Although no games were ever played on August 20, before 2020, that is, this was the busiest day in decades. There have been big moves in some of the NHL's core cities like Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Toronto. So, let's start our daily journey back in time to remember all the good times from this date.
The Shore Is Coming to the NHL
As the old Western Hockey League went out of business, Boston Bruins owner Charles Adams spent $50,000 on Aug. 20, 1926, to bring seven players. One of those players was defenseman Eddie Shore, a rare blueliner who joined the game at the end of the ice.
Shore scored 12 goals and 18 points, in 41 games, in his first season while also logging 136 minutes. Not only did he help the Bruins make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to the first-time Ottawa Senators. He and the Bruins returned to the finals three more times and won the championship in 1929 and 1939.
He retired in 1940 after 551 games, in which he scored 105 goals and 284 points. He won the Hart Trophy, for being the league's most valuable player, in 1934. Shore went on to take home the Hart three more times, becoming the first four-time winner in NHL history.
Guardians Finally Land Lindros
The New York Rangers thought they had a deal in place to acquire Eric Lindros from the Quebec Nordiques back in 1992. However, an independent arbitrator ruled that the Philadelphia Flyers' offer was agreed to first, and the rest was history.
On August 20, 2001, the Rangers sent defensemen Kim Johnsson, forwards Jan Hlavac and Pavel Brendl, and a third-round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft to the Flyers for Lindros. The Flyers used a draft pick to select forward Stefan Ruzicka, who has only played 55 NHL games.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
When Lindros made his Rangers debut on October 5, 2001, it was his first NHL game since March 12, 2000. He missed the entire 2000–01 season due to concussion issues and a contract dispute. His first season in New York was his best as he scored 37 goals and 73 points in 72 games.
In his three seasons with the Rangers, Lindros scored 66 goals and 158 points in 192 games. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs when the league was coming back from a lockout that cost us the 2004-05 season. He spent the 2006-07 season with the Dallas Stars before retiring after 13 seasons in the NHL.
Important Demons Date
A few weeks before their first postseason game on August 20, 1982, the New Jersey Devils named forward Don Lever their first-ever captain. He replaced the last captain of the Colorado Rockies, Rob Ramage, who was traded to the St. Lever scored the first goal in Devils history in a 3-3 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 5, 1982.
Three years later, on Aug. 20, 1985, Devils general manager Max McNab signed his son Peter, who became the fourth NHL player of all time, to join the team where his father was general manager.
This is a big day for the McNab family, as Max was traded during his playing days back in 1951. He was part of a package, along with Clare Martin, Jim Peters, Clare “Rags” Raglan, George Gee, and Jim McFadden, that was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks by the Detroit Red Wings, for Hugh Coflin and $75,000.
Maple Leaves Make Changes
On August 20, 1973, the Maple Leafs hired Red Kelly as their new coach. He replaced John McLellan, who resigned at the end of the 1972-73 season. Kelly, a Hall of Fame player for the Red Wings and Maple Leafs between 1947 and 1967, previously coached the Los Angeles Kings and Penguins. He spent four seasons behind the bench in Toronto, going 133-123-62. The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs in their first season and failed to get out of the first round in the next three.
(THW Archives)
Fast forward 22 years to Aug. 20, 1997, and the Maple Leafs named Montreal Canadiens legend Ken Dryden as team president and general manager. Part of his first order of business was to name Anders Hedberg and Mike Smith as his executive assistants and Bill Watters as assistant to the president. He held the position of general manager until 1999, when head coach Pat Quinn was given the job.
Odds & Ends
The San Jose Sharks traded Jayson More, Brian Swanson, and a fourth-round draft pick to the Rangers for Marty McSorley on Aug. 20, 1996. He played in 113 games for the Sharks over the next two seasons, scoring six goals and 28 goals. totaling 326 penalty minutes. More and Swanson never played for the Rangers, and the draft pick was ultimately drafted by San Jose.
Trading Lindros wasn't the only move the Flyers made on the day. On August 20, 1997, they traded Mikael Renberg and Karl Dykhuis to the Tampa Bay Lightning for four first-round draft picks. Renberg had great success with the Legion of Doom in Philadelphia, scoring 109 goals in his first four seasons in the league. He did not reach those heights with Nyazi.
(Getty Images)
The flyers made themselves criminals of the deal. They used three draft picks to select Simon Gagne, Maxime Ouellet, and Justin Williams. The fourth election was sold to the Senators. Tampa Bay ended up trading Renberg after the Flyers on Dec. 12, 1998, and Daymond Langkow, by Chris Gratton and Mike Sillinger.
On August 20, 2001, Hall of Fame defender Salva Fetisov was appointed general manager of the Russian national team and head coach. The former Devils assistant coach led Russia to a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT. Pavel Bure took over the role of general manager for the 2006 games.
On August 20, 2020, the Stars erased a 3-0 first period deficit to take a 7-3 victory over the Calgary Flames in Game 5 of their First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series. Denis Gurianov was Dallas' offensive hero with a five-goal second half hat trick before adding a fourth in the final frame. It was the Stars' fourth straight win over the Flames after winning the series opener.
The New York Islanders closed out their first-round series with the Washington Capitals tonight with a 4-0 win in Game 5. Anthony Beauvillier scored the lone goal needed midway through the first period before doubling in the middle frame. Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey added empty netters to seal the deal. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov stopped all 21 shots he faced to cap his third straight season.
On August 20, 2021, longtime Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist announced his retirement from the NHL. The 15-year veteran hung up his skates with 459 wins and a Vezina Trophy in 2012 and Olympic gold with Sweden in 2006. Despite signing a contract with the Washington Capitals in October 2020, he was not ready for a game with them. That's how he ends his career as a member of the Rangers, the franchise that he ranks first in games played (887), wins (459) and shutouts (64). He is also second in save percentage (.918) and goals-against average (2.43), only behind current starter Igor Shesterkin.
happy Birthday to you
August 20 has produced 21 NHL players over the years. The first was Ernest Kenny, born on this day in 1907. He played 10 games for the Rangers and Blackhawks in the 1930s. The most recent was Flames goaltender Dan Vladar, born Aug. 20, 1997.
The most influential player in this career is Chris Drury, born Aug. 20, 1976. Won the Calder Trophy for being the league champion when he scored 20 goals and 44 points for the Colorado Avalanche during the championship. 1998-99 season. He was a big part of the Avalanche's Stanley Cup win in 2001.
(THW Archives)
At the time of his retirement in 2011, Drury had played 892 games, scoring 255 goals and 615 points with the Avalanche, Buffalo Sabers and Rangers. He is currently the general manager of the Rangers.
Other famous players born on this day include Al Hamilton (78), Steven Finn (58), Robert Dirk (58), Joe Vitale (39), Jyrki Jokipakka (33), and the late Ed Sanford.
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