top of page
Blog
The definition of 'mid': the 1990s Finnish experience at World Juniors
According to Urban Dictionary, the word 'mid' is "used to describe something that is not good but not bad in the middle, hence the name Mid." And yes, I realize that using Urban Dictionary to look up a slang term outs me as a geriatric millennial. That being said, the term accurately describes Finland's experience at the World Junior Championships in the 1990s: four 4th place finishes, four 5th place finishes and one 6th place finish. The team won 30 games during the decade,
12 hours ago5 min read
From the ashes: the first years of Russia at the World Juniors
Note: this post is a Part II, which means it should have come after Part I, Nyet, nyet Soviet . Well I screwed that up. If you want to read about the early history of Russia at the World Junior Championship, check out the link above. Enjoy! 656 - Alexander Kuzminsky A centre, Kuzminsky’s 1992 world juniors tournament was his only time representing Russia internationally, scoring two goals in six games. He was drafted 120th overall by Toronto in 1991, playing four seasons in
Mar 293 min read
The maturation of the Swiss junior hockey program - aka the end of the 1990s yo-yo
The 1990s represent the maturation of the Swiss junior hockey program. Although having participated since 1978, Switzerland had only once before 1991 played two consecutive tournaments in the top level of the IIHF under 20 tournament (1986 and 1987). The first half of the decade wasn’t much different than the previous 12 years, with Switzerland being relegated twice, and winning only two of 21 games in the 1991, 1992 and 1994 tournaments, being outscored 36 to 118 across thos
Mar 144 min read
Nyet, nyet Soviet: only dissolution could stop Soviet dominance of the World Juniors
The first official International Ice Hockey Federation under 20 hockey championship, aka the World Juniors, was held in 1977. Between that year and the final year of the Soviet Union’s existence in 1991, the country (or union of countries) won eight gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. Outside of the 1987 tournament when the country was disqualified, alongside Canada, for the Punch Up in Piestany, the Soviet Union only failed to medal at one tournament, in
Jan 314 min read
Remembering the 1992 Heroes of the NHL game
As part of the 1992 NHL all-star game festivities, the Heroes of Hockey game was played, with each of the players featured below appearing in the game. In the format of most legends games, a team of past stars from throughout the NHL faced off against a team made up of former Philadelphia Flyers players, representing the host city. There is surprisingly little about the game available on the Internet. I was able to pull all of the information below from the following video o
Jan 712 min read
Meet the Twins: The Rare Occurrence of NHL Players with the Same DNA
In the 1991-92 and 1992-93 Upper Deck high series, the company featured NHL brother combinations in a small insert set to the main set. Brothers playing in the NHL is a fairly common occurrence; twins playing in the NHL is another matter altogether. A quick Google search shows that one in every 250 pregnancies results in a natural occurrence of twins, with an increase in odds in instances where in vitro fertilization is used for conception. Keeping this in mind, it seems the
Dec 23, 20256 min read
Unlikely 1990s NHL all-stars
The title above says it all. This post is dedicated to players that participated in NHL all-star games in 1990s that you may not believe were all-stars. They could be players that had one great season, they could be there as the representative of a bad team, or they could be there since there was a lack of depth in the position for the team (i.e. World team defence). But just because they are unlikely all-stars, they are still all-stars in one of the toughest sports on Earth.
Nov 4, 20254 min read
The evolution of the NHL all-star game format
The NHL all-star game during the 1990s experienced a significant number of format changes for the decade. The roots of the 1990s start in...
Sep 27, 20253 min read
A brief history of the 1990s NHL all-star skills competition
Although the first NHL all star game took place in 1947, the skills competition that almost overshadows the game itself now did not first...
Aug 10, 20255 min read
One goal wonders: who has the most games played while scoring one goal with a single franchise
This post took me down an odd rabbit hole when it comes to statistics. After researching Brent Thompson, I wanted to find out which NHL...
Jul 4, 20257 min read
90s era expansion goalies: the good, the bad, and the confusing
Arguably the most important position in the game, obtaining a franchise goalie is an integral part of a team's success. The six expansion...
Jun 15, 20258 min read
Reliving the glory of the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs are often called the greatest playoffs in NHL history. At this website we are partial to the 1990s NHL, but...
May 24, 20257 min read
Spring in Canada = Memorial Cup Fever
The Memorial Cup is awarded annually to the top junior hockey team in Canada, with the league champions from the Ontario Hockey League...
Apr 27, 20258 min read
Young Guns Part 1: The Beginning
Rookie cards are arguably the most valuable cards to collect in the hobby. I'm not 100% sure why, but there is something about getting...
Mar 30, 20259 min read
...because no one remembers number two.
“I’m glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two.” These immortal words are attributed to Alexandre Daigle, the first...
Mar 15, 20258 min read
Nicknames, they were just plain better in the 90s
Nicknames are one of the best things about sports. If you will allow me an 'old man yells at cloud' moment, I'd like to state that...
Feb 8, 20258 min read
Undrafted and unashamed: the top undrafted players of the 1990s
Being selected by a team during the NHL Entry Draft is a great step towards playing in the NHL; however, being drafted is no guarantee...
Jan 15, 202510 min read
1990s Canada WJC captains - from Lindros to Tully
With the World Junior Championship starting later this month, and in recognition of one of this post's featured players Troy Murray (who...
Dec 18, 202410 min read
Top line to front office: How successful are the 1990s top scorers in the boardroom?
In honour of Brendan Shanahan, who finished 19th in scoring in the 1990s, I wanted to see how NHL stars from the decade fared in their...
Nov 3, 20248 min read
NHL WAGs (wives and girlfriends) - how do they stack up?
The emphasis on professional athletes' significant others, also known as WAGS (wives and girlfriends) has hit an all-time hit thanks to...
Oct 3, 20249 min read
bottom of page