It usually passes under the radar of famous firsts, but on January 18, 1958, Willie O’Ree of Fredericton, New Brunswick and the Boston Bruins overcame the “behind closed doors” racism of his sport to become the first black NHL player.
Tag: hockey history
“Paul needed someone like Teemu to bring him out a little bit of a shell that he was in.” – David McNab, Assistant GM of the Anaheim Ducks
“I got half my pay for my playing and the rest because I taught Paul to be a human.” – Teemu Selanne
the greats: wayne gretzky, 1978–1999
The leading scorer in NHL history, Gretzky is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season – a feat he accomplished four times. The NHL retired his jersey number (99) league-wide, making him the only player to receive this honor. At the time of his retirement in 1999, he held 61 NHL records: 40 regular-season records, 15 playoff records, and six All-Star records. Nicknamed “The Great One,” he has been called “the greatest hockey player ever” by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself. [x]
program cover from Rexall Place’s (Northlands Coliseum) grand hockey opening on Nov 10, 1974
Steel Phoenix Studios 