4 Most Successful Coaches In Los Angeles Kings History

4 Most Successful Coaches In Los Angeles Kings History: Since joining the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season, the Los Angeles Kings have been a team that has enjoyed regular season success but has had issues in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Still without a Stanley Cup victory to date, the Kings made it to the finals just once.

Over the past two seasons, Terry Murray has been the latest Los Angeles Head Coach to provide the city with a promising team. In 2009-10, the Kings finished with 101 points and the following season they totalled 98. In each post season, however, the Kings were knocked off in the first round. What follows are the coaches of three similar seasons as the past two and the one season where regular season success was hard to come by but the team excelled in the playoffs.

The Shocking Top Rookie Card of the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Series! (After Gretzky)

Okay, the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey card series is known for one thing – the Wayne Gretzky rookie card. Sure, the set also features the final cards of Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, but they’re just not in the same league as the Gretzky hockey card. Fact is, it just wasn’t a great set at all for rookies, other than the Great One.

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The Shocking Top Rookie Card of the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Series! (After Gretzky)

AHL’s Hershey Bears Blue Line Bolstered By Ontario Hockey League Duo

As usual, the Hershey Bears are storming through the American Hockey League season, taking no prisoners. The Bears are currently in first atop the Eastern Conference and second overall in the 30 team league behind only the Oklahoma City Barons. Helping out on the blue line are two grads of the Ontario Hockey League. These are the only two representatives of the OHL on the Hershey roster, a surprise when you consider there is only one non-North American born player on the club.

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AHL’s Hershey Bears Blue Line Bolstered By Ontario Hockey League Duo

The Plymouth, Detroit, Windsor, Hartford, Carolina Coaching Connection

There would seem to be pretty tight criteria in becoming a coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers. It would seem that once a candidate gets the job, he is most likely being groomed for a bigger job at a specific location in the National Hockey League.

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The Plymouth, Detroit, Windsor, Hartford, Carolina Coaching Connection

6 Hershey Bears to Win The Les Cunningham Award as AHL MVP

In the American Hockey League, the Les Cunningham Award has been given each year to the league’s most valuable player since the 1947-48 season. The Hershey Bears, the league’s oldest franchise, have had six players win the Cunningham Award.

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6 Hershey Bears to Win The Les Cunningham Award as AHL MVP

Five Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame That Started Out in the OHL

Even those who aren’t hockey fans have heard the names Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky or Steve Yzerman. Like any other professional sport, hockey has its iconic heroes. What might not be known is that a great number of hockey’s superstars started out playing junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. What follows is five greats that played in the OHL and went on to NHL careers worthy of a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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Five Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame That Started Out in the OHL

Two Ontario Hockey League Grads on Székesfehérvár of Austria’s EBEL

Thank god for the cut & paste function on word processors! If I had to type out Székesfehérvár more than once, this article would never happen. Don’t even bother trying to pronounce it…

Székesfehérvár is one of eleven teams in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). Like four other teams in the league, Székesfehérvár is not actually located in Austria. Located 65 km southwest of Budapest, Székesfehérvár is the only Hungary based team in the EBEL.

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Two Ontario Hockey League Grads on Székesfehérvár of Austria’s EBEL

Cardboard Cameos Abound in the 1963-64 Topps Hockey Series

The 1963-64 hockey card season was the last collectors would see of Parkhurst. The 1963-64 Topps series remains one of the most affordable of the pre O-Pee-Chee era. The interesting thing about the Topps cards is the generic action picture that takes up about a quarter of the front of the cards. The whole set becomes a collection of cardboard cameos, with three Hockey Hall of Fame stars standing out, in particular.

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Cardboard Cameos Abound in the 1963-64 Topps Hockey Series

1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards - Beyond Wayne Gretzky

1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards - Beyond Wayne Gretzky:

The 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey card series is forever known as the set that includes the Wayne Gretzky rookie card. Although not the most valuable hockey card in the history of the hobby, considering when it was produced and in what great numbers, the Gretzky card, at $800, is one of the most coveted treasures among collectors.

4 Plymouth Whalers Grads Making an Impression on the NHL

The Plymouth Whalers Ontario Hockey League franchise has produced some great players since beginning play in 1990-91. Currently, there are four Whalers grads making a big impression on the National Hockey League.

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4 Plymouth Whalers Grads Making an Impression on the NHL

5 OHL Grads On Team Canada At 2012 Spengler Cup

It’s nearly Spengler Cup time again. Overshadowed each holiday season by the IIHF World Juniors, the Spengler does boast some high calibre hockey. The tournament, held each season in Davos, Switzerland, starts on December 26 and features six teams this season. Participating this year will be Canada, HC Davos, Kloten Flyers (Switzerland), Dinamo Riga (KHL), HC Vitkovice (Czech Republic) and EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams (Germany).

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5 OHL Grads On Team Canada At 2012 Spengler Cup

1940-41 O-Pee-Chee: The Last Set Before The Hockey Card Dark Ages

In 1940, Canada was fully involved in World War II. O-Pee-Chee had produced a hockey card series on a fairly regular basis throughout the 1930′s. For 1940-41, O-Pee-Chee would produce their last series until 1968-69. The hockey card market would enter its ‘dark ages’ when no major sets were produced until Parkhurst came along for 1951-52.

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1940-41 O-Pee-Chee: The Last Set Before The Hockey Card Dark Ages

What if Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux Never Played in the NHL?

There’s no question that the National Hockey League’s record books are dominated by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Between the two, they own the top 12 single season performances in total assists, the top 13 point totals and three of the top four goal totals. What if neither had existed? What would the record books look like today?

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What if Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux Never Played in the NHL?

The OHL's Plymouth Whalers at the Robertson Cup

Since joining the Ontario Hockey League in 1990-91 as the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors, the Plymouth Whalers franchise has enjoyed more than their fair share of playoff success. Twice when they were known as the Detroit Junior Red Wings and three times as the Plymouth Whalers, the franchise has made it through to the Robertson Cup finals. On two occasions, the team won it all to earn a berth at the Memorial Cup tournament.

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The OHL's Plymouth Whalers at the Robertson Cup

Plymouth Whalers Alumni – Where Are They In 2011-12?

The Plymouth Whalers franchise dates back to the 1990-91 Ontario Hockey League season. The began as the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors, transforming to the Junior Red Wings before becoming the Whalers. The team really is ‘America’s Team’ in the OHL, having gone to the Robertson Cup finals three times since 2000 and winning once. The Whalers went to the 2007 Memorial Cup, losing to the host Vancouver Giants in the semi-finals. The Giants went on to be crowned Memorial Cup champions.

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Plymouth Whalers Alumni – Where Are They In 2011-12?

3 30-Something Ontario Hockey League Alumni on DEL’s Iserlohn Roosters

With the exception of 2007-08, when they were ousted in the Quarter-Finals, the Iserlohn Roosters of Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) have failed to make the post-season in each season since 2000-01. Things don’t look much brighter in 2011-12 with the team struggling in eleventh position in the fourteen team league. On the team are three hockey veterans and alumni of the Ontario Hockey League. All three played in the 1990′s. One actually started at the end of the 1980′s.

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3 30-Something Ontario Hockey League Alumni on DEL’s Iserlohn Roosters

4 Must Read Articles About Hockey Cards!

4 Must Read Articles About Hockey Cards!
(Well… Maybe not must read!)
Here’s a few decent articles on Hockey Cards that I have posted at Factoidz and Hubpages. Click and take a look…
Is Your $1000 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card A Fake?
As with any collectible of value, eventually fakes will begin to circulate. The most valuable hockey card today is an O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card. It is valued at up to $1500 in mint condition. The highest price it has ever fetched to date is $80,000. Of course, there are many fakes out there. Read more

4 Must Read Articles About Hockey Cards!

Memorial Cup Champions From The OHL From The 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and 00′s

Over the past four decades, from 1970 to 2009, 13 teams from the Ontario Hockey League have gone on to become Memorial Cup champions. In the first decade, the league was represented by four champs and each of the following three, three OHL teams won the top prize.

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Memorial Cup Champions From The OHL From The 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and 00′s

Mike Danton is one of 4 (Possibly 5) OHL Grads on Orli Znojmo of Austria’s EBEL

Since the name ‘International Hockey League’ is no longer in use in North America, Austria’s elite Erste Bank Eishockey Liga might think about changing their name to just that. The eleven team EBEL is truly an international hockey league. Just six of the eleven teams are based in Austria for 2011-12. There are two teams in Slovenia and one each in Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic. Halfway through the 54 game regular season schedule, the team is currently tied for ninth in the EBEL.

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Mike Danton is one of 4 (Possibly 5) OHL Grads on Orli Znojmo of Austria’s EBEL

10 Must-Have Bobby Orr Hockey Cards

After a stellar four year junior career with the OHA’s Oshawa Generals from 1962-63 to 1965-66, Bobby Orr took his revolutionary style of offensive minded defensive play to the National Hockey League. He lasted just ten years with the Boston Bruins and 26 games over two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks before injuries cut his NHL career short. Yet, Bobby Orr is still considered, to this day, to be one of, if not the, greatest defenseman to play the game of hockey.

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10 Must-Have Bobby Orr Hockey Cards

3 Memorial Cup Champs From The OHL In The 2000's

Ontario Hockey League teams did in the first decade of the new millennium as they did over the past two decades. OHL teams won the Memorial Cup on three occasions. With 60 teams spread over three leagues competing for the ultimate major junior hockey prize, the odds are pretty high of teams from each league winning three times in a ten year span.

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3 Memorial Cup Champs From The OHL In The 2000's

Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita: The Dynamic Duo That Dominated The NHL In The 1960's

Batman and Robin weren’t the only dynamic duo in the 1960’s. Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita dominated the National Hockey League for the whole ten years that made up the ‘Decade of Love’. Hull and Mikita made sure that the Chicago Black Hawks were represented each and every year in the scoring race. More often than not, one of the two won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top point getter.

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Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita: The Dynamic Duo That Dominated The NHL In The 1960's

1974-75 NHL Season By The Numbers

The 1974-75 National Hockey League season featured the Philadelphia Flyers finishing first overall and winning their second Stanley Cup championship in a row. It would be the end of a great run for the Broad Street Bullies as the following season would see the Montreal Canadiens enter their dynasty of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

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1974-75 NHL Season By The Numbers

Philadelphia Flyers Scoring Records

When the Philadelphia Flyers joined the National Hockey League in 1967-68, along with five other teams, it was the St. Louis Blues that were the first of the expansion teams to enjoy playoff success. The Blues went to the Stanley Cup finals in their first three years of existence. However, it was the Flyers that were first to win the Cup in 1973-74. The records for most goals and most assists still stand from those early Broad Street Bullies days. The record for most points was broken nearly two decades later.

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Philadelphia Flyers Scoring Records

Why Is Adam Oates Not In The Hockey Hall Of Fame?

Just as much an injustice as Rogie Vachon not being in the Hockey Hall of Fame is the fact that Adam Oates has been denied. Oates is one of the best set-up men in the history of the game and had an outstanding career despite not winning any major awards or the Stanley Cup.

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Why Is Adam Oates Not In The Hockey Hall Of Fame?

Ontario Hockey League Grads Swap NHL Teams

On Monday, Ontario Hockey League Alumni Mark Fraser and Kurtis Foster were involved in a trade between the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks. Fraser moves to the Ducks and Foster goes to New Jersey. Both are big, stay at home defensemen with Foster having the edge in National Hockey League experience.

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Ontario Hockey League Grads Swap NHL Teams

7 Stars Who Played For The California Golden Seals

The Califonia Golden Seals existed in the National Hockey League for just a short nine year span from 1967-68 to 1975-76. Originally dubbed the Oakland Seals, the team was one of six expansion teams to enter the NHL for the 1967-68 season. Despite the fact that their nine years were nothing more than dismal, several decent players passed through the organization.

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7 Stars Who Played For The California Golden Seals

NHL's Buffalo Sabres by the Numbers

The Buffalo Sabres, the most consistent National Hockey League team in the Toronto Region over the past 40 years, has enjoyed a storied history in a professional ‘small market’. Although the team has never taken home the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup, every new year is a possibility with the product the Sabres put on the ice. Take a glance at the history of the Buffalo Sabres, by the numbers.

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NHL's Buffalo Sabres by the Numbers

From Falcons to Spirit - The Chronology of an Ontario Hockey League Franchise

The St. Catherines Falcons began play in the Ontario Hockey Association for the 1943-44 season. The team enjoyed moderate success for the four years they were dubbed the Falcons but have no accolades to show for it. The franchise played out of Garden City Arena in St. Catherines which is the same outdated rink that the current Niagara IceDogs call home.

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From Falcons to Spirit - The Chronology of an Ontario Hockey League Franchise

Oreskovic or Oreskovich – It’s All OHL History

I remember being at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto a few years back and being a little confused during a game between the Marlies and the Rochester Americans. It was Oreskovic versus Oreskovich and I, quite frankly couldn’t remember which one was which.

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Oreskovic or Oreskovich – It’s All OHL History

Hull & Oates: The Individual Scoring Records of the NHL's St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues were one of six teams that entered the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season, increasing the league in size from six to twelve teams. The team’s individual records for most goals, assists and points were all set in 1990-91 and remain as high marks today.

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Hull & Oates: The Individual Scoring Records of the NHL's St. Louis Blues

The 4 Ontario Teams Victorious at the Memorial Cup in the 1970's

In the 1970’s, the Memorial Cup became strict property of major junior hockey in Canada. Previously, the format had potentially included any ‘Junior A’ team in the country. Four times during the decade, a team from Ontario was victorious at the Memorial Cup tournament. Each year, one team from each of the three major junior leagues in Canada competed for the ultimate prize. Interestingly, in each of the Ontario victories, the Ontario representative played possum in the round robin, winning one and losing one. In fact, three of the four years, all three teams ended the round robin with 1 and 1 records.

The 4 Ontario Teams Victorious at the Memorial Cup in the 1970's

3 Ontario Hockey League Teams Crowned Memorial Cup Champs in the 1980's

With the champions of three league’s competing each year for the Memorial Cup (plus one additional team from the host league), over a decade the odds are that each league will win three times. For the Ontario Hockey League during the 1980’s, it was just that. Interestingly, the Cornwall Royals won the Memorial Cup in 1980 and 1981 but didn’t move from the QMJHL to the OHL until the following season.

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3 Ontario Hockey League Teams Crowned Memorial Cup Champs in the 1980's

The 3 OHL Teams To Win The Memorial Cup In The 1990's

Each year, the champions from each of the three leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey League meet to determine Canada’s top major junior hockey team. The host league of the Memorial Cup enters two teams to make it a four team tournament. In the 1990’s, three teams from the Ontario Hockey League were crowned Memorial Cup champions. Each year during the decade that an OHL team won, it was on home turf. Interestingly, the representative from the QMJHL in each of the three seasons was the Laval / Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

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The 3 OHL Teams To Win The Memorial Cup In The 1990's

The 5 OHL Grads From Team Canada at the 2005 World Juniors

In 2005, the Ontario Hockey League provided just five players to Team Canada for the IIHF World Juniors. Those five players played a major role in Canada winning its first Gold Medal since 1997. The victory sparked a streak of five consecutive golds. All five are still active in professional hockey with four in the National Hockey League and one in the AHL. Four of the five were first round picks at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Three were team captains of the OHL clubs.

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The 5 OHL Grads From Team Canada at the 2005 World Juniors

Tops of Topps

Topps entered the hockey card market for the 1954-55 National Hockey League season. From the start, Topps produced cards with players from the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks. Parkhurst featured players from the other three teams, Montreal, Toronto and Boston.

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Tops of Topps

The Retired Numbers of the London Knights

The London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League have produce literally hundreds of National Hockey League players since their inception as the London Nationals for the 1965-66 season. Countless others have gone on to play professionally in the lower North American leagues (AHL, ECHL, CHL, IHL, etc.) and in Europe. Of all these players, the Knights to date have selected just five players deemed great enough to have their jersey numbers retired and raised to the rafters of the John Labatt Centre.

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The Retired Numbers of the London Knights

Montreal Canadiens Scoring Records

The origins of the Montreal Canadiens date back to 1909, yet the team’s individual scoring records for goals, assists and points in a single season were all set in the four year span between 1974-75 and 1977-78. Two of the three players that hold the records are now members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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Montreal Canadiens Scoring Records

Chicago Blackhawks: First Overall and the Stanley Cup Don't Go Hand in Hand

The National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks are a prime example that a great regular season doesn’t always correlate to a great Stanley Cup playoff run and vice versa. Chicago entered the NHL for the 1926-27 season. The team has won four Stanley Cups in that time and has finished first overall on three occasions.

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Chicago Blackhawks: First Overall and the Stanley Cup Don't Go Hand in Hand

1970-71: The National Hockey League's Breakout Year

1970-71 marked the year the offensive flood gates opened in National Hockey League arenas. In no other venue, did this take place like it did at the Boston Garden. The Boston Bruins put pucks into the net at an alarming rate. However, an amazing regular season did not equate to playoff success for the boys in black and yellow.

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1970-71: The National Hockey League's Breakout Year

Chicago Blackhawks Single Season Individual Scoring Records

It’s been 23 years since the Chicago Blackhawks single season record for goals, assists or points has been re-written. The Blackhawks may not be the Edmonton Oilers or Pittsburgh Penguins when it comes to these individual records, by the numbers are quite respectable.

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Chicago Blackhawks Single Season Individual Scoring Records

A Minimalist’s Hockey Card Collection

Minimalism is all the rage right now in our society. People everywhere are realizing that they don’t own possessions. In fact, the revolutionary idea is that possessions own them. I tend to agree. However, I have no intentions of eliminating all but 99 pieces of ‘stuff’. It did get me thinking, though, if I could have a collection of only 20 hockey cards but they could be any NHL cards, what would my collection consist of?

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A Minimalist’s Hockey Card Collection

Ontario Hockey League Grad is SPHL’s 2010-11 MVP

An Ontario Hockey League grad was the Southern Professional Hockey League’s most valuable player in 2010-11, the SPHL’s seventh season of existence. Matt Auffrey led the first year Augusta RiverHawks to a second overall finish and a trip to the President’s Cup finals. Augusta bowed out to the Mississippi Surge in three games (best of five series).

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Ontario Hockey League Grad is SPHL’s 2010-11 MVP

Hockey Trivia 73 – Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens | Sportales

For nearly seventy years, Maple Leaf Gardens was the home of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The arena, known in short as MLG, was also home to several other teams over the years in the sports of indoor soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Test and expand your hockey knowledge of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens with the following four hockey trivia questions.Read more: http://sportales.com/hockey/hockey-trivia-73-torontos-maple-leaf-gardens/#ixzz1fiMweNqv

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Hockey Trivia 73 – Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens Sportales

7 Keys To The 1931-32 National Hockey League Season

1931-32 marked the fifteenth season of the National Hockey League. A long, long way from the game that is played in thirty NHL cities today, 1931-32 still leaves us with some timeless names like Howie Morenz, King Clancy, Babe Siebert and Busher Jackson. What follows are seven keys to the 1931-32 NHL season.

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7 Keys To The 1931-32 National Hockey League Season

4 Hartford Whalers in the Hockey Hall of Fame

I can hear Hartford Whalers fans crying foul at the title of this article, already. Indeed, there were six Hockey Hall of Fame members that skated for the Whalers but two didn’t stay long enough to work in their blades.

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4 Hartford Whalers in the Hockey Hall of Fame

Ontario Hockey League Grads 1-2 In Italy’s LIHG Scoring Race

Going into this weekend’s action in Italy’s Lega Italiana Hockey su Ghiaccio, Ontario Hockey League alumni held the numbers one and two spots in the scoring race. At nearly the halfway point of the 40 game 2011-12 LIHG season, David Ling and Rob Hennigar are knotted at 34 points apiece. Ling holds a one goal edge in goals but has played one more game than Hennigar. Both are four points ahead of third place. OHL grads Dan Tudin and Adam Henrich also find themselves in the league’s top 20.

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Ontario Hockey League Grads 1-2 In Italy’s LIHG Scoring Race

5 Ottawa 67's Have Been The CHL Player Of The Year

The Ottawa 67’s entered the Ontario Hockey League (then the OHA) for the 1967-68 season. The team has produced many great players in the over forty years since, largely due to the leadership of Brian Kilrea.

In the history of the Ottawa 67’s, there have been five players honoured as the Player of the Year in the Canadian Hockey League. Considering there are now 60 teams in the CHL and one team has provided the most outstanding player five times in 40+ years, it says a lot about the organization.

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5 Ottawa 67's Have Been The CHL Player Of The Year

Maple Leaf Gardens Parkhurst Hockey (Rookie) Card

The Toronto Maple Leafs moved into their new home, the Maple Leaf Gardens, for the 1931-32 National Hockey League season. MLG took just six months to build and was the venue for a Toronto Stanley Cup victory in April of 1932. In 1955, the arena got its rookie card in the form of the 1955-56 Parkhurst #79 hockey card.

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Maple Leaf Gardens Parkhurst Hockey (Rookie) Card

3 Ontario Hockey League Grads Among the Top 4 Scorers in Germany’s DEL

Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) is nearing the halfway point of its 52 game 2011-12 season and three Ontario Hockey League grads can be found among the league’s top four point-getters. All three players are members of Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg is currently placed fourth in the fourteen team league. Last season, Grizzly Adams was first overall during the regular season and lost in the playoff finals.

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3 Ontario Hockey League Grads Among the Top 4 Scorers in Germany’s DEL