Yesterday in Hockey History: Aug. 28
Tomorrow in Hockey History: Aug. 30
On this date, one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history had to step away from the game for an entire season due to health reasons. Additionally, another remarkable class took its place in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Join the THW time machine as we travel through the years to revisit all the best memories of August 29.
Super Mario Steps Away
One of the greatest players to ever skate in the NHL made a significant announcement on August 29, 1994. Mario Lemieux revealed his intentions to sit out the upcoming 1994-95 season. Diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 1993, the combination of radiation treatment and persistent back injuries forced him into this difficult decision.
Lemieux returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 1995-96 season and looked like he had never missed a beat. He captured the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league with 69 goals and 161 points. His outstanding performance also earned him his third Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s most valuable player.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
After another 50-goal season in 1996-97, Lemieux announced his retirement. However, his time away from the team was short-lived, as he worked out a deal to become part-owner of the Penguins in November 1998 while the franchise navigated bankruptcy. On December 27, 2000, Lemieux, now an owner and Hall of Famer, made his return to the ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 35 goals and 76 points in the remaining 43 games of the 2000-01 season. He remained an active player until 2006, though he only appeared in 127 games over those final four seasons.
Another HoF Class Inducted
On August 29, 1964, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed four players, two builders, and a longtime official into its ranks.
Doug Bentley headlined the group of players. He scored 219 goals and 543 points in 565 games with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. He led the league in goals in back-to-back seasons, notching 33 in 1942-43 and 38 in 1943-44. During the 1942-43 season, he played alongside his brothers Max and Reg on the Blackhawks. Max joined Doug in the Hall of Fame two years later.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Bill Durnan was also part of the induction ceremony. Though he played only seven seasons in the NHL, from 1943 to 1950, he won two Stanley Cups and six Vezina Trophies for allowing the fewest goals in the league.
Babe Siebert, who won the 1937 Hart Trophy with the Canadiens, and defenseman Jack Stewart, who spent the majority of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, were also inducted.
Angus Campbell, founder of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA), and longtime Quebec hockey administrator Frank Dilio were added on the builders’ side. Referee Bill Chadwick rounded out the class. He officiated over 900 regular-season games and 42 Stanley Cup Final games, becoming the first American-born official to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Blues Make A Pair of Moves
On August 29, 1974, the St. Louis Blues traded forward Greg Polis to the Rangers for defenseman Larry Sacharuk and a first-round pick. The Rangers clearly got the better end of this deal. Polis scored 65 goals and 141 points in 275 games in New York. Both Sacharuk and the draft pick eventually returned to the Rangers in 1975. Sacharuk was reacquired for forward Bob MacMillan, and the draft pick was sent back in a trade for Derek Sanderson. In 1977, the Rangers used that pick to select Lucien DeBlois, who went on to play 326 games for the team.
The Blues made a more favorable deal on August 29, 1985, when they acquired center Rick Meagher from the New Jersey Devils for a 12th-round draft pick.
Meagher went on to play 413 games for the Blues over the next six seasons. He won the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward of the 1988-89 season. He served as captain during the 1989-90 season, becoming the 11th player to wear the “C” on his Blues sweater.
Odds & Ends
The Los Angeles Kings acquired centers Jozef Stumpel and Sandy Moger on August 29, 1997, from the Boston Bruins, in exchange for forward Dimitri Khristich and Byron Dafoe. This marked the first of three trades between the Bruins and Kings involving Stumpel. He was traded back to Boston, along with Glen Murray, on October 24, 2001, for Jason Allison and forward Mikko Eloranta. He returned to Los Angeles on June 22, 2003, in a deal that included multiple draft picks being exchanged.
On August 29, 1999, the Washington Capitals named Adam Oates their new captain, the ninth in franchise history. He succeeded Dale Hunter and served as captain for the next two seasons. He played in all but one game and recorded 25 goals and 153 points.
The Maple Leafs named John Ferguson Jr. as their new general manager on August 29, 2003, replacing Pat Quinn. He held the position until midway through the 2008-09 season. The Maple Leafs set a franchise record with 103 points during the 2003-04 season, though that remained the only playoff appearance under Ferguson’s leadership. His most notable draft picks included Anton Stralman, Tuukka Rask, Leo Komarov, James Reimer, Nikolai Kulemin, and Carl Gunnarsson.
On August 29, 2022, the Vegas Golden Knights acquired goaltender Adin Hill from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick in 2024. An under-the-radar move at the time, it ultimately paid off in the playoffs, as Hill backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup with a 2.17 goals-against average (GAA), a .932 save percentage (SV%), and two shutouts.
On August 29, 2023, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) unveiled the locations of their first six teams and the player selection process for their inaugural 2023-24 season. The league proved to be a massive success, with PWHL Minnesota winning the first championship by defeating PWHL Boston 3-0 in Game 5 of the Final. Now in their fourth season, four new expansion teams are set to enter the league in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose, following the additions of the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent in 2025.
Happy Birthday to You
A total of 21 players who skated in at least one NHL game were born on August 29.
Aurele Joliat was the first, born in 1901, and is the only Hall of Famer in the group. He joined the Canadiens in 1922 and eventually became a star playing alongside Howie Morenz. A member of three Stanley Cup championship teams, when he retired in 1938, he was the franchise’s all-time leader with 270 goals.
Martin Erat played in the most games of this group (881) and accumulated the most assists (369) and points (545). Nashville Predators fans hold a special place in their hearts for Erat, not only for the 163 goals and 481 points he scored in 723 games, but also for being traded to the Capitals in 2013 for Filip Forsberg.
(Icon SMI)
Other notable players born on this date include Doug Sulliman (67), Shaun Val Allen (59), Jonas Hoglund (54), and Antti Niemi (43).
*Originally constructed by Greg Boysen
