Welcome to the August mailbag! Are we in for some oddities? (Checks actual headlines.) It certainly looks that way. Let’s dive in.
Note: Submitted questions have been revised for clarity and style.
In a seven-game series, who comes out on top: The team that just claimed the Stanley Cup, or the best team that failed to qualify for the playoffs, assuming the series starts the day after the Cup win, the challenger is fully healthy, rested, and ready, and the champions aren’t aware of the series until that morning? — Ben D.
Firstly, this is among the most intriguing questions this mailbag has ever received. However, to fully address it, we need to clarify the stakes involved. Without that, the straightforward response would be that “The champs just won the Cup, so they couldn’t care less about losing every game 10-0 and wouldn’t even bother trying.”
Here’s what’s on the line: The champions are made aware that the Cup is at stake, and if they lose the series, their victory is erased from history. That should grab their attention. Essentially, this kind of feeling.
Now, let’s analyze the match-up. On one side, we have the champions, who are tired, banged up, and likely experiencing a hangover. On paper, they are significantly superior. But does that advantage compensate for facing a well-rested and healthy team, even if that team might be a bit out of sync?
Initially, the answer is no. It’s safe to say the champions would likely suffer a major defeat in Game 1. While playing with a severe hangover was somewhat of a skill back in the 1980s, today’s pampered players aren’t accustomed to it. Honestly, I would wager the challengers would manage to sweep the first two games quite effortlessly.
After that, though… I mean, pride has to come into play, right? If we apply some real-world logic to this absurd hypothetical, the champions are going to be seriously annoyed that someone is attempting to seize the trophy they just fought so hard to win. I’d imagine you’d witness a tremendous underdog mentality, as the champions pour their all into the game to safeguard their legacy.
What follows? Ultimately, it’s still hockey, so it likely boils down to which goalie performs better. I’m inclined to believe that would be the champions, because if the challengers had solid goaltending, they would have been in the playoffs. However, it would undoubtedly be a fierce battle, and I’m completely on board with making this match-up a reality.
Do you know the context behind Gretzky’s somewhat famous saying “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take?”
I see that quote referenced often, but I have never encountered a video or record of when Gretzky actually stated it. — Adam W.
I’ll confess that I didn’t know the details, so I did some research and unearthed two interesting facts about perhaps the most iconic hockey quote that has morphed into inspirational advice and even a running joke in The Office.
First of all, just like with many notable elements from that time, we can likely credit Bob McKenzie. Most references cite that the original quote appeared in a 1983 article Bob wrote for “The Hockey News.”
Perhaps more interestingly, Gretzky didn’t originate the quote! He borrowed it. He only revealed that years later. The phrase actually came from his father, Walter. So make sure to update your Michael Scott memes accordingly.
What is the largest difference in jersey numbers between a goal and an assist? For purposes of this question, let’s exclude goalies. — Alex E.
Excluding goalies eliminates all players wearing No. 1, which simplifies our answer: The largest differential would be 97, resulting from a player in jersey 99 and another in jersey 2.
In fact, this scenario has occurred multiple times in the NHL, and not just involving Gretzky.
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Two additional players, Wilf Paiement of Toronto and Rick Dudley of Winnipeg, briefly donned the number 99 during their careers. Paiement first wore it the same year Gretzky entered the NHL, sparking speculation about whether he could score the first 97-gap goal in league history ahead of Gretzky. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case — Paiement scored a goal while wearing 99, aided by Ian Turnbull in number 2, on January 5, 1980. However, this occurred a few weeks after Gretzky had already netted a goal with assistance from Edmonton’s No. 2, Lee Fogolin, on November 13, 1979.
Another interesting aspect to consider is that we can categorize this as one of those unbreakable records, especially since the number 99 is now retired across the league until players start wearing 1. This leads me to ponder what the last 97-gap goal would have looked like. It turns out the answer is quite interesting — it took place on April 18, 1999, when Gretzky assisted on a goal scored by Brian Leetch in a 2-1 overtime defeat against the Penguins. This moment holds significance as it was Gretzky’s final game and also marked the last point of his illustrious career.
Regarding the largest gap among active players, it currently lies between Connor McDavid of Edmonton (97) and Evan Bouchard (2), a connection that occurred approximately 40 times during this year’s playoffs.
P.K. Subban has been retired for a couple of years, and it appears Mark Giordano is also finished. Do either of them join Randy Carlyle in the category of ‘Norris Trophy winner who doesn’t make the Hall of Fame’?
I checked Hockey Reference and found that Giordano has appeared in 41 NHL playoff games. Marcel Dionne participated in only 49 playoff contests, yet he boasts two Pearsons on his resume. Is 49 the minimum number of playoff games for a Hall of Famer from the expansion era? — Gordon W.
Personally, I doubt either player will make the Hall, although Subban has a slim chance. He has a Norris Trophy and two additional seasons as a finalist, setting him a step above Carlyle, who lacks any other top-five finishes. Giordano doesn’t have those accolades either, so it would be surprising to see him inducted, though the Hall’s secretive committee keeps things unpredictable.
As for the modern Hall of Famer with the fewest playoff games played, let’s disregard players like Sergei Makarov (34) and Vaclav Nedomansky (7) who were admitted primarily for their international contributions. This leaves us with only one HHOF inductee who has played fewer games than Dionne’s 49, and the name may be unexpected.
(This line is solely here to give you a moment if you’d like to guess who it is.)
The player is Paul Kariya, who participated in just 46 playoff games during his career. Nearly half of these came in 2003 when he and the Ducks played 21 games but lost in Game 7 of the Final. He only had one other significant playoff stint, which was in 1997 when his team competed in 11 games. Beyond that, his 15-year NHL career included just four other postseason appearances, often shortened by injury, totaling only 14 additional games.
How can I support my favorite team this season? I find it hard to trust this new management. The GM hasn’t made the moves I hoped for. The team might perform worse than last year, and the future is shrouded in uncertainty. How can I enjoy the regular season knowing it’s a Cup-or-Bust scenario? Help! — Mike H.
Before diving into that question, let’s play a quick round of “Wait, which team does Mike actually support?”
My initial guess is the Maple Leafs, as I’m a sportswriter and it seems everyone…
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Being a Leaf fan comes with its challenges. However, considering the hints we’ve been presented with—new management, insufficient improvement over the summer, and a Cup-or-bust attitude—we shouldn’t overlook teams like the Penguins, Rangers, and Hurricanes. One could even argue for the Predators or Capitals. There’s quite a bit of offseason tension circulating throughout the league right now, which is what I’m trying to convey.
The question at hand is an interesting one, albeit one for which I don’t have a definitive answer. The NHL, along with its broader fan base, is progressively embracing the notion that there’s only one Stanley Cup, rendering everyone else as failures. This perspective is exhilarating when your team comes out on top, offering a mix of glory and relief. Yet, for every other team, it’s not an ideal marketing strategy. It certainly makes the regular season feel like a futile exercise in time and attention.
At present, the season feels more like a six-month marathon aimed at splitting the league into two groups—playoff qualifiers and non-qualifiers—and little more. If you’re a team like Buffalo or Ottawa, where the primary goal is to compete for the playoffs, that’s commendable. However, if you already have a solid idea of which group your team is headed for, what’s the incentive to keep watching?
Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that it’s still hockey, which is inherently entertaining to watch. Should you obsessively track every single game? Perhaps not. Nonetheless, you can still appreciate the regular season and all its quirks as an amusing appetizer before the main playoff feast arrives (or doesn’t).
And Mike, if you genuinely consider yourself a Leaf fan, stick around for the next question.
Any comments on the Leafs’ low position in the front office confidence survey? — A few of you.
I anticipated the Leafs would rank poorly, although seeing them at 30 surprised me. It’s hard to dispute that, particularly after the front office announced its intention to “finally shake things up,” only to engage in the same routine of signing a few players as they always do.
Essentially, I believe Dom accurately summarized the situation in his article when he wrote: “A lot of what the Leafs do feels safe, boring and bland. It’s as if the decisions are made via a focus group to minimize risk—opt for a few singles instead of swinging for the fences.” I completely agree. The Shanaplan, which once felt genuinely bold or at least thrilling, has withered into a state of near paralysis, where passively accepting continuous failure seems to be favored over making decisions that could potentially result in mistakes. So yes, it’s understandable why patience has worn thin.
(It’s also important to mention that the fan base’s ranking was even lower than that of the general public, which I’m sure will be quickly overlooked by those “plan the parade” people convinced that all Maple Leaf fans are endlessly optimistic because they’ve never actually engaged with one.)
To reiterate, Brad Treliving had his opportunity to make a significant impact last year. Instead, he retained Mitch Marner, waited until William Nylander reached his absolute peak value to negotiate a large extension, and opted for a repeat performance. Following yet another postseason setback, dismantling the core this summer was always going to be a complicated task. For this team, that essentially meant it wasn’t worth even attempting.
So, the plan appears to be to go through one more year of this, hoping for a 2018 Capitals-style playoff run where eventually everything falls into place, or watch it all collapse again, leading to a round of firings next spring. Or perhaps not, since implementing significant changes is challenging, and this organization has stopped pursuing challenging paths.
That was a downer! The next question might be a similar sentiment, but I assure you we’ll return to the more lighthearted topics shortly after.
GO DEEPER
NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2024: How fans feel about every team
A team of extraterrestrials arrives on Earth. They plan to consume all humans unless an NHL team can defeat them in a single hockey game scheduled for this October. You have been designated as the coach and general manager of Team Earth (a stipulation specified by the aliens for some unknown reason).
Additionally: The aliens hold an intense aversion to the numbers 3, 8, and 9, which they perceive as offensive symbols in their culture. Consequently, you are prohibited from including any players with jersey numbers containing 3, 8, or 9. Attempting to alter any jersey numbers is futile; the aliens are fully aware of each player’s number and will not tolerate any changes!
Who will make up your starting six? — Eric D.
What the … why would you … what does it even … alright, let’s tackle this.
The aliens seem to be toying with us, feigning cultural offense regarding 3, 8, and 9 just to ensure we can’t select Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, or Auston Matthews, not to mention Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, or Leon Draisaitl.
Nevertheless, I’m willing to comply with the guidelines in the spirit of universal cooperation, as I am confident we can still assemble an all-star roster. For our defense, let’s consider Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. Oh wait, those numbers are 43 and 8, so that doesn’t work. How about Roman Josi? No, he sports number 58. Even Charlie McAvoy is off the list. Adam Fox doesn’t qualify either.
Forget the defense for now; let’s focus on forwards. We could potentially build around Nikita Kucherov, David Pastrnak, and Matthew Tkachuk, but unfortunately, we can’t use any of them. Instead, we’ll look to Jack Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, and Mikko Rantanen—and once again, it’s an 0-for-3 situation. Even last year’s breakout goal scorers like Sam Reinhart and Zach Hyman are ineligible. What about William Nylander? Brad Marchand? Connor Bedard? Nope, nope, and nope.
We could explore the goaltending options, but traditionally, most netminders wear numbers that begin with 3, which rules out Connor Hellebuyck, Igor Shesterkin, Thatcher Demko, and Ilya Sorokin. We also can’t use any players wearing number 29, such as Jake Oettinger, or those in the 40s or Andrei Vasilevskiy’s 88. Remember when every team had a goalie who wore number 1? We might need to return to that practice; otherwise, I fear we may be overrun by aliens for a hyperspace bypass.
Clearly, two things have become evident. First, Eric D. is likely an alien trying to complicate things for us, and second, this task is more challenging than anticipated. Nevertheless, we can still accomplish it, so here’s my final starting lineup.
Goalie: Juuse Saros (74)
Defense: Victor Hedman (77) and Miro Heiskanen (4)
Forwards: Aleksander Barkov (16), Artemi Panarin (10), and Elias Pettersson (40)
With Jeremy Swayman and Sergei Bobrovsky as backup options; Evan Bouchard and Drew Doughty lined up for defense; and J.T. Miller, Brayden Point, and Jason Robertson ready up front, we should be well-equipped.
Hey aliens, take that lineup and shove it right up your bright green 389s.
(Photo of Artemi Panarin grabbing Aleksander Barkov: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
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August Mailbag: Stanley Cup Scenarios, Gretzky’s Famous Quote, and Building a Team to Face Aliens
Stanley Cup Scenarios: What to Expect This Season
The Stanley Cup playoffs are one of the most thrilling times in the hockey calendar. As we dive into August, fans are buzzing with excitement about potential scenarios that could unfold as teams gear up for the next season. Below, we explore some key Stanley Cup scenarios to watch out for this upcoming season.
Top Contenders for the Stanley Cup
Here’s a quick look at the top teams expected to make a strong push for the Stanley Cup:
| Team | Last Season’s Finish | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | 1st in Central Division | Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3rd in Atlantic Division | Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 2nd in Atlantic Division | Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 1st in Pacific Division | Mark Stone, Jack Eichel |
Potential Playoff Matchups
The playoff format allows for some intriguing matchups. Here are a few scenarios fans are hoping to see:
- East vs. West Showdown: A potential matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche could be an exhilarating contest of skill and strategy.
- Classic Rivalries: The Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against the Montreal Canadiens always brings a heightened sense of competition.
- Surprise Upsets: Keep an eye on lower-seeded teams that could create chaos in the playoffs, reminiscent of the 2012 Los Angeles Kings.
Gretzky’s Famous Quote: “You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take”
No discussion of hockey would be complete without mentioning one of the sport’s most iconic figures: Wayne Gretzky. His famous quote, ”You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” resonates far beyond the rink, serving as a motivational mantra for athletes and non-athletes alike. Let’s break down its implications.
Understanding the Quote
This quote encapsulates the essence of taking risks in life. In sports, as in life, not attempting a shot or taking a chance can lead to missed opportunities. Here’s how we can apply this philosophy:
- In Sports: Players must seize every opportunity to score. The more shots taken, the higher the likelihood of success.
- In Life: Embracing opportunities in career and personal growth can lead to unexpected achievements.
Case Studies of Taking Shots
Here are notable instances in hockey where taking a chance led to success:
| Player | Season | Significant Shot Taken |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne Gretzky | 1981 | First 50-goal season in 39 games |
| Alex Ovechkin | 2016 | First player to reach 1,000 points in 1,000 games |
| Sidney Crosby | 2010 | Golden Goal in the Olympics |
Building a Team to Face Aliens: A Fun Hypothetical
In a quirky yet fun debate amongst fans, what if we had to build a hockey team to face aliens? This hypothetical scenario not only sparks creativity but also allows us to discuss what makes a great hockey team. Here are the key elements to consider:
Essential Skills for the Alien Showdown
- Speed: Players must be quick on their feet, capable of navigating the ice at high speeds.
- Skill Level: High-level stick handling and shooting accuracy are crucial, especially against unfamiliar opponents.
- Team Chemistry: A united team would enhance communication and playmaking abilities.
- Mental Toughness: Facing aliens might be intimidating, so a strong mindset would be essential.
Proposed Roster
Here’s a playful take on a dream team to challenge extraterrestrial opponents:
| Position | Player | Reason for Selection |
|---|---|---|
| Goalie | Dominik Hasek | Unorthodox style and quick reflexes. |
| Defenseman | Cale Makar | Exceptional skating and offensive instincts. |
| Forward | Wayne Gretzky | Unparalleled vision and playmaking ability. |
| Forward | Alex Ovechkin | Powerful shots and a knack for scoring. |
| Captain | Sidney Crosby | Leadership and clutch performance. |
Benefits of Analyzing Scenarios and Quotes
Delving into scenarios like the Stanley Cup playoffs or quotes from legends like Gretzky provides several benefits:
- Enhanced Understanding: Gaining insights into team dynamics and strategies.
- Motivation: Inspirational quotes can foster a positive mindset.
- Engagement: Fun exercises like building a team to face aliens stimulate creativity and conversation.
Practical Tips for Fans
As fans gear up for the hockey season, here are some practical tips to enhance your experience:
- Stay Informed: Follow team news and player stats to understand their progress and strategies.
- Engage with the Community: Join fan clubs or online forums to discuss scenarios and share opinions.
- Attend Games: Nothing beats the excitement of being in the arena for live hockey action.
First-Hand Experience: Insights from a Hockey Fan
As a long-time hockey fan, I’ve witnessed numerous Stanley Cup playoffs and have always found inspiration in Gretzky’s quote. Each game is a reminder of the importance of taking chances, whether it’s a player shooting for the goal or a fan voicing their opinion in discussions. The camaraderie among fans creates a passionate community where everyone shares the same love for the sport.
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