Mike Gartner

When you think of great goal scorers, one often forgets the name Mike Gartner. But year after year after year Gartner has racked up an overwhelming amount of goals that places him near the top.

Very quietly, Mike Gartner scored 708 career goals. Only Phil Esposito (717), Marcel Dionne (731), Brett Hull (741), Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (862 and counting) have scored more often. Mike Gartner scored more career goals than the much flashier and much more celebrated Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Steve Yzerman, Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy.

Yet somehow Mike Gartner doesn't usually get the same accolades as all the pre-mentioned superstars. In 1997, when The Hockey News assembled a panel to determine the top 100 hockey players in NHL history, Gartner ranked 89th.

How is this so? Unlike his statistical peers Gartner never has had an explosive season of 60 or 70 goals that ranks among the great seasons in NHL history. In fact, Gartner only reached the 50 goal plateau on one occasion (1984-85).

So how did he become the leagues 5th highest goal scorer ever?

Over 19 seasons Gartner showed great consistency while playing for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and lastly the Phoenix Coyotes. Gartner has scored at least 30 goals in 17 of his 19 seasons. He scored at least 30 in his first 15 consecutive years in the league, only to miss in the 48-game schedule lockout shortened season in 1995. He followed that up with 2 more 30 goal seasons before an injury riddled campaign finished off his career in 1998.

All that consistency might rank him high on the all time goal scoring list after a 19 year career, but not on the all time greatest players list. He played in relative obscurity with the Washington Capitals for the first decade of his career. He would later play in the shadows of Mark Messier and Brian Leetch in New York, and Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin in Toronto. He also spent short stints in Minnesota and Phoenix. Though he played an important role with Team Canada in two Canada Cup victories and four world championships, he still never really got the recognition he deserved.

In addition, he played in the right wing shadows of the likes of Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy, Jari Kurri, Brett Hull and Jaromir Jagr. Gartner never made a NHL all star team, and never was in contention for any NHL post season award. Unlike his great peers, he never won a Stanley Cup.

Mike Gartner will always be remembered for his exceptional speed. His technical form was flawless and powerful. He had a great stride with really deep knee bends. His legs pumped like pistons, making him one of the fastest skaters of his time. A concerted defensive player, Gartner teamed really well with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson in the Canada Cup, and because he had the speed to keep up with Soviet superstars Sergei Makarov and Vladimir Krutov.

More often than not Gartner used his speed to create offense. There have been a lot of incredibly fast skaters in the NHL, but very few who could handle the puck and make plays in top gear like Gartner could. He had a nice play where he'd bounce the puck off the nearby boards and then speed around a flatfooted defenseman, as if he was passing to himself. But more often than not he would try driving to the net to unleash a deadly accurate wrist shot or an absolute cannon of a slap shot. If he couldn't get around the defenseman, Gartner would typically zip around the net and try a wrap around attempt.

Gartner wasn't much of a playmaker, though he did score 627 career assists. He wasn't an overly physical player, but he was definitely not afraid to play in traffic and drive to the net. He was exceptional at protecting the puck from the opposition even at such high speeds. Not a body cruncher, Gartner would finish his checks usually by rubbing players out along the wall.

Mike Gartner was a really good player on some pretty average teams. Because of his ageless legs and a cannon of a shot, he was always looked to as a go to guy on these teams. He was as consistent as consistent could be, but he was never dominant for any length of time. Largely because of his career totals a high scoring era where players played longer than ever before, Gartner was included in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

It will be interesting to see how well history remembers this 700 goal scorer.

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Earl Seibert

Earl Seibert was born on December 7, 1911. He is the son of Hall of Famer Oliver Seibert.

In 1931 Siebert was traded from Springfield of the Canadian - American Hockey League to the New York Rangers. In New York he was part of the outstanding defensive corps that included Ching Johnson, Doug Brennan and Ott Heller. Seibert quickly developed into a star on the blue line. In 1933 Seibert helped the NY Rangers win the Stanley Cup.

Seibert quickly emerged as a no-nonsense defender with a reputation as among the toughest in the game. His arrival allowed the Rangers to replace Taffy Abel, another monster on the blue line, who they moved to Chicago a couple of years earlier. Seibert was paired with Abel's defense partner, the sinister Ching Johnson, quickly reinstating New York's ultra-aggressive back line.

Johnson was happy to play with the 6'2" 220lb Seibert.

“Let’s put it this way, no one wanted any part of ‘Si’ in a fight. Even Eddie Shore (Boston) and Red Horner (Toronto) steered clear of him, and Shore and Horner were considered the toughest guys in the League at the time," said Johnson.

But Seibert was much more than just a rearguard roughian. He was a great shot blocker, and he was a far better skater and puck handler than the departed Abel. Seibert rarely gets remembered as the excellent hockey player that he was. Between 1934-35 and 1943-44, he made the All Star team 10 seasons in a row, six times on the first squad and four times on the second squad. Some old timers insist only Eddie Shore was better.

Seibert's hulking presence must have made it easy for fans to spot him on the ice, although he wore a special piece of equipment that made it even easier for them. After suffering a serious concussion in Springfield, he permanently wore a helmet, making him the first NHLer to do so.

Though he was intimidating and unforgiving, most of the time Seibert was very clean. That is why it is unfortunate that he is remembered for one hit in particular. On January 28, 1937 Siebert cross checked Howie Morenz from behind, sending the Montreal Canadiens' superstar sliding feet first into the end boards. Morenz crumpled in pain and Seibert fell on top of his helpless leg, breaking it in four places. Morenz would never skate again, and six weeks later the great Howie Morenz died.

By this time Seibert was playing for the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1935-36 Siebert was traded, due largely to his multiple contract disputes with the Rangers, to Chicago for Art Coulter. He played a huge role in what was his second Stanley Cup championship in 1938. It was an unexpected, Cinderella run to the championship by Chicago.

Seibert was exiled to Detroit in the 1944-45 season, for Cully Simon, Don Grosso and Byron McDonald. It was said that previous owner Major McLaughlin had given Seibert a percentage of ownership in the team, but once McLaughlin died, manager Bill Tobin wouldn't recognize the deal and banished him to the Motor City. Seibert would play through 1946 before retiring as a player.

Earl Siebert finished his career with 645 games played, 89 goals and 187 assists for 276 points and 746 PIM. In 1964 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, joining his father and becoming the first father-son combination to achieve such distinction.

In his post-hockey career, Seibert owned and operated a liquor store in Agawam, Massachusetts. He died at the age of 79, succumbing to cancer.

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Taffy Abel

Growing up, Clarence "Taffy" Abel never could have imagined he would become the first American born player to stick in the National Hockey League.

Amazingly, Abel did not begin to play hockey until he was 18 years old. Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1900, he would learn the game with the senior league Michigan Soo Nationals from 1918 until 1922. At 6'1" and 225lbs, he was a giant of a man by the standards of the day, and he liked to use his size to his advantage. Under the rules of the day (the NHL did not allow forward passing until 1929) the hard hitting Abel quickly emerged as a quality defenseman.

By 1922 Abel decided to give hockey his best shot, and moved to St. Paul, Minnesota to play in the USAHA. His solid play and intimidating size earned him a spot of the US Olympic team for the 1924 winter games held in Chamonix, France. Other than the powerhouse team from Canada, Olympic competition was pretty weak in those days. Abel, never a noted offensive player, scored 15 goals in 5 games. Only Canada held him scoreless, although he made his presence felt in a more typical way. He got involved in three altercations and reportedly spent a lot of time in the penalty box (PIM statistics for those games are very sketchy).

His impressive Olympics catapulted Abel's stature. In 1926 the expansion New York Rangers signed Abel and teamed him with the equally mean-spirited Ching Johnson to form one of the most physical defensive pairings in the league. They quickly established their NHL reputation as well, as their physical intimidation was an important piece of the Rangers' Stanley Cup championship puzzle just two years later.

Abel and Johnson's finest moment came in those 1928 playoffs. With goalie Lorne Chabot falling to an eye injury during game 2 of the finals against the Montreal Maroons, 45 year old coach Lester Patrick donned the goalie equipment for the first time in his life and played goal. Abel and Johnson played the game of their life, protecting their inexperienced goaltender en route to one of the most unexpected victories in Stanley Cup playoff history. One report suggests Abel and Johnson allowed only 3 shots on goal against Patrick.

Somewhat surprisingly, Abel was sold to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1929 for the princely sum of $15,000. He would patrol Chicago's blue line for 5 seasons, proving to be a fan favorite. In his last season, 1934, he again tasted champagne from Lord Stanley's Mug, as the Hawks captured their first Stanley Cup title.

Never known for his offensive capabilities, Abel was a scary stay- at- home defenseman. His best offensive season was in 1926 - 27 when he scored 8 goals for 12 points. Abel finished his 8 season campaign with 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points and 359 PIM's.

After retiring as a player he tried his hand as a coach and manager, but settle on returning to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan where he opened "Taffy's Lodge," a tourist resort.

In 1973 Clarence became one of the charter members in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

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