St. Louis Blues memories: Bernie Federko, their first super star

Bernie Federko was the first super star of the
St. Louis Blues, playing there much of the 1980s.
Source: https://www.athletepromotions.com/
speaker/bernie-federko/
(May be subject to copyright)

He was the St. Louis Blues’ first super star.

He holds several team and records but was largely unheralded by virtue of playing in anonymity in St. Louis. In fact, Wikipedia reveals he was voted the most overlooked talent in 1986.

Yet, he was a prolific playmaker with four 100-point seasons, more than 1,100 career points, at least 50 assists in 10 consecutive seasons, and 1,000 games played.

For his efforts, Bernie Federko was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

He was in my thoughts when St. Louis won their first ever Stanley Cup two years ago.

Prelude to success
Bernie Federko was taken seventh overall in the 1976 NHL Entry Draft after a stellar three-year career with the Saskatoon Blades of the then Western Canada Hockey League. He had 50 points in his first season then exploded for 39 goals and 68 assists for 107 points in his second season and an incredible 187 points in his third season with 115 assists and 72 goals. He added another 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points in the playoffs that season. He left Saskatoon holding the team record for assists. In his final year he led the league in assists and points in the regular season and playoffs. He was also named league most valuable player and a league all-star.

He did not join the St. Louis Blues right out of junior, but instead joined their Central Hockey League affiliate the Kansas City Blues for the 1976-1977. He would go on to be a league all-star and rookie of the year with 30 goals and 39 assists for 69 points.

After that he was St. Louis bound.

Federko got progressively better with the Blues as the1970s came to an end, with 23 points in his rookie season in 1976-1977 and 41 points in 1977-1978. Then he hit his stride with 95 points in 1978-1979 and 94 points in 1979-1980.

He was poised to break out and become an elite scorer at the dawn of the decade.

Decade of excellence
The remainder of Bernie Federko’s career spanned the 1980s, with his retirement at the end of the 1989-1990 season.

He started the decade with his first 100-plus point season in 1980-1981. It was obvious he was a playmaker, because he recorded 31 goals and 73 assists for 104 points.

The 1981-1982 season saw Federko score 30 goals and add 62 assists for 92 points, following that up with a similar season in 1982-1983 with 24 goals and 60 assists for 84 points.

His career peaked over the next three years, scoring more than 100 points in each season. In 1983-1984 he had a career high 107 points and a career high 41 goals, the only time in his career he hit the 40-goal mark. He added 66 assists that season. In 1984-1985 he had a career high 73 assists to go with 30 goals for 103 points. Then, in 1985-1986, he scored 34 goals and 68 assists for 102 points.

He would not hit the 100-point mark again, but he continued to perform at a high level with at least 20 goals and 45 assists in his final three seasons in St. Louis. In 1986-1987, 20 goals and 52 assists for 72 points, followed by 20 goals and 69 assists for 89 points in 1987-1988.

At the outset of the 19889-1989 season, Federko was named captain of the Blues after the retirement of Brian Sutter. That season, which would be his last in St. Louis, he recorded 22 goals and 45 assists for 67 points.

At the end of the season he and Tony McKegney were shipped to Detroit for Adam Oates and Paul McLean. He had 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points and retired at the end of the year.

He finished his career with exactly 1,000 games played recording 1,130 points on 369 goals and 761 assists.

Parting thoughts
Bernie Federko was the St. Louis Blues’ first super star. He finished his career with several club records that still stand. He holds St. Louis records for career points with 1,073; career assists with 721; career games played with 927; career playoff assists with 66; and shares the team record for assists in one game with five.

He was also the first NHL player to record at least 50 assists in 10 consecutive seasons.

The Blues retired his number 24 a year after he retired and he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. He was the first true St. Louis Blue Hall of Famer, having spent virtually all his time as a Blue.

He never won an NHL trophy nor was named to an all-star team, but his credentials speak for themselves.

The numbers he put up made Bernie Federko the Blues’ first super star.

St. Louis Blues memories: Brian Sutter, leadership personified

Brian Sutter was the captain of the St. Louis Blus for much of the 1980s.
Source: https://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/
SearchPlayerGallery.jsp?player=14489&photo=7
(May be subject to copyright)

He was the captain of the St. Louis Blues through the 1980s, but was just as well known for leading another team – his five brothers who also played in the NHL.

The Sutters left their mark on the NHL, and continue to do so, and it all started with Brian, oldest of the hockey-playing brothers and second oldest of seven boys.

When Alex Pietrangelo, the captain of the Blues, hoisted the Stanley Cup for St. Louis in 2019, my mind drifted back to the 1980s when it was Brian Sutter who wore the “C” and gave everything he had.

Breaking the trail
Brian Sutter started his career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, playing two years with the Red Deer Rustlers, then two years in the then Western Canada Hockey League with the Lethbridge Broncos.

This was the same path his five younger brothers would take to the NHL.

The St. Louis Blues took Sutter in the second round of the 1976 NHL Entry Draft. He played half a season in he minors with the Kansas City Blues before joining St. Louis and staying with the big club from 1976-1977 until injury forced him to retire at the conclusion of the1987-1988 season.

Spirit of St. Louis
Brian Sutter had one of his best statistical season in 1978-1979 with 41 goals and 39 assists for 80 points, but he provided much more to the team than offence.

He was named captain of the Blues in the 1979-1980 season. He brought the intangibles that made him a natural leader – effort, determination, hard work, guts, and tenacity.

His first year as captain he had 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points, following that up in 1980-1981 with 35 goals and 34 assists for 69 points.

Then he had four strong seasons of 74 or more points. In 1981-1982 he had 39 goals and 36 assists for 75 points, then had almost an identical season in 1982-1983 with 46 goals an 40 assists for 76 points.

Sutter followed in 1983-1984 with a career high 51 assists along with 32 goals for a career best 83 points. His production began to dip from then on. He had his last 74-plus point season in 1984-1985 with 37 goals and 37 assists for 74 points.

The 1985-1986 was marred by injury for Sutter, who only played 44 games, but still recorded 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points. However, the Blues had their most successful playoffs in the 1980s. They beat Minnesota in the first round then outlasted Toronto in seven games to win the Norris Division. They advanced to play Calgary in the Campbell Conference Final, which doubled as the Stanley Cup semi-final. Calgary seemed to take control early, taking a 3-1 series lead only to have the Blues mount a furious comeback and tie the series 3-3 before falling in the seventh and deciding game.

Sutter only played 14 games the following season, scoring three goals and adding three assists for six points. He wrapped up his career in 1987-1988 with 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in 76 games.

Brian Sutter retired from the NHL with a total of 303 goals and 333 assists in 779 games. He added 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points in 65 career playoff games.

Lethbridge memories
Brian Sutter was the first of the six brothers to play for the Lethbridge Broncos. Sadly, I never saw him play because I was too young, and we didn’t start going to Bronco games until a few years later. He and Darryl, the next youngest, are the only ones I did not see in Lehbridge. The other four – Duane, Brent, and twins Ron and Rich – I did see play. I always wished I had seen Brian play with the Broncos.

I did see him in a Broncos uniform though. One day on our farm I was cleaning out some newspapers from an outhouse we had and I spotted the sports section of The Lethbridge Herald. It was a publicity shot of the Broncos. Steve Tambellini, who would go on to be drafted by the New York Islanders and play for several teams, is sitting on the ice reading I think it was The Herald, while standing behind him were teammates Archie Henderson, Darcy Regier, goaltender Rollie Boutin and Brian Sutter. Most of those players had some time in the NHL.

Parting thoughts
Some people are just born leaders. They have those intangible qualities that make people want to follow them.

From an early age, Brian Sutter had those qualities. Whether it was because he was one of the oldest in a family of seven brothers, the fact he was raised on a farm and instilled with all those values of hard work, dedication, persistence, resiliency and so much more, or because he just had the personality of a leader, he was a leader.

Sometimes, you can see players who will make great coaches. Often they are the captains of their teams.

After Brian Sutter retired, he coached the Blues, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Jack Adams Trophy for coach of the year after the 1990-1991 season, and leading all four teams to the playoffs.

When you put it all together, Brian Sutter was leadership personified.

St. Louis Blues memories: Mike Liut, best in net

Mike Liut played with the St. Louis Blus from 1979 to 1985,
then Hartford and Washington. He was one of the best goalies of the 1980s.
Source: http://www.goaliesarchive.com/blues/liut.html
(May be subject to copyright)

There was a time in the 1980s when he was arguably the best goalie in the world. He had made such an impact, he finished runner up to Wayne Gretzky for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player.

Two years ago, when the St. Louis Blues won their first and only Stanley Cup, I was reminded of some of those great players they had back in the 1980s.

The first one that came to mind for me was that goalie who never painted his mask, but left it plain and white.

That goalie was Mike Liut.

Experienced rookie
Mike Liut joined the St. Louis Blues for the 1979-1980 season, but he brought a extensive resumé with him. He had already played four years of U.S. college hockey with Bowling Green University then turned professional in the World Hockey Association, playing two seasons with the Cincinnati Stingers. So, when he entered the NHL he was 23 years old with a load of experience.

His first season he appeared in 64 games where he won 32, lost 23 and tied nine games. He posted a 3.18 goals against average and had two shut outs. The Blues finished 10th in the league but were swept in three straight games in the first round of the playoffs by Chicago.

He was well on his way as the decade got under way.

The best in the net
It was the next season, 1980-1981, when Mike Liut staked his claim as the best goaltender in the NHL. He appeared in 61 games, winning 33, losing 14 and tying 14 games. He recorded a 3.34 goals against average and posted one shut out. He was runner-up to Wayne Gretzky for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and was named a first team all-star. He also won the Lester B. Pearson Trophy, now the Ted Lindsay Award, for the league’s most valuable player as voted on by the players.

The Blues won the Smythe Division and were the second seed in the playoffs. They defeated Pittsburgh in the first round but fell in the second round to the seventh-seeded New York Rangers.

The fall of 1981, Liut was named starting goaltender for Team Canada at the second Canada Cup. According to Wikipedia, after Canada lost the final to the Soviet Union by an 8-1 score, his reputation as a top goaltender would never fully recover, although he was not solely to blame.

Playing (for) the Blues
Mike Liut was back in the St. Louis net for the 1981-1982 season, playing in 64 games and winning 28, losing 28 and tying seven games. His goals against average was 4.06 and he had two shut outs. He also led the league in games played and minutes. The Blues finished third in the Norris Division and beat Winnipeg in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Chicago for the second time in three years.

In 1982-1983, he again led the league in games played and minutes, appearing in an incredible 68 games but finishing below .500 for the first time in his career. He would not finish over .500 again with the Blues. He won 21games, lost 27 and tied 13 with a goals against average of 3.72 and one shut out. The Blues finished fourth in the Norris Division and lost to Chicago once again in the first round of the playoffs.

The 1983-1984 season was the last full season Liut played with the Blues. He won 25 games, lost 29 and tied four in 58 appearances. His goals against average was 3.45 and he had three shut outs. The Blues finished second in the Norris Division, defeating Detroit 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Minnesota in seven games in the second round.

Liut started the 1984-1985 season in St. Louis, appearing in 32 games, winning 12, losing 12, and tying six with a goals against average of 3.82 and one shut out. He was then traded to the Hartford Whalers for goaltender Greg Millen and forward Mark Johnson. He closed the season appearing in 12 games, winning four, losing seven and tying one with a goals against average of 2.95 and one shut out.

To Hartford and beyond
Mike Liut would play the rest of the decade with the Whalers. In his first full season with the Whalers, he helped Hartford to the Adams Division final before losing in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens who went on to win the Stanley Cup. The next season, 1986-1987, Liut led the league in shut outs with five and helped them to their only Adams Division regular season title before losing to Quebec in the first round. After the season he was also named a second team all-star.

He was traded part way through the 1989-1990 season to the Washington Capitals. He was in net when the Capitals beat the New York Rangers to advance to their first ever Patrick Division Championship and a trip to the Wales Conference final where they were swept by my beloved Boston Bruins. He led the NHL in shut outs that year with four and in goals against average with 2.64. According to Wikipedia, when he left Hartford he held 14 franchise goaltending records and shared six others. Liut played two more years with the Capitals, retiring at the end of the 1991-192 season.

Strange goal
Liut holds another odd distinction. He was in net for one of Wayne Gretzky’s most unique goals. Gretzky settled into the face-off circle to take the draw. As the referee dropped the puck, Gretzky timed it perfectly so he shot the puck as it was falling to the ice. The puck caught Liut completely by surprise and went in.

It seems Liut had the strangest luck.

Parting thoughts
From the moment he arrived on the scene and won the NHL Players’ Association most valuable player award and was runner for the Hart Memorial Trophy, Mike Liut made his mark. He may have had his ups and downs, but in a 10-year period he was a model of consistency.

By the close of the decade, he had the most wins for a goaltender in the 1980s with 239, the most shut outs in the 1980s with 22, the most games played in the 1980s with 544, and the most minutes played by a goaltender in the 1980s with 31,597.

For that reason, Mike Liut was one of the best in net in the 1980s.

John Mellencamp part one: The roar of John Cougar

John Mellencamp's iconic 1982 album
"American Fool" when he still went by the name John Cougar.
Source: https://listn.to/album/john-mellencamp~american-fool
(May be subject to copyright)

I have always loved John Mellencamp's music. He is such a great storyteller and I really just love his sound.

One item I ticked off my bucket list happened in 2018 at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge – I saw John Mellencamp live in concert.

It was all I had hoped for too.

As he tore through his set, each song reminded me of a different part of his career, and where I was at the time.

He was a pretty big part of my soundtrack in the 1980s, and it all started when he really wasn’t even able to use the name John Mellencamp.

Those were the days of John Cougar.

Pre-history
John Mellencamp, of German descent, was born and raised in Indiana. I knew there was something I immediately liked about him.

He put out his first album in 1976 under the name Johnny Cougar because his manager thought the German name Mellencamp would be too hard to market. Two more albums would follow to close out the decade.

He was yet to break through, but that would all change in the ‘80s.

Dawn of the decade
In 1980, Mellencamp released the album “Nothin’ Matters and What if it Did” producing two top 40 hits – “This Time”which peaked at number 27 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and “Ain’t Even Done With the Night” which peaked at number 17.

This album caught my attention when I joined Columbia House. I had already started to like Mellencamp’s songs and the Columbia House catalogue had the equivalent of a bargain bin where older albums were sold at a discount. One of them was “Nothin’ Matters and What if it Did”. At the time I already heard that John Cougar was trying to foster this rebel image and I thought this album title fit right in with that image.

The other album I saw in that catalogue bargain bin was the one that changed everything for John Cougar.

American Fool
"American Fool", released in 1982, was an iconic album with a couple iconic songs to match. “Hurts so Good” was released in April and went all the way to number two on the charts. It stayed at number two for four weeks and in the top 10 for 16 weeks. It also went on to win the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. “Jack and Diane” followed in July of 1982, and went all the way to number one where it stayed for four weeks.

Both those songs were a staple of junior high dances. I recall one of my classmates, Mike, loved John Cougar and sang his songs at recess and lunch when we were in junior high. He was the one who first told me the names of these songs and the album. We also had a classmate named Jack and another named Deane, so he and a couple other guys used to sing their version of the song to Jack. It was your typical junior high humour.

Name change
Mellencamp had enough pull after “American Fool” to at least add his real last name to John Cougar. In 1983 he released the album “Uh-Huh” under the awkward-sounding name John Cougar Mellencamp.

The album hit the top 10 and produced two top 10 singles. “Pink Houses” reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Crumblin’ Down” reached number nine. A third single “Authority Song” hit number 15.

Parting thoughts
There are many reasons to love John Mellencamp. His songs have great lyrics that tell powerful stories. The key is in the details like Jack and Diane being down at the Tasty Freeze. His music is part country twang, a little folksy, and a little blues which, when you put it all together, creates this great sound.

It resonates with me because I can really relate to what he is talking about.

It all began when he was John Cougar. It really took hold when he got his own name back, and was most apparent with his next album, which he released in 1985. Say tuned.

Morgan Woodward: More than Jock’s best friend

Morgan Woodward in his best-known role
as "Punk" Anderson in the night-time drama "Dallas".
Source: https://dallas.fandom.com/wiki/Punk_Anderson
(May be subject to copyright)

Every strong character has a sidekick, a best friend, a wing man. The name “Punk” Anderson may not mean a lot to most people, but if you saw his face you may recognize him instantly.

“Punk” Anderson was Jock Ewing’s best friend on the night-time drama “Dallas”, in the 1980s. Jock was the patriarch of the powerful Ewing oil family, and father to battling brothers J.R. and Bobby, as well as Gary who had moved to “Knot’s Landing” in California to fight battles of a different kind.

“Punk” Anderson was played by Morgan Woodward, who passed away last year.

When I heard he had died, I learned a little more about the man behind “Punk” Anderson.

The years before
Before he started playing a grizzled Texas oilman in “Dallas”, Morgan Woodward put together quite a collection of roles in westerns on TV and the theatre. According to Wikipedia, he played 16 different characters in 19 episodes of “Gunsmoke”; appeared in 80 episodes of “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp”; was in “Wagon Train”, “Bonanza and “The High Chaparral”; and was in the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke”.

Mind control
In 1966 he appeared in one of the more memorable episodes of “Star Trek: The Original Series”. “Dagger of the Mind” was set in an insane asylum where Woodward played deputy director Dr. Simon Van Gelder. Initially, Kirk and Spock think Van Gelder is an inmate. However, after their suspicions are raised, Spock mind melds with Van Gelder to discover he is in fact on the staff. A machine called the neural neutralizer, used to calm inmates, was turned on Van Gelder and it drove him somewhat insane. The machine, used at maximum strength, can empty a person of their thoughts leaving them with nothing but a feeling of loneliness. In the end, it is inadvertently turned on the villain of the story, Van Gelder’s boss and the head of the asylum. He is trapped in the machine at maximum strength, and his mind is emptied of its thoughts causing him to die of loneliness. Van Gelder, restored to his previous state, then destroys the neural neutralizer.

After Morgan Woodward died, many of the tributes referred to this episode. In one story, Woodward is quoted as saying portrayingVvan Gelder was one of the most physically demanding roles of his career. So I watched it again, on Netflix, and I would definitely agree.

Dawn of the decade
Morgan Woodward also guest starred in a fair number of network shows in the 1980s such as “Fantasy Island”; “The Dukes of Hazzard”; “Hill Street Blues”; “The Fall Guy”; and “The A-Team”.

In 1980, Woodward joined the cast of “Dallas” as “Punk” Anderson, the best friend to patriarch Jock Ewing. Jim Davis, who played Jock Ewing, died in 1981, so Jock was written out of the show the following season, having died in a helicopter crash.

After that, “Punk” Anderson became an advisor to J.R. and Bobby Ewing until he left the show in 1988, at the end of Season 11. He would appear in a total of 55 episodes.

The years after

He would go on to guest roles in shows such as "Murder, She Wrote"; "Matlocks"; and "21 Jump Street". His last roles were in “The X-Files” in 1995 and Millennium in 1997, both Chris Carter productions.

Morgan Woodward died on February 22, 2019. He was 93.

Parting thoughts
“Punk” Anderson was Morgan Woodward’s best-known role. He was an oilman tough enough to earn the respect of Jock, Bobby, and J.R. Ewing. He was also a shrewd businessman and friend to Miss Ellie Ewing, Jock’s wife and mother of Bobby and J.R. After Jock’s death, “Punk” acted not only as an advisor to the Ewing brothers, but also looked out for Miss Ellie.

Just like any sidekick, best friend or wing man would.

However, what impressed me was how versatile an actor he actually was. He appeared in more than 250 television shows and films.

What stood out was that role as Simon Van Gelder. It was a physically demanding role as his character lurched back and forth into inasnity, psychosis and catatonia. It was memorable, and a sharp departure from “Punk” Anderson or any of the other roles he played.

It showed he was more than just Jock Ewing’s best friend.

Howie Meeker: Stop it right here

Howie Meeker and John Wells sporting their powder blue Hockey Night in Canada blazers in the '80s.
Source: https://awfulannouncing.com/
nhl/remembering-howie-meeker-telestrator-pioneer-broadcaster-player-coach.html
(May be subject to copyright)

He was a decorated hockey player, four-time Stanley Cup winner, and one of a few players to score five goals in a game.

However, to anyone who grew up watching hockey in the 1980s, Howie Meeker was synonymous with broadcasting and Hockey Night in Canada.

Meeker was a teacher of the game and the first person I ever really heard analyze it on screen. For his efforts in the broadcast booth, he was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and named a member of the Order of Canada.

He passed away a few months ago, and it reminded me what a fixture he was in the broadcast booth, utilizing replay and filling the screens with arrows using a telestrator to explain something.

Hockey Night in Canada
It was about 1977 when I started watching hockey and Howie Meeker was already a big part of Hockey Night in Canada. He joined the broadcast team in 1969, just before I was born, and stayed until 1987, when I left home for university.

So Howie Meeker was there my entire childhood and youth.

Like so many other broadcasters, he taught me about the game of hockey.

Back to school
Howie Meeker took pride in teaching the game, and held all kinds of hockey schools. Some were even televised, and that is most likely when I first heard the sage advice, “Keep your stick on the ice”. That was long before Red Green popularized the phrase.

It was only later that I discovered what kind of a life he had, and all he accomplished before he got to the broadcast booth.

The years before and beyond
Howie Meeker joined the NHL in 1946, after serving in the Canadian Armed Forces in the Second World War. He scored 18 goals and 25 assists for 45 points to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year at the end of that 1946-1947 season. He also tied a rookie record scoring five goals in a single game, against Chicago. That season he also played in the first ever NHL all-star game, in 1947 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, and helped the Leafs win the 1947 Stanley Cup.

He would go on to win Stanley Cups in 1948, 1949 and 1951, and retired after the 1953-1954 season.

Meeker went on to coach the Maple Leafs in the 1956-1957 season, recording a record of 21 wins, 34 losses and 15 ties in 70 games, finishing in fifth place and out of the playoffs. He was promoted to general manager but was fired before the start of the following season.

He also dabbled in politics, winning a federal byelection in 1951 in the riding of Waterloo South for the Progressive Conservatives, but did no run for re-election in the subsequent 1953 general election.

Then it was into the broadcasting booth first with CBC and Hockey Night in Canada from 1969 to 1987, then on to TSN from 1987 until he retired in 1998. Seeing him wear that black TSN blazer just never looked quite right. The image of him wearing that powder blue Hockey Night in Canada blazer will forever be etched in my mind.

Parting thoughts
I grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada because that was what you did in the 1980s when you only had three channels.

As I learned more about the game it was because of Howie Meeker. He utilized instant replay to “Back that up” and “Stop it right here”, then drew some arrows to illustrate I point I clearly missed or never understood before that.

He also got really excited, was not afraid to criticize players if they deserved it, and he used phrases like “Golly Jee willickers” and “Jumping jehosophat”.

There was no one else like him.

Howie Meeker was a legend, and it saddens me that the next generation of hockey fans won’t get a chance to learn more about the game from his unique point of view.

But I will always remember to keep my stick on the ice and appreciate a good instant replay.

Thanks for everything Howie.

Cola wars: Who has to choose?

Some classic Pic-a-Pop bottles.
Source: https://www.varagesale.com/i/fd6nqtu9-pic-a-pop-bottles
(May be subject to copyright)

It was a war waged in the 1970s, through the ‘2000s and beyond, virtually forcing everyone to take sides in what seemed like a life and death struggle over – soda pop.

Which were you – Coke or Pepsi?

Growing up in Southern Alberta, I look back and think now, as I did in the ‘80s, why choose?

Plus, the world was a lot different and there was more to pop than just Coke or Pepsi.

Pic-a-Pop
Growing up on the farm, my family went to Lethbridge once a week for groceries, every Thursday. They really liked pop, especially the 7-Up flavour. My Dad also really liked orange.

However, the name brands were pretty pricey so they started buying the equivalent of no name pop. There was a cinder block building in Lethbridge called Pic-a-Pop. You walked into a big room that had that kind of Costco look before Costco, and there were just cases upon cases of pop located all around. You could buy cases of 12 two-litre bottles and choose whatever flavour you liked. The cases were this orange colour with black lettering. The flavours were generic because they could not call them Coke or 7-Up. Instead the “Coke” was called Cola, while the “7-Up” was called “Pop Up”. They also had flavours like orange, cream soda, grape, and lesser known lime and lemon. Then, when you were done, you would bring your case of empties back and get more. In that way, they were kind of like milk bottles.

The most interesting part for me was that you could hear behind a wall the pop being bottled. It was happening right there in the store. That was so cool.

Initially, my parents bought an entire case of 7-Up. That is 12 two-litre bottles of 7-Up. Slowly, I began to convince them to buy one then two, and finally up to four bottles of Cola.

Pic-a-Pop was located on the north side of Lethbridge, right across the street from the Centre Village or Simpson-Sears Mall. Now, that is where the Canadian Tire, and Save-on Foods are.

Seeing the doctor
One summer in particular, probably 1982 or 1983, we really drank a lot of another brand – Dr. Pepper. By then I had bought my first video game system, an Intellivision, and spent a lot of my time playing two shoot’em up games including one called “Astrosmash”. It was similar to Atari’s “Space Invaders” but instead of rows of aliens relentlessly moving down towards the gun you operate, it was asteroids that broke into smaller pieces when you shot them. There were also bombs, called spinners, that killed you if they landed, while asteroids did not; homing satellites that came after you; and spaceships that just floated across the top of the screen but shot at you.

That summer, Dr. Pepper, which I already liked because of its cherry-cola taste, was running a promotion. Printed on the inside of bottle cap liners of Dr. Pepper, and at the bottom of cans, were different “Astrosmash” characters – asteroids, satellites, spinners, spaceships, and the gun the player operated.

By then, my cousins Chris and Henry from Brooks had begun to come out to our farm to stay a week, and I in turn would stay in Brooks a week or two. It became our mission to collect all the different “Astrosmash” characters, so we drank a lot of Dr. Pepper, getting a bottle or can every time we went to town.

We got all the characters but one – the gun. Back then we did not know there was a very small number of one of the characters, in this case the gun, but we suspected as much. There was a lot of every other character so you got the sense you were so close to completing the task and winning the prize, that you kept buying more pop – which was the whole point.

We had game cards filled out, and even worked out the skill-testing question, but we never got the missing piece.

Later, after the contest was over, I did know someone who got an “Astrosmash” gun – so at least I knew they existed.

Even if we didn’t win the contest, it was still a great summer with my cousins.

TAB in the movies
I first saw TAB when I was little. It was the first sugar-free cola that I encountered, but they never used the word “diet” at the time. That came later.

I also didn’t know it was actually manufactured by Coca-Cola, even after it came out with Diet Coke, which catered to the same market. I also discovered TAB was made right up until December of 2020 when Coca-Cola finally stopped production.

However, my outstanding memory of TAB goes back to 1985 when I went to see the movie “Back to the Future”. Marty Mcfly, played by Michael J. Fox, is propelled back in time and finds himself at a lunch counter. He has to order something so he orders a TAB.

“I can’t give you a tab unless you order something,” the clerk says.

“Okay, give me a Pepsi Free,” Marty replies.

“You wanna Pepsi pal, you’re gonna pay for it,” the clerk snaps back.

It was pretty funny, and clever.

Pop Shoppe
One other pop that we never bought, but still drank periodically came from the Pop Shoppe. If I recall, it was similar to Pick a Pop in the way it sold cases in refillable bottles. There was a store in Lethbridge, but it was on Mayor Magrath Drive which, for my parents, was out of the way. Pick a Pop was right across from stores we shopped at.

However, my relatives in Brooks bought their beverages at the Pop Shoppe franchise in their town. We used to go to these big family gatherings on the farm, and there would always be a case from the Pop Shoppe for the kids. One time, one of my cousins was sporting his brand new t-shirt. Unbeknownst to all of us, the case had been thrown around and the pop shaken up. So when my cousin opened his first cream soda, the pop exploded all over his new shirt. He was crushed because it was ruined. However, we were visiting a couple months later and he was wearing that same yellow t-shirt. I asked about the cream soda and my cousin just grinned. His mom had worked her magic and got out all the stains.

Pop life
There were other pops around back then we would drink as well. There was Fanta, which was really more fruity with orange, which my Dad really liked; grape; and probably the best cream soda. It had a distinctive logo with three dots in a triangle.

There was also RC Cola, short for Royal Crown Cola, which I remember most for its logo with a dominant “RC”.

I knew all about these pops because I collected bottle caps, so I was always on the look out for different ones. I am not ashamed to say I picked up a lot off the sidewalks in Lethbridge and Coaldale when we were in town shopping, especially if I had never seen that brand before.

By the time I left home, I had a whole apple box full of bottle caps.

Much to my mother’s chagrine.

Parting thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, Coke and Pepsi were still everywhere back then. Not only were the beverages in every store, but their logos were on the fronts of every local grocery and convenience store around. They still were everywhere and always in the public mind with the taste test, and all the ad campaigns from “Coke is it” to “Pepsi, choice of a new generation”. It was a Pepsi commercial where Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire and a Coke commercial where a boy offers Pittsburgh Steeler “Mean” Joe Greene his pop.

Yet, amid all that, there were other soft drinks, and I liked them all.

I still don’t see why you have to choose.

David Cassidy: A Family Affair

David Cassidy was an actor and singer from a family of artists.
Source: ABC via Getty Images
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/
pop-culture-news/david-cassidy-1970s-teen-idol-has-died-n822426
(May be subject to copyright)

It is interesting that I jotted down David Cassidy as a possible blog topic right after he died, thinking he must have had some intersection with the 1980s, like Donny Osmond for example.

As it turned out, his fame came in the 1970s and he largely disappeared from public view by the 1980s.

I did discover a couple things though. I did watch reruns of “The Partridge Family”, the show that made him famous, into the ‘80s I am sure, and members of his family were just as interesting as he was.

Whether it was a TV family or his real-life siblings, parents and step-parents, David Cassidy’s career was a family affair.

The Partridge Family
Some of my earliest memories are of watching “The Partridge Family”. Wikipedia reveals it ran from 1970 to 1974, so I must have watched it in reruns. They aired on CBC, Channel 9, on the peasant vision dial into the early 1980s.

I don’t have a lot of solid memories, more general ones, like the fact the Patridges were a family band, with Keith Partridge, played by Cassidy, as the lead singer. The family’s mother Shirley, played by Shirley Jones, played keyboards, and everyone had a crush on Laurie Partridge, played by a young Susan Dey. Danny Partridge, played by Danny Bonaduce, was the wise-cracking member of the family, and there were two younger siblings, a boy and girl. The boy, Christopher, played drums, and was played by two different actors. The girl, Tracy, played the tambourine. Looking after them all was their manager Reuben Kincaid, played by Dave Madden.

Another memory was the tour bus they had. It was an old school bus with psychedelic designs all over it.

The other memory was the opening credits using a cartoon partridge laying eggs, with each egg representing one of the children. It was set to a theme song that began, “Hello world, hear the song that we’re singing, C’mon get happy.”

I also recall that David Cassidy became a teen idol, eclipsing the popularity of the shown and that one of his big songs was, "I Think I Love You."

Family affair
Much of my information about the Cassidys comes from my Mom. Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s in particular, she was up on all the show business news.

She told me that Shirley Jones was actually David Cassidy’s step-mother in real life. She had been married to his father Jack Cassidy, who was an acclaimed actor of his own. However, I never saw him in that period because he died in 1976 in a fire. Only later did I discover, doing some reading for this post, that he died when he fell asleep on his couch with a lit cigarette.

She was also an acclaimed actor already, having won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1960 for her role in “Elmer Gantry”.

At the end of the 1970s, Shaun Cassidy came along. He was the son of Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, so he was David’s half brother. My Mom always said Shaun looked like his mother.

Shaun exploded onto the scene on two fronts. He hit the top of the charts with his version of the song “Da Doo Ron Ron”, and followed that up with, “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll”, which peaked at number three. He also appeared as Joe Hardy on the TV series “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries”, with Parker Stevenson as Frank Hardy. Cassidy even brought the two together performing, “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” on an episode of “Hardy Boys”. He later went on to play Dave, the lead character in the television series “Breaking Away”, based on the movie of the same name.

The ‘80s and beyond
By the time the 1980s rolled around, all the strands of the Cassidy family had receded from the spotlight.

According to Wikipedia, David Cassidy revealed he was broke by the dawn of the decade. He would go on to have some more singing success, and hit the stage in musical theatre and Broadway productions. He appeared in movies and was on “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2011. He declared bankruptcy in 2015, and started having health problems with his liver and kidneys and was diagnosed with dementia.

He died in 2017.

Shaun Cassidy moved behind the camera to direct a wide range of TV shows, which he continues to do to this day. He is currently executive producer and writer for the NBC medical drama “New Amsterdam”.

Shirley Jones continued to act until just a few years ago.

Parting thoughts
David Cassidy would continue to perform on stage and screen, and often it would be with one of his half brothers or step-mother.

So, from the start of his career to the end, it was always a family affair.

k.d. lang: “Crying” in the ‘80s

k.d. lang and Roy Orbison won a Grammy
for the recording of "Crying" in 1989,
a song Orbison originally made popular in 1961.
Source: https://www.radioking.com/artist/roy-orbison-k-d-lang
(May be subject to copyright)

She was best known for being a “cowpunk” with the eccentric style to match back in the '80s.

Then she attracted international attention by singing a duet with a rock and roll legend. It was not only part of a theatrical soundtrack, with all the attention that can garner, but showcased her beautiful voice.

Once k.d. lang and Roy Orbison’s version of his classic ballad “Crying” hit the airwaves, there was no turning back.

lang would go on to have international hit singles and albums, win awards, move the masses during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, receive a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, be inducted in the Alberta Order of Excellence and much more.

Yet it all began in the 1980s.

Prelude

k.d. lang was born in Edmonton but grew up in Consort, Alberta. When I went to university and lived in student residence, everyone I met from Consort, and there was more than one, had a k.d. lang story.

I first saw her in the mid-1980s when she was dressed modelling her unique cowboy punk style. She was singing and recording songs and received the 1985 Juno for Most Promising Female Vocalist. I remember her clearly that night. She wore a wedding dress to the event and showed it off when she accepted her award.

None of that really impressed me. I could not really take her seriously.

That changed just two short years later.

“Crying”
In 1987, I went off to Edmonton to study at the University of Alberta. I started hanging out on Fifth Kelsey, the all-girls’ floor, because we had a lot in common. A lot of the girls loved music, as did I, and MuchMusic was always playing on the TV in the lounge.

One day I heard this song.

It sounded like Roy Orbison, but then this powerful female voice belted out the chorus. Her voice was amazing and was the very definition of crooning.

I made my way to the TV and saw that sure enough it was Orbison. But who was singing with him?

I asked one of the girls who told me it was k.d. lang. She had never heard of lang before that, but said she was Canadian.

Really, I could not believe that, because I still had this goofy “Cowpunk” image in my head.

Then I saw the end credits.

There staring me in the face was k.d. lang, looking mature, and professional, and maybe most importantly – serious.

It was incredible.

Chart success
“Crying” came out in 1987 and went all the way to number two on the Canadian singles charts. It peaked at number 28 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart and number 42 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles Chart.

Yet, the song earned Orbison and lang a Grammy in 1989 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. lang also won Entertainer of the Year from the Canadian Country Music Association.

“Hiding Out”
Another thing I thought I noticed the first time I saw that video for “Crying” was an image of Jon Cryer. To that point he was best know for his portray of Duckie in the John Hughes' film “Pretty in Pink”. Someone had alluded to the song being part of a soundtrack.

Then a few months later, in the summer of 1988, I was back at home from school living on the family farm. My parents had given me a VCR for Christmas a couple years earlier and part of the deal was 50 free movies from Baker’s Appliances in Lethbridge.

My sister lived in Lethbridge and came home every week for Sunday dinner. She started to bring home movies, cashing in on those free ones.

One Sunday, she brought this movie that she thought looked good. It was about a man in his mid 20s who sees something he shouldn’t and is targeted by the mob. Fearing for his life, he escapes his would be killers by returning to his home town. There, he shaves his beard, dyes his hair and pretends to be a student at his younger brother’s high school.

Jon Cryer played that man fleeing for his life.

Part way through the movie all of a sudden I hear something familiar – “Crying” by Roy Orbison and k.d. lang.

It was then that I put all the pieces together.

“Hiding Out” was not a monster hit but I sure enjoyed it as another one of those teen angst movie of the period. Plus it had Jon Cryer, who I just loved, and a really good soundtrack.

Parting thoughts
The rest is history. Once k.d. lang got noticed, her talent was obvious. She would go on to chart success with singles such as “Constant Craving”, commercial success, win Junos and Grammys, and make her mark in so many ways.

My most recent memory is her soulful, awe-inspiring version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. She absolutely captivated the audience, and me.

Fittingly, “Hallelujah” was released in the 1980s.

That’s when k.d. lang got her big break with “Crying” in the 1980s.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: The Easter Epic

Bob Mason, goalie for the Washington Capitals in the 1987 "Easter Epic" shakes hands with Pat Lafontaine (#16) of the New York Islanders. Lafontaine beat Mason with a shot from the top of the face-off circle to score the winning goal in the fourth overtime period to finish the longest Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoff history.
Source: https://novacapsfans.com/2019/04/20/recalling-the-easter-epic/
(May be subject to copyright)

It was a game that went down in history, so much so that even last season, 33 years later, it still left its mark.

Not initially called anything, this game was not only a marathon playoff struggle, it was a seventh and deciding game.

Maybe that fuelled the desire and desperation that made Game 7 of the 1987 Patrick Division semi-final “The Easter Epic”.

Prelude to a series
By the 1986-1987 season, the Washington Capitals had become a fixture in the playoffs. After qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in the 1982-1983 season, they were making their fifth consecutive appearance in the playoffs.

In 1986-1987 they finished second in the Patrick Division behind the Philadelphia Flyers with a record of 38-32-10.

They would play the New York Islanders who finished third in the division, four points behind the Capitals. It would be the fifth straight year the teams met in the playoffs. New York won in 1983, 1984 and 1985, but Washington finally beat the Islanders the previous year, 1986, in a three-game sweep in the first round.

The stage was set for another doozy of a series.

The series
The Patrick Division Semi-Final opened on April 8 at the Capital Centre with the the host Capitals winning 4-3. The Islanders rebounded to win Game 2 by a score of 3-1 before the series shifted to the Nassau County Coliseum for Games 3 and 4. Washington seemed to take a stranglehold on the series by winning Game 3 by a score of 2-0 on April 11 then taking a 3-1 lead with a 4-1 win in Game 4 on April 12.

The Islanders would not go that quickly though. They re-grouped again, winning Game 5 at Landover. Maryland by a score of 4-2 on April 14 then used home ice to tie the series 3-3 with a 5-4 victory in Game 6 on April 16 .

The teams would meet at the Capital Centre on April 18 for the seventh and deciding game with the winner advancing to the Patrick Division Final against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Little did either team the know the game would begin on April 18 but not end until the 19th.

“Easter Epic”
There was no scoring for much of the period until Mike Gartner put Washington on the board scoring a goal with just 48 seconds left in the period. It gave the Capitals a 1-0 period after the first period. Greg Adams and Scott Stevens assisted on the goal.

Pat Flatley tied the game for New York assisted by Steve Konroyd and Bryan Trottier with 8:25 gone in the second period. Grant Martin responded with just over a minute left in the second period, giving Washington a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, with help from Adams and Larry Murphy.

Trottier scored the lone goal of the third period, with help from Alan Kerr and Konroyd, with just over five minutes gone in the period, tying the game 2-2, and sending it into the first overtime of the series.

Overtime
The extra session would end up being longer than the regulation game. The first overtime period came and went with no scoring. Fatigue began to set in during the second overtime period but still no scoring. The teams went on to a third overtime period and still no scoring. Now, the teams had played exactly two full games.

Finally, at the 8:47 mark of the fourth overtime, Pat Lafontaine chased down a puck near the Capital blue line. He turned and fired a shot at the net. Washington goaltender Bob Mason was screened and never saw the puck as it hit the post and went in. The Islanders had won the game and the series.

Aftermath
The game lasted 128 minutes and 47 seconds in game time, and six hours and 18 minutes in real time. It had started on Saturday night, but did not end until the early part of Easter Sunday – hence the name “The Easter Epic”.

It still remains the longest Game 7 in NHL playoff history.

Mason stopped 54 shots while New York Islander goaltender Kelly Hrudey stopped 73 shots, setting an NHL record for most saves in a playoff game. That record was finally eclipsed this past playoff year by Columbus Blue Jacket goaltender Joonas Korpisalo when he made 85 saves. Hrudey was in the booth watching and cheering him on the whole time.

The Islanders would go on to lose to the Flyers, who went all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Edmonton Oilers.

Parting thoughts
By the time the “Easter Epic” took place, the Washington Capitals had become a respectable NHL team, having qualified for the playoffs five straight seasons. Each year, they faced the New York Islanders in their final series of the season, losing four times and winning once.

What emerged for the Capitals was a new pattern. No longer were they striving to win more games than they lost, or trying to make the playoffs.

Instead, they hit a road block in the Patrick Division. They would go on to make the playoffs 14 straight seasons, but for years they could not get out of their division, losing in either the first or second round for seven straight seasons. They would only do it once, in 1990, before the NHL changed its playoff format for the 1993-1994 season. They would only make it to the Stanley Cup Finals once, 1998, before winning it all in 2018.

Still, they had come a long way. They went from perennial cellar dweller to perennial playoff contender.

And the “Easter Epic” was another step in that evolution.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: The Trade

The Washington Capitals turned their franchise around after a trade with the Montreal Canadiens in 1982. From left are Rod Langway, Doug Jarvis, and Brian Engblom who, along with Craig Laughlin, came to the Capitals in exchange for Ryan Walter and Rick Green. The contributions of these four players led to a 29-point increase in the standings and Washington making the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Source: https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2017/09/09/rod-langway-trade-35-years-ago-today-helped-save-washington-capitals-franchise/
(May be subject to copyright)

There is no single move in the history of the Washington Capitals that had as big an impact on their future as this trade in 1982.

It pretty much instantly vaulted them from pretender to contender. It changed the culture and mindset of the franchise, sowing the seeds for the success that followed.

The move before the move
It was actually two moves by the Washington Capitals that changed the direction of the franchise forever.

The Capitals were a perennial doormat who won no more than 27 wins in their first eight seasons. After the 1981-1982 season, they went in a new direction, hiring a young hockey executive out of the Calgary Flames organization.

David Poile was just 32 years old when he became the general manager of the Capitals, a position he would occupy until 1997.

He immediately set about re-making his team.

The first trade he made changed the complexion of the team, remade the roster, and signalled Poile was not afraid to shake things up.

The trade
On September 9, 1982, David Poile made his first move as general manager of the Capitals. He pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Montreal Canadiens, two years removed from winning the Stanley Cup. He sent Ryan Walter and Rick Green to the Habs in return for Rod Langway, Doug Jarvis, Brian Engblom and Craig Laughlin.

At first I thought, “What are the Canadiens doing?” Three of those players were regulars on Montreal’s last Stanley Cup team, especially Jarvis who was a strong defensive player. Langway was up and coming and Engblom had always been solid.

I honestly thought Montreal got fleeced, but I was not altogether right.

Immediate impact
The effect the four new Capitals had on the team that 1982-1983 season was dramatic. Langway was named captain a few weeks after the trade and immediately shored up the defence, dramatically reducing Washington’s goals against.

He went on to win the James Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman in 1982-1983 and again in 1983-1984, and was named an NHL first team all-star in 1982-1983 and 1983-1984. In 1983-1984 he also finished runner-up to Wayne Gretzky for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player. He also recorded three goals and 29 assists for 32 points in his first season in Washington. The Capitals would go on to make the playoffs every one of the 11 seasons he played with them. He would serve as captain of the team until and retired.

Rod Langway is credited with saving the Washington Capitals, who were rumoured to be on the move before they turned things around.

Doug Jarvis, who cut his teeth as one of Montreal’s best defensive forwards and penalty killers, also helped shore up Washington defensively. He would win the Frank Selke Trophy for best defensive forward in 1983-1984 for his two-way play. That first season in Washington he had eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points. He would go on to Hartford where he broke the record for most consecutive games played at 964, a record that still stands.

Brian Engblom brought strong defensive credentials as well. The defenceman was the NHL’s plus-minus leader in 1980-1981 with a plus-63, and a second team all-star in 1981-1982. He played just one full season in Washington, scoring five goals and adding 22 assists for 27 points in 73 games. After seven games the following season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for future Hall of Famer Larry Murphy, who turned out to be another piece in the puzzle that turned around the franchise.

Craig Laughlin made a major contribution too, scoring 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points. He would play with the Capitals until 1987-1988 when he too was traded to the Kings. The following year he played for Toronto then retired.

Turn around
For all their efforts, the Washington Capitals improved by 29 points with a record of 39 wins, 25 losses and 16 ties for 94 points. They finished third in the Patrick Division, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in history. They lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders in the first round, but that season marked the first of 14 straight playoff appearances.

Things had changed in Washington.

The others
David Poile served as Washington's general manager for 15 years, finishing his tenure with the Capitals with a record of 594-454-124.

He would take on the role of president and general manager of the expansion Nashville Predators in 1998, and holds that position to this day.

Meanwhile in Montreal, the trade was not as lopsided as I first thought. Not only did Rick Green and Ryan Walter contribute, they provided veteran leadership to a team laden with rookies that put it all together to win the Stanley Cup in 1986. They are the only two of the six players in the trade to win the Stanley Cup after the trade.

Parting thoughts
It is often difficult to pinpoint exactly when something changes. Often it is a slow rise or decline.

In the case of the Washington Capitals, it was dramatic, keyed by one blockbuster trade.

General Manager David Poile knew he needed to cut down the goals against. He already had an explosive offence with goal scorers such as Mike Gartner, Dennis Maruk and Bobby Carpenter, so shoring up the back end meant they really could be competitive.

And they were – qualifying for the playoffs for the first time and starting a 14-season streak of playoff appearances.

It was the precedent for the success that followed, changed the culture, and made it possible to believe that some day a Stanley Cup could come to Landover, Maryland.

And it would.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: Dale Hunter, whatever it takes

Dale Hunter joined the Washington Capitals in 1987
and scored one of the biggest goals in franchise history.
Source: Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart/Allsport
https://starsandsticks.com/
2020/09/11/washington-capitals-top-10-greatest-moments/8/
(May be subject to copyright)

He was talented, gritty, and mean, a player who led by example, scored clutch goals and did whatever he could to help his team win.

Dale Hunter would eventually rise to captain of the team and had some of his best years as a Washington Capital.

French fact
Dale Hunter started his NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques in 1980 and played there seven seasons. As a rookie in 1980-1981 he had 19 goals and 44 assists for 63 points. He also had 226 penalty minutes. That began a streak of six straight seasons where he had at least 63 points and 200-plus penalty minutes. He hit 20 goals four times and 70 points four times.

More than anything else, what I remember most about his time as a Nordique was how much of a thorn in the side of the Montreal Canadiens he was. The teams met in the playoffs in 1982, 1984, 1985, and 1987 while Hunter was there, with Quebec winning in 1982 and 1985. In fact, Hunter scored the game and series winning goal in overtime in the fifth and deciding game of their 1982 first-round series. There was also no shortage of physical play, and one massive brawl, with Hunter in the middle of all of it.

Then, after the 1986-1987 season, Quebec made a trade with Washington that hastened their decline as a franchise, and their renewal when they became the Colorado Avalanche. The Nordiques shipped Hunter and goaltender Clint Malarchuk to the Capitals for Gaetan Duchesne, Alan Haworth and a pick in the 1987 draft that became Joe Sakic. (He would lead Colorado to two Stanley Cups.)

Dale Hunter was heading south.

Capital career
Hunter joined the Capitals to start the 1987-1988 season where he had 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points and a whopping 240 penalty minutes.

It was in 1988 that he also scored what some said was the biggest goal in Capitals’ history to that point. Washington faced the defending Wales Conference champion Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. After the Flyers jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the series, Washington stormed back to force a seventh and deciding game.

Again, the teams went back and forth as they did the entire series. Hunter gave the Capitals a 4-3 lead at 5:19 of the third period only to have the Flyers tie the game a minute later and force overtime. With just about six minutes gone in the extra frame, Hunter scored to end the game and send the Capitals into the next round against New Jersey.

That goal, coupled with his overtime series winner in 1982 for Quebec, made Hunter the first player in NHL history to score two sudden death overtime, series winning goals in the sudden death final game of the series.

The following year, 1988-1989, he had 20 goals and 37 assists for 57 points, and 219 penalty minutes. He closed out the decade with a third season with similar numbers in 1989-1990 – 23 goals, 39 assists, 62 points and 233 penalty minutes.

He went on to play 12 seasons in Washington. His final season was 1998-1999 where he played 50 games for Washington before joining Colorado late in the year. He played 12 games for the Avalanche in the regular season then helped them all the way to the Stanley Cup semi-final where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions the Dallas Stars. He also served as captain of the Capitals from 1994 to 1999.

He finished his career with 323 goals and 697 assists for 1,020 points in 1,407 games. He also had 3,565 penalty minutes, the second most in NHL history behind Dave “Tiger” Williams, and the most penalty minutes in the playoffs with 731. However, Hunter is the only player in NHL history with 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes. He also had the record for most games played to reach 1,000 points, until Patrick Marleau beat it. It probably took Hunter so long because he spent so much time in the penalty box.

Too far
What will always leave a sour taste in my mouth is an incident Hunter perpetrated in the 1992-1993 Stanley Cup playoffs against Pierre Turgeon and the New York Islanders.

It was Game 6 of the first-round Patrick Division semi-finals with New York leading the series 3-2. Turgeon stole an errant pass from Hunter late in the game and scored the clinching goal. While he celebrated, Hunter ran him from behind, separating Turgeon’s shoulder and giving him a concussion. It was such a cheap shot. Turgeon ended up missing most of the rest of the playoffs. The Islanders went deep into the playoffs too, beating Pittsburgh in seven games then playing Montreal in the conference final. Throughout, they had to compete without their best player.

For his actions, Hunter was suspended 21 games to start the 1993-1994 season. It was the longest suspension in league history to that point for an on-ice incident.

Wikipedia reveals Hunter admitted years later he had gone too far.

Parting thoughts
It is ironic that when Hunter joined the Avalanche in his final season, he was on a line with Theoren Fleury and Claude Lemieux two players very similar to Hunter – feisty, annoying agitators.

They were all cut from the same cloth, pests but with the hands and talent to score too.

That was Dale Hunter in a nutshell. He was tough, not afraid to play over the edge, and not afraid to do whatever it took to win.

A lot of people detested him, but everyone would gladly have him on their team.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: Mike Gartner, up close and personal

Mike Gartner became the Capitals all-time leader
in goals, points, and assists in the 1980s, and
still remains in the top five in all three categories.
Source: https://www.hhof.com/
htmlspotlight/spot_oneononep200102.shtml
(May be subject to copyright)

He was one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history, Washington’s first super star and still one of their career leaders in most offensive categories.

Beyond all that, what I will always remember about Mike Gartner is that he was the first NHL player I saw on TV then later met in real life.

It was a pretty amazing experience, because I actually got the chance to talk to him, and see what kind of character he truly had.

Decade of dominance
Mike Gartner was taken fourth overall by the Capitals in the 1979 NHL entry draft and was solidly into his first professional season when the ‘80s opened. He finished with 36 goals, to lead the Capitals, and added 32 assists for 68 points. For his efforts he was named the Capitals' rookie of the year and most valuable player.

He would go on to play 10 seasons for the Capitals, traded to the Minnesota North Stars near the end of the 1988-1989 season.

During that time he was a model of consistency, scoring 30 or more goals every year except his final one where he had 26 goals. He still passed the 30-goal mark by scoring another seven with the North Stars.

He followed up that strong rookie season with 48 goals and 46 assists for 94 points in 1980-1981. He would go on to score 35 goals and 45 assists for 80 points in 1981-1982; 38 goals and 38 assists for 76 points in 1982-1983; and 40 goals and 45 assists for 85 points in 1983-1984.

Gartner hit career milestones in 1984-1985 with 50 goals, 52 assists and 102 points, all career highs. He followed that up in 1985-1986 with 35 goals and 40 assists for 75 points; 41 goals and 32 assists for 73 points in 1986-1987; and 48 goals and 33 assists for 81 points in 1987-1988.

In 1988-1989, his last season with the Capitals, he scored 26 goals and 29 assists for 55 points in 56 games before being traded with Larry Murphy to the North Stars for Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse. He played in 13 games with Minnesota, adding seven goals and seven assists for 14 points, making his season totals 41 goals, 43 assists and 84 points.

Gartner left the Capitals as the team’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points. He still remains third all time in goals with 397, fifth in assists with 392, and fourth in points with 789.

Country calling
One benefit of the Capitals’ futility early in Gartner’s career was that he was always free to join Team Canada at the World Championships. He played in eight games in 1981 in Sweden, scoring four goals as Canada finished fourth. Gartner was back in 1982, appearing in 10 games in Finland, scoring three goals and two assists for five points helping Canada to a bronze medal. He made it three years in a row, travelling to West Germany in 1983 where he scored four goals and added an assist in 10 games helping Canada to another bronze.

His next international experience would be in the 1984 Canada Cup where he had three goals and two assists for five points in eight games, as Canada took silver.

He was back wearing the maple leaf in that epic 1987 Canada Cup, playing in nine games where he contributed two goals and two assists for four points to help Canada win gold.

The years after
Gartner would last about a season in Minnesota before moving onto the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes. He retired at the end of the 1997-1998 season with career totals of 708 goals, 627 assists, and 1,335 points in 1,432 games.

He holds NHL records for most consecutive 30-goal seasons with 15; and most 30-goal seasons with 17. He still holds Washington franchise records for longest point streak, 17 games, which he did twice; longest goal-scoring streak at nine games which he shares; most short-handed goals in a season with six, which he also shares; and most points by a right winger with 102. He also became the fifth player in history to hit the 700-goal mark. Three more have hit the mark since, so he is one of just eight players all time.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Capitals retired his number 11 in 2008.

In person
Wikipedia reveals Mike Gartner was heavily involved in the NHL Players’ Association.

That is where I met him.

The Stavely Agricultural Society was receiving a grant in 2003 for upgrades to the Stavely Arena. The grant was from the Local Heroes program, which I soon discovered was an NHLPA program.

I was invited to meet the representatives of the NHLPA who were going to tour the arena.

When I entered the lobby my jaw almost fell to the floor – I was looking at Mike Gartner.

It was incredible, but I managed not to act like a fan boy or star struck. Although afterwards I said to one of the Stavely guys that I kept thinking, “Oh my gosh, that’s Mike Garter.” The Stavely guy laughed. He had the same thought thinking, “That is a bonified Hall of Famer.”

I asked for a minute to interview him and he was gracious to give me all the time I needed. He told me the Local Heroes program was intended to provide funding for facilities in small communities. Stavely fit the bill perfectly. Local Heroes was funded at the time by the revenue the players received from licensing and merchandising. Moreover, the funds were distributed to all the countries players were from, based on the percentage of each country. At the time about 68 per cent of players were Canadian so Canadian facilities got 68 per cent of the grants then the United States, Sweden, Finland, Russia and so on.

What I recall is the way he referred to the players as “the guys”, and it was like he was looking after family.

I am sure that is exactly what he thought he was doing.

Parting thoughts
When I was a kid I used to have a notebook with me every time I watched a hockey game so I could write down the names and teams of players. My earliest memory is learning his name was “Gartner” with a “t” not “Gardner” with a “d”.

The next time I recall noticing Mike Gartner was when I was watching Ron Reusch and Bernie Pascall covering the 1981 World Championship games on CTV Channel 13. Gartner was playing for Team Canada with Capital teammate Dennis Maruk. I distinctly remember the games were from Gothenburg, Sweden.

As the 1980s opened, Mike Gartner was the model of consistency. He was always good for 30 goals and, once David Poile became general manager and brought reinforcements, he helped lead his team to the playoffs.

Yet Mike Gartner is the only player to be elected to the Hall of Fame who never won a Stanley Cup, never appeared in a Stanley Cup final, never won an NHL award, and never was on a post-season all-star team. Dino Ciccarelli, who ironically Gartner was traded for, is the only other player to do something similar. He never achieved any of these things either, except he appeared in two Stanley Cup finals, and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

Of course, this post is personal.

I actually got to meet Mike Gartner in 2003.

What I will always remember is how professional, kind, gracious, and giving of his time he was.

Just like the way I always saw him on TV.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: Clint Malarchuk, inspiring story

Clint Malarchuk playing goal for the Washington Capitals.
Source: Photo: Great Goalies Magazine
http://www.goaliesarchive.com/capitals/malarchuk.html
(May be subject to copyright)

He could have so easily been defined by one incident in his career, and I almost made the same mistake right here.

Then I read his book, and realized how much of a disservice that would be.

Instead, the life of former Capital goaltender Clint Malarchuk is as much about battling mental illness as battling pucks and opposing players.

And it is an inspiring story.

In the beginning
Clint Malarchuk played his junior for the Portland Winterhawks before being drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1981. He got in two games in the 1981-1982 season, recording a tie then a loss. The majority of his time was spent in the minors with the Fredericton Express of the American Hockey League.

The next year, 1982-1983, he played 15 games for Quebec, winning eight, losing five and tying two. In 1983-1984 he appeared in 23 games, winning 10, losing nine, and tying two. He then spent the entire 1984-1985 season in Fredericton. That would be last time he would spend in the minors.

He started the 1985-1986 season in net for the Nordiques and went on to play in 46 games, winning 26, losing 12 and tying four. He also had four shutouts and a 3.21 goals against average.

The next season, 1986-1987, he was even busier, getting into 54 games, winning 18, losing 26 and tying nine. He also had one shutout and a 3.40 goals against average.

Everything changed for Clint Malarchuk after the 1986-1987 season. He and teammate Dale Hunter were traded to the Washington Capitals for Gaetan Duchesne, Alan Haworth and a first round draft choice in 1987 that became future hall of famer Joe Sakic.

Capital time
Clint Malarchuk played less than two full seasons in Washington.

In 1987-1988, he was in 54 games, winning 24, losing 20, and tying four. He also tied his career high with four shutouts and had a 3.16 goals against average, his best to date.

The following year, 1988-1989, was a turning point for him in many ways. He played in 42 games for the Capitals, winning 16, losing 18, and tying seven. He had one shutout and a 3.48 goals against average. Yet his year was not over.

In March of 1989, Malarchuk along with Grant Ledyard and a draft pick, that became Brian Holzinger, were traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Calle Johannson and a draft pick, that became Byron Dafoe.

Just over two weeks later, he had an injury that sent shockwaves around the world.

Tragedy
It was March 22, 1989 and Malarchuk’s Sabres were hosting the St. Louis Blues. During the game Buffalo defenceman Uwe Krupp and Blue Steve Tuttle crashed into the goal crease. Tuttle’s skate came up and hit Malarchuk on the front right side of his neck, which was unprotected. The blade, razor sharp, severed his carotid artery and partially cut his jugular vein.

That night everyone saw the replay. It was shocking. I remember sitting in the lounge on Fifth Kelsey watching Sportscentre on TSN at midnight. There was a warning given to viewers too. Initially, it just looked like any other collision in the crease. Then Malarchuk stayed on the ice – and blood spurted out. Then more blood. You could see it spurting out each time his heart beat. Players started frantically waving for medical attention. It came as trainers applied pressure with towels and Malarchuk was able to leave the ice on his own.

In the end, he lost 1.5 litres of blood and it took 300 stitches to close the six-inch wound. Spectators fainted and announcers were visibly shaken.

Yet Malarchuk was back on the ice in 10 days

He would play with the Sabres into 1991-1992 season before ending his career playing in the AHL then the International Hockey League until 1996-1997. That is when he retired.

But his story does not end here.

Triumph
Malarchuk wrote an amazing book describing his life after that injury. In “Crazy Game”, he recounts the struggles he would have with mental illness – the obsessive-compulsive disorder he suffered since childhood; depression; alcohol addiction; suicide; trauma; and post traumatic stress disorder.

There was a suicide attempt with a rifle in Nevada, that led to hospitalization and the treatment Malarchuk needed.

He writes openly about his issues and the way he has been able to address them through counseling, medication, and much more. He also talks about his suspicions he was over-medicated at one point.

His road to recovery, filled with setbacks and pitfalls, is courageous and to me goes a long way to reducing the stigma around mental illness.

Quite frankly, his story is heroic.

Parting thoughts
One point I take away from Clint Malarchuk’s story is not letting his injury define him. The truth is, he played after that, pretty soon after that in fact.

However, that may not have been the best thing to do. He sustained a pretty serious injury and all the trauma that went with it. One of the byproducts was post traumatic stress disorder with all the flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks that come along with it.

He was already coping with mental illness, and the injury just piled on more and more.

Yet in the end he did two things that to me are very heroic.

He sought help and has been able to get his life back through a combination of therapy, counselling and medication.

Then, he told his story, and continues to tell his story, in his book and as a speaker.

That takes an unbelievable amount of courage for him, but what it does for others is incredible. He is removing the stigma around mental illness. He is showing people they are not alone – someone else is going through what they are, can get the help they need, and  get better.

That is the incredible part of his story. I would highly recommend buying his book, "Crazy Game" and going to hear his story.

Clint Malarchuk is helping others, and that is truly inspiring.

Washington Capitals of the 1980s: Mike Ridley, Canadian university's best

Mike Ridley, the best player to come out
of the Canadian university system.
Source: https://novacapsfans.com/2018/04/06/
capitals-alumni-profile-mike-ridley/
(May be subject to copyright)

Most Canadian NHL players come through the draft either from the Canadian Junior leagues or the American college hockey teams.

Few make the NHL from the Canadian university system.

Mike Ridley did just that, defying the odds, and going on to a productive 12-season career recording 758 points that makes him the best Canadian university hockey player in NHL history.

Rookie sensation
Undrafted and unheralded, Mike Ridley played his hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, then the University of Manitoba Bisons of the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union. Not the biggest factories for future NHL talent.

The New York Rangers saw something in Ridley, signing him as an undrafted free agent in September of 1985. He would play 80 games in 1985-1986, his rookie season. In that time he scored 22 goals and added 43 assists for 65 points.

He was part of an interesting rookie class. Wendel Clark had been taken first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1985 entry draft, but had a slow start. Meanwhile in Montreal, Swedish rookie Kjell Dahlin stormed out of the gate, filling the net for the Habs, and looked like a lock for rookie of the year. However, as Dahlin tailed off, Clark came on strong in the latter part of the season.

Over in Calgary, the Flames had a rookie sensation of their own, defenceman Gary Suter, who was turning in a solid campaign beginning to end.

Then, as rookie of the year speculation increased, a fourth name was thrown into the ring – Ranger rookie centre Mike Ridley. That was when I first heard of him, when he was being touted as a possible rookie of the year.

By season’s end, Clark had 34 goals and 11 assists for 45 points, in just 66 games. Dahlin had 32 goals and 39 assists in 77 games. Suter had 18 goals and 50 assists for 68 points on the point, and demonstrated an ability to play both ways.

By virtue of putting together a complete season, and excelling both defensively and offensively, Suter was named rookie of the year.

Yet, Ridley had shown he belonged in the NHL, being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team along with Clark, Dahlin, Suter, Patrick Roy and Dana Murzyn.

It was a sign of things to come for Ridley.

From Broadway to the Capitol
Ridley began his second season with the Rangers by scoring 16 goals and adding 20 assists for 36 points in 38 games, then everything changed.

He was traded on January 1, 1987 to the Washington Capitals along with Kelly Miller and Bob Crawford in exchange for Bobby Carpenter and a 1989 second round draft pick that turned out to be Jason Prosofsky. Bluelinstation.com named it third worst trade in Rangers history.

Ridley played 40 games for the Capitals that season, recording another 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points. His season totals were 31 goals and 39 assists for 70 points in 78 games, an increase of five over his rookie season.

But now he was in Washington, where he would have his best seasons of the decade, and his career for that matter.

Capital scorer
In 1987-1988, his first full season with the Capitals, Mike Ridley had 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points in 70 games.

He closed out the decade, in 1988-1989, with a career year notching 41 goals and 48 assists for 89 points. He was also named to the 1989 all-star game.

Ridley would only pass the 40-point mark one more time in his career as he began to develop back problems. He played with the Capitals until the end of the 1993-1994 season, then one year in Toronto and two seasons in Vancouver, where he scored the first ever goal in General Motors Place, the home of the Canucks. Initially, he was pencilled in to centre a line with Pavel Bure and the newly-acquired Alexander Mogilny, but his back problems just would not allow it.

After a season with the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League where his back problems did not got any better, Mike Ridley retired in 1998.

Parting thoughts
It was hard to find a lot of statistics on the number of players who started in Canadian university hockey before playing in the NHL. Oddly, the online trivia game Sporcle had a quiz asking, “Can you name the Canadian university hockey players who went on to play the most games in the NHL?”

Sitting at the top of that list was Mike Ridley with 866 games, followed by Steve Rucchin with 735 games, Stu Grimson with 729 games, Cory Cross with 659 games, Randy Gregg with 474 games, Joel Ward with 435 games, Brent Severyn with 328 games, and P.J. Stock with 235 games.

Looking deeper, Ridley is the top scorer in that group, by far, with 758 points. Rucchin is next with 489 points; then Ward with 304 points; Gregg with 193 points; Cross with 131 points; Severyn with 40 points; Grimson with 39 points; and Stock had 26 points.

Yet no one seems to know that. In fact, that stat is nowhere online that I could find.

Ridley’s background makes his career all the more remarkable. He truly hit his stride in the 1980s, having his best season during that decade.

Although he never played on a Stanley Cup winning team, he did prove that Canadian universities could produce quality NHL players.

And there was none better than Mike Ridley.