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 28th featuring Al Arbour.
Today in Hockey History
Al Arbour Passes Away
2015: The Hall of Fame New York Islanders coach passes away at the age of 82. Arbour won four Stanley Cups in his playing career. He won Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Greater Sudbury, Ontario native finishes his playing days with the St. Louis Blues.
He coaches the Blues for two-plus seasons, but his career takes off with the Isles in 1973-74. Arbour guides the team to four straight championships to start the 1980s. He goes 782-577-248 in 1,607 games coached.
Other Notable Events
1932: Future New York Rangers star Andy Bathgate is born in Winnipeg. He is a key part of the Blueshirts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Bathgate wins the Hart Trophy in 1958-59 after setting team records in goals (40) and points (88). He wins a Stanley Cup in 1964 after being traded to Toronto. Bathgate retires from the NHL in 1971 after playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, he’d play 11 games with the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA in 1974-75. He ends his career with 973 points (349 goals, 624 assists) in 1,069 games and is inducted into the Hall in 1978.
1965: The Hall of Fame welcomes 12 new members. Marty Barry, Clint Benedict, Arthur Farrell, Red Horner, Syd Howe, Jack Marshall, Bill Mosienko, Blair Russel, Ernie Russell and Fred Scanlan make it as players. Broadcaster Foster Hewitt and Tom Lockhart enter as builders.
1975: Former Blackawks Glenn Hall and Pierre Pilote headline this year’s Hall of Fame class. Forwards George Armstrong, Gordie Drillon and Ace Bailey are also inducted as players. Rangers president William Jennings makes it as a builder.
2019: Goalie Cam Ward signs a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. This allows him to retire with the team that he won the Stanley Cup with in 2006. Ward also won the Conn Smythe Trophy that season after backstopping the Canes to their own title. He was the first rookie goalie since Patrick Roy to win the playoff MVP award. His 668 games played and 318 victories are Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise records.
Happy Birthday to You
1932: Andy Bathgate
1968: Tom Fitzgerald
1969: Pierre Turgeon
1972: Darby Hendrickson
1981: Martin Erat
1991: Amanda Kessel
