On June 10 2016, Hockey has lost its greatest. Gordie Howe has passed away, aged 88, leaving behind a legacy that will never be matched. Howe started his career with the Detroit Red Wings, scoring his first of 2358 goals throughout his illustrious career, which spanned 34 years, franchises and two leagues, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA). The latter of which, saw him play for the Houston Aeros in 1973, alongside his sons, Marty and fellow NHL Hall of Famer, Mark.

Mr. Hockey was the best player in the toughest era. The combo of a goal, an assist and a fight, within the same game, is dubbed the ‘Gordie Howe hat-trick’. Howe though, only had two in his entire career, Rick Tocchet has the most in NHL history, with 18.

Gordie Howe started in 1946, and fully retired in 1980, only returning for a one-off game for the IHL’s Detroit Vipers during the 97-98 season. His last all-star game was in 1980, which also just happened to be the first NHL all-star game of the game’s future greatest, then 19-year old Wayne Gretzky. Howe earned 23 all-star appearances, won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and two Avco World Trophiesin the WHA with the Hartford Whalers.

There may be a debate, as to who the greatest player of all-time is, but there will only ever be one Mr. Hockey. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Howe family, and all of his family, friends and fans.

Bored Hockey Fan congratulates the Manchester Monarchs and the Chicago Blackhawks, for winning the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup and NHL’s Stanley Cup respectively.

Manchester, the AHL affiliate team of the Los Angeles Kings, defeated the Utica Comets (Vancouver’s AHL affiliate) in best of seven series, 4 games to 1, after a 2-1 victory in Game 5. The goals were scored by Kings prospect Adrian Kempe, and defensemen Vincent LaVorde. This is the final season on the Monarchs in the AHL, before they move to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), starting in the 2015-16 season.

Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane scored to earn the Chicago Blackhawks their third Stanley Cup in six years. They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, securing the Cup for the first time at home, since 1938. With their third Cup victory in six seasons, the Blackhawks could have just become this generation’s version of a dynasty team.

Who did your franchise select in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft? Here is a short list, linking every team’s draft selections.

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Welcome to BoredHockeyFan’s 2014 NHL Entry Draft coverage. You’ve heard all the buzz.. Let’s get into it..

FIRST ROUND

PICK 1 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Aaron Ekblad – Barrie (OHL)
PICK 2 – BUFFALO SABRES – Sam Reinhart – Kootenay (OHL)
PICK 3 – EDMONTON OILERS – Leon Darisaitl – Prince Albert (WHL)
PICK 4 – CALGARY FLAMES – Sam Bennett – Kingston (OHL)
PICK 5 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Michael Dal Colle – Oshawa (OHL)
PICK 6 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Jake Virtanen – Calgary (WHL)
PICK 7 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Haydn Fleury – Red Deer (WHL)
PICK 8 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – William Nylander – Modo (SWE)
PICK 9 – WINNIPEG JETS – Nikolaj Ehlers – Halifax (QMJHL)
PICK 10 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Nick Ritchie – Peterborough (OHL)
PICK 11 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Kevin Fiala – HV71 Jr. (SWE-JR.)
PICK 12 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Brendan Perlini – Niagara (OHL)
PICK 13 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Jakub Vrana – Linkoping (SWE)
PICK 14 – DALLAS STARS – Julius Honka – Swift Current (WHL)
PICK 15 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Dylan Larkin – USA U-18 (USHL)
PICK 16 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Sonny Milano – USA U-18 (USHL)
PICK 17 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Travis Sanheim – Calgary (WHL)
PICK 18 – MINNESOTA WILD – Alex Tuch – USA U-18 (USHL)
PICK 19 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Anthony DeAngelo – Sarnia (OHL)
PICK 20 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Nick Schmaltz – Green Bay (USHL)
PICK 21 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Rob Fabbri – Guelph (OHL)
PICK 22 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Kasperi Kapanen – Kalpa (FIN)
PICK 23 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Conner Bleackley – Red Deer (WHL)
PICK 24 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Jared McCann – Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
PICK 25 – BOSTON BRUINS – David Pastrnak – Sodertalje (SWE)
PICK 26 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Nikita Scherbak – Saskatoon (WHL)
PICK 27 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Nikolay Goldobin – Sarnia (OHL)
PICK 28 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Joshua Ho-Sang – Windsor (OHL)
PICK 29 – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Adrian Kempe – Modo (SWE)
PICK 30 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – John Quenneville – Brandon (WHL)

TRADES MADE ON DRAFT DAY ONE:
VAN trade Ryan Kesler, ’15 3rd Rd to ANA for Nick Bonino Luca Sbisa ’14 1st Rd (24), ’14 3rd Rd (85)
VAN trade Jason Garrison, Rights to Jeff Costello, ’15 7th Rd to TB for ’14 2nd Rd (50)
VAN trade ’14 3rd Rd (85) to NYR for Derek Dorsett
PIT trade James Neal to NSH for Patric Hornqvist, Nick Spaling
SJS trade ’14 1st Rd (20), ’14 7th Rd (179) to CHI for ’14 1st Rd (27), ’14 2nd Rd (62)
TBL trade ’14 1st Rd (28) to NYI for ’14 2nd Rd (35), ’14 3rd Rd (57)

Our friends at EA SPORTS have provided us with this great infographic breaking down some of the teams and players in the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi.  Click for the full version!

The Erie Otters are in the midst of an incredible turnaround after going 10-52-6 (20th overall) in 2011-12 and 19-40-9 (19th) in 2012-13. Erie currently leads the tougher Western Conference, which has the top 4 OHL teams, with a 34-7-2 record entering Friday night. RW Connor Brown (TOR, 156th in 2012) leads the Otters in scoring with 88 points (60 assists) in 43 GP and undrafted overage C Dane Fox paces the team in goals with 51 (81 points in 43 GP). The Otters also boast top 2015 draft prospect C Connor McDavid (58 points in 34 GP), & LW Andre Burakovsky (WAS, 23rd in 2013) has been a boost to the club in his first OHL season after coming over from Malmo with 53 points in 34 GP. His fellow Swede and World Junior Championship teammate, G Oscar Dansk (CLB, 31st in 2012), has vastly improved his numbers to a 1.97 GAA, and .928 SP in 24 games after posting 4.11, .888 numbers in 43 games last season as the D in front of him has improved, led by Islanders prospect Adam Pelech (65th in 2012) with 32 points and a +31 in 35 games. With the most talent they have had since moving to Erie in 1996, the Otters are primed to give the Northwest Pennsylvania city it’s first OHL crown since 2002.

Notable alumni (Erie only):
Ryan O’Reilly 2007-2009
Chris Campoli 2000-2004
Brad Boyes 1998-2002
Tim Connolly 1997-1999

Franchise history:
Windsor Spitfires 1946-53
Hamilton (Tiger Cubs 1953-60, Red Wings 1960-74, Fincups 1974-76)
St Catherines Fincups 1976-77
Hamilton Fincups 1977-78
Brantford Alexanders 1978-84
Hamilton Steelhawks 1984-88
Niagara Falls Thunder 1988-96
Erie Otters 1996-

OHA/OHL Championships
1961-62, 1975-76, 2001-02

Memorial Cup Championships
1961-62, 1975-76

The knockout stage of the Spengler Cup. The matches are as follows:

HC CSKA Moscow vs. HC Viktovice Steel
Team Canada vs. Rochester Americans

HC Davos vs. Winner of CSKA/Viktovice
HC Geneve-Servette vs. Winner of Canada/Rochester

HC CSKA Moscow eliminated HC Viktovice Steel in Overtime 3-2, with Yakov Rylov scoring the Game Winner 46 seconds into overtime.

Team Canada eliminated Rochester Americans 6-3 with both goalies being replaced by the start of the third period.

The semifinals saw the hosts of the tournament, HC Davos, eliminated in a shootout, by HC CSKA Moscow, after former NHLers Alexander Radulov and Alexander Frolov scored for Moscow, with only Reto Von Arx getting on the scoresheet in the shootout for Davos.

HC Geneve-Servette upset Team Canada 6-5 in the second semi. Even with Team Canada playing Matt Hackett, who was the goaltender for the Rochester Americans up until their elimination by Team Canada. Former Maple Leaf Matthew Lombardi scored 4 points, (2 goals 2 assists) for the Swiss side.

So here we are, the final. HC Geneve-Servette got off to a 4-0 lead against HC CSKA Moscow, before it was reeled back to 4-3 late in the third. But Kaspars Daugavins scored an empty-netter to give HC Geneve-Servette their first ever Spengler Cup!

Matthew Lombardi finished the tournament with 8 points (4G, 4A), with Kaspars Daugavins (3G,4A) and Alexander Radulov (4G,3A) on 7 points.

TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

G – Tobias Stephan (HC Geneve-Servette)
RD – Ville Koistinen (HC Davos)
LD- Markus Nordlund (HC Geneve-Servette)
RW- Alexander Radulov (HC CSKA Moscow)
C – Matthew Lombardi (HC Geneve-Servette)
LW- Kaspars Daugavins (HC Geneve-Servette)