Top 10 NHL Playoff Records

As NHL hockey fans, we all know that playoff hockey is a completely different game.  While regular season hockey provides months of entertainment, the style of game played in the spring is unrivaled.

Long after the snow and ice have left the rivers and lakes of North America, men who grew up playing on those frozen ponds take to hockey’s biggest stage in their annual quest for the Stanley Cup.

Playoff hockey is known to make even the best of the best raise their game to a new level. And, even those not celebrated as mainstream superstars often rise to the occasion in the playoffs – living their fifteen minutes of fame as the most unlikely of heroes.

Without further adieu, let’s take a look at the NHL Digest version of the Top 10 Playoff Records.

Top 10 Playoff Records

10.) Most Game Winning Goals – Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning – 2004

In 2004 Not many hockey fans gave the Lightning much of a shot at winning the Stanley Cup. Brad Richards, however, had other ideas.  On his way to leading the Lightning to the Stanley Cup, Richards amassed a record 7 Game Winning Goals.  Along with his 7 game winners, he added five more goals and 14 assists to lead all scorers in the playoffs with 26 points.  Richards scored four goals and five assists in the Stanley Cup finals alone, vaulting him to the Conn Smythe Trophy!

9.) Most Points By A Defenceman – Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers – 1985

The Edmonton Oilers of the mid-1980′s were a nearly unstoppable force in the playoffs. So, it came as no surprise when they managed to win the Stanley Cup in 1985 while losing just twice in the postseason.  What is surprising is that in just 18 playoff games, Oiler defenseman Paul Coffey, managed to rack up an astounding 37 points! Prior to Coffey’s offensive outburst in 1985, no defenseman had scored more than 25 points in a single playoff year. Coffey even managed to tie Wayne Gretzky for points in the Stanley Cup final with 11.

8.) Most Goals In A Series – Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers – 1985

Yet another playoff record set by an Edmonton Oiler in 1985. The Oilers were on a mission in 1985 and when they met up with the Chicago Blackhawks in the conference final, it was an all-out offensive assault for 6 games.  Kurri managed to notch 12 goals in the six game series on the back of a 4 goal performance in Game 6.  He also had two other hat tricks in the series and lead all goal scorers in the 1985 playoffs with 19.

7.) Most Saves In A Single Game – Tiny Thompson, Boston Bruins – 1933

It isn’t often that a losing goalie finds his way into the record books (at least for good records) but one can’t help but appreciate the spectacular effort displayed by Thompson in the fifth and deciding game of the Bruins’ series with Toronto in 1933.  In unbelievable fashion the Leafs and Bruins managed to play 8 periods of scoreless hockey!

In the ninth period, after over 164 minutes of hockey, the Leafs finally beat Tiny Thompson to win the game and the series. Thompson had made an incredible 113 saves. Not bad for a night’s work!

6.) Most Saves In The Playoffs – Kirk McLean, Vancouver Canucks – 1994

In the 1994 playoffs, the 27 year old Canucks goaltender took the team on his back and authored an amazing run to the Stanley Cup Final.  The Canucks allowed an average of 34 shots/game, but McLean was up to the task. McLean made a miraculous 761 saves in the playoffs, with a save percentage of .928 and 4 shutouts.  However, it was all for nothing as the Canucks lost in 7 games to the New York Rangers in the Cup Final.

McLean’s 761 saves are 63 more than Ron Hextall made when he won the Conn Smythe in 1987 on the losing team.  If it were not for Brian Leetch’s remarkable attempt (34 points) at Paul Coffey’s record for most points by a defenceman in the playoffs, McLean would have a Conn Smythe trophy on his mantle today. Some argue that he should have won it anyway.

5.) Consecutive Games  With A point – Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders – 1980-1982

In what is believed to be one of the most overlooked records on the NHL’s books, Bryan Trottier’s consistent playoff scoring certainly deserves a spot in our Top 5 playoff records.

To think that one player could score at least one point in every playoff game he played over the course of three seasons is outstanding.  The 1997 Hall of Fame inductee managed to score points in 27 consecutive playoff games from 1980-1982, helping the Islanders secure their place as the dynasty franchise of the early 80′s.

4.) Most Points – Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1985

Of course, no NHL Top 10 Record list would be complete without an entry from The Great One. Wayne Gretzky and his Edmonton Oilers absolutely blitzed the playoff record books in 1985.

Not only did Gretzky manage an astounding 47 points (17 Goals, 30 Assists) in the Oilers’ playoff run; he did so in just 18 games. That also gives Gretzky the record for the most points per game in the playoffs at 2.61*. Gretzky’s linemate, Jari Kurri, was the chief beneficiary of his 30 assists. As mentioned above, Kurri managed 19 Goals in the 1985 playoffs to tie Reggie Leach for the league record.
*Minimum 10 playoff points.

3.) Consecutive Overtime Wins – Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens – 1993

The Montreal Canadiens started off the 1993 playoffs very slowly, losing their first two games but ‘St. Patrick’ would bail them out. Patrick Roy did just that; backstopping the Canadiens to four straight wins against the Nordiques in the first round, four more consecutive wins in the second round and three straight wins to start the third round.  Amazingly, Roy and the Canadiens managed 10 consecutive overtime victories, including 3 overtime wins in the Stanley Cup final versus Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings!

The 1993 playoffs were an anomaly when it came to the number of overtime contests. Some 28 games needed extra time during the 1993 playoffs, which happens to be a league record as well.

2.) Career Playoff Wins – Patrick Roy, 1986-2003

Patrick Roy absolutely dominates this record. In fact, Roy has 151 playoff victories while just two other goalies (Martin Brodeur 179*, Eddie Belfour 161) have even played in as many playoff games. Roy’s intensity and focus allowed him to take his teams deep into the playoffs; one of the reasons that he owns this record by such a wide margin.

On the strength of those deep playoff runs, including 4 Stanley Cups, Roy played in a staggering 247 career playoff games. This sheer volume of games played is also the reason that Patrick Roy has the most career playoff losses of any goalie in NHL history as well – 94.

*Martin Brodeur is still active at the time of publication
1.) Most Stanley Cups – Henri Richard, Montreal Canadiens – 1956-1975

Eleven. That is a massive number of championships for one payer to have been a part of as a player. This record tops our list as the most unbreakable playoff record for good reason. If we can assume a relatively long career in the NHL lasts 20 seasons, a player would need to win the Stanley Cup on average more than every two years to eclipse this record.

With the current parity in the league and the salary cap affecting players’ tenure with clubs, we think this record will stand for a very long time.

Of note is that Richard’s Montreal teammate, Jean Beliveau, has his name on the Stanley Cup 17 times. However, 7 of those were as a member of management. Imagine having 17 Stanley Cup rings!

Your Thoughts

So, what do you think?

Are these playoff records in the correct order?

Are there other NHL playoff records that you would include in this list?

Resources:
Legends of Hockey.net
Wikipedia NHL
HockeyDB.com
Hockey Hall of Fame Records

Why Playoff Hockey Offers The Best Entertainment Value

One of the reasons why the NHL continues to grow in popularity, especially in television viewership is the excitement that continues to be brought to the game by a host of fantastic young stars.

While we have seen the tide turning for a few years now, it has not been since the mid-1980′s that the National Hockey League has had as many bonafide young stars as it does today!

Playoff Hockey

What’s more, the NHL playoffs offer hockey fans the chance to see these young stars perform at the peak of intensity and pressure. The best example thus far in the playoffs was, of course, Game 3 of the Penguins vs. Capitals series where both Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin scored hat tricks for their respective teams. But, there is certainly evidence of talented youngsters leading the charge in all of the series’.

Some of the most poignant examples are:

• Ryan Getzlaf, who is tied for the lead in playoff scoring, and Jonas Hiller have led the 8th seeded Anaheim Ducks past the President’s Trophy winning San Jose Sharks and at least to a six game series with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.
• Cam Ward and Eric Staal have put the Carolina Hurricanes on their young, but capable, shoulders and carried the team past the New Jersey Devils and into a 3-1 series lead over the Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins.

The Unlikely Hero

Adding to the already exciting story of NHL playoff hockey, it seems that in every playoff year, there emerges an unlikely hero of sorts.

Often, it is a young goaltender that emerges with a fantastic playoff performance, such as Cam Ward did in 2006 on his way to Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe honors. The same could be said for Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Tony Esposito among a few others.

However, the more unlikely heroes are those forwards whose names rarely mark the score sheet during the regular season but somehow when the pressure is turned up in the playoffs, manage to bring their game to new heights.

The Legend of John Druce

The most prolific example of such an unlikely hero is that of John Druce. In the 1989-1990 season Druce managed just 8 Goals and 3 Assists. But it was the playoffs that year when Druce made a name for himself, scoring 14 goals and three assists for 17 points in just 15 games. NHL Director of Corporate Communications, Mike DiLorenzo may have said it best for NY Ranger fans when he noted “That John Druce broke my heart”.

Last season’s unlikely playoff hero was undoubtedly Philadelphia Flyer forward R.J Umberger (Now with Columbus). Umberger notched 10 goals in last year’s 17 game playoff run with Philadelphia after scoring just 13 times in 72 regular season games for the Flyers.

Not to disappoint fans this season, the emergence of an unlikely playoff hero has come to fruition.

Jussi Jokinen of the Carolina Hurricanes was discarded twice by NHL teams this season and manged to score just 7 goals in 71 games split between Tampa Bay and Carolina. However, in just 11 playoff games, Jokinen has scored 6 goals – including 3 game winning goals and 1 game tying goal.

Of course, true hockey fans would watch playoff hockey without the unlikely hero stories or the emergence of a young superstar goaltender, but it is these stories that round out the entertainment value of playoff hockey, start water cooler conversations and deepen fan relationships with their teams.

Is there any better entertainment in the world than playoff hockey?

I think not.

From Player to Coach With Kevin Dineen

This week Neil Bristow talks with Kevin Dineen . Dineen is a former National Hockey League Player and current Head Coach of the Portland Pirates – the American Hockey League affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

Neil Bristow – If you were to compare Nathan Gerbe to a current NHL player, who does he remind you of?

Kevin Dineen – Nathan is a very unique player.  High skill set great set of hands and speed to go with it.  He goes to the hard places and is fearless.  Andy McDonald would be a good comparison or Brian Gionta.

Neil Bristow – Marek Zagrapan has been in the Sabres system for a few years now. Marek hasn’t played all that much up with the big club. What does Marek need to do to make the push and get into a Sabres uniform?

Kevin Dineen – Marek is still working on rounding out his complete game.  Playing hard at both ends, defensive responsibilities including face-offs, and taking advantage of his high offensive skill set.

Neil Bristow – You represented the NHL in 1987 in the Rendez-Vous ’87 against the Soviet Union. What was favorite memory from that historic series?

Kevin Dineen – Representing the NHL in the Quebec series was an incredible experience as this was the first time I had been part of a team that had the best players in the NHL playing against the Soviet Union.  A great memory.

Neil Bristow – You spent a incredible 18 seasons in the NHL with The Blue Jackets,Ottawa,Philly and Carolina/Hartford Whalers then got your coaching start in Portland in the American Hockey League. What has been your biggest transition from being a NHL player to a head coach?

Kevin Dineen – I was able to work with the Bluejackets in player development for two years so this gave me a great advantage to look at the game through the eyes of management as Doug McLean included me in many decisions and made my transition to coaching much easier.

Neil Bristow – Jhonas Enroth is a highly touted goalie prospect playing for you in Portland. Can you tell us some of Jhonas’s strengths in net and will Sabres fans see him in Buffalo within the next two years backing up Ryan Miller?

Kevin Dineen- Jhonas will play in the NHL at some time given his game readiness, meaning he practices hard, is strong under pressure and is a big save goalie.

Neil Bristow – You scored 355 times at the NHL level, out of those 355 which goal stands out in your mind the most and could you tell is a little bit about it?

Kevin Dineen – Your first and last are always big but I had two in overtime in two playoff series. One, a deflection vs. Andy Moog and the Boston Bruins and the other against Patrick Roy with Montreal.  Both great memories.

Neil Bristow – What are your thoughts on the Buffalo Sabres using video as a scouting process and in your mind is it working this far? Or do you prefer the “older” scouting process?

Kevin Dineen- I have learned so much and been exposed to Buffalos scouting and the easy availability to seeing players in different strengths throughout both the NHL and AHL.  You have thorough knowledge of the league and are a good balance to having actual scouts at the games.

Neil Bristow -Who taught you the most on becoming a successful coach and why?

Kevin Dineen – I grew up around a successful coach with my dad’s WHA teams in Houston and the Hartford Whalers ; so he set a great example to get the most out of each player.

Neil Bristow – Portland is off to a good start considering the affiliate change with the Sabres. In 27 games, you have a 15-9-1-2 record this far. Is there any area in your team’s play you would like to improve?

Kevin Dineen – Every day we try to improve in some area.  Some days it is the power play and others it is Defensive Zone coverage.  So it varies and important to keep a proper balance between system and individual teaching

Neil Bristow – From your playing days to the NHL game now. What are the biggest changes in players today from what you saw in your NHL career?

Kevin Dineen- Players conditioning and preparation is maximized now.  Buffalo employs a strength and conditioning coach both in Buffalo and Portland.

Neil Bristow – Thomas Vanek is lighting up the NHL with goals and is on a torrent pace and is a major talent. Of the players on the Portland roster right now, is there another player close to having “Vanek like” upside?

Kevin Dineen -Mark Mancari has gotten off to a great start and has a heavy shot where he can score from most places on the offensive zone.

I would personally  like to thank Kevin for speaking with us at NHL Digest.

Please check up on Kevin and the Pirates at  their website http://www.portlandpirates.com/

If you have any comments or questions on this interview feel free to reach Neil at- theneilshow  (at) shaw (dot) ca.

Is Patrick Roy A Coaching Candidate For Colorado?

Shane Giroux presents his thoughts:

The speculation began even before Quenneville was let go. With Patrick Roy having begun a coaching career, everyone wondered if Roy would ever coach the Colorado Avalanche.

Now that Quenneville is gone, the speculationstartsin earnest as the two most common names being bandied about are renowned 3-time Jack Adams award winning and Stanley Cup winning coach Pat Burns along with one of the most famous – or infamous – goaltenders of all time, Patrick Roy.

Intensity or Illness?

But not only did St. Patrick grow infamous as a goaltender with a penchant for the dramatic and the ability to get in players heads, he has grown infamous behind the bench of the Quebec Remparts.

In his first year coaching the Remparts, Roy led the team to a Memorial Cup championship. It was only the 7th time that a rookie coach has won the Memorial Cup. I was in Quebec the day the team paraded down the streets and you could feel a sense of aura around the team and Patrick. It’s an aura that seems to follow him around like a shadow.

However that aura quickly turned dark the following year as Roy was involved in two incidents which reminded everyone of his quick and fiery temper. Following a game against rival Chicoutimi, a group of Chicoutimi fans swarmed the Remparts bus. Roy got out and in the scuffle was alleged to have struck Chicoutimi co-owner Pierre Cardinal.

Engage The Rage!

Roy stayed on as coach, the media firestorm subsided and the Remparts marched on to the playoffs. Then during a 10-1 beat down at the hands of Chicoutimi, a brawl broke out which saw goaltender Jonathon Roy, Patrick’s son, fly down the ice and attack Chicoutimi’s goaltender, who was not even close to a willing participant. Shortly after the scuffle was broken up, Jonathon flipped off the Chicoutimi crowd.

Why does this reflect poorly on Patrick? Well, it would appear he urged his son on. Watch closely after the ref initially restrains Roy and you’ll see Patrick make a gesture to the effect of “Get the F@*& down there!” The result was a 5-game suspension for the elder Roy and 7 games for junior.

Roy May Be Too Hot To Handle!

Francois Giguere has gone on the record stating the next coach for the Avalanche must be willing to play a high-tempo, puck possession game. It will also need to be someone who will hold players accountable for mistakes and not be so easy-going.*

He has said nothing to the effect of wanting a hot-tempered coach that will need to be handled with kid gloves lest he destroy another office.

*That last part was stated on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada last night and I couldn’t find a clip to share.

What do you think?  Should Patrick Roy be considered for coaching positions  in the National Hockey? League