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 8th, featuring Charlie Simmer.
Today in Hockey History
Kings Sign Charlie Simmer
1977: The Los Angeles Kings land the free agent forward from the California Seals/Cleveland Barons franchise. Simmer fights his way into the lineup midway through the season after not getting much ice time. He lands a spot on the “Triple Crown” Line with Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor. The Terrace Bay, Ontario native scores 56 goals in 1979-80 and 1980-81, earning First-Team All-Star honors each time.
He becomes the first left wing to surpass 100 points in consecutive season, but is traded to the Boston Bruins in October 1984. He retires after playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1987-88. Simmer finishes with 711 points (342 goals, 369 assists) in 712 NHL games.
Other Notable Events
1927: Hall of Fame defenceman Bill Gadsby is born in Calgary. He plays in 1,248 games during 20 seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Gadsby plays in eight All-Star games and gets 130 goals and 568 points. He goes into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
1947: Montreal Canadiens goalie Ken Dryden is born in Hamilton, Ontario. He spends only seven full seasons after the 1970-71 season, but wins six Stanley Cups. Dryden wins the Conn Smythe in the 1971 Stanley Cup playoffs after playing just six regular season games. He wins the Calder Trophy for top rookie in the following season and leads the Habs to the Cup in 1973. The 1983 Hall of Famer then wins four straight titles from 1976-79. He finishes with 258-57 with 74 ties, a 2.24 goals-against average and 46 shutouts in 397 NHL games. Dryden also wins five Vezina Trophies for the league’s top goaltender.
2018: Chicago great Stan Mikita passes away at the age of 78. He moves from Czechoslovakia to Canada when he was a kid and takes to the sport of hockey. Mikita wins the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer four times in five seasons from 1963-64 through 1967-68. He then wins Ross, Hart and Lady Byng trophies in 1966-67 and 1967-68. Mikita retires in 1980 as the third-leading scorer in NHL history and is inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Happy Birthday to You
1927: Bill Gadsby
1947: Ken Dryden
1950: Greg Polis
1963: Stephen Walkom
1964: Scott Sandelin
1977: Rocky Thompson
1987: Cody Franson
1994: Dominik Simon
The post Today in Hockey History: Charlie Simmer Signs with Los Angeles Kings appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.