NHL Historical Replay

[George_Bell]

The first game of the finals isn’t a blowout, but it could have been. Toronto outshoots the Blues 47-9, and get 2 goals from Jean Ratelle. Blues goalie Cesare Maniago is magnificent. St. Louis, trailing by 3 entering the 3rd, are outshot in the final frame 25-1, but Maniago does not allow another goal. Toronto wins 3-0. Maniago is again fantastic, holding Toronto to just 1 goal on 43 shots in game two. Andy Bathgate would be the man that gets the goal. Jacques Plante however did not allow a goal for the 4th straight game. He makes 15 saves. Toronto wins it 1-0.


Maniago played well enough to steal two games, the Blues didn't get a single goal however.

The Blues finally get on the scoreboard in game three. They are trailing 2-0 when it happens though. Garry Monahan has the first Blues goal in cup history. Toronto responds with 2 goals right after and carry a 4-1 lead into the third. St. Louis outscores the Leafs 2-1 in the final frame, their best period, but they still only manage 9 shots on net all game, and fall 5-3. Game four opens with a Jean Ratelle short handed goal. Garry Monahan would tie it 2 minutes later, but Brian Smith gave Toronto the lead in the final seconds of the first. It was a lead the Leafs would not relinquish. Toronto adds two more, and coast to a easy 4-1 win. Leafs sweep the series to win the Stanley Cup!

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

1968 NHL Offseason News and Notes

I forgot to screenshot the skater, goalie leaders and playoff leaders. Terrible. They are gone forever!



Jean Ratelle doesn’t win the Hart Trophy, and doesn’t even get named to a post season all star team. Phil Esposito takes the league MVP. Chicago finished in 5th place…….

Terry Sawchuk rightfully wins the Gardiner Award though, and the Leafs have budding star Arnie Brown take the Conn Smythe and the Norris!



Pierre Pilote, after a horrible year for his Red Wings, has decided to retire at the age of 36. Pilote will go down as one of the greatest of all time. Pilote won 6 Norris Trophies. His 648 points is 2nd all time among defenseman. In honour of his career, I have decided to rename the Norris Trophy the Pilote Trophy. It belonged to him so often, it makes sense. The Detroit Red Wings will retire Pilote’s number 26!



The draft age has been changed again, this time, it’s lowered to 19. The Minnesota North Stars hold down the first pick and get a franchise defenseman. Brad Park is already a 4 star player. He’s easily the best player available, and his presence alone should give the North Stars a good chance at the playoffs next season. There competition in the west shouldn't be that tough.





The Hockey Hall of Fame has inducted Doug Harvey. The defenseman had a wonderful and long career playing in Boston. He's the all-time leader in points by a defenseman, but never won a individual award during his career. Still, he takes his place among his peers in the hall of fame!



The Penguins have already changed their logo and uniforms.

[George_Bell]

1968-69 NHL Season Preview





Top Player



20 year old Bobby Orr is the top rated player in the NHL. He edges out Keon, Esposito and Mahovlich!

Top Goalie



Vachon got a lot better really quickly. He doesn't have the results to warrant this spot, but ratings wise, he's better then everyone!

[George_Bell]

1968-69 NHL Regular Season

The season starts off with Chicago trading a excellent young player for a vet, and a goalie they do not need.



Pete Mahovlich, Frank’s younger brother is a 22 year old, second year player, who had 29 points in his rookie year. Hes a 3/3.5 star player, who looks like a sure fire top line player soon. Chicago gives him up to acquire Rangers starting goalie Ed Giacomin and long time Ranger Alex Delvecchio. Delvecchio is a nice addition today, but tomorrow that will hurt. He had 68 points last year, but that was his highest output by far in the last 7 years. Giacomin had a 1.94 GAA and a .908 SP over 62 games for the Rangers last year. He now slots behind Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall and Ken Dryden in Chicago…so straight to the minors. The Rangers have cleared the way in their crease for Bernie Parent.


The youngest Mahovlich heads to NY

What a October for Terry Sawchuk. Back in the starting roll, Sawchuk plays 6 of Toronto’s 7 games, going 5-0-1, with 4 shutouts, and just 3 goals allowed!! In his late 30’s, Sawchuk is playing as good as anyone has ever tended net!! He has 20 shutouts in his last 70 games!


Sawchuk is dominating!

Terry Sawchuk follows up his October with an even better November. He goes 10-1-2, with 7 more shutouts!! Sawchuk can’t be scored on!! Jacques Plante has allowed 9 goals in his 3 games this year. Sawchuk has allowed 12, in 18 games!!! Here is a look at the Leafs roster that is making it impossible to score goals on. They are really good, but only one 5 star guy, it looks like just the right mix!!


thumbnail

Minnesota is building a defense!!



The North Stars have acquired young defenseman Serge Savard, for young forward Brit Selby. First off, Selby is a decent, 3rd liner, who can chip in a bit, but has limitations. The North Stars get a former 2nd overall pick, who at 22, is playing in his 2nd season. Savard has 3.5 star potential, and that should go up as he keeps playing. Savard joins Brad Park to form a potential star tandem on the North Stars blue line. Great deal for Minny!


Savard is a North Star!

40 year old Gordie Howe’s season has come to an end after 39 games. Mr. Hockey suffered a fractured vertebrae in his neck that will sideline him until the summer. Howe had 23 goals and 15 assists at the time of his injury. This is the first serious injury Howe has suffered in 13 years. I can’t see the Wings coming close to making the playoff without their star! Just before the injury, Howe scored his 700th goal!! He currently has 180 more goals then 2nd place Jean Beliveau. In real life, Gordie scored 801 in the NHL. Can he get there?


How many more will Howe score?

Jean Ratelle’s LONG TIME record of 111 points is about to fall! Stan Mikita has 103 points with 13 games left to play. The 3 time Hart winner also has 67 assists, putting him 8 behind Ratelle’s 75 last year. The Rangers star has been doing this without much help from Bobby Orr, whose been limited to 29 games. Orr’s season is over after tearing an elbow ligament.


Record Breaker!

Terry Sawchuk has just broken the single season shutout record with his 20th blank sheet of the season. Former Leaf John Ross Roach had 19 shutouts in 1926/27. I am very curious as to who will be Toronto’s goalie for the playoffs….

Final Standings



Toronto sets a new single season win and points record with 61 wins and 127 points. Again, every team from the east outpoints every team from the west. The West looks worse off this year then last year.

My prediction of Minnesota making the playoffs almost came true, but they still suck bad!



Stan Mikita sets the NHL record for points, 123 and assists, 77 in a single season.

Terry Sawchuk set the NHL record for wins in a season, 51, GAA, 1.07, and shutouts, 27! Rogie Vachon set the NHL record for losses in a season with 40!

Pete Mahovlich plays 75 games in New York and finishes with 77 points! Alex Delvecchio gets 35 points in Chicago, while Ed Giacomin played 6 games for the Dallas Blackhawks, and 4 games for Chicago before suffering a season ending injury. Not a good deal for Chicago.

[enf91]

I really wish I knew why the game is making the Blackhawks obsess over goalies. Want to ask a dev?

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by enf91

I really wish I knew why the game is making the Blackhawks obsess over goalies. Want to ask a dev?

I think the way teams have treated goalies in the 50+ years of this is very weird at times, and needs to be addressed, but i didn't get a response when i wrote about Sawchuk's benching, so i imagine it isn't an issue for them

[George_Bell]

1969 NHL Playoffs

Round 1

East

Don Marcotte got a hat trick leading Toronto to the early series lead. NY fights back and take a 3-1 advantage in the series when Syl Apps Jr scores in overtime of game four. That same game, Bobby Hull tore his rotator cuff and is out until training camp. Stan Mikita completes the upset with a overtime goal in game 5. The champs are out. Jacques Plante, who played 11 games this season, started every playoff game. Ridiculous.



Montreal’s George Gardner allowed just 3 goals in the Habs 4 game sweep of the Blackhawks. Dave Keon and Bob Nevin combined for 10 points, while Chicago star Phil Esposito had a single assist.



West

St Louis out shot Oakland 52-9 in the opener, but Seals goalie Carl Wetzel kept it a game, finally losing 2-1. Oakland responds with three straight overtime wins. Glen Sather, amazingly, scored all three winners! The Seals close out the series with a lop sided 6-2, game six win. The defending west champs are out. Oakland advances to the West final for the 2nd straight year!



The Kings and Flyers go back and forth, back and forth all series. LA wins games 1,3 and 5, while Philly wins games 2 and 4. It wasn’t until LA’s 4-0 win in game 6 that a team won two in a row. The Kings, behind 8 points from Claude Larose, win their first playoff series, and will engage Oakland in the first battle of California!



Round 2

East Final
Montreal vs New York

Vic Hadfield has a goal and an assist, and Ted Harris scored the winning goal late in the third. Montreal wins game one, 4-2. Nick Libbet and Stan Mikita respond for New York, getting them infront 2-0. It’s 3-0 before Montreal gets on the board, but the Rangers hold on to tie the series with a 4-1 win.


Hadfield lead Montreal to a game one victory!

Tied at one in the third, Bob Nevin and Yvan Cornoyer get goals that give Montreal a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. 3-1 Habs win game three. NY doesn’t show in game four. Jacques Lemaire gets 3 goals, while George Gardner is called on to make only 13 saves. 6-0 Montreal, putting them a game away from another finals appearance.


Lemaire with the game four hat trick!

Dennis Hull would score 41 seconds into the third period to give Montreal a 2-1 lead. Walt Tkaczuk would add the all important insurance marker at the 17:46 mark, which is needed as the Rangers get a goal with 15 seconds left. One goal too few for NY. Montreal wins 3-2, and take the series in 5!



West Final
Oakland vs LA

Gord Labossiere scored late in the third to break the tie and give Oakland a 2-1 win in game one. LA followed that same script in game 2, getting the winning goal from Robin Burns late. 2-1 Kings tie the
series.


Burns gets LA their first series win!

Game 3 is a interesting game penalty wise. After no calls in the opening period, LA finds them selves short 4 straight times in the 2nd, with Oakland taking advantage twice. The Seals then take 4 straight minors in the third, but the Kings can’t score. That was the difference in a 3-1 Oakland win. Bruce MacGregor had 3 points, and the Seals led 3-0 in game four before Ted Hampson would score for LA. The Kings would add another, but Glen Sather put the game away late. 4-2 Oakland.


MacGregor is the first star of game four!

Bruce MacGregor had another 3 points, Bobby Baun dished out 3 assists, and Rene Robert scored two power play goals. Oakland dominates from start to finish. 7-2 Seals. Oakland is going to the Stanley Cup!!

[George_Bell]

Montreal should crush the Seals. Lets be honest here. The talent level of these teams isn't close. Montreal won more games this season then Oakland has ever won. Bruce MacGregor has turned it on for the playoffs though, giving Oakland a 2nd scoring threat with Glen Sather. I just don't see them winning a game here. The Habs are too strong.

[Rayzor]

Go Seals

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by Rayzor

Go Seals

Would be quite the upset!!

[George_Bell]

Yikes, Tom Webster had 2 goals and 2 assists. Montreal led 5-1 after period, and coasted to a lopsided 8-1 win in the opening game of the finals. Yvan Cournoyer scored twice in the first period of game two. Murray Oliver collected 3 assists, and Montreal steamrolls Oakland again, this time 6-1!


Webster's 4 point night got the series started right for the Habs!

Gord Labossiere scored early in the 2nd period, to tie the game at 1! It’s the first time other then 0-0 Oakland has not bee trailing in the series. It didn’t last long though, as Jacques Lemaire got his 4th of the playoffs a few minutes later. Montreal would hold the Seals to 8 shots, and score three times in the third for another 6-1 win. Game 4 was over before it began. Vic Hadfield scored 17 seconds in. Then Yvon Cournoyer would assist on 3 more first period markers. The game was already over. Montreal gets a third straight 6-1 win to complete the sweep!

[George_Bell]

[croatian]

This is 13th title for Habs ? In real life they had 16 by 1969., it is going to be interesting to see if they can match their real life record by 1993.

[Nickphillies]

Holy crap that Final wasn't even close

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by croatian

This is 13th title for Habs ? In real life they had 16 by 1969., it is going to be interesting to see if they can match their real life record by 1993.

14th!

[George_Bell]

1969 NHL Offseason News and Notes

Here are the skating leaders for last season



Here are the goalie leaders for last season



Here are the playoff leaders



Stan Mikita rightfully wins the Hart Trophy. He set a league record for points and assists in a single season. Last year, when Jean Ratelle did that, he wasn’t recognized at all. Terry Sawchuk, fresh off his 2nd straight playoff benching, wins his 2nd straight Gardiner Award, while teammate Arnie Brown wins his 2nd straight Pilote Trophy!



Brad Park takes the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year with 35 points, and a game rating of 80. Fantastic for a rookie defenseman. Park’s game ratings was the 2nd highest in the whole league!



George Armstrong, Claude Provost, Kenny Wharram, and our old friend, Marcel Pelletier have all retired from the NHL. Armstrong and Provost both have a shot at the Hall of Fame. Pelletier will be remembered for his amazing run with Detroit, where he battled with Johnny Bower for playing time. After leaving Detroit, he never got a starting spot again!

Red Kelly and Allan Stanley are both inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Red Kelly started his career and Boston on defense, and after his trade to Montreal, moved to forward, which is probably the beginning of Montreal's great run of cup finals, then cup wins. Allan Stanley who was traded many times in his career, had 3 different stints in Chicago. He was wanted by everyone. A very reliable defenseman. Both are among the more underrated players in NHL history.



The Pittsburgh Penguins have the first pick in the NHL draft, and their choice probably won't make real life Flyer fans too happy!



Bobby Clarke, whose career played in Philly in real life, is now the Penguins best player. Clarke is a little underrated compared to what i expected, but he should get better with playing time. It's a fairly deep draft class, with a bunch guys who should help western division quickly. Those teams need that!



No logo or significant jersey changes this year. The NHL has announced that it will expand again after the 1969-70 season. Two new teams will join the league, and a realignment will occur. Stay tuned!

[Rayzor]

WOW.....Terry Sawchuk 27 SO

[Nickphillies]

Clarke in a Pens jersey.....

[enf91]

I'd say "HERESY!" but Clarke was also drafted by the Pens in my Philly Challenge. I traded for him the next year.