL players ever. Oleksiak is an original member of the team, being plucked from the Dallas Stars in the Expansion Draft and then quickly signed to a five-year, $23 million contract by Seattle. In two seasons with the Kraken, Oleksiak has recorded 42 points and 116 penalty minutes.

Rivals

Line: Some memorable lines for the Kraken include their top unit in the 2023 playoffs, comprised of Matty Beniers, Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle. Together, Beniers broke out as NHL rookie of the year, McCann scored 40 goals and Eberle enjoyed one of the best statistical seasons of his career. Another notable trio, made up of Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen, had some pundits calling them the best third line in the NHL during the 2022-23 season.

Captain: Mark Giordano has, thus far, been the only captain in franchise history. He was flanked by alternate captains Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde, Adam Larsson and Jaden Schwartz, who have comprised the leadership group since Giordano was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2022 trade deadline. It’s yet to be seen if the team will name a captain for the 2023-24 campaign.

Enforcer: The NHL has changed greatly since the days of goons patrolling and protecting, so players piling up penalty minutes doesn’t happen to the degree it used to. As evidence, Yanni Gourde holds the franchise records for both most penalty minutes in a season (76) and career penalty minutes (121). In fact, it’s fairly rare for players to hit triple digit penalty minutes in a season nowadays.

Family Values: Brothers Haydn and Cale Fleury were both selected by the Kraken as part of their expansion draft, taken from the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens, respectively. The two defensemen played some games for the team in its inaugural season, even being paired together for a pre-season contest. Following the franchise’s first year, Haydn signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning, while Cale remains in Seattle.

Yanni Gourde

Returning Players: While goalie Magnus Hellberg has not appeared in a game for the Kraken, he has had two separate stints with the organization. Hellberg signed with Seattle in July 2022. Failing to make the club out of training camp, Hellberg was claimed on waivers by the Ottawa Senators. After one game, Hellberg found himself waived again and reclaimed by the Kraken, dressing as the team’s backup goalie for a number of contests. Following this run, Hellberg was on the move again, this time to the Detroit Red Wings.

Short Stint: Mark Giordano’s tenure with the Kraken and as the team’s first captain lasted all of 55 games. During that time, Giordano hit the 1,000-game plateau and was honoured by the organization. Another brief stay in Seattle was for Mason Appleton, who was selected in the Expansion Draft from the Winnipeg Jets and returned there at the 2022 trade deadline. He only suited up for 49 games with the Kraken.

Undrafted: Tye Kartye was signed by the Kraken on March 1, 2022. He played the 2022-23 season with Seattle’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, leading all rookies with 57 points. During the Kraken’s first playoff berth, Kartye was recalled by the team, making his NHL debut for Game 5 on April 26, 2023 and scoring his first career NHL goal. He became the eighth player in NHL history to do this.

Trade: In the 2022 off-season, the Kraken took advantage of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who needed to shed some salary after handing out large contracts to other players. For only a third and fourth round pick in 2023, they received Oliver Bjorkstrand in exchange. The forward put up 20 goals and 25 assists in his first season with Seattle, which was actually down from his 2021-22 career season.

Bjorkstrand

Signing: While the Kraken have only participated in three signing seasons, they have made some deft moves. As part of the team’s 2021 expansion draft process, they signed defenseman Adam Larsson to a four-year, $16 million deal, making him their selection from the Edmonton Oilers. Larsson is a dependable defender, having suited up for every Seattle game to date.

Draft Pick: With such a brief history, the Kraken have only made two first round draft picks, taking Matty Beniers second overall in 2021 and Shane Wright fourth overall in 2022. The selections could set the team up with a strong 1-2 punch at center ice for years to come. Beniers won the 2023 Calder Trophy (rookie of the year), while Wright may turn out to be a great steal, as he was projected to go first overall, before falling to Seattle at number four.

Holdouts: The Kraken have had no player holdout situations to date. One contact snag the organization did encounter had to do with their free agent offer to goalie Philipp Grubauer. When Seattle submitted the six-year, $35.4 million pact to the NHL’s Central Registry, it was rejected for how much Grubauer’s salary increased in year three of the deal. After restructuring the contract, it was eventually approved by the league.

Buyouts: The Kraken haven’t had to process any player buyouts yet, but they did terminate the contract of defenseman Michal Kempny in October 2022. Kempny had signed a one-year, $750,000 deal with Seattle just months prior. When he failed to make the team out of training camp, Kempny was assigned to the Kraken’s minor league affiliate. After appearing in only two games, he elected to leave North America and return to his native Czechia.

Beniers

Unique Game: As the Kraken’s home arena was still undergoing renovations prior to the team’s debut, they played 2021 pre-season home games at the arenas of the Spokane Chiefs, Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. Seattle will also host the 2024 Winter Classic versus the Vegas Golden Knights on New Year’s Day from T-Mobile Park. The contest is a battle of the league’s two most recent expansion clubs.

Goal: Few things are more exciting in hockey than an overtime game-winner. During the Kraken’s 2023 playoff run, Jordan Eberle (in Game 4 of Round 1 vs. the Colorado Avalanche) and Yanni Gourde (in Game 1 of Round 2 vs. the Dallas Stars) provided the heroics for Seattle. Another notable tally was the first goal scored in Kraken history, which was notched by Ryan Donato.

Fight/Brawl: Vince Dunn recorded the first fight in franchise history, as he dropped the gloves with Yakov Trenin of the Nashville Predators. This game would be notable for also being the franchise’s first ever win. A brawl in the stands between a Kraken and Predators fan went viral, perhaps gaining more attention than the on-ice action. Jamie Oleksiak leads Seattle in all-time fights with nine.

Injury: During the first round of the 2023 playoffs, Jared McCann had a breakaway opportunity, but failed to score. Following the attempt, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar hit McCann hard into the boards, despite the puck being out of play. Makar was suspended for one game, while McCann missed six contests recovering. Another notable injury happened to Brandon Tanev early in the team’s inaugural season, as the cult favourite player tore his ACL, putting him out of action for the rest of the 2021-22 campaign.

Kraken

Penalty: Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak has served the longest suspension in Kraken history, banned three games for a hit to head of Washington Capitals defender Alexander Alexeyev in December 2022. Earlier that season, Oleksiak narrowly avoided a suspension for a similar play, as he made contact with the head of Blake Lizotte of the Los Angeles Kings. That’s what happens when you’re a towering 6’7” rearguard.

Wildest Story: While Kraken and Vancouver Canucks fans hope a rivalry between the two teams gains traction, Kraken fan Nadia Popovici put her energy into saving the life of Canucks trainer Brian ‘Red’ Hamilton. Popovici was sitting behind the Canucks bench during Seattle’s first-ever home game, when she made Hamilton aware she thought he had a cancerous mole on his neck. Hamilton had the malignant melanoma removed and the two teams provided Popovici with a $10,000 scholarship towards her medical schooling.

Blooper: Something that started off innocent turned serious quickly, when the Kraken began posting content to the BookTok sub-community of TikTok, featuring player Alex Wennberg and his “chiseled Nordic good looks.” Wennberg’s wife, Felicia, took to Instagram to call the posts objectifying, predatory and exploitative. The Kraken social media team swiftly removed all references to the subject on their accounts.

Miscellaneous: The Kraken have retired number 32 from being worn by players. This is in honour of the Kraken being the NHL’s 32^nd franchise and for the 32,000 fans who made ticket deposits on the club’s first day. A number 32 banner hangs in the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena, simply reading “Kraken” with the digits below. Some notable players who wore the number during their NHL careers, include Jonathan Quick, Dale Hunter and Claude Lemieux.

Seattle Kraken: Seattle Kraken Drop

Seattle Kraken Drop

Muddle Raspberries
2 oz Vodka
Top with Club Soda
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Orange Bitters
Garnish with Raspberries

I adapted this recipe from a ready-to-drink cocktail produced by Denali Spirits, which is the official canned cocktail of the Kraken. It should also be noted, Kraken Rum (naturally!) is the official rum of the team and the company has a bar in Climate Pledge Arena.

Sip Trips #226: Sip-Tember Celebrations

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

September is always a crazy time, filled with numerous birthdays and at least one getaway. This year, was no different. Here’s how it all played out:

The month began with a trip to Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham, Washington, where we let the kids run wild at Playdate, as we took turns doing some shopping. Our drinks at the cafe included the Terramar Amber Ale and Stemma Hazy IPA. I still maintain there should be more places like this, where kids can play, while adults enjoy a beverage.

Following a friend’s wedding over the Labour Day long weekend, the Sip Family had lunch at Firecrust Pizza, a place Mrs. Sip had long wanted to check out. We ordered the California Club and Prosciutto Arugula pizzas, as well as a side of Mozza Bread for the kids. For dessert we all split two of their Epic Shakes in the Kit Krush and Candyland varieties. While I personally wouldn’t need to do the shakes again, I know the kids won’t allow that. My California Club pizza was delicious.

Pizza

More shopping occurred early in the month, as we geared up for birthdays and vacations. Following one trip, we had dinner at White Spot, where I had a Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad, paired with a Vancouver Island Beachcomber Hefeweizen. This has become my go to meal there over the summer and it’s quite satisfying.

As part of my 40th birthday celebrations, we hosted a Sip, Chip and Dip party, where guests were asked to bring their favourite sip, chip and go for a dip in Ma and Pa Sip’s pool, if weather permitted (and it did!). I was generously gifted a number of treats from family and friends, including many liquor bottles, beers and other items. The chip buffet went over very well and I hope to make this event an annual tradition on the social calendar!

The next day, after meeting with another family at the Museum of Surrey, we had a meal together at Hawthorne Beer Market. For drinks, I enjoyed the Twin Sails Could Crush Watermelon Wheat Ale and Bridge Get to the Choppa IPA, while Mrs. Sip and I shared the Nachos Callejeros. I hope to return to this restaurant in the future to try more items from their extensive menu.

Birthday

Later that week, prior to our performance of Little Shop of Horrors at The Stanley Theatre, we ate at the nearby Cactus Club. My dinner consisted of the Ugly Wheat Ale and Chicken Tenders and Fries, which was solid as usual.

For my actual birthday, we took the Sipplings for a game of bowling at Lucky 9 Lanes. This was followed by lunch at Monkey 9 Brewing, where I capitalized on the free birthday flight I was emailed, compiling the El Jefe Hefeweizen, Guava Loves Mango IPA, Chimp and Dales Hazy IPA and Mizaru Brown Ale. To eat, I had the Pork Belly Rice Bowl.

With the kids dropped off at Ma and Pa Sip’s place for a sleepover, Mrs. Sip and I attended the House of Comedy to see Josh Blue perform. My two item minimum was used on the Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Fries and a tall can of Steel & Oak Royal City Ale. The show was good, but there was a weird vibe with the crowd, with patrons constantly disrupting the show.

Stand Up

The next morning, we set off for our Vancouver to San Francisco cruise. This was the first time we ever bought the drink package aboard a ship, as it came with so many other perks (free internet, gratuities paid, premium desserts, etc.), it was really the best route to go. My mission for the voyage was to have 40 different cocktails and I finally finished the feat a few hours before we disembarked the ship. Some drinks, ordered through the Princess Cruises app, don’t even tell you what ingredients they include, but simply that they contain alcohol, so those were always a fun adventure!

Once off the cruise, we did a day excursion that ended with us all being dropped off at the airport. A highlight of this tour was the Sip Family walking across the famous Golden Gate Bridge, which took about 45 minutes to traverse. Lunch on this outing took place at the Ferry Building Marketplace, where we combined El Porteno Empanadas (Jamon, Champinion, Acelga) with a tall can of Bike Dog Dog Year’s IPA.

While the Sipplings, Ma and Pa Sip and Cousin Sip’s family all returned home, Mrs. Sip and I travelled to Las Vegas for the next leg of our 40th birthday vacation festivities. After checking into our awesome room at The Vdara (complete with kitchen amenities), we were off in search of a late night dinner. I wanted to go to Shake Shack, where I had a ShackBurger and shared some Bacon Cheddar Fries and Oreo Cookie Funnel Cake Shake with Mrs. Sip.

Vegas

The next morning, we continued to settle into Sin City, making our way to Gordon Ramsay Burger for lunch. I had a fantastic Stout Burger (complete with mushrooms and crispy onions), while we split a 32oz serving of Mother Earth Cali Creamin’ Vanilla Cream Ale. The Truffle Parmesan Fries here were also very good.

Our main event for the first full day in Vegas was visiting Lost Spirits Distillery. I had learned about this attraction prior to one of Mrs. Sip’s girl trips and given the awesome time they had, Mrs. Sip vowed to share the next experience there with me. We purchased the package that offered four rum tastings (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [bought bottle at end of the night], Pineapple, Creme de Cerise and Navy Style), along with four cocktails between us. We really enjoyed the whole outing, constantly entertained by acrobats and dancers, while savouring our sips. We lucked out by deciding to go mid-week, as not only were ticket prices cheaper at $99 each, but attendance was around 200 people, compared to 500 folks on weekends.

During our walk on the night we arrived, the sign for Scottish brewery BrewDog caught my eye and we made a reservation for their outdoor patio. This is an element I love about the city, as you often go with some places planned out (old favourites and new destinations) and just walking around and having a keen eye can pad the rest of the stay. We hit BrewDog for their happy hour, which offered $10 cocktails, $7 beers and two-for-one appies. To eat, we shared the Wood-Fired Flatbread and Bang Bang Chicken, while each trying a beer (Crimson Amber Ale and Hazy Jane Guava NEIPA) and a cocktail (Whiskey Sour and Elvis Paloma [made with Elvis Juice IPA]). Combining the chicken and flatbread was into one bite was a great move on my part.

Happy Hour

From BrewDog, we walked down the strip to Fuel Bar, where we’ve enjoyed many drinks together. Using their 2-for-1 coupons, we ordered a pair of The Bizz (Dragonberry Rum, Coconut Puree, Cranberry Juice, Citrus Sour) and watched some of their flair bartending displays.

Continuing our journey, we ended up at The Venetian to inquire about their Atomic Saloon show. The guy running the ticket desk said he could get us into the next show at a discounted rate, so we made impromptu purchases of front row seats and 45 minutes later were encompassed by the chaos of the wild, Wild West show. Given our seats, we became part of the action, with three different characters using me as a prop, while we were pelted at times by dinner rolls, ping pong balls and even some sugar glass! For the performance, I ordered the Where There’s Smoke cocktail (Tequila, Chipotle, Peach, Cinnamon, Lime).

The next day, we targeted the Arts District for a brewery crawl. We began at Able Baker Brewing, which has a very cool theme. I drank a pint of the Ententanz Oktoberfest, while Mrs. Sip’s flight consisted of the Class A Detonator Doppelbock, Mango Calutron Girl Hefeweizen, Of Balloons & Unicorns Hazy IPA and Our-Cha-Tah Cream Ale. We also split some Pulled Pork Tacos, which were very tasty.

Brewery

Next up was Nevada Brew Labs, which was just a block from Able Baker. I had the Ariana Rye IPA, while Mrs. Sip put together another flight, this time having the Hefeweizen, Brulee Dunkelweizen, Oktoberfest and Blood Orange Hefe.

After that, we went next door to HUDL Brewing, where we combined our beers – Toasted Pecan Ale for me, High Hatter Hefe on Pineapple for Mrs. Sip – with some amazing Disco Fries (BBQ spiced fries with cheese sauce, pulled pork and giardiniera) from Soulbelly BBQ, which is also housed on the property.

Stop number four was SerVehZah, where I tried one of the bottle shop and tap room’s own brews, the Nueva Esperanza (Mexican Lager), complete with Tajin rim. Mrs. Sip got a taster of the Bad Beat Japanese Lager with Hibiscus. Our final visit of the crawl was Hop Nuts Brewing, where we split a Papa’s Red Ale, before returning to the Strip.

Tajin

Once back among the bright lights, we popped into Ocean One in the Miracle Mile Shops. This place offers much cheaper food than your typical Vegas locales, along with three-for-one cocktails at $12. To eat, I had a very good Honey Dijon Chicken Club (only $10!), to go along with a set of cocktails, including a Long Island Iced Tea, Tom Collins and Moscow Mule. Mrs. Sip got her own trio, which I helped her finish, so I was feeling pretty loose by the end of the night!

We began the next day going for a long walk to the Pinball Hall of Fame. Here, we enjoyed a number of the classic arcade games at 25-75 cents per play. We spent close to two hours here, with the only downsides being a number of games being out of order and there being no bar on site. Still, I would recommend this place to anyone interested in a respite from the Strip.

On our journey back, we got martinis at The Chocolate Bar in New York-New York. I went with the decadent Hershey’s Chocolate Caramel Martini, while Mrs. Sip had the equally yummy Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Martini.

Pinball

For dinner that night, we returned to the Miracle Mile Shops and tried Flights, where most menu items are served in trio flights – food and drinks – and there is a fun overall travel theme. The featured drink flights change throughout the day, as some take off, while others land. Over our sitting, we had the Mule Flight (Moscow, Kentucky, Mexican) and Mojito Flight (Classic, Watermelon, Strawberry). For eats, we had the Mac N’ Cheese Flight (four-cheese, crispy bacon mac and cheese sticks, truffle) and Tacos Flight (steak, chicken, carnitas). The dessert cheesecake flight also looked good, but we were quite stuffed already.

The following day, Mrs. Sip wanted to have afternoon tea at Petrossian in The Bellagio. While there, I had a Franziskaner Weissbier and picked at some of the scones offered to Mrs. Sip.

Our late dinner that evening was at Vanderpump à Paris, where we were seated at the exact same table we had been at for the restaurant’s soft opening in March 2022. To drink, I had the Tickle Your Fancy cocktail (tequila, Cointreau, white peach, lime, pink peppercorns, orange bitters, firewater bitters), while we split the Truffle-Stuffed Vanderpump Baguette, Ratatouille Frites and Boeuf Wellington-Style Sliders. This was a delicious meal in a unique setting.

Appetizers

On our final day, we attended the Immersive Disney Animation exhibit, which we hope eventually makes its way to Vancouver, so we can take the Sipplings. The one-hour show, includes great art, music and special effects, to really make you feel part of the Disney world.

After a brief rest, we went to our dinner at Superfrico, stopping briefly into the Ski Lodge speakeasy that adjoins the restaurant. At Ski Lodge, we had a pair of cocktails in the Devil’s Dimples (mezcal, genepy, grapefruit, celery, agave) and Sticky Pajamas (vodka, lychee, grape, lemon, coconut honey) drinks. The theming of this hidden bar – somehow only the first true speakeasy the Sip Advisor has ever visited – is very cool and everyone seems to get into the spirit.

Our feast at Superfrico took on a whole new life when I pointed out to Mrs. Sip that there was a Chef’s Menu. For $149 each, we received a nine course meal, including gem salad, tuna, carpaccio, meatballs, scallops, butternut squash, chicken parm, Brussels sprouts, and cheesecake for dessert. Mrs. Sip got the wine and cocktail pairings (white, red, Poolboy, Espresso Martini), while I had a pair of beverages in the Make It Snap Pea (gin, snap pea, lime, aquavit, white miso) and emMa-ReNAe (bourbon, sherry, ginger, lemon, toasted coconut honey). We left the place feeling full and impressed by the spread.

Speakeasy

Before returning to our hotel, we hit one more speakeasy in Ghost Donkey, where I had a Smoked Corn & Coconut Manhattan. We tried to complete the Cosmopolitan speakeasy crawl, but The Barbershop was closed for a private party… or so that’s what they said!

Upon flying back to Bellingham, we went for a meal with the Sip Family at Buffalo Wild Wings. I liked my Southern Chicken Sandwich, paired with a Wild Herd Kolsch (brewed by Goose Island). Ma and Pa Sip, along with Boy and Girl Sip, also enjoyed their meals and we will be back in the future.

Well, that wraps an intensely busy September. October, by comparison, is looking much lighter, even as we dive into the school and kid activity calendar. There will also surely be many Halloween activities to keep us busy!

San Jose Sharks – Shark Bite

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we visit the Bay Area and go swimming with the San Jose Sharks:

Establishment Story: The Sharks joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1991. The Gund family wished to return a team to the San Francisco Bay Area, having previously operated the California Golden Seals there. The Seals were relocated to Cleveland and later merged with the Minnesota North Stars, which the Gunds wanted to sell their share of. A Dispersal Draft was held to divvy up players between the Sharks and North Stars.

Stanley Cups: The Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup and have only made one Finals appearance, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in 2016. This, despite long stretches of time being considered among the best teams in the league, reaching the Western Conference Finals on four other occasions. San Jose have qualified for the playoffs in 21 of the 31 seasons they have been an NHL franchise.

Celebrity Fan: The Sharks have a number of famous followers, including musician Neil Young, tech guru Steve Wozniak and members of the band Metallica. Young and Wozniak have been season ticket members for years, while Metallica – who have been based in San Francisco for much of their careers – have provided the team with their entrance song, Seek & Destroy, since 2013 and were honoured with Metallica Night in January 2015.

Sharks

Super Fan: Sam Tageson grew up a fan of the Sharks. On March 18, 2014, the then 18-year-old, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, was signed to a one-day contract by the team. Tageson participated in the teams pre-game practice and hit the ice with them for their contest that night against the Florida Panthers. The night was immortalized with an Upper Deck rookie trading card of Tageson posing by the team’s shark entrance prop.

Mascot: S.J. Sharkie debuted a few months after the rest of the Sharks, in January 1992. He has been called ‘The Hardest Working Fish in Sports’, making 450 public appearances each year, including fundraisers, birthday parties, corporate events and even weddings. S.J. Sharkie was named the 2012 Most Awesome Mascot for the Cartoon Network’s Hall of Game Awards, becoming the first hockey mascot to win the honour.

Tradition: For home games, Sharks players enter through a menacing looking shark mouth, while Seek & Destroy by Metallica blasts throughout the arena. A former entrance song, Get Ready for This by 2 Unlimited, is the team’s current goal song. Another long-standing ritual for fans is to do a chomping gesture with their hands, particularly while the team is about to go on a power play, as the memorable theme track from the movie Jaws plays.

Appearances in Media: Due to his unique look and personality, during his time with the Sharks, defenseman Brent Burns appeared in two episodes of the TV series Vikings and was featured in commercials for Kit Kat Chunky chocolate bars and CCM Hockey equipment. Also, the character of Lester Averman wears a Sharks hoodie in The Mighty Ducks, years before San Jose and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim would be rivals.

Tageson

Events/Scandals: Evander Kane was no stranger to controversy by the time he joined the Sharks in 2018, but things seemed to get worse during his San Jose tenure. Incidents included Kane being sued for unpaid gambling debts, Kane filing for bankruptcy, accusations from Kane’s estranged wife that the player bet on his own games, as well as assaulted her, and Kane using a fake COVID-19 vaccine card. In the end, the organization had enough and terminated his contract in January 2022.

Rivalry: The Sharks chief rival is the Los Angeles Kings, who they met in the playoffs four times between 2011 to 2016, with each club taking two series. The feud is not surprising, given rivalries between San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles teams in other leagues (Giants-Dodgers [MLB], 49ers-Rams [NFL] and Earthquakes-Galaxy [MLS]) and the general Northern California vs. Southern California opposition.

Tragedy: Bryan Marchment, who had played parts of six seasons with the Sharks from 1998 to 2003, had moved into coaching and scouting roles with the team after retiring in 2006. On July 6, 2022, while attending the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal in his scouting capacity, Marchment died suddenly. No cause of death was released. Sharks GM, Mike Grier, paid tribute to Marchment prior to the team’s first-round draft selection.

Player Nicknames: Long-time Sharks star Joe Thornton was given the nickname Jumbo, thanks both to his large stature and also because there is a statue of the famous circus elephant of the same name in Thornton’s hometown of St. Thomas, Ontario, where the elephant died after being hit by a train. Thornton gained another nickname, Big Joe, in contrast to teammate Joe Pavelski, who was dubbed Little Joe. Pavelski was also known for a time as The Big Pavelski, a reference to the film The Big Lebowski.

Evander Kane

Line: The Jumbo Heated Patty Line (also known as the Burger Line), consisted of Joe Thornton (Jumbo), Dany Heatley (Heated) and Patrick Marleau (Patty). When defensemen Dan Boyle (Boiled) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Pickles) were added to the mix, you had the Boiled Jumbo Heated Patty with Pickles Line. These players comprised the core of the Sharks roster for many seasons.

Captain: Doug Wilson was the first captain in Sharks franchise history, leading the team for two seasons (1991 to 1993), prior to retiring. Wilson would return to the organization as GM in 2003, serving in the role until stepping down in April 2022, due to health issues. The team’s current captain, Logan Couture, has held the position since the 2019-20 season. Couture was drafted by San Jose ninth overall in 2007.

Enforcer: Although Link Gaetz only played 48 games with the Sharks, his NHL career ended by a car accident, he’s fondly remembered, in part because of his wild reputation and willingness to take on all combatants. Gaetz was nicknamed ‘The Missing Link’ and legend has it, he showed up to the 1988 draft with two black eyes from a bar fight the night before. In his brief Sharks tenure, Gaetz recorded 326 penalty minutes, a franchise single-season record.

Family Values: Cousins Scott and Joe Thornton played together with the Sharks for the 2005-06 season. Also, father and son, Ulf and Jonathan Dahlen, both enjoyed tenures with San Jose. Ulf played parts of four seasons (1994 to 1997) with the club, while Jonathan suited up for a single season (2021-22). Lastly, brothers Jamie and Tye McGinn had separate stints with the organization.

Link Gaetz

Returning Players: Patrick Marleau had three separate stints with the Sharks. The first began with him being drafted second overall in 1997 and lasted two decades. Following two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Marleau had his contract bought out and he returned to San Jose. Following a trade deadline deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marleau returned again, allowing him to surpass Gordie Howe’s NHL games played record where it all began.

Short Stint: Hall of Fame goalie, Ed Belfour, was shockingly traded to the Sharks on January 25, 1997, when he refused to sign a contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. Belfour’s time with San Jose did not go well, winning only three games in 13 appearances. While with the Sharks, Belfour changed his number from 30 to 20, as a tribute to legendary netminder, Vladislav Tretiak, who was his coach with the Blackhawks.

Undrafted: Jeff Odgers was signed by the Sharks in 1990, joining the team for their inaugural 1991-92 season. Over his five years in San Jose, Odgers set the franchise record for all-time penalty minutes with 1,001, and holds the runner-up spot for penalty minutes in a season with 253. Odgers also served as Sharks captain for a season and a half. He finished his career with 821 games played, 75 goals, 70 assists and 2,364 penalty minutes.

Trade: The Sharks acquisition of Joe Thornton from the Boston Bruins early in the 2005-06 season is regarded as one of the most lopsided deals in NHL history. Thornton, a former first overall draft pick in 1997, was dealt for forwards Marco Sturm and Keith Primeau, as well as defenseman Brad Stuart. Thornton would go on to win the Art Ross (NHL regular season points leader) and Hart Memorial (NHL MVP) Trophies in his first season in teal and become a league superstar.

Patrick Marleau

Signing: In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks loss, was the Sharks gain, as San Jose picked up the most recent Stanley Cup winning goalie (the first Finnish backstop to do so) on a relatively team-friendly deal. Antti Niemi had been rewarded $2.75 million by an arbiter, but Chicago was forced to walk away from the decision, due to their salary cap constraints. The Sharks swooped in and signed Niemi to a one-year, $2 million pact. He would go on to become San Jose’s netminder for the next five seasons.

Draft Pick: The Sharks have never drafted first overall, but have done well with the second choice, highlighted by selecting Patrick Marleau in 1997. The team also has a couple diamond in the rough picks that looked like steals later in Evgeni Nabokov (219^th overall in 1994) and Joe Pavelski (205^th overall in 2003). Time will tell how recent high draft picks, such as William Eklund (seventh overall in 2021) and Will Smith (fourth overall in 2023) turn out.

Holdouts: Goalie Evgeni Nabokov was one of the NHL’s best goalies going into the 2002-03 season and he wanted to be compensated as such. Five games into the season, after the Sharks managed to win only one contest, the team and Nabokov finally agreed on a new deal. One year prior, defenseman Mike Rathje sat out 24 games, before a four-year, $8.25 million contract brought him back into the fold.

Buyouts: In July 2017, the Sharks signed Martin Jones to a six-year, $34.5 million contract extension. Just three seasons into that deal, following a drop in performance (three straight .896 save percentages), Jones was bought out, owed $10 million over the next six years. Jones has bounced around the NHL since departing San Jose, playing for a different team in each subsequent season.

Joe Pavelski

Unique Game: The Sharks opened their 1998 season with a pair of games against the Calgary Flames in Tokyo, Japan. They also took part in the 2010 NHL Premiere with two contests against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as back-to-back matches against the Nashville Predators in Prague, Czechia, for the 2022 NHL Global Series. A 2015 Stadium Series event featured San Jose against the Los Angeles Kings.

Goal: The Sharks have a history of upsetting favoured teams in playoff Game 7s, based on memorable goals. Underdog Sharks teams defeated both the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames back-to-back in 1994 and 1995, with goals from Jamie Baker and Ray Whitney in double overtime, respectively. In 2000, Owen Nolan’s center ice slap shot tally helped to eliminate the St. Louis Blues. Also, goaltender Evgeni Nabokov became the first European backstop to score a goal, when he did so on March 10, 2002.

Fight/Brawl: The playoffs brings a whole new level of intensity to NHL hockey. A great example of that occurred during the first round of the 2009 post-season, when the Sharks battled their California rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. In Game 6 of the series, Joe Thornton fought Ryan Getzlaf, while later Joe Pavelski scrapped with Ryan Whitney. All four players were not known for their fisticuffs, but rose to the occasion at the most important time of the year. The Ducks would go on the win the series.

Injury: It’s not often that an injury leads to good. That was the case in the 2019 playoffs, when Joe Pavelski fell to the ice after being hit by Cody Eakin of the Vegas Golden Knights and suffered a head injury. Eakin received a five-minute major, during which San Jose scored four goals, to erase a 3-0 deficit. While Pavelski did not return to the contest, the Sharks would go on to win the deciding Game 7 in overtime.

Joe Thornton

Penalty: Raffi Torres had a long history of NHL discipline before his hit to the head of Anaheim Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg during a 2015 pre-season contest. Torres was suspended for 41-games (half the season, which is the longest ban in NHL history for a hit and longest non-lifetime suspension in league history). Torres never played again in the NHL, being assigned to the Sharks minor league affiliate after serving his punishment.

Wildest Story: The Sharks once invested in a Chinese hockey team, agreeing to send five players and three coaches to China. Thus, the China Sharks briefly existed, lasting two seasons from 2007 to 2009 in Asia League Ice Hockey, before the NHL Sharks were done with the international experiment and pulled their funding. Perhaps the most notable occurrence of the team’s existence, was Claude Lemieux beginning his comeback attempt there with two contests, before suiting up for San Jose for 18 games.

Blooper: Blunders happen, but it’s not often they result in playoff elimination. Game 5 of the 2011 Western Conference Finals went to double overtime, with the Vancouver Canucks one win away from a Stanley Cup Finals berth. Suddenly, Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa was celebrating, while few others had any idea he had just scored the winning goal. Replays showed the puck had bounced off a glass stanchion, allowing Bieksa to shoot the puck on net, while others on the ice had lost sight of the biscuit.

Miscellaneous: A little more on how the Sharks team name was chosen, the moniker could have been Blades, based on the name winning a fan vote, but concerns about the term’s association with violence, led to Sharks being selected, as it was the runner-up amongst 5,000 submissions. It should be noted, the Sharks minor league affiliate from 1990 to 1996 was the Kansas City Blades.

San Jose Sharks: Shark Bite

Shark Bite

0.75 oz Spiced Rum
0.75 oz Light Rum
0.5 oz Blue Curacao
Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
Drops of Grenadine
Garnish with Shark Gummies

I amalgamated a couple different Shark Bite recipes here. This was a fun drink that took a little more prep than your typical cocktail, but was totally worth it!

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