Yesterday in Hockey History: July 19th
Tomorrow in Hockey History: July 21st
July 20 was an eventful date in the history of the National Hockey League even though there were no games being played. The Hall of Fame goaltender finally got to the point where he could get a crack at the NHL. The two-time Stanley Cup winner has retired. There was a historic recruitment between the scouting ranks, and a group of very talented players was born. So, let’s start our daily journey back in time to remember all the best memories this date can bring.
Johnny Bower Heads East
On July 20, 1953, the New York Rangers acquired Hall of Fame pitcher Johnny Bower from the Cleveland Barons for goaltender Emile Francis, forward Neil Strain, and cash. Bower played for the Barons between 1945 and 1953. He won three Calder Cup championships, and his 359 wins are still the most in American Hockey League (AHL) history.
Bower finally made his NHL debut in 1953. He played every minute of all 70 games for the Rangers in the 1953-54 season, going 29-31-10. He lost his starting job to Gump Worsley the following season and spent most of the next two seasons back in the AHL.
His career took a major turn when he was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1958 Inter-League Draft. Bower spent the next 12 seasons with the Maple Leafs and won four Stanley Cups and two Vezina Trophies. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.
Brad Richards Stops Them
Brad Richards announced his retirement on July 20, 2016, after 15 seasons in the league. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round (64th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut on opening night of the 2000–01 season and scored 21 goals and 62 points in his rookie campaign.
Richards scored 12 goals and 26 points in 23 playoff games in 2004, leading the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the most valuable player in the postseason.
His time in Tampa Bay ended on February 26, 2008, when he was traded to the Dallas Stars, along with Johan Holmqvist, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, Mike Smith, and a fourth round draft pick. After three more seasons with the Stars, Richards signed a nine-year, $60 million contract with the Rangers in 2011. He did not live out the contract as the Rangers bought out the remainder of the contract after the 2013-14 season.
This allowed Richards to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year contract, where he spent most of his time focusing on Patrick Kane. He scored three goals and 14 points in a postseason run that ended with a win over the Lightning in the Stanley Cup finals.
Richards spent his final season in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, scoring 10 goals and 28 points. He retired with 298 goals and 932 points in 1126 games. He had 489 of those points with Tampa Bay, which ranks fifth in franchise history.
A Busy Day in 1972
On July 20, 1972, the expansion New York Islanders named Phil Goyette as their first coach in franchise history. Goyette was unsuccessful in the team’s first season. He was fired after going 6-38-4 in just 48 games this season and was replaced by Earl Ingarfield. Goyette never coached in the NHL again.
On that same day, the Quebec Nordiques made a big deal, before the start of the World Hockey Association (WHA), by bringing in two well-known names from the area. First, they signed Montreal Canadiens star JC Tremblay to a five-year contract. He had won five Stanley Cups in his 13 seasons with the Canadiens.
Tremblay played for the Nordiques during all seven seasons in the WHA. He had 75 assists in the 1972-73 season and 77 in 1976-77. He collected 358 assists in his seven seasons with Quebec after getting 306 assists in his 13th season in the NHL.
The Nordiques also hired the legendary Maurice Ricard as their first coach. He only played two games, one win and one loss, before being demoted. Maurice Filion took charge throughout the first season of the club and the league.
Bryan Trottier Moves On
On July 20, 1990, free agent Bryan Trottier signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This ended an incredibly successful run with the Islanders. He made his mark on Long Island to begin the 1975-75 season after being drafted in the second round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft. He won the Calder Trophy for being the league’s best player that season with 32 goals and 95 points.
In 15 seasons with the Islanders, Trottier scored 500 goals and 1,353 points in 1,123 games. He was one of the most important members of the team that won four straight Stanley Cup championships between 1980 and 1983.
While his offensive numbers were down, he still provided veteran leadership on a loaded Penguins roster. Trottier won two more Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992 to bring his career total to six as a player.
Odds & Ends
The Maple Leafs hired Floyd Smith as their new coach on July 20, 1979, replacing Roger Neilson. Smith had previous coaching success with the Buffalo Sabres, taking them to the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of his three seasons between 1975 and 1977. His time in Toronto did not go well, as he was fired 68 games into the 1979-80 season. He stayed with the organization as a scout and ended up spending two seasons as general manager from 1989 to 1991.
The Penguins hired Lou Angotti as their new head coach on July 29, 1983, replacing Eddie Johnston. He was released after winning just 16 games in the 1983-84 season. Johnston returned to the second coaching position with the Penguins in 1993.
The San Jose Sharks made history on July 20, 1992, by hiring 26-year-old Deborah Wright as a part-time scout. She became the first woman to work as a scout for an NHL team. Wright played college hockey in Ottawa before becoming a scout in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
On July 20, 1999, the Rangers signed free agent goaltender Kirk McLean. He spent most of the past 11 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. McLean was in goal for the Canucks in their 1994 Stanley Cup Final loss to the Rangers. He spent two seasons serving as Mike Richter’s backup. He won 15 games while in New York before retiring in 2001.
happy Birthday to you
There were 25 current and former NHL players born on July 20. Peter Forsberg, born in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, in 1973, is one of the team’s two Hall of Famers. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers with the sixth pick of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. The following year, he was traded to the Nordiques as part of a package that sent Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.
In the Nordiques’ final season in Quebec, 1994-95, Forsberg won the Calder Trophy with 15 goals and 50 points in 47 games. He moved with the team, scoring 30 goals and 116 points in their 1995-96 Stanley Cup championship season. He won another Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2002 and was the winner of the 2003 Art Ross Trophy for leading the NHL with 106 points. He also won the Hart Trophy that season by being voted the league’s most valuable player.
(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
In 2005, Forsberg returned to Philadelphia as a free agent. He was traded to the Nashville Predators at the 2007 Trade Deadline. Injuries caused him to miss a lot of time during the second half of his career, but he was productive when healthy. He retired in 2010, after one final season with the Avalanche, with 249 goals and 885 points in 708 games. He was part of the Hockey Hall of Fame induction class of 2014.
Pavel Datsyuk will join Forsberg in the Hall of Fame in November. He was announced as one of the nominees on June 24, 2024, along with Natalie Darwitz, Jeremy Roenick, Shea Weber and Krissy Wendell-Pohl in the actor category and Colin Campbell and David Poile in the constructor category. Datsyuk, born in Sverdlovsk, Russia, in 1978, is the all-time leading scorer with a July 20 birthday. He scored 314 goals and 918 points in 953 NHL games, all with the Red Wings.
Datsyuk was drafted by the Red Wings in the sixth round (171St overall) in the 1998 NHL entry draft. He was part of two Stanley Cup championships in 2002 and 2008. She won the Lady Bing Trophy four times for being the “most gentle” player. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy three times, given to the best defensive player in each season.
(Amy Irvin / Hockey Writers)
Murry Craven, born on July 20, 1964, played many games for this team. He played 1,071 games in 18 seasons for the Red Wings, Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Canucks, Blackhawks, and Sharks.
On the other hand, Nick Vachon, born on July 20, 1972, played one NHL game for the Islanders in 1997.
Other famous players born on this day include Terry Murray (76), Jimmy Carson (58), Jozef Stumpel (54), Antoine Vermette (44), Andrew Shaw (35), Oscar Klefbom (33), Morgan Geekie (28), and Brett Murray (28).
*Originally created by Greg Boysen
Free Newsletter
Get coverage of Hockey history delivered to your inbox
In-depth analysis, breaking news, and the inside scoop – for free.
Register Free →
