How Well Do You Know The NHL's Original Six
- by Tim Frederick
- – on
- in Sports
When the expansion Las Vegas Golden Knights hit the ice for the first time in the upcoming 2017/2018 season, they will elevate the NHL's roster of teams to 31 for the first time. Las Vegas will also become the first new team to join the NHL since 2000. Their addition to the league will move the NHL past the NBA and MLB, which currently boast 30 teams each, while the NFL sports 32.
It's hard to imagine, but it wasn't that long ago that the NHL consisted of just six teams, which are now known affectionately as the Original 6. They were the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings, and matchups between any two of those teams is treated with reverence to this day. While those six teams weren't technically the first or only six in the league, they were the six teams that made up the NHL during a prominent 25-year stretch, before expansion doubled the number of teams to 12.
In this quiz we're going to test your knowledge on all things Original 6, covering everything from the great clashes between these historic rivals to the iconic players that have worn their jerseys. If you're a hockey fan with ice water in your veins looking to test and/or expand your knowledge of hockey's past, this is the quiz for you. Good luck!
Which Team Hasn't Won A Cup Since 1967?
The most recent Original 6 team to win the Stanley Cup was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 and every Original 6 team except one has won at least one Stanley Cup since 1993. In fact, Original 6 teams have been quite successful, winning 10 of 24 Stanley Cups (42%) during that time despite accounting for just 20-25% of the league's teams. However, this unfortunate Original 6 team hasn't been doing its part, having failed to win the Cup or even make the Finals since 1967.
What Feat Did Auston Matthews Accomplish in his First NHL Game?
Things are finally looking up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made the playoffs in 2017 with a dynamic young roster led by Auston Matthews. The rookie, who won the Calder Trophy after scoring 40 goals, took the hockey world by storm when he unleashed a record performance during his NHL debut, sending sales of his jersey to the top of the league. What did Matthews accomplish in his first game that no one else had done in the modern era?
Which Original 6 Franchise is the Most Valuable?
The Original 6 teams dominate the list of the most valuable NHL franchises as calculated by Forbes. The 5 most valuable NHL teams are all Original 6 franchises, and are valued at between $1.25 billion and $800 million. They also rank as the 5 teams with the highest annual revenue and operating income totals. The other Original 6 team, Detroit, is ranked 8th with a value of $625 million, being topped by the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks. Which Original 6 team is the most valuable in the NHL?
In Which Year Did Bobby Orr Score His Iconic Stanley Cup-Winning Goal?
The Bruins' Bobby Orr is arguably the greatest player to have ever played the game of hockey. He's also responsible for giving us one of the most iconic image in sports history, when he soared through the air after scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime against the St. Louis Blues. The moment has since been immortalized in the form of a bronze statue outside of TD Garden, the Bruins' current home arena, in an area called Bobby Orr Place. In what year did he score that memorable goal?
Which Coach Left Patrick Roy In Net for 9 Goals?
A goalie being left in net for 9 goals in a game is virtually unheard of. Yet that's the fate that befell Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy in 1995, when he was torched for 9 goals by the Detroit Red Wings before finally getting yanked. Taking it as a slight from his coach, with whom he had an icy relationship, Roy vowed to team president Ronald Corey after leaving the ice that he would never play another game for the Montreal Canadiens, with which he had won 2 Stanley Cups. He was traded four days later. Who was the coach?
Why Do Red Wings Fans Throw Octopi On The Ice?
Red Wings fans are known for flinging octopi onto the ice during playoff home games. The first instance of octopus-tossing occurred in the 1952 playoffs, during which the Wings won every game to win the Stanley Cup, which prompted fans to continue the tradition to this day. Other teams' fans have also referenced it at times, including a shark with an octopus in its mouth being tossed on the ice in San Jose during a 2010 playoff game against the Wings. Did the original octopus tossing have any meaning, or was it random?
What Coaching Blunder Led to Don Cherry Being Fired by the Bruins?
Before becoming a renowned broadcaster on Hockey Night in Canada, Don "Grapes" Cherry was a flamboyant and successful coach with the Boston Bruins, taking the team to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 1977 and 1978, where they lost to their hated rival the Canadiens both times. In 1979 it looked like they finally had Montreal's playoff number, carrying a late lead in game 7 of the semifinals before a coaching blunder cost them the lead and eventually the game and series. Cherry was fired that summer. What happened?
How Many Consecutive Playoff Series Did the Canadiens Win Against the Bruins?
The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins have one of the best rivalries in modern sports, with passionate fanbases that hate each other and a recent stretch of hotly contested games and playoff series. However, this wasn't always the case. Between 1945-46 and 1986-87, the Canadiens were licking their chops at the prospects of facing the Bruins in the playoffs, having won every single series against them. How many playoff series in a row did Montreal win over Boston during that period?
Who Did the Canadiens Draft 1st Overall in 1971?
The Montreal Canadiens were in possession of the California Golden Seals' first-round draft pick heading into the 1970-71 season, with the hope (and expectation) being that they would finish in last place, giving Montreal the first overall pick. They did, thanks to some additional gamesmanship from the Habs, who traded Ralph Backstrom to the Los Angeles Kings to help push that team past the Seals in the standings. Who did the Canadiens then draft with the first overall pick that year?
What Did Maurice Richard Do That Led to His Suspension and the Richard Riots?
On March 16, 1955, Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice Richard was suspended for the remainder of that year's regular season and playoffs for an incident during a game three days earlier. A day later, NHL president Clarence Campbell, who had received death threats from the Montreal fanbase following the ruling, attended the Canadiens home game despite being warned not to. Fans pelted Campbell with debris and set off a tear gas bomb, which forced the forfeiture of the game by the Canadiens and led to a riot outside the arena that resulted in $100,000 in damages. What was Richard suspended for that had the fans so incensed?
Who Broke Hockey's Color Barrier?
Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier to great acclaim in 1947, becoming the first black player in MLB. The same feat was accomplished in the NHL 11 years later, when a black man took to the ice in an NHL game for the first time, suiting up for the Boston Bruins. He would score 4 goals in 46 career games, paving the way for future black stars like Jarome Iginla, P. K. Subban and Seth Jones. Who broke the NHL's color barrier?
What Was the Score of the Most Lopsided Game in NHL History?
The Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers were involved in the most lopsided game in NHL history on January 23, 1944. The Wings had 10 different players score at least one goal and outshot the Rangers 58-9. The Red Wings even narrowly missed yet another goal, with the puck going into the net just after time expired. Despite that, they set the record for the most consecutive goals scored in a game, in addition to the record for largest goal differential. What was the final score of the game?
Which Former Bruin is Famous for Beating a Fan With His Shoe?
An ugly incident took place on January 29, 1979 during an Original 6 matchup between the Bruins and Rangers at Madison Square Garden. An on-ice brawl spilled into the stands after a fan hit Bruins player Stan Jonathan and grabbed his stick, which led to several Bruins vaulting over the glass and into the stands. The enduring image of the affair is a Bruins player beating one of the fans with that fan's own shoe. Which Bruin delivered the humiliating beatdown via loafer?
How Many Fans Attended the 2014 NHL Classic?
Outdoor games have become a great showcase for the NHL, attracting huge TV audiences and generating a lot of buzz for the sport, which is why they've become an annual event. The 2014 NHL Classic matched Original 6 rivals Toronto and Detroit against each other, with the game taking place at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The resulting crowd smashed NHL records, though it couldn't best the world record attendance for a college game held at the same stadium three years earlier. What was the announced attendance for the 2014 NHL Classic?
How Many Consecutive Games Did Doug Jarvis Play?
While not as famous as Cal Ripken's consecutive games played streak, Doug Jarvis' NHL record streak is also extremely impressive, considering the physicality of the sport. Jarvis, who started his streak with the Canadiens and continued it through stints with Washington and Hartford, never missed a regular season game during his NHL career. Jarvis' streak is safe for at least another couple years, as the closest threat to it is in the form of Andrew Cogliano, who could surpass it early in the 2019-2020 season. How many consecutive games did Jarvis play?
How Many NHL Records Does Wayne Gretzky Hold?
Wayne Gretzky spent 20 years in the NHL rewriting the record books. Among his greatest achievements was scoring 50 goals in 39 games, racking up 215 points in a single season, and having a consecutive points streak of 51 straight games, during which time he racked up an insane 153 points. Since we can't choose just one record to target, how about his record for number of records (which isn't actually an official record, go figure). How many official NHL records does Wayne Gretzky have?
What Goaltending Quirk Made Bill Durnan Unique?
The Montreal Canadiens' Bill Durnan had a brief but extremely successful NHL career, winning the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender six times. Unfortunately, due to both a late start (he was 27) and early end to his career (he could no longer handle the stress), Durnan played just seven seasons in total. He ended his career with a 208-112-62 record and 2.36 GAA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Part of Durnan's success was due to a unique goaltending style; what was it?
Who is the Only Coach to Lead Both Montreal and Toronto to Cup Wins?
Only two coaches have led more than one Original 6 team to a Stanley Cup championship. The most well-known is Scotty Bowman, the NHL's all-time winningest coach, who coached teams to an incredible 9 Stanley Cup victories, including Montreal 5 times and Detroit 3 times. However, the first to do it was back in 1944, after he lead Montreal to the Cup 12 years after doing so with the Leafs. He would win two more with the Canadiens over the following decade. Who was he?
Which Team Won a Lone Cup During the Original 6 Era?
During the 25-year period from 1942-1967 when the Original 6 teams were the only ones in the NHL, Montreal, Toronto, and Detroit won 24 of the 25 Stanley Cups. The Habs lifted the Cup ten times during that period, once more than the Leafs, while the Wings did it five times. Of the other three Original 6 times, two of them were shut out during that period, while the other won a single Cup. Which team was it that won the Cup?
How Many Goals and Assists Did Darryl Sittler Get During His 10-Point Game?
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't had much to celebrate over the past five decades, but they do have the distinction of one of their players having set the NHL's single-game points record. Darryl Sittler scored 10 points against the Bruins on February 7, 1976, as the Leafs walloped them 11-4. No other player has scored even 9 points in a game before or since, which highlights just how impressive the feat was. What was the points breakdown of Sittler's historic night?
Who Guaranteed a 1994 Playoff Victory, Then Carried His Team to the Win?
In the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Rangers were trailing their fierce rival the New Jersey Devils 3 games to 2. The Devils had just dominated game 5 and game 6 was set to take place in New Jersey. In a nutshell, things were looking rather bleak for the Rangers. However, a Rangers' player made headlines before game 6 by emphatically stating that they would win it. He then went out and made it happen, scoring a third-period hat trick to lead them to the win. Who was this remarkable hockey playing seer?
Which Goalie Ushered In The Goalie Mask Era?
While it seems unimaginable today, there was a time when NHL goaltenders did not wear masks of any kind to protect their noggins. Talk about fearless! Granted, sticks weren't as curved back then so there was less loft on shots and goalies primarily stayed on their feet, so the chances of taking one in the kisser were not as high as they would be today. Nonetheless, this Original 6 goalie is renowned for having spearheaded the goalie mask revolution after a shot broke his nose in a game in 1959 and he refused to play without a mask from that point on.
Which Player Won the League MVP for the Last-Place Blackhawks in 1954?
The 1953-54 Chicago Blackhawks were shut out in their first game of the season against the Canadiens, which proved to be a fitting omen of what their season would be like. They finished the year scoring an NHL record low of just 133 goals in 70 games. They would also allow 242 goals against, 60 more than the next-worst team that year. Yet despite having a 12-51-7 record, by far the worst in the league, a Blackhawks player won the Hart Trophy as league MVP that year. Who won it?
Which Famous Goalie Jumped Ship to the WHA in 1972?
The short-lived WHA would eventually infuse the NHL with four more franchises in 1979, after the merger of the two leagues. However, things weren't as amicable just a few years earlier, when the WHA began snatching up NHL players with big deals. One of the most notable signings took place in 1972 when a Hall of Fame goaltender jumped ship from the Maple Leafs to the WHA, signing a 5-year, $750,000 deal with the Miami Screaming Eagles (a team that would relocate to Philadelphia before playing a single game). The goalie returned to the NHL a year later; who was he?
How Long Did it Take for Bill Mosienko to Score a Hat Trick in Record Time?
A 1952 match between the Hawks and Rangers resulted in the fastest three goals scored in NHL history. The Hawks' Bill Mosienko rattled off a third-period hat trick in record time to lift the Hawks past the Rangers 7-6 before a spartan crowd of 3,254. Mosienko almost netted a 4th goal shortly after his third, which would've made the feat all the more ridiculous. Nonetheless, the record has stood for 65 years and may never be broken. In what span of time did Mosienko rip home three goals?