While in most sports the head coach gets all of the acclaim as well as all of the criticism if things are not going well, it is his or her coaching staff that provides the support for the day to day operations of the team. In football, a coach has offensive and defensive coordinators, a quarterbacks coach, an offensive line coach, basically a coach for each specific group of positions. In baseball, a manager has a first base and third base coach, as well as a hitting coach and a pitching coach, to help with each group of players. The same holds true in hockey: a head coach stands behind his players on the bench with two or three assistant coaches, one usually in charge of the forwards and one for the defenseman. But have you ever heard of an associate coach? Read on to learn the difference between an associate coach and an assistant coach, and what the hierarchy of a coaching staff is.
Assistant coaches
You might have thought that the assistant coaches were the second in command on a hockey team’s coaching staff, and while that isn’t wrong, it isn’t entirely accurate either. Assistant coaches help the head coach to run practices and are usually in charge of one group of players, either the forwards or the defenseman. Depending on which group they are in charge of usually dictates where on the bench they stand. Now assistant coaches are often in charge of drawing up plays during timeouts and making in-game tweaks with players if they can see something that is working or perhaps something that is not going the team’s way.
Assistant coaches help the head coach draw up strategies and gameplans and also provide status reports and scouting reports during coaching meetings. In terms of the hierarchy, assistant coaches operate much in the same way as offensive or defensive coordinators in football, in that they oversee a group of players one either side of the ball or puck. It is also common for both coordinators and assistant coaches to be hired as head coaches in the next logical step in their careers. Because of this, assistant coaches in the NHL often find themselves shuffling between different organizations every few seasons until they are able to secure a job as a head coach.
Associate coaches
It is a fine line that separates assistant and associate coaches in the NHL, and a little bit of semantics as well. All associate coaches are assistant coaches but not all assistant coaches are associate coaches, if that makes sense. The reason for the discrepancy is that not all NHL teams designate associate coaches, in fact, currently only six teams in the league (the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, and Winnipeg Jets) do so.
In terms of the coaching hierarchy, associate coaches are one step above a normal assistant coach and one step below a head coach. This gives them quite a bit of power and if the team designates an associate coach, it does make them the true second in command in the locker room. If a head coach is not around for any reason, the associate coach would step in and assume the role. If a head coach is fired mid-season and the organization is not interested in filling the vacancy with an outsider, the associate coach is generally the one that fills in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
So as you can see the main difference in the NHL between an assistant and associate coach is rank and most likely the respect and reliance of the head coach himself. The title of associate coach is an earned one for sure, given the fact that only six teams feel like they need to anoint one. Job description wise the two positions are similar and in fact they overlap quite a bit. In this way we can sort of think of the associate coach as a head or lead assistant coach, one that is understood to step in and lead the team at a moment’s notice if required to. Often associate coaches will have prior head coaching experience, which allows them to make a higher salary than a junior assistant coach that is still learning the ropes. At the end of the day is there a huge difference between the two? Definitely not. But now you know why some assistant coaches are just assistants and why some have the title of associate coach.
When watching an NHL game, you usually don’t hear much about either team’s equipment manager. That’s because he’s not on the ice shooting the puck nor is he standing on the bench yelling orders or arguing with referees. The equipment manager is a behind-the-scenes professional who may not have much time in the spotlight, but he is a vital part of any professional hockey team.
Without an equipment manager, extra stress would be added on the players and coaches to keep their equipment in order both on and off the ice. The process of getting a new stick to a player in the event of a break would not be as streamlined and would greatly slow down gameplay.
These unsung heroes are highly respected by the team, but most fans and viewers know nothing about them. In fact, it can be difficult for even the most diehard fans to name their team’s equipment managers. So, let’s take a look at what they do and why they are so important.
Long Hours
Equipment managers are often at the rink even longer than the players! Many get there first thing in the morning to start getting things organized, whether for practice or for a game. They’ll head to the locker and tidy things up, putting things in order so that players can get suited up and be prepared as quickly as possible after they show up. But their responsibilities don’t stop there, as they are often on-site during practice, games, and even for several hours afterwards to plan for the next few days or weeks.
Take Care of the Gear
A good equipment manager knows the needs of every player and can recite their favorite gear by heart. They will organize the player’s gear and often perform maintenance on it when needed. This includes sharpening skates, breaking in sticks, and cleaning pads, jerseys, and gloves. If a piece of equipment has been through the ringer and no longer looks to be functional, the manager is responsible for ordering a new piece and making sure it is prepared in a timely manner.
The manager also has to have equipment ready for travel and needs to keep track of every piece. This involves coordinating with the airlines and local delivery crews as well as being familiar with opponent’s arenas and locker rooms so as to efficiently set up shop for the players. There is a lot of research that goes into this, but nothing is as valuable as in-game experience.
Financial Responsibilities
Equipment managers are also often involved in budgeting, buying, and keeping track of expenses. Each team has a certain budget that they want to stick to for equipment, and it is the manager’s job to ensure that they are compliant with this budget.
Equipment vendors are always on the search for teams to buy their products, and they must often go through the equipment manager. The manager will speak with these sellers and determine if certain items are right for them, and then try to negotiate pricing for these products that will fall within the team’s budget.
The manager is also responsible for ordering new equipment and keeping a ledger of how much has been spent. This means that they can often be found in an office going over bills and spreadsheets. This often happens during the morning skate when all the players are on the ice and the equipment does not need to be actively maintained. Still, it requires the ability to multitask efficiently.
Laundry
This may not be a glamorous task, but it is an important one. Hockey is an aggressive, physical sport, and those jerseys and pads can develop quite a funk of they aren’t kept clean. Equipment managers will often take care of laundry tasks after practices and games so that everything can be ready to go for the next session.
In-game responsibilities
While planning and maintaining are important parts of the equipment manager’s job, his most high-pressure tasks take place at game time. If a player breaks a stick or a skate, he has to know exactly where to get a spare one and bring it out as quickly as possible. On the bench, he may be responsible for taping up a new stick or lacing a skate, doing so in a rushed manner so that the player can get back on the ice in a hurry.
He’s also responsible for rotating sets of gloves, as players hands tend to get sweaty and they’ll require a new set every so often. It takes quite a memory to know every player’s preference, but equipment managers have this ability and can do so without blinking an eye. They’ll also be responsible for finding the right pads for an emergency backup goalie in the rare event that one is needed.
Stay in tune with the players
The players have much respect for the equipment managers, and that is because they know how to find the right equipment and fine-tune it to their needs. Equipment managers are in constant communication with the players about their sticks, skates, pads, helmets, and anything else that might need changing. Many are former hockey players and may even have valuable advice about what might be helping or hurting a specific player.
Equipment managers will sometimes get on the ice with the players and observe their motions if they have complaints about a certain piece of equipment. From there, they might have ideas about what needs to be changed – whether it’s the equipment or the player’s use of it.
Overall, the equipment manager is one of the most important members of the team, as he keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes as the players focus on the game at hand. He might not be making headlines after every victory, but you can almost guarantee that he played a large role in the success of the team thanks to his preparation and dedication.
We all know how fun and enjoyable ice hockey can be to play, but what most of us do not realize is how taxing it can be on our bodies, especially if you play at a high competitive level. Hockey requires a full spectrum of physical abilities which includes speed, strength, agility, hand-eye coordination, and balance. While playing hockey at games or practices certainly helps us develop these skills, if you want to be a complete player and maximize your abilities on the ice, you are going to need to put in extra work with some on and off-ice exercises and workouts to keep your body in optimal hockey form. Let’s take a look at some of these exercises and how they will help you round out your game.
Strength Training for Speed, Explosiveness, and Shooting
Perhaps the single factor that can help so many different parts of your game, strength training is a key part to any hockey player’s workout regimen. Increasing your strength can improve your skating, your puck control, your shot, and your one on one battle levels. This does not always have to include lifting weights or hitting the bench press either. In hockey, it is not always the biggest muscles that get the job done. A strong core along with your upper legs can make it nearly impossible to knock you off of the puck, and you will find that your skating will have more power behind each stride as well.
Lunges, squats, and swings are an excellent way to build up leg strength and can be done anywhere you have a bit of room. Try doing different variations of these which can include weights, tension bands, or even on top of an exercise ball. The more resistance you feel, the more your core will work to help keep you balanced.
Look to other exercises like deadlifts and box jumps to help build explosiveness in your legs and glutes. The more strength you build in these areas, the faster and more powerful your first couple strides will be when chasing a loose puck or trying to get away from a defender. Do not think that explosiveness in skating is just for players either. Goalies can benefit from this as well when kicking off from side to side, or standing your ground inside your crease.
Finally, try to work in some arm and upper shoulder and back workouts to increase the power you get in your shot. You are not necessarily aiming for huge biceps here, but adding that explosive power into your back can really give you leverage when you lean into a shot and learn to use your stick flex to whip the puck. Shooting is just as much about form as it is strength, but providing that extra power from your back and shoulders will go a long way in improving your shot.
Cardio for Endurance and Energy Levels
Look, all the strength training and muscles in the world will not help you on the ice if you do not have any endurance. If you want to be a productive player you are going to want to take short and explosive shifts, rather than longer shifts where you just coast around the ice. Cardio training will help you with this and ensure that you have the same energy levels throughout an entire game.
Best of all, cardio exercises usually do not require any equipment and can be done throughout the year, indoors or outdoors. Running or jogging is the obvious way to build up your cardiovascular health and stamina over periods of time, but try to mix in exercises like intermittent sprints or running up stairs. These changes of pace exercises will give your heart and lungs a more accurate feel of what an ice hockey game will be like and explosive sprints from a stopped position provides excellent muscle memory for your legs. If you have access to one, a skating treadmill can also be a tremendous way to build endurance while also working on your skating form. Try skating for intermediate periods of time, and then add in a stick and puck to help work on your stickhandling and coordination as well.
Reaction and Agility Training
Hockey is an extremely reactionary sport with split second decision making that comes at you at a very high speed. Anticipation and reactions are built into a hockey player’s mind with enough training, muscle memory can take over a player’s hands and feet as we coordinate all of these motions while on the ice. Agility training can look like a lot of different things. Whether it is side to side lateral sprints or lunges or having a trainer or teammate throw you a tennis ball while balancing on an exercise ball, improving your reaction time can go a long way in helping your on-ice decision making.
Stickhandling drills are also a part of reactionary training so do not shy away from these basic forms of exercise. Handling the puck through pylons or using an off-ice sheet that can simulate the feel of a puck on ice can drastically help make the puck on your stick feel natural when stick handling during a game. Try adding some wrist weights to your stickhandling practice to improve the strength in your wrists and forearms.
As you can see there are countless exercises and routines you can add to your training regimen that can improve your performance on the ice. Practices can provide you with excellent opportunities to hone your in-game skills while testing your abilities against your teammates, but continuing that training off the ice is where players can really set themselves apart in the actual games. Improving your strength can provide explosiveness on your skates while also maintaining control of the puck and fending off opposing players. Let us not overlook perhaps the most important part of a good training regimen: injury prevention. The more you are able to strengthen and continuously build up power in your legs and core to improve your body control, the better chance you have at avoiding serious injuries on the ice.
Fans of today’s NHL may not recognize a lot of the names on this list but that is just because the game has evolved so much. Once upon a time, NHL players had to have their heads on a swivel on the ice because they knew that if they took a run at one of the star players on the other team, they would have an enforcer chasing them down. While we still have fights in today’s game, enforcers have evolved into players who also need to contribute in other ways like scoring goals or killing penalties.
A couple of decades ago enforcers had one role on the team: fights. What some casual hockey fans may not understand is that hockey fights do indeed serve a purpose in the game and are not just a contest in machismo between two goons. First of all, hockey fights send a message to the other team. Second, it is either a momentum stopper or a momentum starter. The tide can turn on a dime if a losing team player wins a fight and rallies his bench behind him. Finally, hockey fights can settle scores as there is an unwritten rule that if you made a dirty hit or injured a player, you will have to pay the price at some point.
So it is interesting how much the game has changed over the years. Hockey has become faster, more skilled, and dictated by analytics. There is not much room for players who strictly fight, now that things like the salary cap and analytical matchups dominate the way teams are built from the ground up. Let us take a look at some of the best enforcers the game has ever seen.
Gordie Howe: Wait what? Mr. Hockey himself? Most people know Howe as one of the greatest offensive players of all time as he is currently fourth all-time in NHL career points scored. But did you know he had 1685 penalty minutes over his 1767 game career? Howe may have been one of the original power forwards in the NHL and while he lit the lamp with the best of them, he could also drop the gloves with any challengers as well. After all, a Gordie Howe hat trick is when a player scores a goal, gets an assist, and has a fight in the same game.
Tie Domi: Always a fan favourite while he played in Toronto, Domi was one of the premier enforcers in the 90’s. If you want to see what a classic NHL enforcer was like, look at Domi’s career stat line: 1,020 games played, 245 career points, and 3,515 penalty minutes, good for third all-time in NHL History. Yes, Domi averaged about 3.5 PIM per game over his career. Domi was the epitome of the saying, “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog,” as he tipped the scales at 213 lbs and was only 5’10”. These days, his son Max Domi plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he definitely carries himself in the same way that his father did, except that Max already has more points than Tie in only 375 career games.
Marty McSorley: The personal bodyguard of Wayne Gretzky in Los Angeles, McSorley was one of the grittiest and toughest defenseman ever to play the game. McSorley finished his career with 3,381 penalty minutes in 961 games played, good for fourth all-time in NHL history. McSorley won two Stanley Cups in his career, but unfortunately he may best be known for his vicious slash against Donald Brashear that ended in a lengthy suspension.
Bob Probert: One of the most imposing enforcers of all-time, Probert weighed in at 6’3” and 225 lbs of pure muscle. Probert finished fifth all-time in career penalty minutes with 3300 in 935 games played. Probert spent his career split between Detroit and Chicago, but he is best known for his years cruising the ice at Joe Louis Arena, where in 1987, Probert racked up an impossible 398 penalty minutes in one season!
Tiger Williams: The all-time leader in career penalty minutes, Tiger Williams had nearly 4000 penalty minutes in only 962 career games. Tiger played with a number of teams over his career but he is best known as the enforcer for the Vancouver Canucks when they went on their Stanley Cup run in 1982, before losing to the New York Islanders. How tough was he? His real name was Dave.
Zdeno Chara: Here is one many of the younger hockey fans will know, the current captain of the Boston Bruins has had a storied career which includes a Stanley Cup and a Norris trophy. At 6’9” and 250 lbs, he is one of the largest players ever to hit the ice, and you can imagine how dominant he would be in a fight. Anytime someone challenges Chara, it turns into him ragdolling the other player around the ice as if he were a toy.
Stu Grimson: While he does not have the penalty minute totals or as long of a career as some of the others on this list, the Grim Reaper was one of the most feared hockey fighters throughout his career. In 729 career games, Grimson had 2,113 penalty minutes, and 39 career points. You can imagine what his role was on the team.
Rob Ray: Ray dominated NHL fighters throughout the 90s and into the 2000s and was well-known as an all-time popular Buffalo Sabre. Ray had 15 straight seasons of 90 or more penalty minutes, including back to back 350 penalty minute seasons from 1990-1992. Talk about consistency!
Craig Berube: That is right, the current head coach of the St. Louis Blues had a real mean streak when he patrolled the ice. Berube is seventh all-time in career penalty minutes with 3,149 in 1,054 games played. Berube had 16 seasons of 100 or more penalty minutes, including 15 straight seasons at one point in his career.
Brendan Shanahan: Yes another current hockey executive, the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was one of the greatest power forwards in NHL history. Not only did Shanny pot over 1,300 career points in his career, but he tallied 2489 penalty minutes as well! Shanahan won three Stanley Cups in his career and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Every hockey player dreams of reaching the NHL and playing in the world’s largest stadiums. Everyone wants to be watched and cheered-on by millions of sports fans as they play their favorite game at the most elite level. The NHL dream is a huge reason why hockey players turn up to practices and games and try their hardest week-in and week-out.
The problem is that only the best of the best players rise to the top in the hockey world. It takes a special kind of athlete to reach NHL-stardom—just attending your team’s weekly practices and games isn’t enough.
Of course, many players know that hockey success takes extra work, but they don’t know where to start. Don’t worry! Here are the top 10 ways to improve at hockey, so you can start improving your hockey skills right now.
1. Play More Often
One of the best ways to improve at hockey is to play the game as much as possible. Show up to every single team game. Invite your friends to play shinny in the winter. Set up road hockey games every night in the off-season. The point is, get a stick in your hand and get the puck in the net. Even without the direction of a coach, playing hockey will train your muscle memory and all the other skills you need to succeed at the game (speed, endurance, reaction time, agility, balance, etc.).
2. Play Other Sports
Many of the skills you build by playing other sports are also helpful for hockey. If you can’t always play hockey, find another sport to play—almost every activity will help you in some way!
For example, tennis will train your endurance, hand-eye coordination, and arm power. Soccer will train your footwork, agility, and tactical sense. Even a “sport” like chess will improve your decision-making ability and strategic thinking. Having another activity can also help prevent hockey burnout, so you’ll be more motivated to get back on the ice every week.
No matter what you choose, find a sport other than hockey and go all-in!
3. Train at Home or in the Gym
There are endless ways to train for hockey off the ice.
You could do a simple home workout to build strength and get your body used to intense physical exercise. You can do anything from push-ups, to jogging, to weightlifting. Simply getting some exercise throughout the week outside of hockey practice and games will put you ahead of most of your competition.
If you have access to a gym, even better. With the equipment offered at a gym, you can target specific muscles and activities that will make the biggest difference on the ice. For hockey players, having strong legs, good endurance, and a powerful core is crucial.
Even better, you can perform hockey-specific drills either at home or at the gym. Most off-ice drills only require a stick and some balls/pucks or some agility cones. Some don’t require any equipment!
There are a ton of simple and effective drills and workout routines available online, made specifically for hockey players who want to improve!
4. Get Private Instruction or Attend a Hockey Camp/Clinic
Private instruction and hockey camps can be expensive, so don’t worry if you can’t afford them—the other items on this list will still work wonders for you. If you can afford them, however, they can provide massive improvements to your hockey skills.
Private instruction will allow you to work closely and thoroughly with a skills coach to figure out exactly what you need to do to improve at the game. A private coach will often be able to identify weaknesses in your game that your regular coach might miss because they have so many people to manage at once.
Hockey camps will allow you to work consistently on specific skills under the eye of expert coaches. If you find yourself weak in a specific skill, like skating or shooting, you should be able to find a camp for that skill in your area!
5. Stretch
This is the simplest item on the list, and it takes the least time, but it can still make a huge difference in your hockey performance.
Try to stretch for at least ten minutes before and after every practice and game. Stretching warms up your muscles for physical activity, reducing the chances of getting injured and having to take time off. Stretching also improves your flexibility—if you regularly stretch, you’ll be able to take longer strides and faster shots. Stretching will also help your agility—you’ll have the flexibility to quickly switch directions and always stay on top of the action during a game.
There are tons of simple stretching routines available online, including many made specifically for hockey players!
6. Practice Mindfulness (Meditation and Visualization)
Mindfulness is one of the most underestimated aspects of being a successful athlete. Many professional hockey players meditate, and almost all athletes visualize their success in some way.
Meditation will allow you to control your breath and your thoughts. If you meditate just once a day, you’ll be able to focus and make better decisions on the ice. Meditation involves sitting in a silent environment, closing your eyes, breathing calmly, and clearing your mind for a short period of time. For beginners, meditation usually only lasts a few minutes. Once you have some practice, meditation sessions can last up to half an hour.
Visualization is a method of maintaining focus on and motivation for your athletic goals. As often as you can, picture yourself taking a perfect shot. Picture yourself winning a faceoff. Picture yourself getting drafted to the NHL and skating out on the ice for your first game. This visualization process will help you keep your eye on the prize and will keep you hungry for victory and success. It also helps give you confidence to make risky plays and to give it your all in every game.
7. Study Hockey (Watch More, Read More, Learn More)
Even if you’re not playing hockey or physically training in some way, you can still mentally train for hockey.
First, watch as much hockey as you can. Whether professional, college, or local games, soak in as much of the action as you can. Pay attention to the flow of the game and try to determine why a team or an individual player makes certain decisions. The more hockey you watch, the better you’ll understand what you need to do and where you need to be to get the puck in the opponent’s net.
Second, read and research the game. There is endless content available in books or on the internet that talks about hockey nutrition, training, strategy, lifestyle, and mindfulness. Simply pick a topic of interest, say, “the habits of hockey pros,” and read everything you can about it.
Then, you’ll be able to combine your theoretical knowledge with your muscle memory and playing experience to be an unstoppable force on the ice.
8. Eat Healthy and Drink Plenty of Water
NHL-level hockey training doesn’t just happen on the ice or in the gym—it happens all the time. Keeping your body in top shape is a crucial part of being a high-level athlete. Make sure you’re eating and drinking as healthily as you can, and that you’re never dehydrated during the day, whether you have a game or not.
For food, try to stay away from anything fried, salty, sugary, or processed. Of course, you can have treats every once in a while, but do your best to stick to fruits, veggies, breads and grains, lean protein, and dairy.
For drinks, try to have as much water as possible. A glass of milk every so often will also keep your bones strong and your blood pressure low. For workouts, practices, and games, drinks like Gatorade with a lot of electrolytes will keep your energy levels high so that you can perform at your best.
9. Get Proper Sleep
All the other items on the list won’t be effective if you’re not getting proper sleep.
If you don’t sleep enough (or, in some cases, if you sleep too much), you won’t be able to focus during practices and games, and you won’t be able to train as hard off the ice because you’ll be tired.
When it comes to sleep, there are two simple rules. First, sleep enough. Most teenagers and young adults need somewhere between 7 and 9 hours each night. Find the amount of sleep that leaves you happy and well-rested and aim to get that every night. Second, sleep consistently. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day. It’s much harder to get enough sleep if your bedtime jumps around like crazy each night. Pick a time that works for you and stay consistent!
10. Take the Game Seriously
If you want to play in the NHL, you need to take the game seriously.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t joke around or have any fun—hockey is supposed to be fun, that’s why millions of athletes dream of doing it for a living. Taking the game seriously just means pay attention and try your hardest.
Pay attention to your coach. Listen to every bit of advice he has for you (and for other players) and try your hardest to fix your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
Pay attention to your teammates during practices and games—keep track of where they are and what they’re doing. During a practice, you might pick up helpful tips and tricks just by watching other people run drills. During a game, you’ll be more aware of where everyone is on the ice, so you’ll be able to make better decisions.
Pay attention to your body. If you feel sore or in-pain, stop and take care of yourself. If you feel tired, take a break. If you feel exhausted or sick, eat healthier and take a break. Try your hardest to stay in peak condition so you can always perform at your best.
Pay attention to your goals. Stay focused on improving and help your teammates improve, too. Try your hardest to remember that you’re ultimately competing with everyone around you, but stay confident that if you work hard and play harder, you’ll do well!
Since its formation in 1917, the NHL has showcased to the world the peak of hockey talent and skill.
Some of the most intelligent and experienced people manage million-dollar hockey franchises that draw massive fanbases from all over the world. Some of the most knowledgeable and courageous people coach the NHL teams that clash year after year, each contending to win the coveted Stanley Cup. Some of the most athletic and skilled people play on those NHL teams, working tirelessly day after day to hone their hockey skills so that they can help drive their team to victory.
But sometimes a general manager makes a trade that destroys any hope of their team winning. Sometimes a coach can’t avoid their team losing 15-0 despite their best efforts. Sometimes a player scores on his own net.
Even though the NHL is the apex of hockey skill, managers, coaches, and players are far from perfect. Mistakes happen, and when they do, we love it.
Here are 5 of the biggest blunders in NHL history:
5. The Rangers Lose 15-0 to the Red Wings, 1944
The worst loss in NHL history belongs to the New York Rangers when they lost 15-0 to the Detroit Red Wings on January 23, 1944. This loss was so outstanding that the record has stood for 76 years, despite tens of thousands of NHL games having been played since.
Most hockey fans today couldn’t fathom the terrible performance it would take to let in 15 goals in a single game—double-digit-goal games are incredibly rare. To be fair, it couldn’t have been any easier for Frank Boucher, the Rangers’ coach at the time, to watch an endless stream of pucks fly into his net.
To make matters worse, most of the 15 goals were scored in the second half of the game, during which the Red Wings averaged nearly one goal every two minutes.
After the Red Wings were finished pommeling the Rangers, New York didn’t win another game for the rest of the season. Talk about performance anxiety!
4. Brian Burke Trades the World to Have Phil Kessel on the Leafs, 2009
On September 19, 2009, the Maple Leafs’ general manager Brian Burke made a questionable trade that he thought would finally get the Leafs back into the playoffs after 5 years.
At the time, Boston Bruins newcomer Phil Kessel looked like a shining star. In his breakout season with Boston, Kessel scored 36 goals, and his performance was only predicted to improve in later years.
So, what made the trade such a terrible blunder?
Burke’s mistake was the price he paid to acquire the breakout star. In exchange for Kessel, Burke gave the Bruins his first- and second-round draft picks for the 2010 draft and his first-round pick in the 2011 draft.
At the time, Burke figured that if Kessel could help lead the Leafs to the playoffs (and to a Stanley Cup victory), then the price would be well worth paying. Unfortunately, although Kessel played well while on the Leafs, his performance wasn’t enough to lead the Leafs anywhere promising—the very season they acquired Kessel, the Leafs finished last in their division.
Worse yet, the Bruins used the draft picks that Burke had given them to their advantage. In the 2010 draft, the Bruins picked up Tyler Seguin and Jared Knight. That season, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup while the Leafs were left in the dust.
3. Marc Bergevin (St. Louis Blues) Tosses the Puck into His Own Net, 2000
What’s worse that scoring a goal on your own net with your stick? Scoring on your own net by casually tossing the puck with your hand.
Playing for the St. Louis Blues, Marc Bergevin accidentally scored on his own net while trying to glove a puck out of the way in a game against the San Jose Sharks on December 7, 2000. Bergevin caught the puck in mid-air, but rather than guiding it away from the only spot you don’t want the puck to be, he accidentally tossed the puck behind his goalie. It was the easiest goal that San Jose ever scored.
At first, none of the players or officials realized that the puck was in the net. After all, nobody had taken a shot. It looked like the puck had just disappeared or that Bergevin had held onto it for way too long. But, once the officials reviewed the tape, they confirmed that Bergevin had indeed guided the puck into his own goal.
2. Steve Smith (Edmonton Oilers) Scores on His Own Net, Costing Oilers the Game, 1986
One of the earliest-known blunders in NHL history is when Steve Smith of the Edmonton Oilers scored on his own net during a game against the Calgary Flames on April 30, 1986.
At the time of Steve’s mistake, the score was tied 2-2 in the third period. The Oilers goalie, Grant Fuhr, gave the puck to Smith just behind the Oilers’ net. Smith then attempted to clear the puck by making a long outlet pass to a teammate. Attempted is the key word. Smith botched his aim on the pass, and rather than make it to his teammate, the puck only travelled one or two feet before bouncing off one of Fuhr’s feet and into the goal.
Smith’s mistake gave the Flames a 3-2 lead, which the Oilers couldn’t overcome.
1. Patrik Stefan (Dallas Stars) Whiffs Easy Goal on Empty Net, 2007
Missing a shot on an open net from far away is bad. Missing a shot on an open net from right in front of it is worse. Missing a shot on an open net from right in front of it and then falling down is the worst blunder in NHL history. Thank you, Patrik Stefan.
On January 4, 2007, Dallas Stars player Patrik Stefan whiffed an easy goal on the Edmonton Oilers’ empty net.
The score was 5-4 for the Stars at the time when Stefan managed a breakaway approaching an empty net. He confidently skated up to the net in what looked like a guaranteed goal, but somehow fumbled the puck as he skated right by, failing to even take a shot. As soon as Stefan realized his mistake, he tried to turn himself around to take another shot, but his disorientation led to him simply crashing onto the ice as he lost control of the puck.
If Stefan had made the goal, the score would have been 6-4, likely ensuring the win for the Stars. Instead, once Stefan fell, the Oilers regained control of the puck and tied the game literally 10 seconds later.
Coincidentally (or not), Stefan’s playing career ended a mere 13 games after his colossal mistake
