This Day in Hockey History
1921 - The Rocket is born
On this day in 1921, Maurice Richard is born in Montreal, Quebec. The transformative sniper became the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a single season, accomplishing the feat as a 23-year-old during the 1944-45 season. It took 16 years before Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion matched that feat (in 14 additional games).
Richard scored 544 games during his illustrious hall of fame career, and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL's leading goal scorer.
1988 - Maple Leafs sign Doug Shedden
On this day in 1988, the Toronto Maple Leafs sign ex-Pittsburgh Penguins winger Doug Shedden as a free agent. For Shedden, a journeyman forward, Toronto is the last stop of his NHL career. The skilled forward managed 18 points in 24 games over two seasons with the Maple Leafs, though he spent most of his time with the AHL's Newmarket Saints, his final stop as an NHL player.
Birthdays
1914 - Neil Colville
1921 - Maurice Richard
1955 - Bengt Lundholm