Tag Archives: Celebrity Fans

Toronto Maple Leafs – Toronto Maple Leafs

Posted on by
Reply

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

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

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

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

Leafs Blue

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

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

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

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

Carlton the Bear

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

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

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

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

Harold Ballard

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

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

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

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

Tie Domi

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

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

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

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

Doug Gilmour

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

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

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

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

Darryl Sittler

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

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

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

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

Ace Bailey

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

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

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

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

Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

  • 0.75 oz Blue Curacao
  • 0.75 oz Irish Cream

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

New York Rangers – The Broadway Blueshirts

Posted on by
Reply

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 (205th overall in 2000) and Igor Shesterkin (118th 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 15th 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.

Montreal Canadiens – Habitant

Posted on by
Reply

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 14th 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.