Hockey is finally back, but we at Last Word on Hockey are still going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for August 4th, featuring Maurice Richard.
Today in Hockey History
Maurice Richard is Born
1921: The Montreal Canadiens great is born in Montreal. He goes on to sign with the hometown Canadiens in October 1942, but misses most of the season with a leg injury. Richard scores 32 goals in 1943-44 and is the first to get 50 goals in 50 games. The hometown hero scores at least 20 goals in 14 straight seasons.
Richard wins the Hart Trophy in 1946-47 and is a First or Second Team All-Star for 14 straight campaigns. He wins eight Stanley Cups, including five straight in 1956-60. The legend retires the all-time leader in goals (544). His record of six overtime goals in Stanley Cup play lasts until Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche breaks it on April 24, 2006.
Other Notable Events
1977: The Los Angeles Kings hire Ron Stewart as the team’s new head coach. He only lasts one season after going 31-34-15 and being swept by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Preliminary Round.
The Chicago Blackhawks acquire Dick Redmond from the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis gets Pierre Plante in return.
1982: The Detroit Red Wings pick Nick Polano as their new head coach. He replaces Billy Dea and goes 79-127-34 in three seasons before Polano is replaced by Harry Neale and becomes an assistant general manager.
1995: The Edmonton Oilers get Curtis Joseph and Mike Grier from the Blues. Edmonton sends two first-round draft choices to St. Louis in exchange.
St. Louis isn’t done dealing as it sends Steve Duchesne to the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa gets St. Louis’ second-round pick in the 1996 NHL Draft. The Blues end up flipping the pick to the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo ends up selecting Cory Sarich with that choice.
1999: Edmonton brings back goalie Bill Ranford with a free agent deal. Ranford won two Stanley Cups with the team and the Conn Smythe for postseason MVP in 1990.
The San Jose Sharks get Niklas Sundstrom and a third-round pick in 2000 from the Tampa Bay Lighting. Tampa gets Andrei Zyuzin, Bill Houlder, Shawn Burr, and Steve Guolla in return.
2005: Los Angeles obtains Jeremy Roenick in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Roenick finishes with nine goals and 22 points in 58 games. He would sign with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 4, 2006.
Happy Birthday to You
1914: Neil Colville
1921: Maurice Richard
1946: Wayne Carleton
1978: Per-Åge Skrøder
