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 16th, featuring Leon Draisaitl.
Today in Hockey History
Leon Draisaitl Gets Extension
2017: The Edmonton Oilers sign the German forward to an eight-year contract extension. Draisaitl’s new deal keeps him in Edmonton until the 2024-25 season. The German is coming off a season that saw him finish with career-highs in goals (29) and points (77). He also provided six goals and 16 points in the post-season.
The move comes two months after the Oilers lock up former top-pick Connor McDavid to a multi-year extension. Draisaitl wins the Art Ross Trophy in the 2019-20 season with 47 goals and 110 points. He’s also a Hart Trophy nominee for league MVP.
Other Notable Events
1949: The Detroit Red Wings obtain Pete Babando, Jimmy Peters, Clare Martin and Lloyd Durham in a trade with the Boston Bruins. Boston gets Bill Quackenbush and Pete Horeck in return. Quackenbush is elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976. However, Babando scores the game-winner in Game 7 of the 1950 Stanley Cup Final. He scores 8:31 of double overtime as Detroit beats the New York Rangers.
1966: Future colour commentator Eddie Olczyk is born in Chicago. He’s a third overall selection of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1984 NHL Draft. He scores 342 goals and finishes with 794 points in 1,031 NHL games during 16 seasons. Olczyk is a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning Rangers and finishes his career with Chicago in 1999-2000.
1987: Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price is born in Anahim Lake, British Columbia. The Habs take Price fifth overall of the 2005 NHL Draft. He plays for the Tri-City Americans of the WHL in the junior ranks and is named league and CHL goalie of the year in 2006-07. He wins the Calder Cup and the MVP with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Price wins the Hart, Vezina and Jennings trophies and the Ted Lindsay Award, becoming the first goalie in NHL history to take home all four honors in the same season in 2014-15.
1996: Chicago trades Jeremy Roenick to the Phoenix Coyotes for Alexei Zhamnov, Craig Mills and first-rounder in the 1997 NHL Draft. Roenick is traded after he goes from 100 points to 67 in the previous season.
Happy Birthday to You
1958: Steve Payne
1966: Ed Olczyk
1978: Cory Sarich
1987: Carey Price
1990: Travis Hamonic
1994: Adam Pelech
1999: Gabriel Vilardi
