Hi everyone! Lots to discuss today, so let’s get right to it. I received an interesting email from subscriber Sante Debacco just yesterday, who has done a little Seals research over the years. He discovered that the Seals’ 1971-72 schedule, which happened exactly 50 years ago, falls on exactly the same days as the 2021-22 calendar. In other words, today is Friday, October 15, and way back in 1971, October 15 also fell on a Friday. A little digging will show that October 15, 1971 was not exactly a banner day in Seals history. It was Vic Stasiuk’s first game behind the bench, and while his troops looked great the first 12 minutes of the game, racking up a 4-0 lead over the over-matched Vancouver Canucks, the Seals then completely fell apart losing 9-6. So, to commemorate this interesting night on its true 50th anniversary, I present to you a trio of articles about the game itself, the firing of Fred Glover, and some other off-ice notes. As usual you can find them in the articles section.

This week, I finally received my copy of Gary Webster’s book on the Cleveland Barons, The NHL’s Mistake By The Lake. I’ve only had the time to read the first 30 pages or so, but so far it is a good read. I’m just getting to the part where the Cleveland crew is getting ready for the 1976-77 season, so I imagine things to downhill pretty fast for the team afterwards. Never saw the Barons play, I might add; I just get that feeling things don’t turn out so well, but who knows, books have surprised me in the past. Anyway, when I finish the book I will be sure to post a review, but don’t wait around for me, folks, go get yourself a copy today.

So that’s about it for this week. I look forward to catching a few hockey games on the TV this weekend, although if Montreal’s first two games are any indication, I feel they will be sharing a few negative traits with those aforementioned Barons before long. It’s looking like it’s going to be a long season, but hey, we’re all here because we’re Seals fans, so we’re used to losing, right?

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! I hope everyone has been enjoying the return of a (relatively) normal NHL. I say “relatively” because there is still a lot that is completely bonkers. We’ve got players who are being forced to sit out because they refuse to get the COVID vaccine (seriously, did anyone ever think they would read that sentence?). Can’t say I disagree with the league making that decision; I just can’t believe this is the point we’re at in world history. Then we have Tony DeAngelo, who actually got himself a new job in Carolina (seriously, did anyone ever think they would read that sentence?). And we’ve also got Carey Price taking a much-needed rest to battle some mental health issues, not to mention Shea Weber probably out of action for good. Yes, Montreal is going to be absolutely sucktacular this year… But we also got that new Leafs documentary showing how their cockiness and overinflated heads would lead them to yet another first-round collapse, so not all is bad right now.

Yes, it has been an off-season full of upheaval, trials, and tribulations, but one could easily argue that the 1972 off-season was actually more uncertain and more tumultuous. That, of course, was the year the rebel World Hockey Association came into existence and forever changed the face of professional hockey. As you all know by now, no other NHL was affected more negatively by the WHA than the California Golden Seals. This week, I’ve added a new article about the Seals’ rocky 1972 off-season, that difficult period between the Seals’ season ending 8-game winless skid and the start of the 1972-73 season when the core of the team had been stripped by the WHA. Gone were Gerry Pinder, Bobby Sheehan, Wayne Carleton, Paul Shmyr, Gary Kurt, Tom Webster, Gary Jarrett, and Ken Baird. In other words, the Seals present and future were pretty much wiped out by the renegade league and it’s surprisingly thick pocket-books. This article by the Oakland Tribune‘s John Porter is a rather interesting one as it makes the case that the 1972 Major League Baseball strike may have indirectly led to the Seals losing half their team.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving, that is if you live in Canada. If you live in the States, I guess Happy Columbus Day. Enjoy the day off, stay safe, and take advantage of the last bits of nice weather if you’re lucky enough to have it. Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! October is here, and you know what that means… the start of a new NHL season. Hopefully, a season that won’t be rudely interrupted or altered or screwed up by that God-awful virus that’s been running rampant these last, 17 months… 18… oh hell, I’ve lost count. Let’s think about happier times, shall we. Like the 1968-69 season, when the Oakland Seals were the talk of the West Division thanks to their spunky first line of Ted Hampson, Gary Jarrett, and Bill Hicke, their flashy young defender Carol Vadnais, and their rookie-of-the-year candidate Norm Ferguson. Those were good days to be a Seals fan… unless you paid too close attention to the many newspaper articles predicting the team’s demise due to fan apathy and incompetent ownership. There I go again getting all negative… Sorry, folks. That said, you can check out this week’s new article from the January 30, 1969 Fremont Argus. Clarence Campbell had lots to say about the Seals’ sorry state, and he didn’t hold back.

If you want to drive out those negative thoughts and get back to laughing a little bit, you will want to head over to the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. The Overexposed wing’s patron saint, Dave Gagner, is back once again to show us how he was not only the most emotive hockey player of all-time but that he was also the sport’s most unfortunate target of a systematic attempt to subvert his career and sully his good name. You will have to go read this week’s newest induction to find out what I mean.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! We’re back after a one-week hiatus. Allow me to explain my absence. Last Friday, the wife and I, along with the two kids, went to a neighbour’s house for a barbecue. It was a nice night with good food, cold beer, and kids playing with themselves, meaning the adults got to sit back and just enjoy each other’s company. The kids had a great time spinning themselves silly on a disc-shaped swing. We only live about two minutes away, but we took the car anyway just because it was easier to drag the kids around and all their travel belongings. Anyway, we leave around 7:30 planning to put the kids to bed around 8, but our plans quickly changed. We get into the house around 7:32 or so and we’re there for about a minute, minute and a half when my son asks if he can watch a short TV show before putting on his pyjamas. Well, before he even finishes making his request, out came the vomit all over the couch and all over the living room floor. He did make it to the bathroom for the final explosion, which landed in the sink. Sooooo… that changed our plans. Now we’ve got two kids to put to bed AND a bunch of puke to clean up and a couch and floor to shampoo. That meant no site update that night. After that, my wife and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary so it wasn’t exactly the best time to concentrate on my hockey history website. Anyway, I’m back and I’ve got a new Seals article for you.

This week, we focus the spotlight on Al “Spud” MacAdam, one of three Prince-Edward-Island natives. Of course, Prince Edward Island is world famous for its potato production, which explains MacAdam’s nickname. This week’s article doesn’t really go much into MacAdam’s upbringing or home province, but it does allow MacAdam himself to weigh in on his hot start to the 1975-76 season, but also the Seals’ chances of success. What becomes clear when reading the article is that MacAdam was a very humble individual who certainly shied away from the limelight. Hope you enjoy it.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! As the heading indicates, today we dive deep into the 1974-75 season, the famous year in which the Washington Capitals shocked the world by winning a grand total of 8 games, Bobby Orr won his second scoring title and his eighth straight Norris Trophy, and Ken Dryden returned to the NHL after a one-year layoff. Of course, this is also the year in which the California Golden Seals had no owner, unless you count the NHL itself. In essence, the Seals were orphaned late in the 1973-74 season when Charlie Finley sold the team to the league, and the NHL wanted nothing more than to offload its problem child as soon as possible, but when your child is constantly using your credit card to run up debts, it becomes difficult to find someone to take him off your hands and give him a job. OK, that probably doesn’t make sense, so forget about that last part, but what you should do is read the interesting article from the December 5, 1974 Hayward Daily Review detailing the Seals troubled financial history and how the team was bleeding the NHL dry. It also includes some interesting details on Barry van Gerbig’s antitrust suit against the NHL and how it was causing the league endless headaches. Hope you enjoy it!

That’s about it for this week. Remember folks that the NHL season starts in exactly one month and a day, so enjoy planning those hockey pools as you close up your swimming pools! Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Well, it’s been an interesting week. I’m finally back to work full-time so the holidays are over. The little one is officially a daycare kid. And ABBA is releasing new music 40 years after their last album. Whaaaaaat? Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for late-70s pop culture, whether that be sports, TV, movies, or music, so hearing two great new songs from Sweden’s greatest exports (sorry, Alfie) got me all worked up yesterday. I just love it when news drops of a new album from an older generation band. New Journey? Sign me up! Iron Maiden getting ready to unleash Eddie once again? Bring it on! Angus Young is going to start pulling his pants down during concerts again? Ah, well… ok, I guess if I want new AC/DC stuff, I have to accept some wrinkly Australian butt. ABBA creating a bunch of hologram versions of their 1979 selves and taking them on tour? Awesome! Call me a nerd, call me a dinosaur… whatever; I’m over 40 now, so I don’t have to take any s#!t from anyone claiming their favorite bands are cooler. Let the kids listen to Cardi B and Drake, I’ll take my 1970s legends, thank you very much.

Of the two new songs released yesterday, my favorite is “Don’t Shut Me Down”, truly a callback to ABBA’s heyday. It sounds remarkably similar to what they were doing over 40 years ago, which considering these four are all in their mid-70s now, blows my mind. The title of this song is my segue to this week’s new article from the last day of March 1977. The Cleveland Barons were basically a lame duck franchise by this point, all but assured of dying a quick death once the calendar turned over to April. I don’t think one member of the Barons expected the team to not be shut down. The Philadelphia Flyers were in Cleveland to basically kick the Barons’ collective asses to the curb, but something truly stunning happened that night. The Barons didn’t lose! The Barons fought the Bullies off! The fans (a better than average 10,000+ in fact) actually came out to wish the team well. So, this article from the Elyria Chronicle-Telegraph is all about that final home game of 1976-77, which turned out to not be the final home game in Cleveland Barons history. While ABBA refuses to be shut down, the same couldn’t be said for the old Barons, who, as you all know, officially died in 1978. You can read the new article right here.

Thanks for coming by and enjoy the Labour Day long weekend! Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! After a one-week absence, here is a brand new update for you, and the much-awaited return of the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. First off, a humorous article from a 1973 issue of the Hockey News which does very little to provide any actual historical facts about our favorite sad-sack franchise. What it does however, is present the Seals in a lighter light, and if Seals fans needed something in January 1973, it was humour. Man, those were dark days. I’m kind of glad I was born six years later and never actually lived through it. Anyway, enjoy this funny piece from Geoffrey Fisher.

In the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame, be sure to check out Brendan Gallagher’s musings on life, love, and empty stomachs. One of our more philosophical entries, you will take a deep journey into the inner reachings of your mind. You may question your place in the universe. You may wonder what you can do to be a better person. You may just feel something churning in your gut. Could be a higher calling. Could be gas. You’ll probably feel nothing at all, honestly, but I’m trying to sell this thing, ok? So, just go check it out.

That’s it for this week, folks. Take it easy, enjoy the last few days of summer before the kids go off to school, and keep yourselves safe and healthy.

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! Here we are once again in that time of year when there is almost no hockey news to speak of. The Entry Draft is over, the Expansion Draft has come and gone, and all the good free agents have been signed. I’m even running out of new Hockey News articles to read during breakfast time. Whatever is a simple man to do? Go on holidays, I guess, which seems weird considering I just got off eight weeks of parental leave exactly two weeks ago. Now that we’re all vaccinated at the Currier homestead, and the wife and I have booked some time off, it’s time to do a little travelling for the first time in over a year. Next stop, the Eastern Townships to visit my wife’s family, which we’ve all been looking forward to for a while, especially our 5-year-old son. I look forward to indulging in some Jerry’s pizza, some Bull’s Head ginger ale, and some local Lennoxville craft beer. That said, there won’t be an update next week as I will be heading to the hills once again, where Internet access as more rare than a unicorn sighting, so I hope you enjoy this week’s new stuff.

This week’s new article comes from January 31, 1972, a day after Gilles Meloche recorded his second straight shutout, a team record. The team was surging, even competing for third place in the West Division. Two weeks had gone by since the white skates were introduced, and to that point, white had never looked so good. Had the Seals qualified for the playoffs, maybe white skates would have caught on. Instead, the team faltered (possibly under the weight of the heavily painted white skates) and fell out of the playoff race. The Seals would never come so close to a playoff spot again. But in January 1972, life was good, so if you want to reminisce about these memorable days, check out this week’s new piece right here.

I hope you all enjoy the nice summer weather while it lasts. See you in a few weeks! Stay gold!

Hi everyone! We’ve got a great new piece of Seals/Barons history to present to you this week. Actually, it’s a great new conversation with Gary Webster, author of the forthcoming book The NHL’s Mistake by the Lake: A History of the Cleveland Barons and Tim Hanlon of the sports history podcast Good Seats Still Available. Some of you may already be familiar with GSSA as over the years Tim has invited several people to chat about the Golden Seals, notably yours truly as well as legendary cheerleader Krazy George Henderson and Seals documentarian Mark Greczmiel. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy of Gary Webster’s book, and I look forward to diving in this fall. If you haven’t done so, head on over to Amazon.com or to the McFarland Press website to pre-order it.

The conversation between Hanlon and Webster is eye-opening and informative. I learned a lot about what went on behind the scenes at Richfield Coliseum, but also what led to the Seals moving to Cleveland in the first place. Webster also spends quite a bit of time talking about some of Cleveland’s previous hockey failures. He doesn’t go much into detail about what the Barons did on the ice, but don’t let that deter you from downloading the cast as it is a fascinating discussion lasting almost two full hours! You can download the conversation over at GSSA right here. Happy listening!

Until next time, stay gold!

Hi everyone! How did everyone enjoy Free Agent Frenzy Week? Regular visitors to this site know very well about my love of this week, not to mention Trade Deadline Day. These are my two favorite points of the hockey season, if you consider July hockey season. Sure, my Habs usually do diddly squat both of these times of the year, but I still love the anticipation of a big move, the utterly pointless commentary by hockey pundits (after all, there’s no telling what impact Carl Dahlstrom’s one-year $750,000 deal will have on the Leafs in 2021-22!), and the debates about which team improved itself the most (i.e. the team that will also disappoint its fans most when they struggle to make the playoffs in April). Overall, I like the Mike Hoffman deal Montreal made. Not too long a contract, not too much money committed, and if the guy can pot 25 goals or so per year, it will be worth it. Signing Mathieu Perreault could have an impact too, but probably not that much. Hopefully David Savard will bring an edge to Montreal’s defense, but I don’t expect a lot of goals from him either. Not sure if the team will be much better, but as long as the young guns like Suzuki and Caufield can improve a bit from their strong playoffs, the future looks brighter than it did even one year ago.

Anyway, what was I doing this week while the NHL’s 32 teams were doing their annual roster shuffle? I was doing some much-needed upkeep on this here site. Man, was that articles section ever getting long and tedious to scroll through. Hopefully, that problem will be behind us all as I’ve organized all the articles by year, and the articles that don’t fit into specific years have also been organized into manageable categories. Same goes for my beloved Overexposed cards. I’ve split them up into years, so you can quickly access the archives or go to the newest inductions lickety split. I’ll probably reorganize the cards themselves into decades for those of you who enjoy the crap that was produced in the 70s more than the crap that was organized in the 2000s, but that will be for another day. Just check the menu up top and select Articles and you’ll see how I’ve reorganized that section, and if you go to the Hockey Hall of Shame section, and scroll down to the Overexposed wing, you’ll see what I’ve done there.

That’s about it for this week, sorry this update isn’t more interesting, but then again neither is housekeeping. Sometimes though, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

Until next time, stay gold!