Did You Know?

by Anne

• Of all NHL players born in the United States, the majority (just over 40) come from Minnesota, followed by New York, Massachusetts and Michigan which all claim around 30 players.
• The first hockey puck ever used was a frozen piece of cow poop. Previously, a ball was used.
• Wayne Gretzky scored his record breaking goal (77) in 1982 against the Buffalo Sabres. The same year he went on to set the record of 92.
• Bill Masterton died of a head injury in 1968. A helmet would've saved his life, but helmets were not mandated in the NHL until 11 years later.
• Wayne Gretzky played on a 10 year old hockey team when he was 6.
• Despite being considered "highly dangerous" ice hockey ranks 3rd in injuries to children behind basketball and baseball, and 4th among hospitalizations related to sports injuries.
• Exhibition and preseason games boast roughly 3 times as many injuries per game as the regular and post season.
• The St. Louis Blues appeared in three straight Stanley Cup Finals ('68, '69, '70). All three times they were swept and all three times their head coach was Scotty Bowman. OUCH.
• In the 23 seasons the President's Trophy has been awarded, only 7 times has that team won the President's Trophy also won the Stanley cup, and only 9 times has the President's Trophy team made it to the cup finals.
• The first version of ice hockey was invented in Canada, but by British soldiers. The rules were created by students at McGill University.

These are your random hockey facts for the day, some of which you might've already known. I left out most of the like "hockey is named for" and "the first hockey game was played on..." facts because those aren't entertaining.