The 10 largest hockey tales of the last decade

For those who’re searching for the most important tales within the hockey world over the previous decade, you’ll must look past the ice. Far past it. Whereas the 2010s produced among the most eye-popping and dynamic expertise the sport has ever seen, a lot of what we’ll keep in mind about it probably the most occurred away from the rink. Listed below are the highest tales of the previous 10 years:
10. 2012-13 LockoutFor the third time in NHL historical past, a season was disrupted when the homeowners locked the gamers out after failing to achieve a collective bargaining settlement. The NHL, as at all times, was the large winner within the standoff, decreasing the gamers’ share of revenues from 57 to 50 %, and eradicated the ridiculously front-loaded contracts. Deputy commissioner Invoice Daly stated five-year time period limits was, “the hill we’ll die on,” and didn’t get it. The gamers didn’t enshrine Olympic participation as a part of the deal, which paved the way in which for the league to drag out of the 2018 Video games towards the gamers’ needs.
9. Return of the Winnipeg JetsWhen the NHL wanted an NHL-ready touchdown spot for the Atlanta Thrashers in the summertime of 2011, it selected Winnipeg, a market with out an NHL workforce because the unique Jets left for Phoenix 15 years prior. Since then, the Jets have constructed a mannequin franchise, accumulating belongings by the draft and doing a very good job of convincing them to remain on the Prairies. There has not been a ton of on-ice success and, regardless of being picked by The Hockey Information to win the Stanley Cup in 2019, misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs.
eight. Alex OvechkinNo participant has even come throughout the similar space code of the 425 objectives (by video games of Dec. 21) scored within the decade. He scored 50 objectives 4 occasions – and might be on his method to one other 50-goal marketing campaign this season – and picked up six Rocket Richard Trophies to associate with his Hart Trophy in 2012-13 and his Ted Lindsay Award in 2010. But it surely was in 2017-18 that Ovechkin lastly realized his dream and proved to the hockey world that he may win when it mattered. Not solely did the Capitals win the Cup in 2018, however they did it behind the impressed play of Ovechkin, who gained the Conn Smythe Trophy. Might Ovechkin passing Wayne Gretzky for all-time objectives be the story of the 2020s? It’s nonetheless a longshot, nevertheless it’s outstanding we’re even having the dialog.
7. The NHL’s gamble pays offAided by probably the most beneficiant guidelines in enlargement draft historical past, the Vegas Golden Knights put collectively one of the best first season of any workforce in skilled sports activities. 5 days earlier than the Golden Knights performed their first-ever sport, a gunman opened hearth on a crowd at a music pageant, killing 58 folks within the deadliest mass taking pictures in U.S. historical past. The franchise responded by reaching out to the victims and their households in addition to the primary responders. The ‘Golden Misfits’ gained six of their first seven dwelling video games and crafted an unbelievable season that culminated in a berth within the Stanley Cup ultimate.
6. Blackhawks UpAfter many years of languishing as one of many league’s most moribund and uncared for franchises, the Chicago Blackhawks gained their first Stanley Cup in 49 years in 2010, beginning a run that qualifies them as a modern-day dynasty. They adopted that up with Cups in 2013 and 2015 and offered out each one among their dwelling video games within the decade (as of Dec. 22). The top of the last decade introduced the predictable ebb in fortunes that comes after a workforce has a run of success, however there greater than two dozen franchises within the NHL that will commerce this decade with the Blackhawks in a heartbeat.
5. Connor McSaviorHe first entered the consciousness of the hockey world whereas enjoying minor hockey in Toronto and even earlier than he performed a sport with the Erie Otters as an distinctive participant, Connor McDavid was being labeled a generational expertise. And up to now in his NHL profession he has carried out nothing to recommend the label was overhyped. If something, maybe the hype wasn’t even massive sufficient. The NHL has by no means, ever seen a participant with the items McDavid has. By the tip of the last decade, McDavid had established himself as one of the best participant on this planet. The one factor that has eluded him is playoff success. That ought to come within the subsequent decade because the Edmonton Oilers, after so many makes an attempt, lastly look as if they’re beginning to get it proper.
four. Sid’s golden goalPrior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, the sport had by no means been performed at the next degree than the 1987 Canada Cup when Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux carried out their magic. From begin to end, the 2010 match was a spectacular show of the sport at its finest, on the most important stage on this planet. And it was capped off by an additional time aim by a 22-year-old Sidney Crosby at 7:40 of the additional body. Down by two objectives within the second interval, Staff USA fought again, tying the rating with simply 24.four seconds remaining. It was the most-watched hockey sport within the U.S. because the Miracle on Ice in 1980 and half of Canada watched the sport in its entirety.
three. Matt Cooke and Rule 48In a sport on March 7, 2010 in a sport between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins, Cooke delivered a blow to the pinnacle of Marc Savard that knocked Savard out of the lineup for 2 months. And the hit was completely authorized on the time. Responding to outrage that Cooke had not been suspended, inside 17 days the league did one thing nearly unprecedented, invoking an in-season rule. This one was Rule 48, and whereas it got here wanting invoking a whole ban on blows to the pinnacle, it did start to significantly penalize hits such because the one Cooke placed on Savard.
2. Concussions, untimely deaths and CTEThe NHL misplaced former enforcers Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak, Rick Rypien and Todd Ewen, all of whom took their very own lives. The deaths delivered to mild the position of enforcers within the sport and the way the league handled the well being issues introduced on by repeated concussions. It in the end led to a concussion lawsuit on behalf of greater than 300 former gamers. The 2 sides settled six years after the lawsuit was launched, with plaintiffs receiving as much as $22,000 and as much as $75,000 value of therapy. To at the present time, commissioner Gary Bettman has dismissed a direct hyperlink between concussions and Power Traumatic Encephalopathy, a dysfunction that may solely be recognized after dying.
1. Humboldt Broncos bus crashOn the afternoon of April 6, 2018, 13 folks have been killed and one other 16 injured when a semi-trailer truck collided with a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos to a playoff sport in close by Nipawin. The worst tragedy in Canadian sports activities historical past rocked the hockey world to its core. A GoFundMe marketing campaign raised a document $15 million for the households of the lifeless and injured. The motive force of the truck was charged with 16 counts of harmful driving inflicting dying and 13 counts of harmful driving inflicting bodily hurt and acquired concurrent sentences of eight years. The households have lobbied for stricter pointers round coaching and governing truck drivers and putting in seatbelts on buses, however change has been gradual.
Over the following two weeks, The Hockey Information will likely be wrapping up the 2010s with a glance again at one of the best – and worst – of the last decade. Discover extra right here.
Need extra in-depth options, evaluation and an All-Entry go to the most recent content material? Subscribe to The Hockey Information journal.
Tags: lists, 2010sConnect: In regards to the AuthorKen CampbellKen Campbell, The Hockey Information’ senior author, is in his second tour with the model after an eight-year stint as a beat reporter for the Maple Leafs for the Toronto Star. The Sudbury native as soon as tried out for the Ontario League’s Wolves as a 30-year-old. For sure, it did not work out.