Hi everyone! This week, I’m happy to announce the results of the Seals/Barons Uniform Playoff. I have to admit I was a little surprised by what I discovered. THirty percent of voters picked the Seals 1969-70 road uniform as their favorite, but personally, It’s probably my least favorite of all Seals and Barons uniforms (and there were a LOT of those over their seventeen years of existence!). I always preferred those used from 1967-69, especially the dark green “California Seals” jerseys from their inaugural season, before the team filled in the “C” and made it into a big “O”. For those of you who have heard the podcasts I have done the last few months, I mentioned a few times how I saw a black and white photo of George Swarbrick in the May 1988 issue of Hockey Illustrated, and that photo is what really got me interested in the Seals in the first place. I also like the Seals’ home whites used from 1974-76, and the Charlie FInley-inspired canary-yellow uniforms have always held a special place in my heart since they are the ones almost everyone thinks of when they hear the words “Golden Seals” but it was in fact the ’69-’70 uni that garnered 30% of the vote. That being said, the winner, however (by just ONE vote) is the 1974-76 Pacific blue road uniform! Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote!

In the end, this is how you all voted:

1966-67 California Seals WHL road uniform: 13.3%

1969-70 Oakland Seals road uniform: 30%

1971-74 California Golden Seals home uniform: 16.67%

1974-76 California Golden Seals road uniform: 33%

1976-77 Cleveland Barons home uniform: 6.5%

With the NHL regular season now a memory (if you’re a Canadiens fan like me, it was a bad one), the Stanley Cup playoffs are now underway, and to celebrate the first ever playoff appearance and win of the surprising Vegas Golden Knights, we present to you the latest induction into the Hockey Hall of Shame’s Overexposed wing. This card features more bright neon pink than should be legally permitted in a hockey photo.

I’ve also added a brand new survey to the site, which you will want to check out. This time, I would like you to tell me which individual achievement you consider the greatest in franchise history. I’ve put up 9 suggestions, but feel free to add your own, and in a few weeks I’ll reveal the results.

You can also keep voting for your picks for the Seals Hall of Fame by clicking on your choice of player or personality on the right. Like last year, the inductees will be announced in July around the site’s second anniversary.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! I’ve been absolutely spazzing out the last couple days since learning in the Society for International Hockey Research newsletter that the NHL has finally digitized every single game summary it has ever produced! Yup, every single game ever played can be found in the stats section at NHL.com, and I couldn’t be happier! Every obscure stat I’ve been trying to find over the years is now at my fingertips, and it can be at yours too.

As you may already know, I’ve been working on a new book since the last one was published. Because I’m a glutton for punishment and depression, I’ve decided to dive deep into the sorry histories of the Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals of the 1974-76 era, mainly because my article on the Coca-Cola Cup (which you can read here) ties those two ultra-depressing seasons together like a bow on the world’s worst Christmas present. Perhaps you have already assumed by the contents of this site, but if you can’t I’ll admit to you right here and now that I love researching, reading, and writing about hockey’s darkest and most forgotten corners. I always get asked why I wrote a book about the Seals, and it’s mostly because they were so weird and so unknown back in the late 1980s when I first stumbled upon that photo of George Swarbrick in my May 1988 issue of Hockey Illustrated. Anyway, during my recent leafing through electronic newspapers looking for interesting articles on the old Scouts and Caps, I stumbled upon a good one that I hadn’t found while putting together my book on the Seals. Apparently, the Seals and Scouts got into a bit of a kerfuffle after the two teams met for the first time. The Kansas City Times‘ Jay Greenberg even declared that a new Oakland-Kansas City rivalry was born on that night, but in the end that never happened. In fact, neither city would have a hockey team less than two years later, but the bickering between Scouts’ coach Bep Guidolin and the Seals’ brass was quite amusing, so check out the article here.

There is also a brand new induction to the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. This week, in honour of the Vancouver Canucks two best first-round picks (of course, I mean the Sedin twins), who announced their retirement a few days ago, we feature former first-round Canuck bust Alek Stojanov in undoubtedly his most awkward card.

Weekly reminder time: don’t forget to cast your votes for the Seals Hall of Fame’s 2018 inductions, and you can also vote for your favourite Seals/Barons jersey in the surveys section. You should also head on over to Amazon to pick up Golden Seals Hockey subscriber Reg Lansberry’s new book, 9 Goals, which tells the tale of the New York Rangers’ incredible and improbable finish to the 1969-70 season. For those of you unfamiliar with that strange season, let’s just say the Montreal Canadiens missed the playoffs despite racking up 92 points, while the Oakland Seals snuck in with a mere 58. I’m still waiting for my copy of 9 Goals to arrive in the mail; at just over $20 Canadian, take the plunge and have a copy sent your way too.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! That’s right, this week I’m taking some time off, and handing you guys the site. What I mean by that is I’m turning everyone’s attention to your stories and feedback, which you have graciously shared with me over the last two years. I’ve posted some of my favourite comments and stories in the brand new Visitor Feedback section.

OK, I can’t just ask you all to do the work this week, so one other little update… two new autograph photos. I absolutely love opening the mailbox and finding an small envelope with my address written out in my own handwriting (tip: you really should include a self-addressed stamped envelope with the card) and wondering from whom the card comes from. Sometimes, players throw in a little bonus photo. By the way, retired Montreal Canadiens are absolutely fantastic for this; the team must give them stacks of team-sponsored cards to give out to autograph seekers. Gotta love how the Canadiens are still a class organization.

Just to let you all know, there won’t be an update next week, since I will be out of town for the Easter long weekend, and I won’t be taking my laptop. I’m heading to the boonies of Quebec’s Eastern Townships for three or four days, and up in the mountains where I’ll be, it’s usually pretty hit-or-miss whether or not I will even be able to check my e-mail, let alone update a website. That doesn’t mean you can’t come back and check out some “golden” oldies on this here site. There’s always lots to check out in the old Hockey Hall of Shame, including some of the most barf-inducing hockey cards hockey cards of all-time.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! This week, a brand new article from November 1971 about Gerry Pinder, who went on to lead the Seals in scoring his one and only season in the Bay Area. For those of you who don’t remember, Pinder got off to one hell of a good start in California, scoring 14 points in his first 10 games, including a then-team-record five-point game versus Detroit October 24, 1971. Pinder was of course acquired in the legendary (and controversial) Gilles Meloche-Gary Smith-Gerry Desjardins deal which also netted the Seals the wonderfully talented Paul Shmyr, and you can find out a bit more about the trade in the article.

There is also a new addition to the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. This week, one-time Vancouver Canuck Len Lunde skates on Jupiter or something, I don’t know; you’ll have to check out his card to see for yourself what I mean.

I’ve noticed that there have been quite a few new subscribers to the site recently. Thank you all so much for signing up! Your support is so very appreciated! Keep those comments and e-mails coming; I read them all and try to respond as much as I can. I love hearing about your Seals memories, so much so I’m thinking about posting your stories in the future, so stay tuned for that. Feel free to participate in this site’s development as much or as little as you want. I invite all of you newbies to vote for your selections for the 2018 Seals Hall of Fame. The nominees can be found on the right side of the page, and you can vote for up to three people. The winners will be announced in July when the site celebrates its second anniversary. You can also vote for your favourite Seals/Barons jersey by heading over to the survey section.

Until next time, stay gold!

 

 

 

Hi everyone, and welcome back to another week of weirdness from Golden Seals Hockey! It is indeed a historic day at this old site in that the latest induction to the Hockey Hall of Shame has arrived in record time. From the moment I laid (cried?) my eyes on this week’s induction, I had no choice but to induct it the very next week. Six days is all it took for me to post this new induction. It took about six seconds for me to decide this was going to move up the list of priorities. I’m talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs ultraviolet Stadium Series uniforms from last week’s game against the Washington Capitals. Take a trip down memory lane as we explore some of professional hockey’s all-time sartorial mistakes. Get your sunglasses ready; your eyes will thank you later, I guarantee.

There are also some new Seals and Barons in the photos section. I found these fantastic shots on Pinterest, so I have no idea who took them, which is unfortunate, because I’d love to give these great camera wielders credit for their awesome work.

Thanks again to all of you for your continued support in always coming back to check out the new additions to the site! Don’t forget to cast your votes for the 2018 Seals Hall of Fame inductions. You can also vote for your favourite Seals/Barons uniform as well by heading over to the surveys section. The winning uniform will be announced soon.

Until next time, stay gold!

 

Hi everyone! Well, the trade deadline has come and gone, and as usual, it was more hype than substance, but I can’t complain; I get sucked into all of these NHL “theme days” whether it is Entry Draft day, Free Agent Sweepstakes day, or Expansion Draft day. I look forward to all of the analysis, cheesy banter between reporters and former players, and the anticipation of my team doing something big (they almost never do). I would have liked something big to happen, like trading Max Pacioretty for Erik Karlsson, like that was ever going to happen. Did you see what Boston gave up for Rick Nash, who hasn’t scored more than 38 points in any of the last three seasons? Ridiculous! Imagine what Ottawa would have wanted from some other team for Karlsson; their general manager’s first-born son?

One guy the Seals probably never seriously entertained the thought of trading was Gilles Meloche, although there were rumours to the contrary. This week, I’ve posted a 1974 Hockey News article about the Seals’ legend and how he became a goaltender. The article also details his brief two-game stint with Chicago and his first three years with the Seals, so if you’re a Meloche fan, you’ll want to check it out here.

In the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame, Pavel Bure is this week’s newest induction. Like most of these things I post every week, the photo makes absolutely no sense, so I helpfully try to interpret it, but usually end up making things more confusing. Check out this weird card for yourself, and maybe you’ll have some better idea of what is going on.

If you haven’t already cast your vote for the 2018 Seals Hall of Fame, you can do so by clicking on the picture of the person you would like to see inducted. You can vote up to three times. You can also vote for your favourite Seals/Barons uniform by heading over to the surveys section.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Lots of new stuff on the site this week to help you get over the Canadian Olympic hockey teams’ disastrous tournaments. First, I’ve added a link to a new interview I did with Tony Basilio. In his Book Corner segment, which you can access here.

I’ve also added a new review of Tim Ryan’s autobiography, On Someone’s Else’s Nickel: a Life in Television, Sports, and Travel. As some of you may know, Ryan was the public relations director for the Seals during their first NHL campaign, and he also called several Seals games over the radio. Like many other Seals employees, he went on to bigger and better things, and you can read all about his interesting life in his new book.

Finally, a brand new induction to the Hockey Hall of Shame. This week, we delve into one of the greatest Hockeywood Disasterpieces of all-time, the absolutely putrid   Slap Shot 3: The Junior League! Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Don’t forget to vote for your candidates for the Seals Hall of Fame. You can cast your vote on the right-hand side of the screen, and you can vote for up to three people.

If you like the stuff posted this week, keep coming back for more surprises, articles, and goodies related to your favourite defunct franchise and hockey’s past. Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! This week, I’m launching the final round of the Seals/Barons Uniform Playoff. The five bracket winners, which were selected by you guys, are…

1966-67 California Seals away

1969-70 Oakland Seals away

1971-74 California Golden Seals home

1974-76 California Golden Seals away

1976-77 Cleveland Barons home

You can vote for the uniform you like best by clicking on the Surveys tab at the top of the page.  The winning uniform will be announced in a few weeks.

In the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame, we present the 1975-76 WHA Goaltender Extravaganza, featuring four of the weirdest goaltender cards from the rebel league.

That’s it for this week. Come back again soon for more Seals articles, photos, and other goodies. In the meantime, enjoy Olympic hockey and cross your fingers your country wins the gold. Until next time, stay, well… you know… gold. Hmm, that’s actually quite a fitting closing this week.

 

Hi everyone! This week, I’ve added a classic Hockey News article about the big trade that sent Carol Vadnais to Boston for Reggie Leach, Bobby Stewart, and Rick Smith. General manager Garry Young had many reasons to feel optimistic as this trade turned out to be a very good one for the Seals. Leach, Stewart, and Smith all had long NHL careers, and Leach was an ultra-talented goal-scorer destined for greatness. Unfortunately, before the start of the next season, most of the Seals’ nucleus had bolted for the new World Hockey Association, and despite some strong play from the Seals’ new trio, the team had become a shell, and that optimism quickly disappeared. You can read the article here.

Many years later, the New York Rangers had themselves a trio of young players destined they expected to lead them back to glory. Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, and Steven Rice were highly-touted prospects, and two of them had excellent careers, but they wouldn’t be around to see the Rangers complete their turnaround and capture the 1994 Stanley Cup. That being said, 1991-92 was a wild time for these three young bucks, as you will see in this week’s cardboard atrocity. I must warn you, however, if you have a weak stomach that tends to react at the sight of goofy boy bands, you may want to stay away.

As always, I want to remind all of you, if you haven’t done so already, to vote for your picks for the 2018 Seals Hall of Fame. You can find the candidates on the right-hand side of the screen, and you can vote up to three times! The top three vote-getters

Also, if you’ve had the chance to finish my book, The California Golden Seals: a Tale of White Skates, Red Ink, and One of the NHL’s Most Outlandish Teams, and if you haven’t had the chance yet, please share your feedback with the many visitors of the Interweb. Honest feedback is always appreciated. You’ve got lots of options to do so as well. You can visit Amazon.com or Amazon.ca, or you can head on over to Goodreads.com.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! As you know, I finally bought myself a new printer/scanner recently, so I’ve been scanning a lot of my personal collection of Seals autographs and Seals-related Hockey News articles, and I’ll be adding those to the site in the coming weeks and months. This week, I’ve added a few of the autographed cards I’ve accumulated over the years, as well as a personal note from 1968-69 Sporting News West Division Rookie of the Year, Norm Ferguson, and you check them all out in the photos section.

In addition to all of the new photos, I’ve also added a new card to the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame, our second entry from the 1997-98 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice “National Heroes” series, this time featuring long-time NHLer Dan Cleary. This is one is almost too bizarre to believe so go check it out here.

As usual, I’d like to remind everyone to vote for the new inductees to the Seals Hall of Fame, which will add three new members this coming July at the time of this site’s second anniversary.

There is also a new conversation from the “Downtown with Rich Kimball” show where he and Bruce Pratt talk about the history of the Seals, not to mention a couple of quick blurbs about my book, so check it out here. It’s less than 11 minutes long, so you can easily take a listen during your morning coffee break.

Finally, some sad news to report… Just a few days ago, the Seals Booster Club informed me that former Seal Bob Girard, who played with the team from 1975 to 1977 passed away November 5, 2017 at the age of 68. In a little over two seasons with the Seals and Barons he scored 27 goals and 40 assists in 173 games before being traded to Washington on December 9, 1977.

Until next time, stay gold!