When growing up as children, your siblings become the very first teammates that you learn to play with and against. No competition is more fierce than a younger sibling trying to beat an older sibling in a game, no matter what the sport. The same can be said for hockey, where brothers and sisters have competed with and against each other for decades at the professional level. It’s amazing to think about what a longshot it is to make it to the NHL, let alone two or sometimes more, players from the same family. Talent truly does run in bloodlines!
For as many sets of siblings that thrive in the NHL, there are even more that fizzle out. Often teams draft players with talented siblings to take a chance on lightning striking twice. Some of the challenges involved in being related to an NHL superstar are high expectations that can’t always be met. Think of players like Valeri Bure, Fedor Federov, Steve Kariya, and of course, Brent Gretzky. All fantastic hockey players in their own right, but obviously as far as NHL success goes, they fell short of their uber talented brothers.
But sibling rivalries in sports can only be seen as a positive in the end. For two or more siblings to make it to the professional level, it takes plenty of support from each other to get there. Siblings bonds are among the closest in human nature, and together the bond provides a drive and competition that is unparalleled. You’ll know some of these, but let’s take a look at some of the most famous sets of siblings in the world of hockey.
Scott and Rob Niedermayer: When you hear the name Niedermayer you may immediately think of older brother Scott, one of the most decorated Canadian players in the history of the game. Scott played 18 seasons in the NHL after being drafted 3rd overall in 1991, and won four Stanley Cups, two Olympic Gold Medals, a Norris trophy, a Conn Smythe trophy, and a World Junior Championship Gold Medal in 1991. Younger brother Rob was drafted two years later at 5th overall in 1993, and enjoyed 17 seasons in the NHL including a very special Stanley Cup victory alongside Scott in 2007. The Niedermayers will forever be the pride of Cassiar, BC, and are widely considered two of the most successful brothers ever to play the game.
Phil and Tony Esposito: You just know when the older brother is a player and the younger brother is a goalie, that this is exactly how things were back in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario with the two brothers growing up. Phil and Tony Esposito had some epic battles back in the day, and each brother is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame with a Stanley Cup ring each. Both brothers dabbled as general managers after their playing careers, but neither one really found as much success as they did on the ice.
Henri and Maurice Richard: The Richard brothers are hockey royalty, and even though both have now unfortunately passed on, their legend will never be forgotten in Montreal. Two of the most offensively gifted players of their era, Rocket Richard scored 544 goals in only 978 career games. His goal scoring touch was so pure that the NHL eventually named the Rocket Richard trophy after him which is awarded to the top goal scorer in each NHL season. Henri Richard holds the NHL record with 11 Stanley Cup rings, a record that will probably never be broken.
Monique and Jocelyn Lamoureux: We bet you didn’t think the Lamoureux sisters would be the first set of twins on this list! Monique and Jocelyn retired together in 2018, after defeating Canada for the Olympic Gold Medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games. The twins capped off 14 illustrious years representing the stars and stripes in international competition, and are considered amongst the best U.S. Women’s players to ever play. Their careers also include two Olympic Silver Medals from 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi.
Quinn and Jack Hughes: While these two young budding stars are still relatively new to the NHL, it is the impending arrival of their brother Luke Hughes that sets them apart from other brothers. Not since the Sutters or the Staals have there been so many highly touted brothers to play in the NHL together, and Luke, who is ranked as the top prospect in the upcoming draft, could be the second Hughes brother to go number one overall.
Eric, Jordan, and Marc Staal: Canadian hockey legends, the Staal brothers have been dominating the league for the past decade. Eric and Jordan were both chosen 2nd overall in their respective draft classes, while Marc was selected 12th overall. Jordan and Eric both have a Stanley Cup ring to their names, while all three have enjoyed very impressive NHL careers and will no doubt go down as one of the best sets of brothers to ever play the game!
Henrik and Daniel Sedin: Okay, you didn’t think we’d leave the Sedin twins off of a list of the best NHL siblings did you? You’ll be hard pressed to find a set of brothers who played like they had an extra sense between them more than the Sedin twins. Whether it was behind the back passes or tips through the legs, the Sedins always seemed to be able to find each other on the ice in impossible situations. Their highlight reels are amongst the best in NHL history, and their jerseys will hang from the rafters in Vancouver forever. The Sedins both put up over 1,000 career points, while both took home scoring titles and league MVP awards, as well as an Olympic Gold Medal back in 2006. Perhaps no sibling duo exhibits teamwork, dedication, and skill so effortlessly in one package than the Sedin twins did in Vancouver for 18 years. Truly, the Sedin twins are and always will be, one of a kind.
The game of hockey, and sports in general, have come a long way in a very short amount of time when it comes to technology and how it improves the chances of success for players. Almost every sport has teams that have positions in their front office for things such as data scientists or analytics. Another way technology has been utilized for players is the video room, where players and coaches often log hours of off-ice time studying previous games as well as their opponents. But did you know that there is a Video Coach in the video room, that helps prepare and breakdown footage for players and coaches? Not every team has one, but the teams that do rely on them for research and instant access to specific parts of game film. But that is not all. There is so much more to a position that does not get much publicity in the NHL, but certainly has a role moving forward as the second-chance eyes and ears of the coaching staff.
What is a Video Coach?
It is exactly as it sounds, a member of the coaching staff that is there to use technology and video footage to help the players and the team succeed. With the improvement in technology and the digitization of footage, players and coaches can quite literally ask for any play from any game in the NHL. The Video Coach has full access to the NHL games database and is able to pull footage to cut and edit each game for specific plays and series that may need to be reviewed.
You generally will not see the Video Coach on the bench with the other members of the coaching staff though. They are usually holed up in an office or different part of the arena where they have access to multiple computers and monitors to constantly review and prepare footage for intermissions and post-game reviews. Before, it was mostly after or between games when coaches and players would want to re-watch game film, but now, it can be at any time, even streaming footage for coaches to review on the bench in real-time. Talk about utilizing technology during the game!
How Do Coaches Use a Video Coach?
The coaching staff is always in communication with the Video Coach, in case there is something that they need to review or re-watch on the fly. Video Coaches need to be agile and anticipate what a coach may want to see before they even request it. Whether it is at intermission or even during a TV timeout, the coach can ask for some video clips at any time as current day coaches all have tablets and laptops right on the bench that they can use.
Another crucial role that the Video Coach has in today’s NHL is in advising when a head coach should challenge a play or call. If a goal is scored after a missed offside, or if a goal was ruled to be scored with a high stick and was called back, the Video Coach will be called upon immediately to provide some digital evidence to the coaches. So every faceoff, every shot, every time a team enters the zone, all of these need to be watched with an eagle eye in case a play can be challenged.
How Do Players Use a Video Coach?
Some players are extremely keen on watching game film to either improve their game or hone in on areas where they may need improvement. Coaches on the bench are often seen holding a tablet for players to watch between shifts, all of which is available in an instant by the Video Coach. Players also like to watch film of games on the bus, in the plane, or during their individual training sessions, as a way of reviewing their own tendencies as well as scouting upcoming opponents. Is this advantageous to players? Absolutely. Think about how helpful it is for us to see instant replays on the television when we are watching games at home. Players are often shown watching replays on the giant video boards that hang in the arena, but now they can just as easily re-watch these on the tablet on the bench.
More Than Just Re-Watching Games
During any given game a Video Coach can be monitoring hundreds of different plays to cut, edit, and save for the coaches after the game. The Video Coach needs to have a feel for what the coaching staff needs, as well as being able to recognize and identify key plays or sequences in a game that the coaches may have missed. And it is not just the game being played right now either. A lot of coaches will request footage of other teams around the league especially if they are an upcoming opponent.
Technology in sports has come a long way and teams are continuing to find more ways of utilizing it to their advantage. Who would have thought coaches and players on the bench would be reviewing plays between shifts? The NHL is such a high speed game it is almost impossible to keep track of plays throughout a game but that is where the Video Coach comes in. To have another knowledgeable coach behind the scenes providing instant advice is invaluable to a team’s success. This is exactly why a Video Coach is a coach and considered an essential part of a team’s coaching staff in today’s NHL.
When we watch our favorite players on the ice, they seem invincible, and it is difficult to even imagine them outside of the rink. But like many athletes, once their playing days are over NHL players must find a way to occupy their time in retirement. Some look to stay in the game as a coach or scout, or even as a broadcaster who is able to give fans an insider’s insight into the game. Some like to become entrepreneurs and head into the business world, and some like to just fade into the background and enjoy their private lives with family. Let’s take a look at some of our favourite players, and where they are now.
Paul Bissonnette
On the ice, Bissonnette was never a superstar. He was a role player, a grinder, a tough guy that had 22 total points and 340 penalty minutes in only 202 NHL games. Although he didn’t make our best NHL enforcer list, Bissonnette could hold his own when the gloves were dropped. But after the NHL, it’s hard to find an NHL player that has had more of an impact on pop culture. BizNasty as he’s also known, began his post-NHL career as a broadcaster for the Arizona Coyotes radio team, but quickly found his niche as an entertainer on Twitter and Instagram. These days, Bissonnette is best known for being one part of the Spittin Chiclets’ podcast on the popular Barstool Sports site, alongside another ex player, Ryan Whitney. The two famously came up with the mega popular Pink Whitney, which is a pink lemonade flavoured vodka they branded with New Amsterdam.
Jarome Iginla
A bonafide superstar when he was on the ice, Iggy is perhaps best known for setting up Sidney Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver. He is the all-time point leader for the Calgary Flames and in rare company as a career 600 goal scorer. It may surprise some to hear that Iginla actually stayed to live in Boston with his family after playing there for the last season of his career, rather than move back to the Westcoast of Canada where he is deeply associated. This summer, Iginla is finally moving back to Kelowna, BC where he is set to coach the U15 Prep team at the RINK Hockey Academy, as well as assist with coaching with the U18 Prep team. Iginla has often cited the coaches he has played for throughout his career as having a positive impact on his life, so he wishes to return the favour now that he has hung up the skates for good.
Sergei Federov
One of the greatest Russian players to ever play in the NHL, Federov was a 3-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings and was known for his smooth skating and hockey sense. Off the ice he was just as flashy being linked to Anna Kournikova and Tara Reid back in the day. In 2009, Federov made global headlines as he filed lawsuits against convicted con artist Joseph Zada for $60 million, although he has yet to collect a dime. Currently, Federov has stayed within the game as the general manager for CSKA Moscow of the KHL, and still spends some of his summers in Detroit and Miami when he gets the chance. Red Wings fans have expressed publicly that they would like to see Federov’s iconic #91 jersey number retired by the organization.
Teemu Selanne
The Finnish Flash broke onto the NHL scene as one of the most exciting players in the history of the game. His 76 goal rookie campaign may never be topped, and his hall of fame career ended with 1457 points in 1451 career games. These days, Selanne is keeping busy by managing multiple restaurants in the Orange County, California area, where his family lives after his long tenure with the Anaheim Ducks. Selanne is a cultural icon in Finland and is often credited with the surge in popularity amongst youth that has led to the country having such a strong International hockey presence over the past couple of decades. In fact, a documentary about Selanne’s life is the highest grossing documentary ever in Finland, and was the third highest grossing Finnish film of the year. In 2019, Selanne even wrote an autobiography titled, “Teemu Selanne: My Life”, so needless to say he has been keeping himself busy after hockey.
Roberto Luongo
Luongo’s career has always been a hot topic to debate amongst hockey fans as the fourth overall pick in the 1997 NHL draft never managed to win a Stanley Cup like other great French Canadian goalies like Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. But by the end of his career, Luongo was third in NHL history in wins with 489, and had a very impressive career GAA of 2.52. Luongo was long suspected to be the owner of the Strombone1 Twitter account when he was in Vancouver, and he finally later confirmed this. The account was widely known for its quick-witted hockey related humour and commentary, as well as self-deprecating humour once he had revealed it was his account. Luongo resides in Parkland, Florida with his wife Gina and their children, but until recently, Luongo had kept a low profile and stayed away from the game. Recently Luongo was named an Assistant General Manager for Hockey Canada, and will be assisting with building a team for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. You may remember that Luongo was the goaltender that led Team Canada to the 2010 Olympic Gold Medal in Vancouver, so Luongo’s involvement with Hockey Canada should come as no surprise.
We all have our favorite players that we look up to and admire, whether they play for your hometown team or maybe share the same position as you on the ice, much of our childhoods are spent being inspired by our on-ice heroes. It can be as simple as wearing their jersey or playing as them in a street hockey game with your friends. The legends, or sometimes just great players, that capture our attention and our hearts, will always be a reason we love the game of hockey so much. So what is it about these special players that catches our attention? Let’s take a look at some of the things we do to learn and improve on from our favorite players both on and off the ice.
Watching Our Favorite Players On the Ice
Probably the simplest way we can appreciate our favorite players is to just watch them play. We all remember the feeling of tuning in to watch our favorite players or teams take the ice, and always looking for their numbers when their team has the puck. Heck, I bet you could spot your favorite players just by seeing them skate even if they did not have the puck on their stick.
Those who play hockey themselves will no doubt try to emulate their heroes and pay close attention to how they play the game. This is especially true for positions like goaltenders who are always interested in learning new styles and strategies they can use on the ice themselves. Students of the game will be able to focus on the nuances of hockey as well like how a particular player behaves when they do not have the puck, and how much effort they put into things like back-checking and battles along the boards.
Whether you enjoy the way a player skates, stick handles the puck, or throws a body check, simply watching our favorite players perform on the ice is a sure-fire way to develop our own hockey skills.
Emulating Our Favorite Players
Remember every kid pretending to be their favorite players in a street hockey game growing up? We do it too as adults, we are just more subtle about it. As children, we took pride in announcing our favorite players, wearing their jerseys, buying their equipment, or collecting their hockey cards. I am always reminded of the famous Canadian children’s book The Hockey Sweater, where a young Maurice Richard fan is mistakenly given a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey by accident. The ensuing chaos is comical but also illustrates just how important our heroes are to us at that impressionable age.
As adults we often lack the imagination of children who can freely pretend to be whoever player they wish to be. Some of us choose to take the number of our favorite player and wear it on our beer hockey teams, or we may buy and use their stick or other equipment when we play the game ourselves. Whatever we may choose to do, we know imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and even if our imaginations are not quite as keen as they once were, deep down we all want to be our favorite NHL players when we have the puck on our stick.
Analyzing the Game
This sounds a lot like watching them on the ice but it goes a little bit more in depth and uses an analytical approach to our favorite players. What do they do when they do not have the puck? What is their reaction if they make a mistake? Do they play or act differently when they are winning or losing? Do they get frustrated with their teammates, refs, or even their own coaches? A large part of understanding a player’s game is to actually watch what they do aside from scoring flashy goals or making big hits. Coaches or scouts call these the fundamentals or intangibles, and it goes to show just how much is involved in being a well-rounded hockey player.
Following Them Off The Ice
Hey, it’s the twenty-first century and our access to our favorite players has never been easier. Before, we would have to read stories in the newspaper or collect their hockey cards to feel connected to them, but now all we have to do is login to any social media site to see what our favorite players are doing off the ice. Sure, some people may treat this as purely entertainment, but others can definitely learn about how their favorite players are away from the rink. For example, what does the player post about? Are they constantly posting things about working out and training or just generally thinking about hockey? Or are they putting up pictures of themselves at parties or night clubs after their game is over? Of course this is extreme, and not at all a black and white representation of a player’s behaviour, but at some level, it does provide us with insight into how much the player is working on their skills outside of scheduled games and practices.
Our favorite players will always have a special place in our minds and whether it is the way they play or who they play for, or even where they are from, we know that they will always have a significant impact on how we view the game. These days, it is easier than ever to have access to players through the internet and social media, and while we should always respect their privacy, seeing them off the ice gives them a distinct personality that we may never have known when just watching them play. So buy their jersey and cheer for them, and do not be ashamed to have a favorite player even if you are an adult because we all know, life was just easier when as kids, we would all call out which player we wanted to be when playing road hockey after school.
Do you ever wonder why watching a hockey game on television can be so exciting, even though you are nowhere near the action on the ice? Chances are you are getting sucked into the excitement due to the talents of one of the many play by play analysts that call NHL games around the league. Like with any sport, broadcasting is an artform and the best ones can completely change how we watch games. There is a reason why many fans who are at the live game still bring a radio to listen to the play-by-play as they watch the action on the ice. So what is it about an analyst’s voice that can elevate the game and our connection to it? We will always remember certain moments and how they are called. Bobby Orr’s leaping to win the 1970 Stanley Cup, Paul Henderson’s Summit Series winning goal in 1972 against the Russians, or Sidney Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Olympics in overtime against the USA. Picture any of these in your head, and chances are you will hear those famous calls along with it.
Play-by-play has evolved so much over the years, and while it used to be just calling plays that were happening on the ice, now it is a whole crew. Now there is a color commentator, a replay team, and sometimes even an analytics team or a social media team as well. Now, the NHL is broadcasted in different languages around the world. The Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada crew is one of the more popular alternatives, and the increasing popularity of hockey amongst the Sikh community is a direct result. When the Seattle Kraken join the league, they will have the first ever full-time Black play by play analyst in Everett Fitzhugh. In the 2020 NHL bubble where there were no fans in the stands, it was the play-by-play callers who kept the energy up and made us feel a part of the game. As much as the game evolves and changes over time, one thing that remains constant is the voices that bring the game into our homes each and every night. Here is a list of five of the best:
Jim Hughson
Perhaps the hockey voice of our generation in Canada as the play-by-play caller for Hockey Night in Canada each and every Saturday night. The Fort St. John, BC native actually began calling games for the Vancouver Canucks back in the mid-90s until 2008, when he made the switch over to Hockey Night in Canada permanently. If there is a big game in the NHL on a national stage, chances are it is Hughson’s voice who will be covering it. What is it about Hughson that makes him so endearing to fans? His calm yet commanding voice never gets too excited and never goes too flat either. Hughson is the consummate professional, capturing five Gemini awards as outstanding sports play by play, and has even won the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions by a hockey broadcaster.
Chris Cuthbert
Another Canadian broadcasting legend who has been the voice for the NHL and CFL over his long and storied career. While Cuthbert is known for many famous calls over the years, he will forever be known for the Golden Goal call when Sidney Crosby beat Ryan Miller in overtime for the Gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Cuthbert’s famous voice can go from calm to excited in a split second as he follows along with the action on the ice. Many of us grew up with Cuthbert’s high-pitched exclamations and timely analysis. Cuthbert has also won several Gemini awards as the best play by play sportscaster and has been inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame as well as the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown of Brampton, Ontario.
Rick Jeanneret
Known around the NHL as the dynamic play by play voice of the Buffalo Sabres. If Hughson is the calm, collected voice, Jeanneret is the exact opposite of this with flamboyant play calls, especially for fights or big goals, player nicknames, and energetic delivery. He has called every game for the Sabres since 1971, and even returned mid-way through the season after overcoming Stage 3 throat cancer. If you have seen any highlights of the Sabres over the years, chances are you have heard Jeanneret’s voice, one that has become synonymous with the city of Buffalo over the past four decades.
Ron Maclean
Not a play-by-play announcer but he is another voice that Canadians of all ages associate with Hockey Night in Canada, especially the segment Coach’s Corner which Ron Maclean did with controversial hockey personality Don Cherry. Maclean is the calming presence on Hockey Night in Canada, and while he rarely gets into the booth to call the action, Maclean is one of the most well known personalities in NHL media circles.
Mike “Doc” Emrick
Not technically in the booth anymore as the 2019-2020 season was his last. He is the most celebrated and famous American hockey broadcaster perhaps in the history of the game, and has called games for nearly every American cable company. He has won eight Emmys for sports broadcasting and in 2017, Sports Illustrated magazine named him the greatest sportscaster of all time. Emrick is a calm play caller, but is well known for his sense of humor and ability to slip jokes and wordplay in the middle of a game. Emrick is one of five media members to receive the Lester Patrick trophy which celebrates outstanding service to the game of hockey in the United States.
Like with so many other sports, coaches and players in today’s NHL have a lot more technology at their fingertips before, during, and after the games. It is not uncommon to see coaches re-playing video footage from earlier in the game to players between shifts on a tablet device like an iPad. It is incredible how rapidly technology has both entered and altered the game, as coaches rely on things like the ability to have replays at the touch of a button, or front offices who draft prospects or sign free agents based on data analytics. The recent addition of things like a coach’s challenge, similar to those used by coaches in the NFL, has brought instant replay into games as the final word and not the referee’s. As the outside world continues to progress through a rapid digital transformation, the traditionally old school hockey world is playing catch up in a hurry. Let’s take a look at a few ways that technology is altering the game of hockey.
Data Analytics
A popular phrase that is taking the sports world by storm, the concept of data analytics has led to franchises in all four major sports (NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB) hiring data analytics specialists and even devoting a whole team to it in their front office. But what are data analytics and how do they affect the game of hockey? It is really a different way of analyzing the game using things like data points and statistics, rather than old school methodologies like the eye test. In the NBA, data analytics told the Golden State Warriors that having a rotation of five players who can shoot three-pointers, rather than using a traditional center, could give them an advantage late in games. In hockey, coaches will use big data for things like who should take a faceoff at a given time in the game or how much ice time should be distributed to players throughout the game. Early adopters of analytics also focused on sleep patterns for players and how travelling earlier or later could affect how players perform.
Technology on the bench
We used to see coaches drawing up plays on a clipboard but recently, coaches have been clutching an iPad while showing players in real-time a missed assignment or an untimely pinch. In the past we wrote about video coaches and their role in queuing up footage for coaches to use on the bench or during intermissions in the dressing rooms. Just as MLB managers have them in the dugouts and NFL coaches play footage for players on the bench, NHL coaches have fully embraced the iPad as a part of their routine now.
Video Review and Coach’s Challenges
As other leagues try to figure out ways to take the human judgement out of their game, the NHL has added the ability for coaches to challenge a referee’s call on the ice. It is surprising how many goals have been preceded by a missed offside call but with everyone involved having near instant access to footage and video replay, the referees themselves are at the biggest disadvantage. With the MLB inching closer to robot umpires, and the NFL continuously under scrutiny for the lack of consistency in their officiating, the NHL isn’t too far behind at this point. But has it gone too far? Have we now taken the rulings and decisions out of the referee’s hands? Sure, the call on the ice is still an important factor in what the final determination is, but the league is also allowing a way for its officiating crew to be flat out wrong on a national stage. It is controversial for sure, but as we continue to demand accuracy even though instant replay is just another form of 20/20 hindsight, the officials may continue to see their roles and authority diminish.
Real Time Stats
This is similar to data analytics but the NHL is trying to use this as a fun way of getting fans more involved in the game on the ice. Player tracking is nothing new in sports, the NBA does it routinely to measure player fatigue and whether they are at a risk for injury. The NFL uses it to provide real time stats and yardage information for its database of stats, and the NHL is attempting to do something similar. Things like skating speed, shift length, and distance travelled on the ice will be available from player tracking. Puck tracking will be able to measure things like speed and accuracy of a shot. Realistically, sensors in the puck can also provide geographic location mapping, to see if a puck crossed the line or perhaps where the puck is if there is a dog pile of players inside the crease.
Social Media
Let’s end with a fun one! To be honest, hockey players have always been portrayed as guys with very little personality and charisma, especially during post game interviews. They lack the ego and showmanship that NFL and NBA players have, so fans have more or less felt that hockey players are unapproachable. But social media has definitely changed that as players can provide fans with a window into their lives and personalities off the ice. Ex players like Paul Bissonette, Ryan Whitney, and Roberto Luongo, have all established loyal followings on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, where they can truly let fans into their lives after hockey. While technology on the ice is changing the game at a rapid pace, technology off the ice is allowing fans and players to connect on a level that they never have before, and that is a pretty cool way in which technology is changing the game for the better.
