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Great Debates SIP
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
BIGGER SURPRISE START
MURRAY VS. LALIME Very few NHL goalies have had a more stunning start to their career than Matt Murray, and Patrick Lalime is not among them. Throw out statistics, technique, poise and other goaliedefining measures (although he boasts those) and Murray still comes out on top because he led Pittsburgh to the 2016 Stanley Cup after playing just 13 regular season games. Only four other rookies have backstopped their teams to the Cup: Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Cam Ward and Antti Niemi. Murray, a 6-foot-4, 178-pound beanpole who turned 22 during the Eastern Conference final, got his shot because Marc-Andre Fleury sustained a late-season concussion. Then, stunningly, Murray turned Fleury into Wally Pipp. Fleury’s career had been on a Hall of Fame arc but was relegated to the bench for all but 70-odd…
CANADA VS. USA
CANADA Like it or not, there are really only two elite women’s national programs, and they happen to be neighbors. But if you’re going to hop down on one side of the fence, Canada must be seen as the best. Want proof? Just look at the most important tournament the women’s game has: the Olympics. Sure, the Americans won the first women’s gold back in 1998, but no country besides Canada has won gold since, and no other country has been in every gold-medal game since. On the biggest stage there is, Canada has consistently been victorious. Four times and counting. And while Canada has always been a power in women’s hockey, the Olympic team has managed to win under sketchy conditions. Let us remember the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Incredibly,…
MORE REGRETTABLE TRADE
GILMOUR VS. HULL Yes, Brett Hull ranks fourth on the NHL’s all-time scoring list with 741, behind only Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Jaromir Jagr. Yes, Hull is 22nd in all-time points, too, plus owns two Stanley Cup rings – the first of which he claimed with his overtime-winning goal for the Dallas Stars in 1999. Even still, trading away ‘The Golden Brett’ early in his Hall of Fame career is less regrettable for Calgary than the deal which sent away Doug Gilmour midway through 1991-92 simply because of the results. By dealing Hull – an ubertalented sniper, although with conditioning issues at the time – the Flames added the pieces which led to their only Stanley Cup in 1989: defenseman Rob Ramage and backup goalie Rick Wamsley. They won it all on…
OILERS VS. ISLANDERS
EDMONTON OILERS The Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s wasn’t just impressive and unmatched. It was game changing. After the Oilers put an end to the New York Islanders dynasty in 1984 – those four Stanley Cup teams having been built on defensive prowess – the young, high-flying, offense-first squad ushered in an era of exciting, highscoring hockey. The increased offense of the 1980s wasn’t just because of bad goaltending. The Oilers were an offensive dynamo en route to winning five Stanley Cups in seven years. They took home the title in 1984, ’85, ’87, ’88, and ’90 while setting offensive records that still stand today. They were the first team to score 400 goals in a season and in 1983-84 scored a record 446. For comparison, the Dallas Stars led the…
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