Pittsburgh Penguins – The Pittsburgh Penguin

Posted on September 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 travel to the Steel City to get constructive with the Pittsburgh Penguins:

Establishment Story: The Penguins joined the NHL as it expanded from six to 12 teams in 1967. The original ownership group included some heavy hitters, including H.J. Heinz III, heir to the Heinz Company, and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney. The name Penguins was chosen from a contest, where 700 of the 26,000 entries suggested the nickname. Previously, the Pittsburgh Pirates had played in the NHL from 1925 to 1930.

Stanley Cups: The Penguins have won five Stanley Cups, including two back-to-back sets in 1991/1992 and 2016/2017. They also brought home the league championship in 2009. Their only Stanley Cup Final loss came the year before, at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, who they beat in the 2009 rematch. The Penguins five Stanley Cup victories ties them with the Edmonton Oilers for most among non-Original Six clubs.

Celebrity Fan: Michael Keaton, star of movies such as Batman, Beetlejuice and The Founder, resides in Pittsburgh and is an avid supporter of the city’s teams. Keaton has appeared as a presenter at some of the NHL Awards ceremonies. Another unlikely Penguins fan was Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. Rogers appeared on a 1992 Pro Set hockey card as a Celebrity Captain of the club, donning his trademark sweater and sneakers.

Mr. Rogers

Super Fan: Cy Clark, nicknamed The Hulk for his Hulk Hogan-inspired look, was an avid Penguins fan, first gaining media attention during Pittsburgh’s 2009 Stanley Cup run. In October 2011, Clark was invited to Penguins practice by coach Dan Bylsma, an honour the fan truly cherished. Sadly, Clark passed away in June 2014, following a battle with cancer. Both the Penguins organization and former Philadelphia Flyers player Scott Hartnell, who had a good-natured feud with Clark, sent condolences.

Mascot: The Penguins have had two mascots in their history. First, there was Penguin Pete, who was a real-life Humboldt penguin that was taught to skate on custom made skates. Pete only made seven appearances from February to November 1968, prior to dying. A second Penguin Pete, used in 1971-72, was nicknamed Re-Pete. In 1992, Iceburgh, a king penguin, debuted as mascot for the team, wearing jersey number 00.

Tradition: A pair of long-time Penguins employees became fixtures of Pittsburgh games for fans. First, Vince Lascheid was the Penguins organist from 1970-2003. He was inducted into the Penguins’ Hall of Fame in 2005, passing away in 2009 at the age of 85. Next, Jeff Jimerson has been the team’s national anthem singer for three decades, most notably being credited as ‘Anthem Singer’ in the movie Sudden Death.

Appearances in Media: The Penguins feature heavily in the Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie Sudden Death, as the film takes place during a fictional 1995 Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and the Chicago Blackhawks. When a group of terrorists invade a VIP suite with the U.S. Vice-President in it, Van Damme’s character has to come to the rescue, including some on-ice and around the arena fight scenes.

Sudden Death

Events/Scandals: Coming out of the 2004-05 NHL lockout, a formula had to be decided upon to see who would get to draft teenage phenom Sidney Crosby. The Penguins, who were battling financial issues and relocation rumours at the time, won the weighted lottery (dubbed the ‘Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes’) and the right to select the generational talent. Many view the event as having saved the franchise, as three Stanley Cups and a new arena have transpired during Crosby’s tenure.

Rivalry: The Penguins top rival is the Philadelphia Flyers, with their feud known as the Battle of Pennsylvania. Both teams joined the NHL as part of the ‘Next Six’ 1967 expansion and have met seven times in the playoffs. Pittsburgh has also had a long-running rivalry with the Washington Capitals, reignited by superstars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, who entered the league at the same time, following the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

Tragedy: After a solid rookie season with the Penguins in 1969-70, Michel Briere returned home to Quebec, where he was to marry his long-time girlfriend and mother of his son. Sadly, Briere would be involved in a single-vehicle car accident, where he was thrown from the vehicle. Briere was placed in a coma, but passed away 11 months later at the age of 21. Even worse, the ambulance carrying Briere struck and killed a cyclist who was a friend of Briere.

Player Nicknames: The Penguins two franchise players have memorable nicknames. First, Mario Lemieux was dubbed Super Mario, a play on the Nintendo video game character, as both are able to achieve unbelievable acts. Next, Sidney Crosby has been known as Sid the Kid since he was, well, a kid, but the moniker has stuck even as Crosby plays the latter stages of his career.

Crosby and Ovechkin

Line: The combo of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr figured into two of the Penguins most dominant trios, with Kevin Stevens as the towering Sky Line and with Ron Francis as the unstoppable Great Line. Other notable units include the Century Line (Syl Apps Jr., Lowell MacDonald and Jean Pronovost), the HBK Line (Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel) and the Option Line (John Cullen, Mark Recchi and Kevin Stevens).

Captain: It’s hard to give this category to one player, given how much Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby have each meant to the Penguins organization. Lemieux served three separate stints (1987-94, 1995-97 and 2001-06) as the team’s captain. The Lemieux era gave way to the Crosby era, as Crosby took over the captaincy in 2007, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history and, in 2009, the youngest captain to win a Stanley Cup. All five of the Penguins Stanley Cups have been won with one of these two at the helm.

Enforcer: Defenseman Paul Baxter holds the Penguins franchise record for penalty minutes in a season at 409. This mark is the runner up for the NHL single-season record. Baxter sits sixth on the team’s all-time penalty minute list, despite only playing three seasons with the club. Other notable brawlers for Pittsburgh include Georges Laraque, Eric Godard, Bob ‘Battleship’ Kelly, Dave Schultz, and Jay Caufield.

Family Values: Few know that Mario Lemieux’s brother Alain also played for the Penguins, with the two dressing for a single game together during the 1986-87 season. This would be Alain’s final NHL contest of 119 career games. Other brother combos had longer stints together in Pittsburgh, including Doug and Greg Brown in 1993-94 and twins Chris and Peter Ferraro in 1997-98.

Lemieux and Crosby

Returning Players: Mark Recchi had three stints with the Penguins. He began his NHL career with the team, drafted 67^th overall in 1988. After winning the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 1991, Recchi was used as a trade chip to bring Rick Tocchet and Kjell Samuelsson to the Penguins. He returned in 2005, only to be traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, where he would win a second Stanley Cup. Recchi’s final Pittsburgh run, in 2007, resulted in being a waiver claim by the Atlanta Thrashers.

Short Stint: As the Penguins have perennially pursued Stanley Cups, hoping to cash in on the Sidney Crosby era, a number of top players have joined the team for playoff runs, only to leave for other clubs following post-season elimination. This includes Jarome Iginla and Patrick Marleau, who suited up for Pittsburgh for 28 and 12 games (regular season and playoffs combined), respectively.

Undrafted: Although his career ended in great controversy, Marty McSorely enjoyed quite a professional run for an undrafted player. He was signed by the Penguins in 1982, debuting for the team in the 1983-84 season. McSorely was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in September 1985, becoming the bodyguard of Wayne Gretzky for most of the next decade. During his brief time with Pittsburgh, he recorded 239 penalty minutes in only 87 games. McSorely also played 47 contests for the Penguins in 1993-94.

Trade: The best and worst transactions in Penguins history were both trade deadline day deals. The best was bringing in Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings from the Hartford Whalers in 1991, which resulted in back-to-back Stanley Cups. The worst was sending Markus Naslund to the Vancouver Canucks in 1996 for Alex Stojanov. Stojanov played a mere 45 games for Pittsburgh, while Naslund became one of the NHL’s best player for a few seasons.

Penguins Trade

Signing: Among the best signings the Penguins ever made, were for depth players who were veteran leaders, helping the team finally get over the hump and win back-to-back Stanley Cups. For the 1991 and 1992 championships, this role was played by Bryan Trottier, who came to Pittsburgh after his contract was bought out by the New York Islanders. For the Penguins 2016 and 2017 titles, Matt Cullen provided a solid two-way game, while in the twilight of his career.

Draft Pick: The Penguins have done very well with the first overall pick, selecting generational talents Mario Lemieux (1984) and Sidney Crosby (2005). Pittsburgh has also done well with the number two choice, taking Evgeni Malkin (2004) and Jordan Staal (2006). Lastly, nabbing Jaromir Jagr at fifth overall in 1990 was a huge steal, perhaps based on Jagr telling teams drafting earlier than the Penguins that he would not leave Czechia immediately to play for them.

Holdouts: Petr Nedved is the only Penguins player to stage a contract holdout, when he sat out the entire 1997-98 season and the start of the following year. The holdout was ended when Nedved was traded to the New York Rangers. The move colossally backfired for Nedved, who earned less than he would have had he accepted Pittsburgh’s original offer in 1997.

Buyouts: The Penguins have only bought out one contract in their history. That distinction belongs to defenseman Jack Johnson, who had his five-year $16.25 million deal bought out with three seasons remaining. Johnson’s contract will count against the Penguins salary cap through the 2025-26 season. The buyout may have worked in Johnson’s favour, as two years after his Penguins dismissal, he won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.

Jaromir Jagr

Unique Game: The Penguins have participated in numerous Winter Classics (2008 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 2011 vs. Washington Capitals, 2023 vs. Boston Bruins) and Stadium Series (2014 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 2017 and 2019 vs. Philadelphia Flyers) contests. Internationally, they opened their 2000-01 season with a pair of games against the Nashville Predators in Saitama, Japan, as well as taking part in the 2008 NHL Premiere, with two matches against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden.

Goal: One of the greatest feats in NHL history was Mario Lemieux scoring five goals in a game, in five different ways. On December 31, 1988, against the New Jersey Devils, he scored even-strength, power-play, short-handed, penalty shot, and empty net goals. Lemieux also recorded three assists that night, being involved in every goal of an 8-6 victory. In 2017, the achievement was voted the greatest moment in the NHL’s first 100 years.

Fight/Brawl: Things got real nasty on February 11, 2011, when the Penguins faced the New York Islanders. Their previous match saw two Islanders concussed and retribution was expected. As the game got out of hand (the final score was 9-3 for the Islanders), melees broke out everywhere, totalling 15 fighting majors and 21 game misconducts. The aftermath saw three players suspended and the Islanders fined $100,000.

Injury: On May 14, 1993, Penguins power forward Kevin Stevens went to hit New York Islanders defenseman Rich Pilon. The collision resulted in Stevens being knocked unconscious and falling face first onto the ice. Many of the bones in Stevens face were shattered and required metal plates to be reconstructed. Worst of all, the injury led Stevens to battle an addiction with prescription drugs that ended his marriage and affected the rest of his career.

Penguins Islanders Brawl

Penalty: Matt Cooke gained a reputation for delivering dangerous hits to the head of opponents during his Penguins tenure. Cooke was suspended four times for infractions, starting with a pair of two-game bans, followed by sitting out four games and 10 games plus the first round of the 2011 playoffs. His worst hit, practically ending the career of Marc Savard, wasn’t punished at all, but led to changes in NHL rules regarding blindside hits to the head.

Wildest Story: The Stanley Cup is the holy grail of hockey. After a summer of celebrating their 1991 championship victory, Penguins forward Phil Bourque noticed a rattling sound coming from within the trophy. When Bourque opened the Stanley Cup up to make repairs, he noticed others who had worked on it prior had inscribed their names inside. Bourque joined them, his message reading: “Enjoy it, Phil Bubba Bourque, ’91 Penguins.”

Blooper: As the Penguins pursued a wild card playoff spot for the 2023 post-season, they were coming up against the lowly Chicago Blackhawks with two important points in the standings up for grabs. Despite being heavy favourites, Pittsburgh lost the contest 5-2. This ended the Penguins 16-year playoff qualification streak (at the time the longest in major North American sports leagues) and opened the door for the Florida Panthers to go on their Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Miscellaneous: In 1993, Penguins owner Howard Baldwin invested in the HC CSKA Moscow team, hoping to gain better access to Russian players. The Russian Penguins played each of the 13 International Hockey League teams once during the 1993-94 season, only winning two games. Alumni from the club included goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and forward Sergei Brylin. A 2019 documentary, titled Red Penguins, detailed the short history of the club.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The Pittsburgh Penguin

The Pittsburgh Penguin

1.5 oz Kahlua
1 oz Goldschlager
Splash of Cream of Coconut
Garnish with Coconut Shavings

The Cocktails with the Penguins blog had a number of options for me to use, but I went with this one, an adaptation of the Panda Bear drink. There’s also a Pittsburgh Penguins Martini out there, using white chocolate liqueur, Irish cream, vanilla vodka and chocolate syrup.

Chicago Blackhawks – Madhouse Mule

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we travel to the Windy City and look at the long history of the Chicago Blackhawks. A past so extensive, for a time, they were the Chicago Black Hawks:

Establishment Story: Chicago is one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises, founded in 1926. The team’s name came from owner Frederic McLaughlin, who was a commander of the Blackhawk Division (named after Black Hawk, a notable Sauk nation figure in Illinois) during World War I. The original team was comprised of players from the Portland Rosebuds of the Western Hockey League, which had been purchased for $100,000.

Stanley Cups: The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cups, including three from their dynasty era (2010, 2013 and 2015), which followed an almost 50-year drought. Their other titles came in 1934, 1938 and 1961. The Blackhawks have appeared in a total of 13 Stanley Cup Finals, failing to win the championship on seven occasions, five losses coming at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens.

Celebrity Fan: Vince Vaughn, star of movies such as Old School, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story and Wedding Crashers, grew up in Illinois and has been a long-time fan of the Blackhawks. One Vaughn film, The Dilemma, sees him at a Blackhawks game, cheering the team on. It probably wasn’t a hard scene to shoot, as Vaughn can often be spotted at Blackhawks games, when his schedule allows.

Super Fan: Bob Gertenrich started attending Blackhawks games all the way back in 1966. He then went on to attend every home game for a 50-year plus span, catching over 2,000 contests. Gertenrich’s dedication was best shown when he still made a game hours after his mother had died. His original seat, at the old Chicago Stadium, cost $2.50. In 2016, as he hit his 50^th anniversary, the seat price had shot up to $90.

Mascot: Tommy Hawk is a black hawk, who debuted for the team in the 2001-02 season. He is described as a “featherweight”, whose favourite foods consist of Roasted Duck, Pickled Penguin, Coyote Burgers and Buffalo Wings. Tommy Hawk was made a Mascot Hall of Fame member in 2019, becoming the first NHL mascot to be inducted into this exclusive club.

Tradition: Two songs have become greatly associated with the team. First, Here Come the Hawks (produced in 1968) is their official anthem, played prior to games and at the end of periods. Second, Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis, became the Blackhawks goal song during the 2008-09 season and remains so to this day. The song still haunts fans of teams the dynasty era squad defeated.

Appearances in Media: The movie Wayne’s World, starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, is set in Aurora, Illinois. Therefore, a number of Blackhawks references are included in the film, such as Wayne and Garth decked out in Blackhawks gear for the memorable street hockey scene and a number of scenes taking place at the fictional Stan Mikita’s Donuts. The Blackhawks are also featured heavily in the movie Sudden Death.

Events/Scandals: In 2021, a lawsuit was filed against the Blackhawks by former player Kyle Beach, alleging sexual assault in 2010 by former video coach Brad Aldrich. While the Blackhawks settled Beach’s lawsuit, the fallout from the scandal also included GM Stan Bowman and head coach Joel Quenneville (with the Florida Panthers) resigning from their positions, based on them not reporting the assault to higher authorities.

Rivalry: The Blackhawks greatest rivals are the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings. Both teams joined the Blackhawks in the Norris Division and later Central Division, before Detroit was moved to the Eastern Conference in 2013. Games between the Blackhawks and both adversaries were typically fight-filled affairs, with the action often spilling into the stands and fans brawling with each other.

Tragedy: Charlie Gardiner played with the Blackhawks from 1927 to 1934. For the last couple seasons of his career and life, Gardiner battled a tonsillar infection, which caused him great pain and high fevers. Untreated, the infection eventually claimed Gardiner’s life on June 13, 1934, as he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Gardiner won two Vezina Trophies and one Stanley Cup. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame for its inaugural 1945 class.

Player Nicknames: Glenn Hall played the majority of his NHL career with the Blackhawks, earning the moniker Mr. Goalie. Hall popularized the butterfly style of goaltending over 502 consecutive complete games, a record which will never be broken, and he did it all while not wearing a mask. Another great nickname from Blackhawks lore is Chairman of the Boards, given to defenseman Doug Jarrett for his physical play.

Line: Among the Blackhawks most memorable trios are the Party Line (Steve Larmer, Denis Savard and Al Secord), Million Dollar Line (Bobby Hull, Murray Balfour and Bill Hay), Pony Line (Max Bentley, Doug Bentley and Bill Mosienko), Scooter Line (Doug Mohns, Stan Mikita and Ken Wharram), Hustle and Flow Line (Brandon Saad, Andrew Shaw, Patrick Kane), and Clydesdale Line (Ed Olczyk, Troy Murray and Curt Fraser).

Captain: Jonathan Toews, nicknamed Captain Serious, has been the Blackhawks captain since 2008, his sophomore NHL campaign. He is among the youngest to ever be named a team captain and led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups in six seasons (2010-15). Toews leadership has also been on display at the international level, as he’s won World Junior Championship, World Championship and Olympics gold.

Enforcer: The Blackhawks have a long history of tough players, including Al Secord (92 fights), Chris Chelios (franchise leader for career penalty minutes), Keith Magnuson (second on franchise penalty minutes list) and Mike Peluso (single-season record for penalty minutes at 408). The Blackhawks also employed pugilist legends such as Bob Probert, Stu Grimson and Dave Manson at points during their respective careers.

Family Values: Brothers Bobby and Dennis Hull starred for the Blackhawks together from 1966 to 1972, where they were nicknamed the Golden Jet and Silver Jet, respectively. Today, Seth and Caleb Jones patrol the Blackhawks blueline together. According to Wikipedia, the Blackhawks have the most all-time family connections, between brothers, fathers and sons, cousins and uncles and nephews.

Returning Players: Surprisingly passed over by his hometown Montreal Canadiens in the 1980 NHL draft, Denis Savard fell to the Blackhawks at third overall, becoming a legend in Chicago. He was traded to the Canadiens in 1990, but returned to the Blackhawks in a 1995 trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Savard would retire with Chicago in 1997, moving into a coaching role. He would serve as Blackhawks head coach from 2006 to 2008 and remains an ambassador with the club.

Short Stint: Often talked about as one of the greatest players to ever lace their skates, Bobby Orr played the final 26 games (over three seasons) of his NHL career with the Blackhawks, as he tried to overcome serious knee injuries. He had been signed by Chicago to a five-year, $3 million contract in 1976. The three-year waiting period for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame was waived for Orr, making him the youngest ever enshrined, at 31 years old.

Undrafted: Ed Belfour created a Hall of Fame career for himself, despite not having his name called by any teams while draft eligible. Belfour signed with the Blackhawks in 1987, becoming the starting goalie in 1990-91 and winning the Calder Trophy as top rookie. Belfour was traded from Chicago in 1997, after turning down a contract extension. He would play until 2007, winning the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.

Trade: The Blackhawks best and worst trades of all-time involve Hall of Fame legends. On the plus side, they scooped up a young Glenn Hall in 1957, who would backstop the team to their 1961 Stanley Cup. On the flip side, they shipped out budding star Phil Esposito in 1967 and watched him become the first player to ever reach the 100-point plateau in a season and lead the league in goal scoring six straight campaigns.

Signing: When Marian Hossa was signed by the Blackhawks in 2009, he was coming off back-to-back losing appearances with different teams in the Stanley Cup Finals. Hossa would again find himself in the Finals, this time on the winning side. Two more championships were in Hossa’s future, as he played eight seasons of his 12-year, $62.8 million deal, before retiring due to a skin disorder.

Draft Pick: Despite their long history, the Blackhawks have only selected first overall once, taking Patrick Kane in 2007. They’ve done well at third overall, landing Denis Savard (1980), Ed Olczyk (1984) and Jonathan Toews (2006) at that spot. Doug Wilson (6^th overall in 1977) and Jeremy Roenick (8^th overall in 1988) were also very strong picks. The Hawks biggest draft flub was selecting Cam Barker third overall in 2004.

Holdouts: When Blackhawks star Steve Larmer began a contract dispute with the team, many assumed he wouldn’t actually miss any games, as he was chasing the NHL iron man record of 964 consecutive games at the time. Sitting at 884 games, all with Chicago, Larmer wasn’t bluffing, missing his first action in a decade. Larmer was later traded to the Hartford Whalers, then flipped to the New York Rangers, where he’d win a Stanley Cup.

Buyouts: The Blackhawks have a relatively clean buyout history. Their most notable buyout season came in 2013, when the team parted ways with both Steve Montador (two years remaining on contract) and Rostislav Olesz (one year remaining on contract). This cost the Blackhawks $5.56 million. Montador played some games in Russia, before retiring, while Olesz played 10 games for the New Jersey Devils, followed by multiple seasons in his native Czech Republic.

Unique Game: Thanks to their run as one of the best teams in the NHL through the 2010s, the Blackhawks were summoned to take part in a number of the league’s specialty games. This included the 2009 Winter Classic vs. Detroit Red Wings, 2014 Stadium Series vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 2015 Winter Classic vs. Washington Capitals, 2016 Stadium Series vs. Minnesota Wild, 2017 Winter Classic vs. St. Louis Blues, and 2019 Winter Classic vs. Boston Bruins.

Goal: Patrick Kane has lived up to his nickname of Showtime on many occasions, playing his best in the most important moments. This included scoring the overtime Game 6 winner of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals versus the Philadelphia Flyers, ending a 49-year championship drought for the Blackhawks. Another important marker in team history was Bobby Hull breaking the single-season scoring record in 1966, potting his 51^st of the campaign.

Fight/Brawl: St. Patrick’s Day festivities have been known to get out of hand from time to time, even on the ice. When the Blackhawks faced the rival St. Louis Blues on March 17, 1991, the contest erupted into a series of brawls, resulting in a combined 276 penalty minutes being handed out. While Chicago won 6-4, nobody remembers the game for its score. It’s simply known as the St. Patrick’s Day Massacre.

Injury: While perhaps not the most serious injury in Blackhawks history, Steve Sullivan getting hit in the face with a high stick was memorable for what occurred afterwards. As Sullivan tended to the cut on the bridge of his nose, a Colorado Avalanche fan heckled him. Karma played a role in Sullivan’s revenge, as later, the puck flew into the stands, hitting the same guy who jeered Sullivan… and Sullivan made sure to chirp the fan.

Penalty: On October 30, 1983, Blackhawks center Tom Lysiak tripped linesman Ron Foyt, frustrated by the official repeatedly throwing him out of faceoffs. Lysiak’s punishment was a 20-game suspension, which was appealed, but upheld. Legend has it, if the ban had been reduced or rescinded, NHL officials would have staged a walkout. It should also be noted David Koci set the record for most penalty minutes in an NHL debut, with 42 (three fights) on March 10, 2007.

Wildest Story: On March 29, 2018, accountant Scott Foster became the first emergency backup goalie to stop a shot in an NHL game. Not only did he stop one shot, Foster went a perfect seven-for-seven, securing a 6-2 win for the Blackhawks. Since Foster was signed to an amateur tryout contract, he was not paid for the work, but became a Chicago sports legend, even presenting a trophy at the 2018 NHL Awards.

Blooper: Some gaffes occur off the ice, rather than on it. For the Blackhawks, a mistake in filing restricted free agent (RFA) qualifying offers in 2009, resulted in eight players (Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker, Corey Crawford, Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager, Colin Fraser, Aaron Johnson, Bryan Bickell) becoming unrestricted free agents. The Blackhawks then rushed to sign the players, some for deals higher than they would have been as RFAs.

Miscellaneous: Despite being one of the most iconic logos in hockey, if not all of sports, the Blackhawks emblem, as well as name, have come under scrutiny because of their association to indigenous civil rights movements. While teams like the Cleveland Indians (MLB) and Washington Redskins (NFL) have been renamed, the Blackhawks remain unchanged, saying they are honouring the legacy of Black Hawk with their name and logo.

Chicago Blackhawks: Madhouse Mule

2.5 oz Fireball Whiskey
Top with Ginger Beer
Splash of Lime Juice
Garnish with a Lime Wheel

This drink is named for the Madhouse on Madison, where the Blackhawks have played since 1929. The term has been used for both the Chicago Stadium and the United Center. The nickname ‘Madhouse’ was earned because of how the Chicago Stadium’s acoustics created a roaring sound, which was replicated, as best as possible, for the United Center.

Boston Bruins – Black and Gold

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Daniel Wilson

Throughout the year, the Sip Advisor will alphabetically travel the National Hockey League (NHL), discovering the best and worst each team has to offer in a variety of subjects. We will also feature a drink based off the franchise. Today, we’re shipping up to Boston to learn about the Bruins and what makes them so big and bad:

Establishment Story: The Bruins were founded in 1924, making them the oldest active U.S.-based team in the NHL. They are an Original Six franchise, created after American businessman Charles Adams convinced the NHL to expand into the U.S. The team’s first GM, Art Ross, chose the team’s name of Bruins, a nickname for brown bears, which matched the team’s original colours of brown and yellow, similar to Adams’ grocery store chain.

Stanley Cups: The Bruins have won six Stanley Cups, most recently sipping from Lord Stanley’s chalice in 2011. Boston has also come up short in the Stanley Cup Finals 14 times, the most runner-up ribbons in NHL history. Their victories came over the New York Rangers (1929 and 1972), Toronto Maple Leafs (1939), Detroit Red Wings (1941), St. Louis Blues (1970), and Vancouver Canucks (2011).

Celebrity Fan: The Bruins have a long list of celebrity supporters. Among them, are the likes of Denis Leary, John Krasinski, Bill Burr, Conor McGregor, and the band Dropkick Murphys. In a great trolling move, Burr made “Boston” the promo code to some of his comedy shows in Montreal, taking a jab at the long-time Bruins rival. The Dropkick Murphys have a number of songs either used by the Bruins or composed in homage to the team.

Super Fan: Liam Fitzgerald, aka Fist-Bump Kid, first became famous for a viral video showing the youngster fist-bumping Bruins players, as they left the ice following their pre-game warmup on November 4, 2014. Fitzgerald, who was born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with leukemia when he was three, was made an honourary member of the team and even has his own hockey card. Now 16, Fist-Bump Kid appeared at the 2023 Winter Classic, fist-bumping Boston players as they were introduced.

Mascot: Blades the Bruin made his debut in 1999. His backstory says Blades was first introduced to hockey by watching long-time Bruins organization member Johnny Bucyk play pond hockey with some kids. Blades hopped into Bucyk’s truck after one of these sessions, arriving later at Boston Garden. There, Bucyk fed Blades pizza, hotdogs, popcorn and soda, and the bear never returned to the wild.

Tradition: Prior to puck drop each night, the Fan Banner, a giant Bruins flag, is passed around the lower bowl as Cochise by the band Audioslave blasts over the speaker system. An honourary Fan Banner captain is often used to lead the pre-game ceremony, which has included other Boston-area sports stars, such as Pedro Martinez and Julian Edelman, as well as inspirational honourees, like the Boston Marathon bombing survivors.

Appearances in Media: The Bruins have been featured in a number of movies and TV shows. First, on Cheers, fictional Bruins goalie Eddie LeBec marries bartender Carla Tortelli. Also, on Rescue Me, firefighter Tommy Gavin (played by Denis Leary) plays on the FDNY hockey team, which faces off against former Bruins Cam Neely and Phil Esposito. Lastly, in Happy Gilmore, the titular character is clad in Bruins home and away jerseys during the film.

Events/Scandals: Mitchell Miller was a renounced draft pick by Arizona Coyotes in 2020, when it was revealed he had repeatedly bullied a developmentally challenged classmate. For some reason, the Bruins thought signing Miller in 2022 was a good idea, kicking another hornet’s nest of troubles for the NHL. Two days after announcing the signing, the Bruins parted ways with Miller, but the damage to the team brand was already done.

Rivalry: The Bruins have had a number of storied rivalries throughout their history. Their arch nemesis would have to be the Montreal Canadiens, whom they have battled in the playoffs 34 times, with Montreal winning 18 straight post-season meetings from 1946 to 1987. Other rivals of the Bruins include the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers (Big Bad Bruins vs. Broad Street Bullies), as well as the defunct Hartford Whalers.

Tragedy: Normand Leveille was Boston’s top pick of the 1981 draft and showed promise in his rookie season, tallying 33 points in 60 games. Sadly, the Bruins never got to see what Leveille would become, as early in his sophomore campaign, he suffered a brain aneurysm, putting him into a three-week coma. Leveille survived, but lost the ability to walk, ending his NHL career at only 19 years old.

Player Nicknames: In 1938, when goalie Frank Brimsek recorded six shutouts in his first seven games with the Bruins, media and fans began calling him Mr. Zero and the ill will showed towards him for being brought in to replace fan favourite Tiny Thompson quickly faded. Later that season, Brimsek’s teammate Mel Hill earned the moniker Sudden Death, thanks to scoring three overtime game-winning goals, helping Boston win the Stanley Cup.

Line: A number of Bruins lines have gained notoriety, including the Kraut Line (Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart, and Bobby Bauer), the Nitro Line (Wayne Cashman, Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge) and the Perfection Line (Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak). The Kraut Line were the first unit to finish a season first, second and third in NHL scoring, while the Nitro Line led the team to two Stanley Cups.

Captain: Zdeno Chara was one of the Bruins best acquisitions ever, when they signed the towering defenseman in 2006. Chara would immediately become captain and lead the 2011 squad to the Stanley Cup. He remained with the team and served in the role of captain for 14 seasons, which included two other unsuccessful trips to the Stanley Cup Finals. Chara signed a one-day contract with Boston in September 2022, in order to retire as a member of the Bruins.

Enforcer: Terry O’Reilly was a great protector of his teammates, who affectionately nicknamed him Taz. Another moniker he was given, this time by the press, was Bloody O’Reilly. O’Reilly holds the Bruins franchise record for penalty minutes with 2,095. He was even referenced as Happy Gilmore’s favourite hockey play. O’Reilly’s #24 jersey was retired by the team in 2002.

Family Values: A few father and son duos enjoyed separate stints with the Bruins, including franchise legend Ray Bourque and son Chris; Ted Donato and son Ryan (each drafted by the Bruins 27 years apart); Ken Hodge and son Ken Jr. (first father and son to score a hat trick for the same team); and Ron Grahame and son John (first father and son to play goalie for the same team).

Returning Players: Goalie Gerry Cheevers was claimed by the Bruins in 1965 Intra-League Draft and would go on to backstop the team to their 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cups. He also went on a NHL record 32-game undefeated streak in 1972, before leaving to play in the World Hockey Association. Following a contract dispute in 1975, Cheevers returned to Boston, finishing his career with five more seasons. Cheevers may be best remembered for his mask, which he marked with stitches in places it had been hit.

Short Stint: A pair of Hall of Fame defensemen finished their careers with the Bruins. First, Paul Coffey was signed to a two-year, $4 million contract in the 2000 off-season, but after 18 games and only providing four assists, he was waived and went unclaimed by another team. Next, Brian Leetch joined Boston for the 2005-06 season, recording his 1,000 career point, over 61 contests with the team.

Undrafted: Defenseman Torey Krug was signed out of the NCAA in 2012, following a season where he led the league in scoring and was named a Hobey Baker Award (Player of the Year) finalist. Krug remained with the Bruins until 2020. Another notable college signing for Boston was Mike Milbury, who would spend his entire 12-season NHL career with the Bruins and also coach the team from 1989 to 1991.

Trade: Among the Bruins greatest trades, was acquiring star Phil Esposito from the Chicago Blackhawks in 1967. Esposito came to Boston along with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield, developing into one of the best players of his generation. Esposito would win two Stanley Cups as a member of the Bruins, before being dealt in another blockbuster to the New York Rangers in 1975.

Signing: The rules of the NHL were much different in 1962, when the Bruins signed future superstar Bobby Orr, at the time only 14 years old. The terms of the deal saw the Bruins give Orr and his family a $10,000 signing bonus, a new car and add stucco to their home. Orr would finally join the Bruins on the ice as an 18-year-old, staying with the team for 10 seasons, winning eight straight (1968-75) Norris Trophies, as the NHL’s top defenseman.

Draft Pick: The Bruins greatest selection ever was taking Ray Bourque 8^th overall in 1979. Perhaps the teams greatest draft class was their 2006 haul, when they collected Phil Kessel (5^th overall), Milan Lucic (50^th overall) and Brad Marchand (71^st overall) in subsequent rounds. Boston also did very well landing Patrice Bergeron at 45^th overall in 2003. Bergeron has gone on to win five Selke Trophies, as the league’s best defensive forward.

Holdouts: Phil Kessel’s 2009 holdout wasn’t allowed to extend too long, as he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs after both sides failed to reach any agreement on a new contract over the off-season. The haul for dealing Kessel was very good, made even better when the Maple Leafs performed poorly the next two seasons, resulting in Boston drafting Tyler Seguin (2^nd overall in 2010), Jared Knight (32^nd overall in 2010) and Dougie Hamilton (9^th overall in 2011).

Buyouts: Boston’s most costly buyout was Dennis Seidenberg, who they were forced to pay $4,666,667, while Seidenberg plied his trade with the New York Islanders for a couple campaigns. Seidenberg was a prominent member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team and had been with the Bruins for seven seasons before being released in 2016. He retired in 2019.

Unique Game: The Bruins profile and success has resulted in the team playing many outdoor games, including the 2010, 2016, 2019 and 2023 Winter Classics versus the Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively. They also battled the Flyers for one of the 2021 Outdoors at Lake Tahoe games. In 1956, Boston played exhibition games against local teams in New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Goal: Bobby Orr scored many spectacular goals over his career, but none compare to his Stanley Cup-clinching tally in 1970. It’s perhaps best remembered for Orr soaring through the air after scoring the overtime marker, arms raised in triumph, while being tripped by St. Louis Blues defenseman Noel Picard. I mean, the play is actually known as The Goal in hockey lore. What else could go here?

Fight/Brawl: It was a wild night in 1979, when members of the Bruins ended up in the stands of Madison Square Garden, fighting with fans of the New York Rangers. The chaos started at the end of the game, when Stan Jonathan was assaulted by a fan. Jonathan’s Boston teammates came to his aid, with the highlight of the melee being Mike Milbury beating a fan with their own shoe. The NHL installed higher glass in arenas, as a result of the incident.

Injury: Cam Neely’s knee-on-knee collision with Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson in the 1991 playoffs, was the first of many knee issues, resulting in Neely only playing 22 games over the next couple seasons and being forced into retirement at the age of 31. Neely’s attempts to return to the game were recognized with him being awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication in 1994.

Penalty: Billy Coutu, nicknamed Wild Beaver, was banned from the NHL for life in 1927, after assaulting referee Jerry Laflamme. The incident occurred after the Bruins lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the Ottawa Senators. Coutu’s ban would be lifted in 1929, allowing him to play minor league hockey. He would also be reinstated into the NHL for the 1932-33 season, but never played in the league again.

Wildest Story: In 1948, the NHL banned Bruins forward Don Gallinger and former teammate Billy Taylor (traded to the New York Rangers that season, when management questioned his poor play) for life, after it was discovered the pair had gambled on their own teams. Gallinger and Taylor were reinstated in 1970, marking the longest ever suspensions in league history.

Blooper: The most famous Too Many Men on the Ice penalty in NHL history occurred in Game 7 of the 1979 Stanley Cup Semi-Finals. With Boston up 4-3 over the Montreal Canadiens and a berth in the Finals looming, the Bruins were penalized late in the game. Montreal scored on the power play and won the game in overtime. Boston coach Don Cherry (who played his only NHL game with the Bruins) was later fired for the gaffe.

Miscellaneous: When Willie O’Ree suited up for the Bruins on January 18, 1958, he broke hockey’s black colour barrier, becoming the “Jackie Robinson of ice hockey”. All this, despite suffering an eye injury years earlier, that should have ended his career had he not kept it hidden. O’Ree was named the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador in 1998 and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. His #22 jersey was retired by the Bruins in 2022.

Boston Bruins: Black and Gold

1.5 oz Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey
0.5 oz Triple Sec
0.5 oz Cinnamon Schnapps
Top with Iced Tea
Garnish with Lemon Slices

There are numerous recipes with this name. I went with the one that interested me the most and was used by a Boston pizzeria in support of the Bruins. I couldn’t find exact measurements for the drink, so built it as I wanted to. Some ingredients could be altered for a different mix.

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