Philadelphia Flyers – Philly Flyer

Posted on August 29, 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 City of Brotherly Love, home to the infamous Broad Street Bullies, aka Philadelphia Flyers:

Establishment Story: The Flyers joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1967, when the league expanded from six to 12 teams. Previously, Philadelphia had an NHL team for the 1930-31 season, when the Pittsburgh Pirates relocated to become the Philadelphia Quakers. The team’s Flyers nickname was suggested by owner Ed Snider’s sister Phyllis. Other monikers considered, included Liberty Bells, Ramblers and a return to Quakers.

Stanley Cups: The Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975, becoming the first of the 1967 expansion teams to accomplish the feat. However, since then, the franchise has been on the losing end of six straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances (1976 to Montreal Canadiens, 1980 to New York Islanders, 1985 and 1987 to Edmonton Oilers, 1997 to Detroit Red Wings, and 2010 to Chicago Blackhawks).

Celebrity Fan: Actor David Boreanaz, who has starred on shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Bones, is a massive Flyers fan. So much so, that his character on Bones wears Flyers shirts or jerseys in a number of episodes. Boreanaz even wrote about his fandom for an essay that was included in the program for the 2012 Winter Classic. U.S. President and First Lady, Joe and Jill Biden, are also supporters of the team.

David Boreanaz

Super Fan: Bill Schoeninger has turned the basement of his Pennsylvania home into a shrine dedicated to the Flyers. His collection includes signed sticks and trading cards, as well as a variety of pucks, jerseys, game tickets and other memorabilia. Elsewhere, Larry Mathers calls himself the “biggest Flyers fan in Canada!” Mathers, from Exeter, Ontario, has put together three levels of Flyers souvenirs, highlighted by his Flyers-themed Christmas tree.

Mascot: In Gritty, the Flyers may have not only the greatest mascot in the NHL or even all of sports, but perhaps the greatest mascot EVER. Sure, he had a 2019 brush with the law, where he was accused of punching a 13-year-old in the back of the head (Gritty was later cleared of the accusation), but appearances on talk shows such as The Tonight Show and Last Week Tonight have made the giant orange creature immensely popular.

Tradition: On December 11, 1969, prior to puck drop, God Bless America sung by Kate Smith was played, rather than The Star-Spangled Banner (U.S. national anthem). Fans loved the change and the Flyers won the game, so it was decided to use the song for select important contests. At times, Smith performed the song live, especially during the playoffs, and the Flyers record is overwhelmingly good when it’s used.

Appearances in Media: The Flyers have appeared in a number of TV shows, included characters attending games on The Goldbergs and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The starting lineup of the 1976 Flyers also appear as animated jury members (Jury of the Damned) on The Simpsons, when Homer is on trial for making a deal with the devil in one of the Treehouse of Horror segments. Lastly, Gritty appears in a Robot Chicken skit, spoofing the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan scandal.

Gritty

Events/Scandals: The Flyers organization has made some interesting decisions regarding coaches and players diagnosed with cancer. First, coach Roger Neilson was replaced and later dismissed after leaving the team in 2000 to undergo treatment. Years later, in 2019, player Oskar Lindblom was diagnosed with the disease. The team supported him throughout his battle, even resigning him to a three-year, $9 million contract when he was ready to return, but bought him out of that deal in 2022, with one year remaining.

Rivalry: Given their reputation as the Broad Street Bullies, the Flyers have made many enemies over the years. This includes state rival the Pittsburgh Penguins (Battle of Pennsylvania), New Jersey Devils (Battle of the Jersey Turnpike), New York Rangers (Broadway vs. Broad Street), Boston Bruins (Big Bad Bruins vs. Broad Street Bullies), and Washington Capitals – the two teams separated by only 124 miles.

Tragedy: The Flyers have experienced a number of deaths over the franchise’s 50-plus seasons. These include Pelle Lindbergh’s fatal car accident, Dmitri Tertyshny having his throat slashed by a boat propeller, and Yanick Dupre and Barry Ashbee passing away from cancer as members of the organization. Also, in 1990, Kathy Kerr, the wife of former Flyers star Tim Kerr, died 10 days after giving birth to the couple’s first child, due to an infection.

Player Nicknames: Ken Linesman had an interesting career, even before he became a pro player. His lawsuit was responsible for the World Hockey Association and later the NHL to change the minimum age a player could be drafted. Based on his appearance and the way he played (on the dirtier side of the ledger), Flyers teammate Bobby Clarke nicknamed him The Rat. Linesman originally played four seasons with Philadelphia and another 29 games years later.

Ken Linesman

Line: The Legion of Doom, comprised of Eric Lindros, John LeClair and Mikael Renberg, was one of the NHL’s highest scoring lines ever, but they could also hurt opponents with physical play, given each member was at least 6’2” and 230 lbs. Their best season as a trio, the 1995-96 campaign, saw them score 121 goals combined. Lindros (#88) also featured in the popular Crazy 8s Line with Mark Recchi (#8) and Brent Fedyk (#18).

Captain: With Bobby Clarke as captain from 1973 to 1979, the Flyers identity as a tough and unpleasant team to play against was fortified. Clarke led Philadelphia to their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in the mid 1970s. When Clarke was named a playing assistant coach, NHL rules stated he must relinquish the captaincy. Clarke became captain again from January 1983 to May 1984, when he retired and became GM of the club.

Enforcer: Dave ‘The Hammer’ Schultz not only holds the Flyers record for most penalty minutes in a season at 472 (1974-75), but it’s also an NHL record. He also ranks fifth all-time in career penalty minutes with the team. Schultz’s popularity in Philadelphia led to him recording the local hit song The Penalty Box and appearing as a guest referee for a Broad Street Bully Match (No Holds Barred) at World Championship Wrestling’s Slamboree 1994 event.

Family Values: A few brothers have played together with the Flyers. This includes Joe and Jimmy Watson, who won two Stanley Cups together during their Flyers stint from 1973 to 1978, as well as twins Rich and Ron Sutter (1983 to 1986) and Luke and Brayden Schenn (2013 to 2016). Also of note, Bill Dineen was coach of the team from 1991 to 1993, while his son Kevin was a member of the franchise.

Dave Schultz

Returning Players: Brian Boucher always seemed to find his way back to the Flyers, playing three stints with the team. He was drafted by Philadelphia 22^nd overall in 1995, debuting in the 1999-2000 season. He was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in June 2002, suiting up for four other NHL teams, before returning to the Flyers as a free agent in 2009. After spending time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Boucher played four final games with Philadelphia in 2013, ending his NHL career.

Short Stint: When Keith Yandle signed with the Flyers for the 2021-22 season, he was in pursuit of the NHL’s iron man streak record. Through his 77 games with Philadelphia, Yandle broke Doug Jarvis’ previous mark, finishing with 989 consecutive games, before he was made a healthy scratch. When he was taken out of the lineup, Yandle ranked worst in a number of defensive statistical categories. He retired in September 2022.

Undrafted: Tim Kerr was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1980. From 1983-84 to 1986-87, Kerr recorded four straight 50-plus goal seasons, before injuries hampered much of the rest of his career. He returned to form for the 1988-89 campaign, scoring 48 goals in 69 games, earning the 1989 Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication in the process. Kerr never played more than 40 games in a season again, despite suiting up for another four years.

Trade: The biggest trade in Flyers history was landing Eric Lindros at the 1992 NHL draft, one year after he refused to ever play for the Quebec Nordiques, who had drafted him first overall. The price was hefty, with Philadelphia giving up six players (including future Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg), first round draft picks in 1992 and 1993 and $15 million. While Lindros was a dominant force for a handful of years, the Nordiques would become the Colorado Avalanche and win two Stanley Cups during Lindros’ career.

Lindros Trade

Signing: Two top signings by the Flyers were Jeremy Roenick in 2001 and Danny Briere in 2007. Roenick played three seasons for Philadelphia, recording 173 points in 216 regular season games. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings coming out of the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Briere inked an eight-year, $52 million deal with the Flyers, helping the team turn around from being the worst team in the league in 2006-07 to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2010.

Draft Pick: The 1969 draft was integral to shaping the Flyers identity, as the club selected Bobby Clarke (17^th overall) and Dave Schultz (52^nd overall). Philadelphia has only selected first overall once, taking Mel Bridgman with the top choice of the 1975 draft. Their two second overall choices could be seen as misfires, as they took James van Riemsdyk in 2007 and Nolan Patrick a decade later in 2017.

Holdouts: Eric Lindros was no stranger to holding out on a team to force a trade. That’s how he ended up in Philadelphia in the first place. After eight seasons with the Flyers, Lindros now wanted to play elsewhere, following poor treatment by medical staff, having his captaincy stripped by GM Bobby Clarke and being offered a two-way contract as a restricted free agent. Lindros wanted to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after sitting out the entire 2000-01 season, was dealt to the New York Rangers.

Buyouts: Ilya Bryzgalov was signed in 2011 to a nine-year, $51 million contract, with the organization hoping they’d finally found a franchise goalie. Instead, inconsistent play and bizarre behaviour lead to Bryzgalov being nicknamed Mr. Universe. With two compliance buyouts granted to each team coming out of the 2013 NHL lockout, Philadelphia used one of these get-out-of-jail-free cards on Bryzgalov. They were on the hook to pay him $23 million, but his contract didn’t count against their salary cap.

Bryzgalov

Unique Game: The Flyers have participated in two Winter Classics contests, first versus the Boston Bruins in 2010 and next against the New York Rangers in 2012. They have also faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pair of Stadium Series games in 2017 and 2019. Lastly, Philadelphia took on the Boston Bruins, as part of the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe in 2021. They will next play outdoors as part of the 2024 Stadium Series, opposite the New Jersey Devils.

Goal: On December 8, 1987, Ron Hextall became the first goalie to score a direct goal in NHL history, when he fired a shot from deep in his own zone into the Boston Bruins’ empty net. Speaking to media following the game, Hextall stated: “I knew I could do it. It was a matter of when.” Hextall scored again during the 1989 playoffs, adding first goalie to score a direct goal during the post-season to his resume.

Fight/Brawl: Being known as the Broad Street Bullies comes with the reputation as being a tough team. That was evident in previously documented in this project brawls with the Montreal Canadiens (1987 warm-up scrap) and Ottawa Senators (2004 melee that set a new NHL record for combined penalty minutes at 419). One lesser discussed fracas occurred in 1972 between the St. Louis Blues and Flyers fans and even police patrolling the Spectrum, which saw a number of Blues players and coach Al Arbour arrested.

Injury: During the 2009-10 season, gritty forward Ian Laperriere twice blocked a shot with his face. The first caused him to lose seven teeth and receive 50-100 stitches. The second came in the first round of the playoffs, resulting in a mild concussion and orbital injury. Although he returned to action, symptoms of post-concussion syndrome surfaced during the 2010 training camp and Laperriere was forced to never play again. He was awarded the 2011 Bill Masterton Trophy for his dedication and perseverance.

broad-street-bullies-pub

Penalty: Given the team’s reputation as bullies, it shouldn’t be a surprise that a number of Flyers have served long suspensions for various transgressions. Enforcer Dave Brown was handed a 15-game suspension in 1987 for crosschecking Tomas Sandstrom, causing a broken jaw and concussion. In the 2007 pre-season, Steve Downie received a 20-game ban for an illegal hit on Dean McAmmond. Just weeks later, Jesse Boulerice crosschecked Ryan Kesler in the face, leading to a 25-game suspension.

Wildest Story: During a February 8, 1972 game against the Vancouver Canucks, Flyers goalie Bruce Gamble suffered a heart attack (diagnosed the next day after he travelled with the team and his chest pains continued), but managed to finish the game and earn a 3-1 win. Unfortunately, this incident would end Gamble’s pro career and over a decade later, another heart attack would claim Gamble’s life.

Blooper: One of the most infamous scenes in hockey history saw Flyers fan Chris Falcone fall into the penalty box after the glass divider gave way, following being sprayed with water by Toronto Maple Leafs goon Tie Domi. Once he fell, Falcone was punched a couple times by Domi, who was fined $1,000 for the incident. Falcone later sued Domi and others involved, but settled with the player, burying the hatchet, after Domi offered tickets to a couple Leafs playoff games to Falcone and his family.

Miscellaneous: The NHL record for going undefeated (including ties) was set by the 1979-80 Flyers, who went without a loss for 35 games, from October 14, 1979 to January 6, 1980. The mark not only tops the NHL’s all-time list, but all North American professional sports leagues. Despite the regular season success, the Flyers were defeated by the New York Islanders in that year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

Philadelphia Flyers: Philly Flyer

Philly Flyer

2 oz Gin
0.33 oz Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 Crème de Cassis
Splash of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

This cocktail was created by Philadelphia Magazine to be the signature cocktail of Philadelphia. You can also find some other great beverage options compiled by Broad Street Hockey contributor Kelly Hinkle.

Ottawa Senators – The Statesman

Posted on August 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’re off to Canada’s capital city for some parliamentary meetings with the Ottawa Senators:

Establishment Story: The Senators – not to be confused with the original Ottawa Senators (1883-1934) – entered the NHL as an expansion team for the 1992-93 season. The successful expansion bid began with a ‘Bring Back the Senators’ campaign, launched by real estate developer Bruce Firestone. After 11,000 season ticket pledges were secured, Firestone was granted the new franchise in 1990.

Stanley Cups: The original Senators claimed the Stanley Cup 11 times, with only one championship coming under NHL operation, when they won the first NHL Stanley Cup Finals over the Boston Bruins in 1927. Version 2.0 of the Senators has never won the big prize, coming closest in 2007, where they were defeated by the Anaheim Ducks in the Finals in five games.

Celebrity Fan: While fans’ hopes for movie star Ryan Reynolds to become part of the franchise’s new ownership group didn’t pan out, it should be noted Friends star Matthew Perry has been a supporter of the Senators for the team’s entire existence. Perry was raised in Ottawa and attends occasional games. Another long-time fan is comedian Tom Green, who wore a Senators hat in the video for Check the O.R., by his rap group Organized Rhyme.

Super Fan: Jonathan Pitre was born with a rare skin disease, which results in painful blisters. Pitre worked hard to spread awareness of his condition, including being named an honourary scout of the Senators on November 21, 2014. He later attended the NHL Awards as an invitee of the team. Sadly, Pitre passed away on April 4, 2018. The hardest working player at Senators developmental camp is presented the Jonathan Pitre Award.

Mascot: Spartacat is a lion, whose ‘paw-sition’ with the Senators is Ambassador of Fun. Spartacat debuted with the rest of the team on October 8, 1992, with his ‘mane’ goal being to make people laugh. One of his preferred hobbies is “raking Leafs”. Spartacat is heavily involved in community programs, such as Read to Succeed and regularly visits the Sens Zone at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Tradition: During playoff runs, fans of the team (the diehards are known as the Sens Army, with some even dressing in Roman legion gear) tend to congregate along Sens Mile, otherwise known as Elgin Street. These gatherings are called Red Rallies. The Senators also have their own theme song, created by Carmelo Scaffidi, who would often play the trumpet tune from the stands of the arena. When Scaffidi passed away in 2016, the Senators paid tribute to his association with the club.

Appearances in Media: The Game Changers documentary series ran from 2015 to 2019 and profiled the not-for-profit community programs being operated by the Senators organization and the people behind them. With the tagline “Passion has no off-season”, initiatives highlighted by the show included mental health awareness, pediatric palliative care, school programs and summer camps and work being done by the wives and girlfriends of Senators players.

Spartacat

Events/Scandals: For years, the Senators have pursued a new arena closer to downtown Ottawa, as they currently play in the suburb of Kanata. The most likely site for this project is the LeBreton Flats land, which is currently owned by the National Capital Commission. Former Senators owner Eugene Melnyk had a development deal in place for the area in 2016, but issues between Melnyk and his own partners resulted in the deal falling through and multiple lawsuits being filed.

Rivalry: Ottawa has long-time feuds with geographical rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs, known as the Battle of Ontario, and the Montreal Canadiens. All three teams have shared the same division since the 1998-99 season. In the early 2000s, the Senators and Maple Leafs met in the playoffs four out of five years, including three straight from 2000 to 2002. Toronto won all four heated encounters.

Tragedy: Bryan Murray was a hockey lifer, his coaching career beginning in 1976 and taking him through multiple leagues before he finally reached the NHL in 1981. From there, Murray spent time with a number of teams, in various roles. Murray joined the Senators in 2004 and remained with the club until his death on August 12, 2017 from colon cancer, which he had battled for a few years. In December 2016, Murray was the first member inducted into Ottawa’s Ring of Honour.

Player Nicknames: When Andrew Hammond joined the Senators from their minor-league team late in the 2014-15 season, it was unlikely the team would make the playoffs. Hammond, nicknamed Hamburglar, put together a record of 20 wins, one loss and two overtime/shootout losses, to propel the Ottawa into the post-season. Given his nickname, fans began throwing McDonald’s hamburgers on the ice following wins.

Hammond

Line: The unit of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley was so successful they earned at least three nicknames, including Capital Punishment Line (Ottawa being the capital of Canada), CASH Line (Captain Alfredsson/Spezza/Heatley) and Pizza Line (due to a promotion from the Pizza Pizza chain, which saw fans be able to convert a home game ticket into a free slice of pizza, if the Senators scored at least five goals).

Captain: Daniel Alfredsson served as the Senators captain for 13 seasons and holds numerous team records, including goals (426), assists (682), points (1,108), power play goals (131), short-handed goals (25), game-winning goals (69), hat tricks (8), and more. His number was retired by the team in 2016, becoming the first modern day Senator to receive that honour.

Enforcer: Chris Neil played his entire NHL career with the Senators, amassing a team record 2,522 penalty minutes over 1,026 games. He added a further 204 penalty minutes in 95 playoff contests. Along with his physicality, Neil also provided offense, scoring 112 goals and 250 points. Neil’s tenure with Ottawa ended unceremoniously in 2017, as the sides agreed to part ways, with Neil later announcing his retirement.

Family Values: Brothers Gord and Kevin Dineen both played for the Senators, albeit not at the same time. Gord was a member of the team during its expansion years, playing two campaigns with the club from 1992 to 1994 and being named captain for the last 17 games of his Ottawa tenure. Kevin played a single season with the Senators in 1999-2000, before being left unprotected for the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft.

Alfredsson

Returning Players: Chris Kelly was drafted by the Senators 94^th overall in 1999. He spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the organization and was part of their 2007 Stanley Cup Finals run. Kelly was traded to the Boston Bruins in February 2011, going on to win the Stanley Cup that year. The checking forward returned to Ottawa for the 2016-17 campaign, appearing in all 82 games, despite breaking his leg the previous season. In 2018, Kelly retired and joined the Senators coaching staff.

Short Stint: Legendary goalie Dominik Hasek signed with Ottawa for the 2005-06 season, stating he hoped to play with a Stanley Cup contender. He played well in his 43 games, but was injured at the 2006 Winter Olympics and lost for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Given his age (41 years old) and injury history, Ottawa chose not to re-sign Hasek, who returned to the Detroit Red Wings and won a second Stanley Cup before retiring from the NHL.

Undrafted: Defenseman Artem Zub was signed by the Senators on May 1, 2020, based on his play in the Kontinental Hockey League and as part of the gold medal-winning Olympic Athletes from Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Zub has signed two more contracts with Ottawa, his latest taking him through the 2026-27 season. The stay-at-home defenseman doesn’t pile up the points, but has solidified the team’s defensive efforts.

Trade: A great move by the Senators was trading constant headache Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders, in exchange for defenseman Zdeno Chara, forward Bill Muckalt and the 2001 second overall draft pick, used to select future top center and star Jason Spezza. Another good transaction was trading for Dany Heatley, sending Marian Hossa and Greg de Vries to the Atlanta Thrashers, before Heatley also became a problem for the team.

Yashin

Signing: Among the best signings in club history was bringing in Claude Giroux (three years, $19.5 million) in 2022 to provide veteran leadership for the up and coming Senators. Giroux would record the 300^th goal and 1,000^th point of his career in his first season with Ottawa, notching a career-high 35 goals. If Giroux can keep up his production, while the team’s young stars develop, the future is looking bright for the Senators.

Draft Pick: In a four-year span, the Senators held the first overall pick three times, selecting Alexandre Daigle (1993), Bryan Berard (1995) and Chris Phillips (1996). The results were mixed, with Daigle being viewed as one of the biggest draft busts ever and Berard being traded within his draft year, never suiting up for the team, while Phillips became a lifetime Senator. A great draft steal was selecting Daniel Alfredsson 133^rd overall in 1994, while the 2020 draft netted Tim Stuetzle (3^rd overall) and Jake Sanderson (5^th overall).

Holdouts: Drafted second overall in 1992, Alexei Yashin was a constant thorn in the side of Senators management, repeatedly trying to renegotiate his contract with the team. Yashin refused to play the final season of his deal and missed the entire 1999-2000 campaign. The two sides went to arbitration afterwards, with the ruling being that Yashin’s rights still belonged to Ottawa and he would have to play the final year of his pact. He was eventually traded to the New York Islanders in 2001.

Buyouts: The largest financial buyout in Senators history went to winger Bobby Ryan, with the final two seasons of his seven-year, $50.75 million deal signed in 2014 wiped out, with $7.33 million paid out over four seasons. Fellow forward Colin White also had an abrupt ending to his tenure in Ottawa, having the final three seasons of his six-year, $28.5 million pact bought out in 2022, resulting in $5.25 million owed to him over six seasons.

Daigle

Unique Game: The Senators have taken part in the 2014 Heritage Classic versus the Vancouver Canucks, as well as the NHL 100 Classic versus the Montreal Canadiens. They have twice travelled to Sweden for games, first for the 2008 NHL Premiere, taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins in a pair of contests and next for the 2017 Global Series, where they played another pair of matches against the Colorado Avalanche.

Goal: With a spot in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals just a win away, Daniel Alfredsson scored the overtime winner in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Final, giving the Senators their first championship round appearance in franchise history. Speaking of firsts, it took a Steve Duchesne goal in the final game of the 1996-97 season to clinch Ottawa’s first playoff berth since their 1992 debut.

Fight/Brawl: On March 5, 2004, the Senators and Philadelphia Flyers combined to set a new NHL record for penalty minutes in a game with 419, most of which occurred in the final two minutes of the contest. The mischief started when respective enforcers Rob Ray and Donald Brashear fought, causing a line brawl including goalies. More fights occurred after each restart. The final score, a 5-3 Philadelphia win, is largely forgotten.

Injury: Two injuries at the hands of Philadelphia Flyers players stand out in the history of the Senators. First, in October 1998, forward Andreas Dackell was driven head-first into the glass by hulking star Eric Lindros. 36 stitches to the face and a concussion was the result for Dackell. Next, in January 2000, winger Magnus Arvedson was hit into an open bench door by checker Marc Bureau, requiring emergency intestinal surgery. Arvedson still suffers from stomach issues to this day.

Brawl

Penalty: More about the Senators-Flyers brawl, following the fight-filled affair, which resulted in only three Flyers and two Senators being left on the bench, it took officials 90 minutes to sort out all the penalties. For the following season, the NHL added a rule that gave one-game suspensions to anyone instigating a fight in the final five minutes of a game, while coaches could be fined $10,000.

Wildest Story: 2018-19 was a difficult year for the Senators, due to off-ice issues. Prior to the season’s start, defenseman Erik Karlsson and his wife Melinda filed a protection order against Monika Caryk, the fiancée of teammate Mike Hoffman, over harassing online messages. Both Karlsson and Hoffman would be traded before the start of the campaign. Months later, a number of Senators players were caught on viral video by their Uber driver criticizing assistant coach Martin Raymond. The players later apologized.

Blooper: During a December 2022 game, defenseman Thomas Chabot was taking his frustrations out on his stick while on the Senators bench when he accidentally hit teammate Travis Hamonic in the head. Luckily for Chabot and the team, Hamonic wasn’t seriously injured and remained in the game. The Senators would eventually go on to win 3-2 over the Nashville Predators.

Miscellaneous: Modern day Senators who have had their numbers retired are joined by Frank Finnigan in the rafters of the Canadian Tire Centre. Finnigan played for the original Senators from 1923 to 1931 and 1932 to 1934, and was the last surviving member of the 1927 Stanley Cup champions team. He participated in the ‘Bring Back the Senators’ campaign, but passed away before the team’s 1992 return. Finnigan was to have dropped the ceremonial face-off for the team’s first ever game.

Ottawa Senators: The Statesman

The Statesman

2 oz Rye Whiskey
Splash of Lemon Juice
Splash of Maple Syrup
Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Float of Peated Scotch
Garnish with a Lemon Twist

Another team I struggled to find a cocktail for, which is more surprising given it’s a Canadian franchise and we’re all looking to combine our two favourite loves of hockey and drinking together. Do better, Canada!

New York Rangers – The Broadway Blueshirts

Posted on August 17, 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 Big Apple and take a bite out of the New York Rangers:

Establishment Story: The Rangers are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises, founded in 1926. The club was originally owned by George ‘Tex’ Rickard, who wanted a second team to play out of Madison Square Garden (MSG), which he was president of, based on the success of the New York Americans. Rickard’s team quickly earned the nickname ‘Tex’s Rangers’ and the latter half stuck.

Stanley Cups: The Rangers were the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup and have won a total of four championships. The team ended a 54-year drought when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in 1994. Since then, they have appeared in one Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. Other championship round losses include 1929, 1932, 1937, 1950, 1972 and 1979.

Celebrity Fan: Playing at one of the most famous arenas in the world, in a VIP hub like New York City, brings a lot of star power to games. Some particular luminaries known to drop by MSG, sporting their Rangers threads, includes Liam Neeson, Kate Upton, Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, John McEnroe, Jason Bateman, and others. On any given night, you can spot multiple celebs supporting the Rangers.

Rangers

Super Fan: Bobby Granger was a fictional super fan, created by the Rangers for a series of TV commercials. The character was played by real-life fan Kev Kage, with ads including Granger teaching Rangers players how to say “Fuhgeddaboudit”, learning to speak Czech from Jaromir Jagr and taking a slap shot to the groin from Brendan Shanahan. Granger was also used to pump up the crowd prior to playoff games.

Mascot: The Rangers have never had a mascot in their close to a century-long history. As of the 2022-23 season, the Rangers remain the only team in the league to not have a mascot and that may never change. Some have suggested a Statue of Liberty type, while others lean towards some sort of animal. There’s even an online petition, launched with the hopes of the team adding a mascot.

Tradition: Denis Potvin hasn’t played in the NHL since 1988, but that hasn’t stopped Rangers fans from chanting “Potvin Sucks” at every home game since the former New York Islanders captain inadvertently injured Ulf Nilsson in February 1979. The chant became so popular, spurred on by the organ tune Let’s Go Band, it was released on a vinyl album by the band Bobby Nyse and the Scrotums.

Appearances in Media: The plot of the 1999 movie Mystery, Alaska deals with an amateur hockey team preparing for an exhibition game with the Rangers. The film starred Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Burt Reynolds and Mike Myers, while the likes of Phil Esposito, Little Richard, Jim Fox and Barry Melrose appeared as themselves. Unfortunately, the movie did not do well critically or financially.

Potvin Sucks

Events/Scandals: Some believe the Rangers half-century championship drought was due to the Curse of 1940, aka Dutton’s Curse. The story goes that MSG owners paid off their mortgage to coincide with the Rangers 1940 Stanley Cup win, so burned the document in the treasured trophy, resulting in the curse. Another version has New York Americans owner Red Dutton declaring the Rangers wouldn’t win again in his lifetime, after his team was not reinstated into the NHL following World War II. Dutton died in 1987.

Rivalry: The Rangers have long-standing rivalries with a number of their Metropolitan Division adversaries. This includes the New York Islanders (Battle of New York), New Jersey Devils (Battle of the Hudson River), Philadelphia Flyers (Broadway vs. Broad Street), and Washington Capitals. During their founding years, they also feuded with the New York Americans, which they practically drove out of the NHL… and were cursed for doing so.

Tragedy: There is a lot of death surrounding the Rangers. Minor leaguer Wayne Larkin (heart attack in training camp), legendary goaltender Terry Sawchuk (pulmonary embolism weeks after a roughhousing accident with a teammate), forward Roman Lyashenko (suicide), prospect Alexei Cherepanov (heart attack during Kontinental Hockey League game), and enforcer Derek Boogaard (accidental overdose) all died as members or recent members of the organization.

Player Nicknames: At a height of 5’9”, tenacious winger Pat Verbeek was given the nickname ‘Little Ball of Hate’ by teammate Glenn Healy in 1995. Fellow teammate Ray Ferraro was known as the ‘Big Ball of Hate’, standing a whole inch taller than Verbeek. Another popular moniker in the franchise’s history was ‘The King’, attached to goalie Henrik Lundqvist by fans and media during his stellar rookie season.

Curse of 1940

Line: The Rangers have had some really great line names. This includes the Mafia Line (“Godfather” Phil Esposito and his two “Dons” Don Maloney and Don Murdoch), as well as the Czechmates (Petr Nedved, Jan Hlavac, Radek Dvorak). Their most productive line of all-time, was dubbed the GAG Line or Goal-A-Game Line. Comprised of Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert, the unit played together from 1968-69 to 1973-74.

Captain: Mark Messier is so synonymous with the term leader in hockey that the Mark Messier Leadership Award has been given to an NHL captain or other leader since the 2006-07 season. Perhaps Messier’s greatest leadership moment was guaranteeing the Rangers would win Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. They did, thanks to a natural hat trick for Messier, then went on to take Game 7 and later won the Stanley Cup.

Enforcer: Jeff Beukeboom played eight seasons for the Rangers, leading the team in penalty minutes in a season three times. Beukeboom sits second for the franchise record for total penalty minutes at 1,157, just 69 minutes behind the leader, Ron Greschner, who spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the club. Beukeboom was used in a popular ESPN This is SportsCenter ad, where he attacked sportscaster Steve Levy, after Levy referred to him as “Puke-a-boom”.

Family Values: The Patrick family is synonymous with the long history of the Rangers. Lester Patrick was the first GM in team history, guiding the club from 1926 to 1946 and winning three Stanley Cups. Lester’s sons, Lynn and Muzz, both played for the team during Lester’s reign, with Lynn later becoming a coach and Muzz a GM for New York. Finally, Lynn’s son Craig served as GM of the franchise from 1980 to 1986, including temporarily coaching the team at times.

Messier

Returning Players: Following the 1996-97 season, the Rangers were prepared to part ways with captain Mark Messier. Messier moved on to the Vancouver Canucks for three disastrous seasons personally and organizationally, before returning to New York in 2000. Messier regained the captaincy from Brian Leetch, as well as his previous playing form. Messier would remain with the team through the 2003-04 campaign, officially retiring in September 2005.

Short Stint: NHL Hall of Fame members Guy Lafleur and Pat LaFontaine played 67 games each for the Rangers. Lafleur had been retired from the league since 1985, when he staged a comeback and joined New York in 1988. After one season, Lafleur left for the Quebec Nordiques. As for LaFontaine, he joined the Rangers for the 1997-98 season, with a history of concussions following him. In a March 1998 contest, he collided with a teammate, suffering another head injury and never played again, officially retiring in 1999.

Undrafted: In 1978, World Hockey Association (WHA) stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson were lured to the NHL by twin $600,000 deals offered by the Rangers. Their WHA team, the Winnipeg Jets, simply couldn’t afford to match those offers. Another European fan favourite, Mats Zuccarello (nicknamed The Hobbit, for his 5’8” stature), came to the Rangers organization in 2010, playing with the team for nine seasons.

Trade: GM Neil Smith earned the nickname ‘Big Deal Neil’ during his tenure with the Rangers from 1989 to 2000. His biggest acquisition was trading for Mark Messier in 1991, giving up Bernie Nicholls, Louie DeBrusk and Steven Rice in exchange. Messier would lead the team to their 1994 Stanley Cup, which also included other Edmonton Oilers dynasty members Kevin Lowe, Adam Graves, Glenn Anderson, Esa Tikkanen, Craig MacTavish, and Jeff Beukeboom.

Zuccarello

Signing: For a time, the Rangers seemed to try and sign every top free agent available, often to awful deals they would later regret. Wade Redden (six-year, $39 million), Brad Richards (nine-year, $60 million), Scott Gomez (seven-year, $51.5 million), Chris Drury (five-year, $35.5 million), Bobby Holik (five-year, $45 million), Theoren Fleury (four-year, $28 million), and Kevin Shattenkirk (four-year, $26.65 million) all signed loaded contracts they never lived up to.

Draft Pick: Despite their long history, the Rangers have rarely had a top pick to utilize. The jury is still out on 2020 first overall selection Alexis Lafreniere, as well as 2019 second overall choice Kaapo Kakko. Pavel Brendl, taken fourth overall in 1999, never played for New York and only had 78 total NHL games. Some great picks for the Rangers were diamond in the rough goalie finds Henrik Lundqvist (205^th overall in 2000) and Igor Shesterkin (118^th overall in 2014).

Holdouts: Mark Messier, who ended up in New York after a holdout with the Edmonton Oilers, became a legend in the city as the team won their first Stanley Cup since 1940. His popularity waned a bit before the next season could start, as Messier wanted to negotiate a new contract with the Rangers. The 1994-95 NHL lockout meant nobody played until January, but Messier was still without a new contract until days into the shortened season.

Buyouts: The Rangers have capitalized on using buyouts to get themselves out of bad free agent deals, but a stunning buyout was that of goalie Henrik Lundqvist, a fan favourite and backbone of the team for years. He was sent packing in 2020, with one year remaining on his deal, landing with the Washington Capitals. Before he could ever play for another team, it was discovered Lundqvist was suffering from an irregular heartbeat, which would eventually lead to his retirement.

Henrik Lundqvist

Unique Game: The Rangers have been featured in many NHL special events, including the 1991 Las Vegas outdoor game vs. Los Angeles Kings, a 2006 pre-season game in San Juan, Puerto Rico vs. Florida Panthers, the 2011 NHL Premiere (two games in Stockholm, Sweden), the 2012 Winter Classic vs. Philadelphia Flyers, a pair of 2014 Stadium Series contests vs. New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, and the 2018 Winter Classic vs. Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers and Islanders will play as part of the 2024 Stadium Series.

Goal: The Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup would not be possible had it not been for Stephane Matteau’s Game 7 double overtime winner in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. The tally is best remembered for play-by-play man Howie Rose’s call of ‘Matteau, Matteau, Matteau!” Another memorable goal was Marek Malik’s 2005 between-the-legs shootout winner to end the longest shootout in NHL history. Malik was not known for his scoring ability, but ended the game in fashion in the 15^th round.

Fight/Brawl: Brawls with the Boston Bruins (1979) and Los Angeles Kings (1981) have already been covered during this project, so we’ll focus on a 1971 melee with the Toronto Maple Leafs, that is best remembered for Leafs goalie Bernie Parent’s mask going missing for 41 years. During the fracas, Rangers captain Vic Hadfield tossed Parent’s face shield into the crowd and it wasn’t seen again by Parent until a memorabilia collector asked him to authenticate the mask in 2012. It was the real deal.

Injury: During a November 1998 game against the Los Angeles Kings, Jeff Beukeboom was sucker punched by Kings enforcer Matt Johnson. This resulted in another concussion for Beukeboom, whose physical playing style had resulted in other head injuries throughout his career. Johnson was suspended 12 games for his actions. While Beukeboom did return to action, another hit to the head in 1999 ended his career, due to post-concussion syndrome.

Matteau

Penalty: During the 2008 playoffs, the Rangers were facing the New Jersey Devils. While on a power play, super pest Sean Avery decided to use a new tactic against legendary goalie Martin Brodeur, by wildly waving his arms and stick in front of the netminder to distract him. The next day, the NHL ruled that this could be penalized as unsportsmanlike conduct in the future, resulting in a minor penalty. The statute is commonly known as ‘The Avery Rule’.

Wildest Story: Tony DeAngelo’s time with the Rangers came with much controversy, especially the end of his tenure. DeAngelo was put on waivers on January 31, 2021, following a reported physical confrontation with teammate Alexandar Geogiev. The altercation stemmed from DeAngelo saying something to the goalie following a loss and Georgiev electing to attack the defenseman. DeAngelo was dismissed from the Rangers and bought out of his contract at the end of the season.

Blooper: Wayne Gretzky played the final three seasons of his career with the Rangers (1996-99). Despite being the most famous hockey star of all-time, on October 30, 1997, for a game against the New York Islanders, the equipment team spelled the Great One’s name GRETKZY on the back of his jersey. Gretzky would have a similar jersey name bar mishap when visiting English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, who gave him a custom jersey with GRETSKY on the back.

Miscellaneous: On March 13, 1948, Larry Kwong became the first non-white and Asian player in NHL history, breaking the colour barrier, when he played one shift with the Rangers at the end of what would prove to be his only NHL game. Kwong, who played most of his later career in Quebec senior leagues, had previously been invited to training camp with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1942, but the Canadian government declined to process the paperwork needed for Kwong to leave the country.

New York Rangers: The Broadway Blueshirts

The Broadway Blueshirts

2 oz Tequila
Top with Coconut Water
Splash of Lime Juice
Dash of Agave Nectar
Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a Lime Wedge

This recipe comes from Hornitos Tequila, with its name coming from a nickname for the Rangers. For those wanting more Rangers cocktail options, the Blueshirts Bartender on Instagram creates a new Rangers-themed beverage before every game.

New York Islanders – New York Lemonade

Posted on August 9, 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 island, Long Island to be exact, to get reeled in by the New York Islanders:

Establishment Story: The Islanders joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1972, originally conceived as a way to keep the rival World Hockey Association from putting a team in the new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The name New York Islanders was chosen, although Long Island Ducks was considered, in homage to the Eastern Hockey League team that operated from 1959 to 1973.

Stanley Cups: All of the Islanders Stanley Cup championships came during their early 80s dynasty era, when the team won four straight from 1980 to 1983. New York also made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1984, where they were finally dethroned by the Edmonton Oilers, who were embarking on a dynasty run of their own. Over their dynasty span, the Islanders won 19 straight playoff series.

Celebrity Fan: Ralph Macchio, best known for his starring role in The Karate Kid trilogy, is a long-time fan of the Islanders. At the height of his fame, Macchio was featured on a pair of hockey cards, donning Islanders jerseys. In 2016, the team released a Ralph Macchio bobblehead, with the figure in full Islanders hockey gear, striking the crane kick pose from The Karate Kid.

Super Fan: Patrick ‘Sign Guy’ Dowd’s Islanders fandom is a family affair. The idea of using signs to convey his thoughts while attending games was first suggested by his daughter. Dowd’s first sign, coming out of the 1994-95 NHL lockout, said “I’ll Play For Free”. Dowd has been a fan since the team’s inception, attending the first game in franchise history. His mantra with the club is ‘always believe’ and he keeps his signs positive, with the occasional jab at the opposing team.

Mascot: Sparky the Dragon was the mascot for two teams, the Islanders and the New York Dragons Arena Football League (AFL) club. Sparky was left with only the Islanders gig when the AFL disbanded. A former mascot, Nyisles, was introduced in the mid 1990s, but only lasted a couple seasons before disappearing, caused by Carlton the Bear, mascot for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tradition: While this section is typically reserved for fan rituals, it should be noted that the famous hockey playoff beard, where players grow facial hair for the duration of their team’s post-season run, was created and popularized by the Islanders, particularly the dynasty teams of the early 1980s. Al Arbour, the Islanders coach for those dynasty years, was part of another long-running tradition, where a rookie or newcomer to the team had to throw a pie in Arbour’s face to celebrate his birthday each year.

Appearances in Media: The TV series Entourage is about a young Hollywood star and his friends from New York. One of those friends, Eric Murphy (played by real life Islanders fan Kevin Connolly) can often be seen wearing Islanders t-shirts throughout the series. Connolly was also tapped to narrate the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Big Shot, about the attempted purchase of the Islanders by bankrupt businessman John Spano.

Events/Scandals: For years, former Islanders owner Charles Wang tried to get his Lighthouse Project off the ground, which would have included a new arena for the team, replacing Nassau Coliseum. On August 1, 2011, voters rejected the plans and the Islanders were moved to Brooklyn, beginning play at the Barclays Center for the 2015-16 season. A number of issues forced the team to split their games between Barclays and Nassau. The team finally got their new permanent home, USB Arena, in 2021.

Rivalry: The Islanders main rival is, of course, the New York Rangers, dubbed the Battle of New York. The two clubs met in the playoffs four years in a row during the Islanders dynasty run, but haven’t had a post-season clash since 1994. Another loathed opponent is the Washington Capitals, as the teams battled in the playoffs for five straight seasons in the mid 1980s.

Tragedy: Brian Mullen played the 1992-93 season with the Islanders. That off-season, he suffered a stroke, due to a blood clot in his brain. Open heart surgery was required and Mullen hoped to return to professional hockey, but a seizure in 1994 forced him to officially retire. Mullen recorded 260 goals and 622 points over an 832-game career. Also, 2003 draft pick Stefan Blaho was killed in a 2006 car crash in Slovakia. He was only 21 years old.

Player Nicknames: Goalie Billy Smith was nicknamed ‘Hatchet Man’ for his blatant use of his stick to hack at opposing players who entered his crease. Smith was an original Islander, selected in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft and was the last remaining member of that squad when he retired in 1989. Smith was also the first goaltender to be credited with a NHL goal, when the Colorado Rockies scored an own goal after the puck hit Smith during a November 1979 contest.

Line: Having one of the greatest lines in NHL history certainly helped the Islanders became a dynastic team in the early 1980s. The Trio Grande unit was comprised of Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies and Bryan Trottier. Previously, Gillies and Trottier had played with Billy Harris on the LILCO Line, but Bossy was subbed in during his rookie season training camp. All three members of the line were later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Captain: Denis Potvin led the Islanders through their four straight Stanley Cup championships. He was named captain of the team in 1979 and kept the mantle until surrendering it in 1987. Potvin spent his entire career with New York and is one of only two players to reach 1,000 games with the franchise. He also holds team records for goals, assists and points by a defenseman by comfortable margins.

Enforcer: Over 10 seasons with the Islanders, Mick Vukota amassed 1,879 penalty minutes and 160 fighting majors, both franchise records. Vukota was never known for his goal scoring prowess, finishing with only 17 career tallies, but he did record a hat trick on October 20, 1989. On the flip side, Clark Gillies, nicknamed Jethro for his resemblance to The Beverly Hillbillies character, had numerous 30-goal seasons and never racked up the penalty minutes, but was a feared fighter during New York’s dynasty years.

Family Values: Brothers Jean and Denis Potvin played together for the Islanders from 1973 to 1978 and again from 1980 to 1981, winning the Stanley Cup together in 1981. Fellow brothers Duane and Brent Sutter also shared Stanley Cup victories with New York in 1982 and 1983, playing together until 1987. Father and son J.P. and Zach Parise both played stints with the Islanders later in their respective careers.

Returning Players: Zdeno Chara started and ended his career with the Islanders. The tallest NHL player ever was drafted by New York 56^th overall in 1996. Chara was traded away in 2001 and enjoyed many seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, before finally returning for his final campaign in 2021-22. In that last season, Chara set a new NHL record for games played by a defenseman with 1,680.

Short Stint: When Roberto Luongo was drafted fourth overall (the earliest a goalie had ever been drafted) by the Islanders in 1997, he seemed to be their netminder of the future. GM ‘Mad Mike’ Milbury had other ideas, however, using the team’s first overall selection in 2000 to pick another goalie, Rick DiPietro. The same day, Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers after only 24 games with New York. By 2013, DiPietro was out of the NHL, while Luongo was building a Hockey Hall of Fame resume.

Undrafted: Randy Wood was signed by the Islanders in 1986, becoming a full-time member of the team for the 1987-88 season. Wood would remain with the team until 1991, when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the Pat LaFontaine-Pierre Turgeon deal. After stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars, Wood closed his career with a final season in New York, finishing with career numbers of 741 games played, 175 goals, 159 assists and 334 points.

Trade: The Islanders acquisition of Butch Goring late in the 1980 season is viewed as one of the greatest trade deadline deals of all-time. Goring joined an already strong team and was viewed as the “final piece of the puzzle”, as the Islanders began their four-year dynasty run. For the second of those four Stanley Cup championships, Goring was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP.

Signing: Among the best signings the Islanders ever made was bringing in winger Matt Moulson on a one-year, $575,000 deal in 2009. Moulson had immediate chemistry with 2009 first overall draft pick John Tavares, scoring 30 goals. On the other end of the spectrum, New York’s seven-year, $38.5 million contract to Andrew Ladd was one of the many awful deals signed in 2016 free agency. Ladd’s diminishing returns eventually saw him traded to the Arizona Coyotes in a salary cap dump.

Draft Pick: The Islanders drafts of the mid 1970s yielded many of the stars that would be integral to the team’s dynasty success in the early 1980s. Denis Potvin was selected first overall in 1973, followed the next year by Clark Gillies at fourth overall and Bryan Trottier at 22^nd overall. In 1977, the Islanders landed another key cog, when they picked Mike Bossy with the 15^th overall choice.

Holdouts: Two skilled stars have staged holdouts with the Islanders, resulting in one being traded away, while the other was brought back into the fold. First, Pat LaFontaine had grown frustrated with the team in 1990 and sat out the start of the regular season until he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. Three decades later, Mathew Barzal missed much of training camp before signing a three-year, $21 million deal.

Buyouts: Two Islanders buyouts resulted in payouts to those players lasting many years. First, Alexei Yashin’s 10-year contract, signed in 2001, was bought out in 2007, leading to payments of $2.2 million per year for eight years. Next, goalie Rick DiPietro’s ill-advised 15-year contract was terminated after seven seasons, meaning he will be paid out $1.5 million per year through the 2027-28 season.

Unique Game: The Islanders don’t get the love and attention as their fellow New York NHL team when it comes to high-profile league events. They did play a 2014 Stadium Series game versus the Rangers and a rematch will occur as part of the 2024 Stadium Series. The Islanders also participated in a number of the NHL’s Super Series tours, playing exhibition matches against teams from Russia and Czechia.

Goal: There have been some very memorable goals in Islanders history. First, Bob Nystrom’s 1980 Stanley Cup Finals overtime game winner gave New York their first of four consecutive championships. Next, during the 1980-81 season, Mike Bossy became only the second player to score 50 goals in 50 games, notching a pair of markers in the 50^th contest of the year. Finally, there’s Pat Lafontaine’s tally in the fourth overtime period to finally end the 1987 Easter Epic playoff game against the Washington Capitals.

Fight/Brawl: When the Islanders met the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 11, 2011, bad blood was in the air. In the teams’ previous game, multiple incidents had resulted in injuries to Islanders players. On this penalty-filled night, two line brawls broke out and a total of 346 penalty minutes were assessed. The game also got out of hand on the scoreboard, as New York eventually won 9-3.

Injury: Islanders players have suffered a number of career-ending injuries over the years. Most notable was the back injury that forced Mike Bossy to retire at only 30 years old. Two players, Bobby Nystrom and Johnny Boychuk, were forced from the game prematurely due to eye injuries. It should also be noted the first of many concussions suffered by Pat LaFontaine occurred during the 1990 playoffs and eventually led to his early retirement.

Penalty: A pair of Chris Simon actions in subsequent seasons resulted in lengthy suspensions. First, on March 8, 2007, Simon hit New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick, resulting in a 25-game suspension. Months later, on December 15, 2007, Simon stomped on the back of Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Jarkko Ruutu’s leg, earning another 30 games of suspension time.

Wildest Story: Typically, players don’t jump straight from the ice into high-ranking front office roles, but that’s what happened in 2006, when Islanders goalie Garth Snow retired and instantly became the team’s general manager. Snow replaced Neil Smith, who had only been in the role for 41 days, but grew tired of the reporting structure under owner Charles Wang. Despite criticism, Snow was named ESPN’s NHL Executive of the Year, following his first season in charge.

Blooper: Sometimes, bloopers don’t occur on the ice, but in the front office. Somehow, someone within the Islanders organization approved plans to adopt the ‘fisherman’ logo for the 1995-96 season, viewed almost unanimously as the worst logo in NHL history. Looking like the iconic Gorton’s fisherman, New York Rangers fans were known to chant “We want fishsticks” when the Islanders were in town. The logo was reverted back to the classic look for the 1997-98 campaign.

Miscellaneous: On November 3, 2007, at the request of Islanders coach Ted Nolan, legendary bench boss Al Arbour was brought back to record his 1,500^th game with the team. He is the only coach in NHL history to hit that mark with the same franchise. Arbour was with New York from 1973 until 1986, coaching the team to their four Stanley Cup championships along the way. After a brief retirement, Arbour returned from 1988 to 1994.

New York Islanders: New York Lemonade

Rim glass with Sugar
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Orange Liqueur
Top with Club Soda
Splash of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a Lemon Slice

To celebrate their 50^th season in the NHL in 2022-23, the Islanders served a lemonade cocktail at UBS Arena. I’m not sure what the actual recipes was, but it inspired me to go with this drink. Full disclosure, I did briefly consider garnishing it with fish sticks!

Sip Trips #224: Swift Summer

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Man, I feel like I was blitzed half the month (if not more), but it was light on actual outings. At least light compared to what our months typically look like. Here’s what the Sip Family got up to for July:

Midway through the month, we joined friends for a birthday dinner at The Keg. Over the course of the meal, I had the Smoke on the Guava (Mezcal, Aperol, guava, lemon, egg white) and Mai Tai (Havana Club 7, Cointreau, almond syrup, pineapple, lime, amarena cherry) cocktails, paired with the Prime Rib Sliders. I also got to try Mrs. Sip’s Lobster Gratinee appy, as part of the restaurant’s Lobster Summer menu and we finished with some Billy Miner Pie for dessert. Another solid visit at The Keg, as per the usual.

The Keg

The following week, we had friends visiting from Ontario, so met them at Miku Sushi. Mrs. Sip has long wanted to try this restaurant and it did not disappoint. Sure, the sushi is more expensive than your typical sushi joint, but if you’re expecting it, the experience is worth it. Mrs. Sip and I shared the Lobster Ceviche, Oshi Sushi Sampler, Miku Roll, Surf & Turf Roll, and Red Wave Roll and all of it was delicious.

After dinner, we walked over to Devil’s Elbow for a drink. Mrs. Sip and I both had the Moon Under Water This Is Hefeweizen, an old favourite of ours that we don’t see too often anymore. Following that, we popped into Ludica Pizza for dessert and a game. Over snacks, consisting of their Two-Cheese Garlic Breadsticks and Nutella Pizza (as well as a pitcher of Phillips Blue Buck Ale), we played a game called Red Flags that was a lot of fun.

Games

To wrap the month, Mrs. Sip and I hit up the Paddlewheeler Pub for their trivia night. Over the course of the evening, Mrs. Sip and I shared a bunch of beers, including the Wildeye 7th Secret French Wheat, Fernie Ridgewalk Red Ale and 33 Acres of Darkness Schwarzbier. We also feasted on a trio of items, such as the Smashburger (Wednesday special), Triple Chefs Clubhouse and Creole Chicken Lollipops with Cornbread. Chicken Lollipops should stay in the test kitchen, but everything else was good to great, with the Clubhouse being particularly tasty, thanks to the candied bacon addition. My final thoughts on the trivia: music rounds suck so hard!

See, that’s a relatively paltry Sip Trips. We did spend a fair bit of time hosting friends and Ma and Pa Sip’s wonderful retreat, as well as visiting some folks for nights out. August should be a little busier, with a bunch of stuff already on the calendar, including a stag in Las Vegas!

New Jersey Devils – Dance with the Devil

Posted on July 31, 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 swamplands of New Jersey and make a deal with the Devils:

Establishment Story: The Devils came to exist when the Colorado Rockies were relocated to New Jersey in 1982. The franchise had previously moved from Kansas City – where it had been founded in 1974 as the Scouts – to Colorado in 1976. Even while winning their first Stanley Cup in 1995, rumours were circulating that the team could move yet again, this time to Nashville. In response, the state pledged to fund a new arena for the franchise.

Stanley Cups: The Devils have won three Stanley Cups, from five appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals. They were triumphant in 1995 vs. the Detroit Red Wings, in 2000 vs. the Dallas Stars and in 2003 vs. the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Their losses came at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in 2001 and the Los Angeles Kings in 2012. In a seven year span, from 1995 to 2001, New Jersey appeared in four championship series.

Celebrity Fan: Kevin Smith, creator of the View Askewniverse movies (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, etc.), is from New Jersey and has been a lifetime fan of the Devils. He has even blogged about the team for NHL.com. Smith can often been seen in Devils gear and hockey is featured in nearly all of Smith’s movies in some form, including the Devils jersey making appearances in the Clerks film franchise.

Kevin Smith

Super Fan: Mark Baumann, known simply as Baumann, is a long-time season ticket holder and is credited with creating the D-E-V-I-L-S chant in 1995. He wears a Devils jersey with his last name and the number 00 on it. The Devils also have two well-known supporters’ sections at their home games, the Crazies (Section 233) and the Diablos (Section 122), both recognized for their chants and other conduct.

Mascot: NJ Devil is about what you’d expect as a representative of the team. He’s meant to have a resemblance to the mythical Jersey Devil, which is said to inhabit the state of New Jersey. The franchise’s previous mascot was Slapshot, a large puck, but the man inside the suit was accused of touching three women inappropriately and agreed to counselling to settle the lawsuit. As a result, the mascot was retired in 1993.

Tradition: In the mid-1990s, the Devils became known for their implementation of the neutral zone trap, a defensive system which stifles offensive production and led to what is now called the Dead Puck Era (lack of scoring, also resulting from penalties for clutching and grabbing not being called). The trap’s success led to three Stanley Cups for New Jersey in a nine-year span, so the results were there, even if the exciting on-ice product wasn’t.

Appearances in Media: In the May 1995 episode of Seinfeld, titled The Face Painter, character David Puddy reveals his eccentric support of the Devils while taking Elaine Benes to a New Jersey-New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. His face is painted in the team’s colours and he behaves wildly, removing his shirt and clashing with rival Rangers fans. When Benes says he can’t paint his face anymore, he starts painting his chest.

David Puddy

Events/Scandals: After already being moved from Kansas City to Colorado and then onto New Jersey, the Devils organization continued to struggled. Things were so bad, following a 13-4 Edmonton Oilers victory over the Devils in 1983, Wayne Gretzky called the team “a Mickey Mouse operation” that was “ruining the whole league”. Although Gretzky later apologized for his statements, for the next game between the two clubs, fans showed up wearing Mickey Mouse apparel.

Rivalry: The Devils have two main rivals, largely based on geographic location. First, their feud with the New York Rangers is known as the Battle of the Hudson River, the body of water which separates the states. Second, there’s the Philadelphia Flyers, with the grudge known as the Battle of the Jersey Turnpike, with the Flyers even having their practice rink located in New Jersey. All three teams currently play in the Metropolitan Division.

Tragedy: Pat Burns coached the Devils for two seasons (2002-2004), leading the team to their 2003 Stanley Cup championship, before he was forced to resign his position and focus on his health, following colon and liver cancer diagnoses. Sadly, the cancer returned in 2009 and had metastasized to Burns’ lungs. He passed away on November 19, 2010 and was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Player Nicknames: Ken Daneyko played his entire NHL career with New Jersey, earning the nickname ‘Mr. Devil’. Following his retirement, the three-time Stanley Cup winner has even moved into a colour analyst role for Devils game broadcasts. Daneyko holds the franchise records for games played (1,283) and penalty minutes (2,516), with his jersey being retired by the team in 2006.

Mickey Mouse Operation

Line: While some lines scored more, the Crash Line, consisting of Bobby Holik, Randy McKay and Mike Peluso, is fondly remembered for their aggressive checking, neutralizing the top stars of opposing teams. The trio played a very important role in the Devils 1995 Stanley Cup championship, providing secondary scoring to go along with their combined intimidation factor.

Captain: Scott Stevens is the longest-serving captain in franchise history, holding the role for 12 seasons from 1992 until his retirement in 2004. Stevens originally refused to report to the team, following his 1991 trade to the Devils, as compensation for the St. Louis Blues signing away restricted free agent Brendan Shanahan. In the end, his decision to finally play for the organization was a good one, resulting in three Stanley Cup wins.

Enforcer: Nicknamed ‘The Polish Hammer’, Krzysztof Oliwa holds the Devils single-season record for penalty minutes with 295. Oliwa patrolled the ice for New Jersey for parts of four seasons, after being drafted by the team 65^th overall in 1993. Oliwa is the only player from Poland to win a Stanley Cup, which he did as a member of New Jersey’s 2000 championship squad.

Family Values: Brothers Jack and Luke Hughes were both high draft picks of the Devils, being selected first (2019) and fourth (2021) overall, respectively. Jack is already a superstar with the team, while Luke is among the club’s top prospects, having made his NHL debut late in the 2022-23 season. Twin brothers Patrik and Peter Sundstrom played part of the 1989-90 season together with New Jersey, while Patrik’s son Alexander was drafted by the Devils in 2005, but never played in the NHL.

Scott Stevens

Returning Players: Brendan Shanahan was drafted by the Devils second overall in 1987. When he became a restricted free agent in 1991, he signed an offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues, which New Jersey elected to not match. 17 seasons later, after not playing for the first half of the 2008-09 campaign, Shanahan returned to the Devils for what would be the final season of his Hall of Fame career.

Short Stint: High-scoring defenseman Phil Housley bounced around the NHL quite a bit over his 21-season career, including 22 games played with the Devils in 1996. He performed well, recording 16 points in those games, but left for the Washington Capitals as a free agent. Somehow, Housely’s time in New Jersey wasn’t the shortest stint of his eight NHL teams, as he only played a single game for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2003.

Undrafted: In 1999, the Sporting News named Brian Rafalski the best hockey player outside of the NHL. The 25-year-old defenseman was signed by the Devils and would go on to be a member of their 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cup championship teams, largely playing with Scott Stevens. Rafalski left New Jersey in 2007, joining the Detroit Red Wings for back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances, before retiring in 2011.

Trade: When the Devils traded defenseman Tom Kurvers to the Toronto Maple Leafs one game into the 1989-90 season, they received a 1991 first round draft pick in return. Little did they know that selection would turn into the third overall choice, bringing Scott Niedermayer to New Jersey. Niedermayer would be an integral member of three Stanley Cup championship teams, winning a Norris Trophy in 2004, his final season with the club.

Scott Niedermayer

Signing: Among the Devils worst signings of all-time was their 17-year, $102 million deal to retain the services of Ilya Kovalchuk, who they had traded for a few months earlier. Since the deal was ruled to have violated the NHL’s salary cap, it was nullified and New Jersey was punished with a $3 million fine and the loss of draft picks. A 15-year, $100 million pact was eventually given to Kovalchuk, who bolted for Russia anyway after three seasons.

Draft Pick: The Devils have benefitted from two first overall selections in recent years, taking Nico Hischier in 2017 and Jack Hughes in 2019. Other top picks that have worked out well for New Jersey include John MacLean (6^th overall in 1983), Brendan Shanahan (2^nd overall in 1987), Scott Niedermayer (3^rd overall in 1991). It’s also hard to believe they landed Martin Brodeur at 20^th overall in 1990, given his legendary run with New Jersey.

Holdouts: Scott Niedermayer had two significant contract disputes with the Devils during his tenure with the team. First, Niedermayer missed the first month of the 1998-99 season after rejecting an initial offer of $3.25 million. Niedermayer also sat out the first two months of the 2000-01 season, wanting to be paid an average salary comparable to the best defensemen in the NHL. He finally settled for a four-year, $16 million pact.

Buyouts: The Devils biggest buyout came in 2020, when they bought out the remaining two years of goalie Cory Schneider’s seven-year, $42 million contract. Schneider came to New Jersey to be the heir to Martin Brodeur’s goaltending throne and for a time, he was an apt replacement to the legend. Sadly, a string of injuries hampered Schneider’s performance, including a 21-game losing streak, spanning over a year.

Kovalchuk

Unique Game: The Devils took part in a trio of Super Series exhibition matches against teams from the USSR in the late 80s and early 90s. New Jersey took part in the 2018 NHL Global Series, playing a single game against the Edmonton Oilers in Gothenburg, Sweden, to open their 2018-19 season. The Devils also took part in a 2014 Stadium Series contest versus the New York Rangers. A decade later, they will face the Philadelphia Flyers, as part of the 2024 Stadium Series.

Goal: With Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup finals tied, the contest entered double overtime. A win earned the Devils their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. Jason Arnott provided the heroics, putting away the Dallas Stars. Also, Martin Brodeur holds the NHL record for goalie goals, with two scored in the regular season and one in the playoffs. Only one of his tallies was a shot on goal, while the other two, including one game-winner, were own goals by the opposing team.

Fight/Brawl: While the Devils have participated in a number of brawls over the course of their history, a one-on-one fight has become part of hockey folklore, thanks to its spread on social media. During Brendan Shanahan’s early years in the NHL, he once attacked Buffalo Sabres veteran Rick Vaive after a faceoff. Vaive had no clue what he did to deserve being jumped, but it was soon revealed a 14-year-old Shanahan had asked Vaive for an autograph, but was turned down and this was the long-awaited revenge.

Injury: During an October 2014 game, Devils forward Martin Havlat was hit by Jason Chimera of the Washington Capitals. Havlat fell into referee Darcy Burchell, as well as the boards, which caused the visor of his helmet to push into his face. The result was severe lacerations to his nose and upper lip, requiring numerous stitches to close the wounds. Havlat joked about the incident, saying he didn’t need any mask for upcoming Halloween celebrations.

Jason Arnott

Penalty: In one of the most infamous confrontations in hockey history, Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld got into an argument with referee Don Koharski following his team’s loss in the 1988 playoffs. Koharski fell, but accused Schoenfeld of pushing him. Koharski stated he hoped the incident was caught on video, to which Schoenfeld replied: “Good, ’cause you fell, you fat pig! Have another doughnut! Have another doughnut!” Schoenfeld was suspended one game and fined $1,000, while the team was fined $10,000.

Wildest Story: On January 22, 1987, an extreme blizzard in New Jersey resulted in only 334 fans (of an expected 11,247, based on tickets sold) showing up to a Devils game versus the Calgary Flames. Those that did manage to make the dangerous trek and attend the contest, where New Jersey won 7-5, were all made members of the 334 Club. Each fan was later sent a badge commemorating the unique game.

Blooper: During the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, legendary Devils goalie Martin Brodeur came out of his net to play a dumped in puck. Unfortunately, Brodeur lost the handle on his stick and as it fell to the ice, the puck deflected off it and into the net. It was a rare mistake for one of the best puck playing goalies of all-time. The Devils still managed to win the Stanley Cup, so no harm, no foul, I guess.

Miscellaneous: When New Jersey won the 1995 Stanley Cup, a new tradition was born. For the first time, each player (and some other members of the organization) got to spend a day with the trophy. Since then, children have been baptized in it, dogs have eaten meals out of it, kids have [accidentally] used it as a toilet, and it has travelled the globe, including to some of the most famous sites in the world.

New Jersey Devils: Dance with the Devil

Dance with the Devil

1.5 oz Bourbon
0.75 oz Triple Sec
Top with Passionfruit Juice
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dashes of Tabasco Sauce
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

It floors me how difficult finding drinks for each NHL team has been throughout this project. Perhaps I’m being too picky, but I thought that aspect would be the easy part of my 2023 mission. Anyway, I was curious about the combo of ingredients in this cocktail, so wanted to see how it all came together.

Nashville Predators – Predator Smash

Posted on July 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 travel to Nashville, or as the local hockey fans know it, Smashville, for an in-depth look at the Predators:

Establishment Story: The Predators joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1998. Previously, Nashville had almost become the home of a relocated New Jersey Devils, but that deal fell through. After the team’s logo was revealed, a naming competition commenced, with options being Ice Tigers, Fury and Attack. One final alternative was submitted by owner Craig Leipold, that being the eventual winner Predators.

Stanley Cups: The Predators have never won the Stanley Cup, but did appear in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, losing in six games. Aside from 2017, Nashville has only advanced as far as the second round, which they have achieved four times. The Predators have qualified for the playoffs 15 times over their 24 seasons in existence.

Celebrity Fan: Due to Nashville’s music scene, many artists of the area have become supporters of the Predators. This includes Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman, Carrie Underwood (who is married to former Predator Mike Fisher), Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, and Shania Twain. This has made life very easy on whoever has to book musical acts for between periods or national anthem duties.

Smashville

Super Fan: Section 303 of Bridgestone Arena, affectionately known as The Cellblock or Cellblock 303, has been called “the loudest section of the loudest arena in the NHL”. The fan club dates back to the days of the Nashville Knights (1989-96) minor league team. Some popular members included Eudora Hunter, an 82-year-old woman who held up funny signs to the delight of other fans, and Ben ‘Big Ben’ Butzbach, who painted various images on his stomach. Sadly, both fans have passed away.

Mascot: Gnash is a sabre-toothed tiger, the animal being selected because the partial skeleton of one was found during excavation of the First American Cave in Nashville in 1971. Based on this story, it’s said that Gnash was discovered frozen in ice, while crews were building the Nashville Arena, today’s Bridgestone Arena. The frozen cat thawed and disappeared, re-emerging to debut with the Predators in 1998.

Tradition: Adapting the Detroit Red Wings tradition of throwing octopi onto the ice, Predators fans have been known to toss catfish from the stands, first occurring on October 30, 2003. Fans are also known to display their Fang Fingers, either foam gloves or curled index and middle fingers, which they use in a biting motion to sounds from the movie Psycho, prior to Predators power plays.

Appearances in Media: The Predators were the 2022 feature team in the NHL Network’s Behind the Glass series, which documents the chosen franchise’s training camp. This was the third installment of the all access series, with other teams followed being the New Jersey Devils in 2018 and Philadelphia Flyers in 2019. No team was highlighted in 2020 or 2021, due to the pandemic. Four episodes aired in fall 2022, with footage including Nashville starting their season with games in Prague, Czechia.

Gnash

Events/Scandals: On June 16, 2018, Predators forward Austin Watson was arrested following a domestic incident. He would plead no contest to a charge of domestic assault and be sentenced to one year probation and attending a batterer intervention course. The NHL suspended Watson for the 2018 pre-season and 27 regular season games (reduced to 18 by an arbiter) for unacceptable off-ice conduct. Watson didn’t rejoin Nashville until March 25, 2019, following time in the league’s substance abuse program.

Rivalry: The Predators greatest feuds have occurred against fellow long-time Central Division opponents, such as the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues. Nashville also had decent rivalries with the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, but those have dissipated to some degree, as both teams were moved into the Eastern Conference during the 2013 divisional realignment.

Tragedy: Wade Belak played the final three seasons of his NHL career with the Predators. When he retired in 2011, he remained with the franchise in an organizational role. Sadly, on August 31, 2011, Belak was found dead in his Toronto hotel room, where he was to take part in the hockey/figure skating crossover reality TV series Battle of the Blades. Belak’s cause of death was never officially released, but it was treated as a suicide by hanging.

Player Nicknames: Two of Nashville’s top goalies of all-time have memorable handles, including Pekka Rinne being known by teammates as Chief, while his incumbent Juuse Saros has been dubbed Juice. Also, 6’6” fourth-liner Michael McCarron has been the recipient of two wrestling-themed monikers while a member of the Predators organization. First, he was known as Big Show with the minor league Milwaukee Admirals, followed by Big Sexy with the big league club.

Pekka Rinne

Line: The Vowel Line consisted of Martin Erat, Denis Arkhipov and Vladimir Orszagh, for obvious reasons. Some other former top units include Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg, as well as J.P. Dumont, Jason Arnott and Alexander Radulov. The franchise has always been known for the quality of its defense, with one of their most dominant pairs being Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

Captain: Speaking of Shea Weber, he was named captain of the Predators on July 8, 2010. He served in the role for six seasons, before his shocking trade to the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 off-season. Fellow blueliner Roman Josi is the team’s current leader and going into the next season, will surpass Weber as the franchise’s longest-serving captain. With Josi under contract until 2027-28, he should set a new standard of leadership within the organization.

Enforcer: Jordin Tootoo was a fan favourite for Predators supporters during his eight seasons with the team. The first Inuit person to play a regular season NHL game, Tootoo holds the all-time franchise record for penalty minutes with 725. Nicknamed the Tootoo Train for his devastating hits, Tootoo could also be relied upon to help on the scoresheet, putting up 30 points in his final campaign in Nashville. After retiring in 2018, Tootoo was invited to return to Nashville for Jordin Tootoo Night on February 2, 2019.

Family Values: Brothers Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn played a portion of one season together with the Predators. They had previously also suited up together with the Montreal Canadiens. Andrei returned to play in Europe in 2012, following a curfew issue during the previous playoffs. Sergei lasted one more season, before his contract was mutually terminated and he too was Europe bound. The brothers were the first Belarussian siblings to play in the NHL.

Shea Weber

Returning Players: Two back-to-back first round Nashville draft picks started and ended their careers there, with gaps in between. Forward Scott Hartnell was drafted 6^th overall in 2000, playing six seasons with the Predators. Hartnell closed his career with a final season in Smashville in 2017-18. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis, drafted 12^th overall in 2001, played eight seasons with the organization, returning for two campaigns from 2018 to 2020.

Short Stint: Peter Forsberg’s tenure with the Predators lasted all of 22 games. He was brought in prior to the 2007 trade deadline, in exchange for the hefty price of Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent and first- and third-round draft picks. While he was productive, scoring 19 points in those games, the Predators were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Forsberg then contemplated retirement, returning to the Colorado Avalanche for nine games the next season.

Undrafted: Vernon Fiddler was signed by the Predators on May 6, 2002, after playing with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, as a free agent. He would debut with the big club in November 2002 and become a fixture of the roster from 2006 to 2009. Fiddler played the final 20 games of his career with Nashville, finishing with 877 games played, 104 goals and 157 assists.

Trade: One of the most lopsided deals in NHL history saw the Predators trade Martin Erat (along with Michael Latta) to the Washington Capitals for top prospect Filip Forsberg at the 2013 trade deadline. Erat was practically useless for the Capitals, while Forsberg became a star with Nashville. Forsberg is already the Predators all-time leading goal scorer and entered the 2022-23 season with an eight-year contract extension.

Filip Forsberg

Signing: Among the better deals the Predators have signed, include Paul Kariya (two-year, $9 million in 2005) and Jason Arnott (five-year, $22.5 million in 2006). As for one that didn’t turn out so well, was Matt Duchene’s seven-year, $56 million pact in 2019. Duchene, an avid country music fan, was bought out of the last three years of his deal in the 2023 off-season, leaving the Predators with a payout of $9.33 million over six years.

Draft Pick: The highest the Predators have ever picked was second overall, using their first ever selection on David Legwand in 1998. The team has made some amazing second round choices, stealing future captains Shea Weber in 2003 and Roman Josi in 2008. Nashville has also done well drafting goalies in later rounds, taking current netminder Juuse Saros 99^th overall in 2013 and all-time backstop stat leader Pekka Rinne 258^th overall in 2004.

Holdouts: While the Predators have had no contract impasses over their history, it should be noted that Nashville prospect Jimmy Vesey (drafted 66^th overall in 2012) refused to sign with the team. This meant he would become a free agent in the 2016 off-season, as teams have four years to sign a college draft pick. To settle the dispute, the Predators traded Vesey’s rights to the Buffalo Sabres, but he still elected to become a free agent and eventually signed with the New York Rangers.

Buyouts: Center Kyle Turris was a key component of a 2017 three-way trade between the Predators, Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, signing a contract extension with Nashville immediately following the swap. However, on October 7, 2020, the Predators bought out the remaining four seasons of that six-year, $36 million contract. Nashville would have to pay Turris $16 million over the next eight years, while Turris would play 50 more NHL games over two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers.

David Legwand

Unique Game: In 2000, the Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins for a pair of regular season games in Saitama, Japan. In more recent years, they’ve participated in other high-profile league spectacles, such as the 2020 Winter Classic versus the Dallas Stars, a 2022 Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and were part of the 2022 Global Series, opening their campaign with two matches versus the San Jose Sharks in Prague, Czechia.

Goal: One of the greatest feats in hockey is for a goalie to score a goal. Predators legend Pekka Rinne did just that on January 9, 2020, firing a puck into the empty net of the Chicago Blackhawks, en route to a 5-2 victory. The win was also the first for coach John Hynes behind the Nashville bench. Fellow Predators netminder Chris Mason was also credited with a goalie goal in 2006, but that was the result of an own goal by the Phoenix Coyotes.

Fight/Brawl: Although not a traditional rival, the Predators and Winnipeg Jets have shared the same division since 2013. In the 2017 playoffs, the Predators defeated the Jets in seven games and for the teams first meeting since the elimination, in October 2018, tempers boiled over quickly, resulting in a line brawl. 76 penalty minutes were handed out in the contest, with a lopsided 60 going to Winnipeg. Nashville won the game 3-0.

Injury: In an unfortunate incident of friendly fire, when Jason Arnott scored the winning goal of Game 3 of the first round of 2008 playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings, teammate Alexander Radulov jumped on him in celebration. The resulting fall led to Arnott receiving a concussion and missing much of the rest of the playoffs. Nashville lost the series in six games, playing the final two contests without their captain and regular season scoring leader.

Pekka Rinne Goal

Penalty: Jordin Tootoo was suspended a couple times during his Nashville tenure, including five games in 2007 for a sucker punch to Stephane Robidas (which resulted in a concussion) of the Dallas Stars and two games in 2011 for charging Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. It was Miller’s first game back after being hit by Boston Bruins power forward Milan Lucic three weeks earlier, which caused many around the NHL to call for changes to that part of the game, including Predators GM David Poile.

Wildest Story: During the 2012 playoffs, Predators forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn were spotted in a Scottsdale, Arizona bar at 5:00 am, the morning of Game 2 of Nashville’s series against the Arizona Coyotes. This violated team curfew and both players were suspended for that night’s contest. Radulov had just returned to the organization after four seasons in Russia. When his contract expired following the team’s elimination by the Coyotes, Radulov returned to Russia for another four years.

Blooper: During a November 2011 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, winger Craig Smith looked to seal the win for the Predators with an empty net goal. He was alone on a breakaway and nobody had any chance of stopping him. The horn inside Bridgestone Arena went off and everyone assumed Smith had scored… except he had tried to shoot the puck into the top of the net and had completely put it over the net and into the stands instead. Thankfully, Nashville still emerged with a 4-1 victory.

Miscellaneous: When NHL jobs seem to have short shelf lives, it’s amazing that Predators GM David Poile guided the franchise from its earliest days until retiring after the 2023 NHL draft. Poile owns the record for most wins as a GM, finishing his executive career with 1,533 victories. He won the NHL General Manager of the Year award in 2017 and outside of the NHL, Poile also oversaw the 1998 and 1999 USA World Championship teams, as well as the American 2014 Olympics squad.

Nashville Predators: Predator Smash

Predator Smash

2 oz Bourbon
Top with Iced Tea
Blend with Ice
Splash of Lemon-Lime Soda
Garnish with a Lime Slice

This frozen drink was served for a time at Bridgestone Arena. While it didn’t come with a name when I found it, I’ve dubbed the beverage myself. I vowed to use my Margaritaville blender more this summer, so this was a good recipe to start with.

Montreal Canadiens – Habitant

Posted on July 14, 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 La Belle Province, to learn about one of the most storied sports franchises in the world, the Montreal Canadiens:

Establishment Story: The Canadiens are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises, being founded in 1909 and playing in the National Hockey Association. In fact, the team is the longest continuously operating ice hockey team in the world, predating the formation of the NHL. The team was given the name ‘Les Canadiens’, as it was supposed to be comprised of French players and supported by Montreal’s francophone community.

Stanley Cups: The Canadiens hold the NHL record for Stanley Cup victories with 24. Montreal’s dynasty teams of 1955-60, 1964-69 and 1975-79 largely contributed to this total. The Canadiens have appeared in a total of 35 Stanley Cup Finals. Introduced in 1985, Montreal has never won the Presidents’ Trophy, awarded for best regular season record. Had it always existed, the Canadiens would have won it on 21 occasions.

Celebrity Fan: As you can expect, given the club’s reverence with French Canadians, there are a number of celebrity supporters of the Canadiens. Among the team’s most famous fans are singer Celine Dion, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, actors Jay Baruchel, Viggo Mortensen and William Shatner, and mixed martial arts fighter Georges St-Pierre. Legend has it, Mortensen wore a Canadiens jersey under his armor while filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Stanley Cups

Super Fan: I believe every Canadiens fan to be a super fan in their own right. After all, supporting the team is like a religion in Montreal. In fact, the Canadiens launched their own Hall of Fan in 2022, with the original inductees being Sunil Peetush, Maika Parisien and Thommy Boudreau. Perks of the honour included an induction ceremony and having their names on a banner in the Molson Ex Zone, within the Bell Centre, as well as watching a game from a suite.

Mascot: Youppi! was the mascot of Major League Baseball’s Montreal Expos from 1979 to 2004, before the team was relocated to Washington, D.C., becoming the Washington Nationals. Needing a new team to support, Youppi! joined the Canadiens. His jersey number is an exclamation mark. Youppi was the first Canadian mascot to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame, earning the honour in 2020.

Tradition: The Canadiens team motto is “Nos bras meurtris vous tendent le flambeau, à vous toujours de le porter bien haut.” This translates as “To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.” The slogan comes from the famous World War I poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae. Canadiens fans have also been known for the chants “Olé, Olé, Olé”, along with the team’s goal song and “Nah Nah Nah Nah Hey Hey Hey Goodbye”, as the team wound down a game with victory imminent.

Appearances in Media: The Hockey Sweater is a cherished children’s book, which was later turned into an animated short, titled The Sweater. The story is about a little boy who’s gifted a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater, despite living in Montreal and being a loyal Canadiens fan. It is based on author Roch Carrier’s childhood experience. The book and short are so iconic, a line from the story appeared on Canadian $5 bills for a time.

Youppi

Events/Scandals: Occurring on March 17, 1955, the Richard Riot transpired because beloved Canadiens superstar Maurice Richard was suspended for the remainder of the 1954-55 season, including the playoffs, following an altercation with a linesman. When NHL president Clarence Campbell appeared at the Montreal Forum for the Canadiens next game, fans revolted causing $100,000 worth of property damage, only being quelled by Richard asking for supporters to stop.

Rivalry: Many view Montreal’s feud with the Boston Bruins as one of the NHL’s greatest rivalries. The two teams have faced each other in the playoffs countless times and heated matchups aren’t restricted to the post-season. The Canadiens also have checkered histories with geographically close teams in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators and would still be enemies of the Quebec Nordiques and Montreal Maroons, if those clubs still existed.

Tragedy: The Canadiens long history includes numerous tragedies. First, days after the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals were cancelled due to the Spanish flu pandemic, player Joe Hall died of pneumonia. Next, goalie Georges Vezina succumbed to tuberculosis in March 1926. Later, in 1937, star Howie Morenz perished due to a coronary embolism, while recovering from a broken leg (more on that below). Finally, prospect Neil Carnes was killed in a 1989 motorcycle accident.

Player Nicknames: Canadiens fans and media work diligently to create nicknames for their beloved players. Some of the best, include Boom Boom (Bernie Geoffrion), Big Bird (Larry Robinson), Roadrunner (Yvon Cournoyer), Rocket/Pocket Rocket (Maurice/Henri Richard), Flower/Blond Demon (Guy Lafleur), Chicoutimi Cucumber (George Vezina), Goal Caufield (Cole Caufield), WiFi (Arber Xhekaj), Jesus Price (Carey Price), and Saint Patrick (Patrick Roy).

Richard Riot

Line: The Punch Line of Toe Blake, Elmer Lach and Maurice Richard were formed during the 1943-44 season and instantly had great chemistry. The following campaign, the trio finished first, second and third in league scoring. They would win two Stanley Cups together. Two championships, however, pale in comparison to The Dynasty Line of Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt and Pete Mahovlich/Jacques Lemaire, who won four straight Stanley Cups from 1976 to 1979.

Captain: Amongst other notable leaders, Jean Beliveau gets the nod here. He led the team for 10 years, winning four Stanley Cups in five seasons from 1965 to 1969. Even after his career wrapped, Beliveau continued to leave his mark on the Canadiens, winning seven Stanley Cups as an executive with the team. Beliveau was named to the Order of Canada in 1998 and had his name added to Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2001.

Enforcer: Chris Nilan, nicknamed Knuckles for his fighting skills, holds the Canadiens team records for career (2,248) and single-season (358) penalty minutes. He was a member of Montreal’s 1986 Stanley Cup squad. When the Canadiens closed the fabled Montreal Forum and began auctioning off pieces from the historic building, Nilan bought the penalty box… a home away from home.

Family Values: It’s pretty special when three generations of a family played for the same team. Bernie Geoffrion, his son Dan and his grandson Blake all suited up for the Canadiens. Add in Howie Morenz, whose daughter married Bernie and was mother to Dan and grandmother to Blake, for a non-direct fourth generation. Additionally, brother combos to play together for Montreal include Maurice and Henri Richard and Frank and Pete Mahovlich.

Jean Beliveau

Returning Players: Howie Morenz is a Canadiens legend, playing the first 11 seasons of his career with the team and winning three Stanley Cups, while becoming one of the NHL’s first stars. After time with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers, Morenz returned to Montreal for the 1936-37 campaign. Sadly, Morenz broke his leg late in the season and weeks later, died of a coronary embolism, caused by blood clots from the injury. 50,000 fans attended his funeral held at the Montreal Forum.

Short Stint: A number of notable Russian players had limited tenures with the Canadiens. This includes Alexander Radulov, who revived his NHL career with the team in 2016-17, before leaving for the Dallas Stars; Ilya Kovalchuk, who played 22 games with Montreal in 2020, between stints with the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals; and Alexander Semin, who played a mere 15 contests with the Canadiens in 2015, before he was waived and had his contract terminated for failing to report to the minor leagues.

Undrafted: The Canadiens signed Mike Keane on September 25, 1985. Keane would spend eight seasons with Montreal, winning a Stanley Cup in 1993 and serving as team captain for half a season. He was part of the infamous Patrick Roy trade, accompanying the star goalie, where they would win another championship in 1996. Keane would win a third Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999. He retired having played 1,161 regular season games and 220 playoff contests.

Trade: Goalie Ken Dryden was actually drafted by the Boston Bruins 14^th overall in 1964, but was traded a couple weeks later to the Canadiens. Legend has it, Dryden’s agent never told him of being drafted by Boston and he only became aware of how he actually ended up in Montreal midway through his career. Although Dryden only played eight NHL seasons, he won six Stanley Cups and five Vezina Trophies as the league’s best goaltender.

Ken Dryden

Signing: Among the Canadiens best deals was bringing in Brian Gionta with a five-year, $25 million pact in 2009. Gionta would be named the team’s captain in 2010, serving in the role until the end of his contract. One of the worst signings by Montreal was adding hometown enforcer Georges Laraque. Brought in to add toughness to the team, Laraque only lasted a season and a half of his thee-year, $4.5 million deal before being released and bought out.

Draft Pick: One of the savviest moves the Canadiens ever made was trading for the California Golden Seals first round draft pick in 1971. Highly touted Quebecois players Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne were available to be chosen that year and when the Golden Seals finished last in the league, the Canadiens earned the right to select first overall. They eventually decided to pick Guy Lafleur, who became a Montreal legend over 14 seasons with the team.

Holdouts: Some of the Canadiens most iconic players have endured interesting contract disputes with the club. Ken Dryden’s 1973-74 disagreement resulted in the netminder articling for a law firm, a requirement needed to earn his law degree. Guy Lafleur decided to retire 19 games into the 1984-85 season, unhappy with coach Jacques Lemaire, a denied trade request and his contract. Finally, Patrick Roy’s mid-season statement he would not play for the team again led to his trade to the Colorado Avalanche.

Buyouts: Karl Alzner was one of the worst free agent signings in Canadiens history. In 2017, the stay-at-home defenseman was given a five-year, $23.125 million deal. In his second season with Montreal, he was demoted to the minors and would only play four more games for the team, before his contract was bought out in October 2020. This resulted in a $3.33 million payout over four years.

Guy Lafleur

Unique Game: The Canadiens have been part of a number of international tours and showcase events for the NHL. This includes the 1938 Detroit Red Wings–Montreal Canadiens European Tour (first NHL games outside North America), a 1975 New Year’s Eve game vs. Moscow Central Red Army (played during the Cold War), the 2003 Heritage Classic vs. Edmonton Oilers (first regular season outdoor game), 2011 Heritage Classic vs. Calgary Flames, and 2016 Winter Classic vs. Boston Bruins.

Goal: On March 18, 1945, Maurice Richard became the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in 50 games. Richard finally reached the plateau with 2:15 left in the last game of the season, en route to a 4-2 win for Montreal. Richard’s achievement was even more notable for how much opposing players were targeting him, with an increase in slashes, hooks and other interference, as he pursued the feat.

Fight/Brawl: Canadiens teams of the 1980s were involved in a number of notable brawls. There was the infamous 1984 Good Friday Massacre with the Quebec Nordiques, but also a pair of lesser known melees deserving of some attention. These include a 1986 fracas that moved onto the Boston Bruins bench and tunnel to the dressing rooms, as well as a 1987 punch-up with the Philadelphia Flyers that occurred before the game had even begun.

Injury: A couple of serious injuries have ended Canadiens players careers. First, in January 2000, Trent McCleary took a slapshot to the throat, crushing his larynx and requiring immediate life-saving surgery. With his air passage 15 per cent narrower, McCleary was unable to resume his career. Second, while playing for the Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate, Blake Geoffrion suffered a depressed skull fracture following his fall from a hip check, resulting in his eventual retirement.

Richard

Penalty: A little more about the incident which led to the Richard Riot, Maurice Richard had a long history of retaliation penalties, stemming from physical and verbal attacks from opposing players. On March 13, 1955, Richard was involved in a skirmish with Boston Bruins player Hal Laycoe and when referees tried to intervene, Richard punched linesman Cliff Thompson twice, knocking him unconscious. A match penalty resulted and Boston police even tried to arrest Richard.

Wildest Story: As a teenager, the Canadiens pursued Jean Beliveau, attempting to sign him to contracts that would ensure he eventually played for the team. As Beliveau appeared to not be interested in turning pro, the Canadiens decided to buy the league Beliveau was playing in, the Quebec Senior Hockey League, turning it into a minor pro circuit and giving the Canadiens the rights to all players in the league, particularly Beliveau.

Blooper: When Doug Gilmour was penalized during the 2002 playoffs, he responded by slamming the penalty box door. This caused the glass to shatter, although Gilmour barely reacted to the mess he had created. Gilmour has said after that game, which he thought may be the last of his career, Canadiens owner George Gillett came to him with a wheelbarrow of glass. When Gilmour signed a few pieces, Gillett asked him to sign some more to be sold later.

Miscellaneous: On November 1, 1959, goalie Jacques Plante blocked a shot with his face, resulting in a broken nose. While Plante had practiced with a mask previously, head coach Toe Blake wouldn’t allow him to wear it during games, fearing it would obstruct his vision. On this night, Plante returned to the ice after being stitched up, donning the mask. He went on an 18-game unbeaten stretch, popularizing the use of the mask as protective equipment.

Montreal Canadiens: Habitant

Habitant

1.5 oz Whiskey
Splash of Lemon Juice
Dash of Maple Syrup
Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

This cocktail was created by Larry Dennis of the Seignory Club in Quebec. Les Habitants is a popular nickname for the Canadiens. Other monikers for the club include Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, La Sainte-Flanelle, Le Tricolore, Les Glorieux, Le Grand Club, and Les Plombiers.

Sip Trips #223: Provincial Playtime

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

June saw Mrs. Sip and I (along with the kids for two of the three) travel to a trio of different locales around British Columbia. This made the month fly by, as it seemed we were always either heading out somewhere or returning from the destination. Here’s what we got up to:

Before we could get to our first expedition of June, the Sip Advisor had a long-planned night out with the boys to survive. We started our day by grabbing beers at 33 Acres, settling at Jonathan Rogers Park to consume them. After downing a handful of brews each, some food was necessary. For that, we walked to the nearby Steamworks – Mt. Pleasant, where we split Hawaiian and Pepperoni Pizzas, along with some Onion Rings. To drink, I had the Heroica Red Ale.

The main event of the evening was watching a Vancouver Whitecaps game. While a couple more beers were enjoyed, I didn’t record what they were, but random photos on my phone tell me they were big and tasty. Not ready to go home just yet, we had an encore of sorts at Devil’s Elbow, where I believe whiskey entered the fray, before it was finally time to call it a night.

Guys Night Out

The next morning, the Sip Family was off to Whistler for a week of relaxing in the resort community. We didn’t get out into the village as much as I thought we would, but did have one good happy hour meal at El Furniture Warehouse. I loved my General Tao Bowl with Chicken, while also partaking in Spicy Margarita and Jack & Coke beverages.

In the middle of the month, we had a friend’s birthday, celebrated at The Farmer’s Apprentice. Here, they served a family style set menu for the table, costing each person $85. The food was all pretty good, as were the cocktails I tried. These included the Junipero (mezcal, gin, carpano bianco, poire Williams, and lavender bitters) and Legal High (bourbon, unicum, devils club, maraschino, Benedictine, and verjus). I finished the feast with a glass of Powell Street Tangerine Dream.

Following the meal, and while we waited for rideshare prices to go down, Mrs. Sip and I popped into Cactus Club for a nightcap. I selected the Parallel 49 Stir Crazy Hazy, as it was on late night happy hour pricing. Mrs. Sip also added some Truffle Fries for our sitting, despite the fact we had just finished a massive feast.

Night Cap

Days later, Mrs. Sip and I travelled to Sechelt, since she had some work to do there. This was our first time ever taking a seaplane over to the Sunshine Coast, and it was nice to share that experience together. While waiting for our plane to board, I noticed that the Cockpit Cafe Lounge, with the Seaplane Air Terminal, offered a limited edition Harbour Air-affiliated beer available, so we split a tall can of the Bowen Island Harbour Hazy Days of Summer/Memories of Summer Pale Ale, as we watched some other planes takeoff and land.

While in Sechelt, Mrs. Sip and I tried a number of local food options. We started with Batch 44 Brewing, drawn in by their fun and energetic (great host, who worked hard to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves) Rock N’ Roll Bingo. To drink, we started with a pint each of the Old Creeker West Coast Cream Ale, which were $2 off. We also split a serving of Strips & Fries and capped the event off with the Gone Nutty cocktail (Red Head Macadamia Nut Rum, Bacardi Rum, passionfruit, pineapple, cardamom bitters, soda).

Before returning to our hotel room, we went to the Lighthouse Pub next door and shared an order of 2-piece Fish & Chips, along with Potato Boats. To drink, I had the Foamers’ Folly Yada Yada IPA and we enjoyed the tranquil setting on the water, watching the sun disappear for the day.

Bingo

For lunch the next day, Mrs. Sip and I tried Lucky’s Barbecue House/Lucky’s Smokehouse. There, we shared an order of Pulled Pork Sliders with Potato Salad and Baby Cornbread. I also ordered the Tapworks Storm Rider IPA to wash the food all down.

That afternoon, we enjoyed happy hour at El Segundo. Our drinks included the Sechelt Mule, Blue Hawaiian, Danger Bae (Pandan Leaf Infused Vodka, pineapple, coconut, ube, lime) and Honolulu Fizz (Gin, orange, lemon, pineapple, simple syrup, egg white, Angostura bitters, soda). The food here was fantastic and we very much liked our Dynamite Bowl and Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Truffle Tots. The atmosphere at this restaurant was also fun.

That evening, we returned to the Lighthouse Pub for a few more drinks – Foamers’ Folly Hot Box IPA and a Rum & Coke – before playing a couple rounds of pool, where I had forgotten just how bad I was at the game!

Pool

For Father’s Day, Mrs. Sip let the kids each pick out a beer for me, with Girl Sip picking the Rewind Rainbow Road because she likes rainbows, while Boy Sip selected the Phillips Dinosour Stone Fruit Sour because he’s a massive dinosaur fan. As a treat to myself, I also later picked up a bottle of Howler’s Head Whiskey.

To celebrate Girl Sip’s graduation from kindergarten, she chose Old Spaghetti Factory for a family dinner. I enjoyed my Chicken Parmagiana with Fries and Salad, which I paired with a double Long Island Iced Tea. I’m not the biggest ice cream guy, but I do like the spumante/spumoni ice cream offered by the eatery.

Our final getaway of the month, was taking off to the Okanagan for the Canada Day long weekend. We stayed at a house at Orifino Vineywards, thanks to friends who are members of the winery. The weekend was largely spent travelling to eight wineries in the region. I didn’t taste much, given I was on child care duty, but I was impressed with how most of the places were welcoming of our kiddos.

Wine

Prior to heading home, we stopped at Abandoned Rail Brewing, which I thought had a really good setup, amongst the countless wineries that make up the Naramata Bench area. There, I tried the Weizenbock, while Mrs. Sip with a Doppelbock. We also grabbed cans of the Red Hefeweizen for the road.

That wraps a very busy June (and the start of July). The summer only heats up from here, with much of the calendar already booked and what’s left filling up quickly!

Minnesota Wild – Wild Thing

Posted on June 29, 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 featuring a drink based off the franchise. Today, we enter ‘The State of Hockey’ to see what the Minnesota Wild have to offer:

Establishment Story: The Wild joined the NHL as an expansion team in 2000, although they had been founded on June 25, 1997. The franchise was promised to the city when the Minnesota Stars were relocated to Dallas in 1993. Before settling on the Wild nickname, other monikers considered were Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, and White Bears. The Winnipeg Jets were almost moved to Minnesota in the mid-1990s, but no arena deal could be reached.

Stanley Cups: The Wild have never won the Stanley Cup, having furthest reached the Western Conference Final in 2003 and even that was a surprisingly successful run. Since that 2003 achievement, the Wild have only advanced to the second round of the playoffs twice (back-to-back in 2014 and 2015), while missing the post-season altogether seven times during that span.

Celebrity Fan: Richard Dean Anderson, best known as the star of the original MacGyver TV show, is a proud Minnesotan, who played hockey while growing up. When the Minnesota Stars were relocated to Dallas, a fandom void was left for Anderson that wasn’t filled until the Wild debuted. Anderson was also a regular for celebrity charity hockey games back in the day.

Super Fan: Alyssa Nelson, dubbed the Lady in Pink, first garnered attention during the 2014 playoffs for her passionate cheering of the Wild. When the team staved off elimination in Game 6 of their series versus the Colorado Avalanche, she became a lucky charm of sorts. Minnesota would end up completing the comeback and move on to the second round of post-season action.

Mascot: Nordy is an animal – some say he’s a puma, others a bear or fox – where the only thing certain about him is he’s wild. Nordy wears the jersey number 18,001, a reference to The Team of 18,000, the number of fans at a sold out Wild game. Nordy debuted in 2008 and is available to be booked for birthday parties and even wedding receptions, where he’ll show up for photos or time on the dance floor.

Tradition: The Wild had a very unique tradition from 2017-2020, dubbed This is Our Ice, where fans were invited to help the team form its ice sheet, using water from their local ponds, lakes and rinks. It would then be filtered and frozen for arena use during an event called Flood the Rink. The Wild also host Hockey Day Minnesota each year, with the 2023 rendition being the 17^th annual running of the spectacular.

Appearances in Media: Becoming Wild, an Emmy award-winning TV and online series, has aired since 2011, giving viewers a behind the scenes look at the players of the Wild, including their personal lives and how they navigate each season. The club has also released a couple of DVDs, including Minnesota Wild: The State of Hockey (2004) and Minnesota Wild Hockey Club: Celebrating a Decade in the State of Hockey (2010).

Events/Scandals: In a November 2020 lawsuit, Wild GM Bill Guerin was named for his role in allegedly covering up a reported sexual assault that occurred while Guerin was GM of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The incident was said to have been perpetrated by head coach Clark Donatelli on the wife of assistant coach Jarrod Skalde. An investigation was launched by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, with a variety of punishments possible if it’s proved Guerin acted inappropriately.

Rivalry: The Wild’s biggest adversary is the collection of teams that make up the rest of the NHL’s Central Division, particularly the Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues. They also had a brief rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks, when both teams were part of the Northwest Division from 2000 to 2013. Some fans may also harbour some resentment for the Dallas Stars, given the franchise’s move from Minnesota in 1993.

Tragedy: In September 2012, Wild goalie Josh Harding was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). He attempted to play through the disease and continue his career, being awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2013 for his “perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.” Unfortunately, Harding’s career came to an end during the 2014-15 season, as a member of the Wild’s American Hockey League team, as he could not overcome his MS.

Player Nicknames: When Kirill Kaprizov finally joined the Minnesota Wild in 2020, five years after being drafted by the team, he immediately became a fan favourite, scoring 27 goals and adding 24 assists in 55 games, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year. He was dubbed Kirill the Thrill and signed a five-year, $45 million contract, ensuring he continues to wow Minnesota crowds for years to come.

Line: Dubbed the Big Line, the trio of Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston and Marian Gaborik enjoyed great success playing together. More recently, the unit of Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello have rewritten portions of the Wild record books, while as their name suggests, the GREEF Line of Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno have made Minnesota frustrating to play against.

Captain: Mikko Koivu spent all but seven games of his NHL career with the Wild. Starting in February 2008, Koivu served as one of Minnesota’s rotating captains. He was named the Wild’s first permanent captain for the 2009-10 season, a role he held until 2020. After only seven games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Koivu announced his retirement. Koivu’s number was the first retired in franchise history in 2022.

Enforcer: The Wild signed Derek Boogaard (nicknamed Boogeyman) during the 2002-03 season, placing him with their East Coast Hockey League (third tier) affiliate. From there, Boogaard worked his way up to the NHL, claiming numerous fighting victims along the way. Boogaard made the Wild out of their 2005 training camp, thanks to his intimidation factor. Boogaard finished his Wild tenure with 544 penalty minutes over 255 games.

Family Values: Uncle and nephew Jacques Lemaire and Manny Fernandez were members of the Wild together, as Lemaire served as the franchise’s first head coach from 2000 to 2009, while Fernandez minded the Minnesota net from its earliest days until a 2007 trade to the Boston Bruins. That must have made some starting goalie decisions awkward. Also, cousins Marc and Eric Chouinard played together during the 2003-04 campaign.

Returning Players: Andrew Brunette played two stints with the Wild and returned a third time as an advisor to the hockey operations department and later assistant coach of the team. Brunette was very durable for the Wild, playing at least 80 games in all six of his seasons with the franchise. His two tours of duty with Minnesota were split up by three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

Short Stint: Enigmatic goalie Ilya Bryzgalov played 12 games for the Wild in 2014, after coming to the team at the trade deadline. In those contests, Bryzgalov posted a 7-1-3 record and also saw playoff action with Minnesota, as the team was eliminated in the second round. Bryzgalov then became an unrestricted free agent and didn’t sign his next contract until December of that year, with the Anaheim Ducks.

Undrafted: Niklas Backstrom was signed by the Wild in June 2006 to be the team’s back-up goalie. It wasn’t long before he took over the starter role and by 2009, he was runner-up for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender. Backstrom was traded to the Calgary Flames in 2016, before returning to Finland for the final three seasons of his career.

Trade: Some of the Wild’s best transactions have involved acquiring goaltenders, such as Manny Fernandez in 2000, Devan Dubnyk in 2015 and Filip Gustavsson in 2022. The worst trade in franchise history saw the Wild send Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks at the 2011 NHL Draft. In California, Burns would flourish as a multiple time all-star and win the 2017 Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman.

Signing: When the Wild signed Eric Staal in 2016, few could have imagined he’d return to his early career form. Staal recorded 92 goals and 193 points over that three-year deal. As for the Wild’s worst signings, on July 4, 2012, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter agreed to identical 13-year, $98 million pacts. The massive splash landed Minnesota two of the most coveted free agents of that off-season, but the team was criticized for the length of the deals and for overpaying.

Draft Pick: The earliest the Wild have ever picked is third overall, when they snagged sniper Marian Gaborik in 2000. The following year, they selected future captain Mikko Koivu sixth overall. The Wild’s greatest diamond in the rough find was Kirill Kaprizov at 135^th overall in 2015. Kaprizov finally debuted with the team in 2021, following five seasons in Russia, and immediately became a superstar.

Holdouts: Going into the 2003-04 season, the Wild were dealt a double whammy of having both Marian Gaborik and Pascal Dupuis unable to sign new contracts with the team. Dupuis rejoined the team first, followed a week later by Gaborik, who went through a few agents and returned to his native Slovakia, in an attempt to gain some leverage in negotiations. Gaborik signed for half of the $6.5 million he was originally requesting.

Buyouts: In the 2021 off-season, GM Bill Guerin decided to buyout the twin contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, with four years remaining on each deal. The buyouts will cause significant salary cap ramifications for the team up to the 2024-25 season and will remain on their books until 2027-28. Parise would end up signing with the New York Islanders, while Suter landed with the Dallas Stars.

Unique Game: As part of the 2010 NHL Premiere, the Wild opened their season with two games against the Carolina Hurricanes in Helsinki, Finland. They have also participated in two outdoor games, a 2016 Stadium Series match versus the Chicago Blackhawks and the 2022 Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues. For the 2023 Global Series, Minnesota will join three other teams in Stockholm, Sweden for another pair of games.

Goal: The Wild have only reached the Western Conference Final once and the goal that pushed them there was scored by Andrew Brunette, in overtime, against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals. The goal had added significance, as it was the last tally ever scored on legendary goalie Patrick Roy, who announced his retirement a month later.

Fight/Brawl: Among Derek Boogaard’s many notable bouts was an October 2006 scrap with Todd Fedoruk of the Anaheim Ducks. The fight was short, as just moments in, Boogaard landed a punch that fractured Fedoruk’s cheekbone. Surgery, including metal plates and mesh, was required to repair the injury. Sadly, Boogaard died in 2011 due to an accidental overdose, while a member of the New York Rangers.

Injury: On March 20, 2008, Wild defenseman Kurtis Foster suffered a broken leg when he crashed into the boards while racing against San Jose Sharks forward Torrey Mitchell for an icing call. Foster missed almost a full year recovering from the injury. As a result of the incident, the NHL altered its icing rules, making dangerous contact during a race for the puck illegal. Players could only attempt to play the puck and not contact the opposing player.

Penalty: Matt Cooke’s long history of suspensions for dangerous hits followed him to Minnesota, where he was banned for seven games following a knee-on-knee hit on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie during the 2014 playoffs. Barrie was injured on the play and missed the remainder of Colorado’s post-season run. Cooke would play one more season for the Wild before being bought out in 2015 and retiring.

Wildest Story: During the 2022 off-season, Kirill Kaprizov returned to his native Russia, despite GM Bill Guerin preferring he stay in Minnesota, amidst the Russia-Ukraine War. In July 2022, news broke that Kaprizov was wanted by Russian authorities for allegedly purchasing a fraudulent military ID card, in order to avoid the mandatory military service for all males aged 18 to 27. It took three attempts for Kaprizov to escape Russia and return to the U.S.

Blooper: Cal Clutterbuck, the NHL’s leader for career hits with 3,756, began his career with the Wild. Always looking for his next target, opposing players must be aware of his presence on the ice, as crafty Vancouver Canucks winger Alex Burrows was during a March 2011 game. Clutterbuck had Burrows lined up, but at the last moment, Burrows spun away, causing Clutterbuck to go flying into the Canucks bench.

Miscellaneous: The story of Wild original Matt Johnson is a tragic one. Johnson, a popular enforcer, nicknamed Moose by Wild fans, played the final four seasons of his 10-year career in Minnesota. He retired following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, as he did not want to be a fighter anymore. Johnson’s life after hockey was documented in the 2017 piece Searching for Matt Johnson, which revealed he had been missing for close to a decade and was later discovered homeless in Southern California.

Minnesota Wild: Wild Thing

1.5 oz Tequila
Top with Cranberry Juice and Club Soda
Splash of Lime Juice
Garnish with a Lime Wheel

For a time, Xcel Energy Center, home arena for the Wild, also sold a drink called Wild for Jack, with ingredients including Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, Peach Schnapps, Lemon-Lime Soda, Raspberry Puree and Lemon Juice. I went with the Wild Thing recipe because it matched items I had on hand and wanted to put together.