Today in Hockey History: July 12 – Hockey Writers – Hockey History

Yesterday in Hockey History: July 11th

Tomorrow in Hockey History: July 13

On this day, the Detroit Red Wings made an addition to their front office that helped change the direction of the franchise. And, Canada began building its own list of some of the most memorable hockey games ever played. So, let’s jump into the THW time machine and release all the best moments from July 12th.

Red Wings Change Leadership

On July 12, 1982, the Red Wings named Jim Devellano as their new general manager, replacing Jimmy Skinner. The move came three weeks after Mike Illitch bought the team from the Norris family.

Before beginning his long association with Michigan sports, Devellano cut his teeth with the New York Islanders. He played a major role in building their dynasty in the early 1980s by having a hand in drafting players such as Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, and Clark Gillies. He was even instrumental in the hiring of head coach Al Arbour.

Develano served as general manager from 1982 until 1990. He was promoted to vice president during Bryan Murray’s tenure as general manager before returning to the role between 1994 and 1997. He laid the foundation for the Red Wings’ long-term success and becoming a model franchise in the league.

He was instrumental in bringing the “Russian Five” to Detroit. He drafted stars Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstantinov, and Vyacheslav Kozlov while they were still playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia. He then added Slava Fetisov and Igor Larionov via trade. After winning the Stanley Cup in 1997, he was promoted to executive vice president, and Ken Holland took over as general manager.

Develano still holds his senior vice president position at the club. He also spent time in the front office of the Detroit Tigers, also owned by the Illitch family. In 2016, he became part owner of the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), along with former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood. He has been a part of 15 championships in various professional leagues during his career, including seven Stanley Cups.

The Summit Series takes off

One of the most memorable series of exhibition games ever played took place in September 1972 when Canada and the Soviet Union met in an eight game set known as the Summit Series. Both teams’ rosters include multiple Hall of Famers and some of the greatest players to ever lace up two skates.

The Summit Series was officially announced in April of 1972. On July 12, 1972, Team Canada invited 35 NHL players to their tryout camp. The starting lineup includes three forwards, 12 defensemen, and 20 forwards.

Bobby Orr, Gerry Cheevers, Bobby Hull, Derek Sanderson, and JC Tremblay were all invited to camp, but none of them played in the series. Orr withdrew due to knee surgery. League president Clarence Campbell announced that only players with valid NHL contracts could play in the series. When Cheevers, Hull, Sanderson, and Tremblay signed with the World Hockey Association (WHA), they were delisted.

Odds & Ends

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed free agent Steve Thomas on July 12, 1998. The Maple Leafs originally signed Thomas, an undrafted free agent, back in 1984. The player originally from Stockport, England played his first three NHL seasons in Toronto. After scoring a career high 35 goals in 1986-87, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, along with Rick Vaive and Bob McGill, for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk.

He returned to the Maple Leafs 12 years later, with stops with the Islanders and the New Jersey Devils in between. His second team lasted three seasons, where he scored 62 goals and 170 points. He returned to Chicago by signing with the Blackhawks as a free agent in 2001.

On July 12, 2000, the New York Rangers named Ron Low as their new coach, with Ted Green and Walt Kyle as his assistants. Low previously spent five seasons as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. He went 69-81-14 in his two seasons behind the Rangers bench before being fired in 2002 and replaced by Trottier.

The Phoenix Coyotes signed free agent Tony Amonte on July 12, 2002. This ended Amonte’s tenure with the Blackhawks, which lasted nine seasons. If you blinked, you might have missed his time with the Coyotes.

He scored 13 goals and 36 points in 59 games. He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 10, 2003, for Guillaume Lefebvre, second and third round draft picks. The second round pick was eventually traded to the Rangers, who used it to draft Brandon Dubinsky in 2004.

On this day in 2021, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Tim Soderlund and longtime defenseman Duncan Keith to the Edmonton Oilers for Caleb Jones and a conditional draft pick. The future Hall-of-Famer finished his Blackhawks career with 105 goals and 625 points in 1,192 games. After one season in Oil Country, he announced his retirement on July 12, 2022, finishing with 106 goals and 646 points in 1,256 games. Along with his three Stanley Cups, he has had his name on two Norris Trophies, as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy.

On July 12, 2022, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Evgeni Malkin to a four-year contract worth $24.4 million. Just one day away from entering his first free agency, he decided to stay with the only franchise he’s ever known in the NHL.

happy Birthday to you

July 12th is the birthday of 25 current and former NHL players. The most prominent in this group are Gilles Meloche (76), Dan Boyle (50), Peter Schaefer (49), Mark Borowiecki (37), Jonas Brodin (33), Samuel Morin (31), Kyle Burroughs (31), Johnathan Kovacevic (29), Joseph Woll (28), Tyce Thompson (27), Denton Seymen (27) and the late Denton Seymen.

*Originally created by Greg Boysen