How about a little revisionist history for the afternoon?

Question

I was reading a special issue I bought from The Hockey News a few years ago, which inspired this question. To hockey fans out there on this forum, I pose this question to you: if there was one event that could have altered a hockey fate, what would it be? In other words, write a piece of revisionist history! For example, what if David Volek didn't score that goal in game seven of the 1993 division finals against Pittsburgh? Would the Penguins have prevailed in the Wales finals against Montreal? If that would have happened, the 1993 Stanley Cup final would have featured Wayne Gretzky against Mario Lemieux for the first time ever, with a championship on the line. The two dominant players of their era, both coming off injury and (in Lemieux's case) illness, both still in their primes, fighting it out for not only the Silver Chalace, but for the title of "greatest hockey player of all time"... Who would have won that one? Of course you know where this one goes!

Let the revisions begin!

Wow! I like the various answers here so far. Here's another revision to ponder: Eric Lindros. What if he were to remain with the Quebec Nordiques instead of being a pariah and getting traded? Would there have been a Stanley Cup for Joe Sakic? Just that trade alone altered the fortunes of four franchises: the Nordiques, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, and New York Rangers. If Lindros isn't traded, the Nordiques may or may not win a Stanley Cup (given what we now know about Lindros), the Canadiens never trade Patric Roy (because the Nords never have Jocelyn Thibault to trade them, and the Habs would never trade their icon to their cross-province rivals), the Flyers become a dominant team (by keeping the trade components they would have lost in dealing for Lindros), and Joe Sakic would have been lost to the Rangers earlier than he almost was back in 1997 (remember, he signed an offer sheet that was matched by Colorado...no Lindros trade+ no Cup= no Sakic w/ the Avs).

Answer 1

Being a big fan of both players who (IMO) were destined to be all time great players, I have asked myself these questions several times:

What if Pelle Lindbergh had a designated driver that day?
What if Vladimir Konstantinov's limo driver hadn't been wasted?

That is some history I wish I could change.

Answer 2

If Tim Kerr wasn't injured during the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, the Flyers might have beaten the Edmonton Oilers, adding insult to injury after Edmonton's playoff exit in 1986. Mike Keenan would have won his first Cup with the Flyers, rather than with the Rangers in 1994. The Oilers might have been dismantled sooner due to two consecutive playoff losses, which could affect Cup runs in 1988 and 1990. Without these Cup wins, Mark Messier might not be as desirable to the Rangers in 1991 (or Mess could leave sooner than that, seeking a chance to win it with another contender). Hence, no Cup for the Rangers.

Gotta love the Butterfly Effect.

Answer 3

Great question. I might have a few...

If the puck doesn't skip over the Pittsburgh d-man's stick in 1983, the Isles lose in regulation, they don't win their 4th cup and the Oilers probably start their run one year earlier.

If Steve Smith doesn't put the puck in his own net off Fuhr in game 7 of the 1986 conference finals, do the Oilers win 5 cups in a row? Might it have been 6 in a row if the above 'if' had also happened? Does Gretzky really get moved to LA after 5 or 6 straight cups? What happens to the NHL if Gretzky doesn't go to LA? Would all that expansion have taken place if Gretzky had stayed in Alberta?

If Kovalev doesn't have the game of his life in game 6 of the conference finals vs the Devils, Messier doesn't get his trick, he doesn't get anointed the 'messiah', Keenan never wins a cup, the chants of 1940 continue and who knows where it goes from there for that NY Oiler-Hawks team.

If Marty McSorley picks up a legal twig late in game 2 of the '93 finals against Montreal, LA goes home with a 2-0 lead and a chance to clinch at home in a rare 2-3-2 series schedule.

'93 conference semis, Rangers and Pens tied at 2 games and NY leading in the 3rd about to start a 5 minute powerplay. Leetch plays over 4 minutes of the pp, gasses himself and is ineffective the rest of the way as the Pens tie it and win it in OT. Pittsburgh goes on to win in 6 to set up the semis vs the Isles. Might it have been a New York, New York semi if the Rangers had focused on protecting the lead in that game?

How about Roy's 'statue of Liberty' gaffe vs the Red Wings in 2002. Could Colorado have defended its title if Roy hadn't pulled that stunt? Would Drury have gotten traded if they'd won 2 straight cups?

The lockout in 94. How badly does the league impede its momentum with the labor dispute on the heels of a NY cup victory? Could NJ have sustained the trap for a full season if there hadn't been a lockout? If they don't win the cup in the '95 1/2 season, do they adopt the trap as their style?

If the Soviet Union doesn't go bankrupt in the late 80's, is the NHL a better or worse league today?

If David Stern doesn't recommend Gary Bettman to the NHL, where would the league be today?

Answer 4

Late in the 1971 season, the Habs call up a rookie netminder who backstops the club all the way to the cup and wins the Conn Smythe in the process. The goalie: Ken Dryden. What if they hadn't called him up? The Bruins with Orr and Espo win their second straight cup. The next year the Bruins win again and we have a new dynasty in the NHL.
We could do the same with some guy named Roy the years are different but he does the same thing and the Habs grab another silver mug.

Answer 5

How about what if the lockout hadn't happened? Teemu more than likely would have retired due to bad knees. But, he had the surgery and is as good as new thanks to rehab during the lockout. In the Ducks case the dark cloud aka lockout was the best thing for the future of the team. The Stanley Cup sure is a great Silver Lining.
edit* zam I feel the same way. *sigh*

Answer 6

In 1999 the buffalo sabres played the dallas stars in game 7 with the cup on the line. Brett hall clearly stepped in the crease and scored. The goal went under reveiw and it counted. To make things worse it was in overtime and the dallas stars took home the cup. If the reffs werent blind and saw that he stepped in the crease and said no goal would dallas win the cup on another goal or would buffalo have scored instead and get the cup?

Answer 7

Well since you didn't say to limit the history to the NHL...
The biggest alteration would be the USA hockey team losing the "miracle on ice" game against Russia in the 1980's and not going on to win the gold medal. Not only would USA have suffered in the Cold War but the US's hockey status in the world would have suffered greatly.

Answer 8

My mind is fuzzy on dates but Calgary had a game winner against Tampa Bay that was called back.Anybody remember that.Tampa goes home and wins the Cup.
Second was Edmonton vs Carolina.Edmonton loses starting goaltender fights off elimination at home and loses game 7 in Carolina.Who knows how it ends if Edmonton stays healthy.
And Brett Hull and the Stars with the skate in the crease.
What if it was called "no goal" and continues.
What a great game we love!!

Answer 9

1993 Conference finals Wayne Gretzky is called for high sticking on Doug Gilmour and gets the double minor. The Leafs go on to win the Conference finals and a Leafs-Habs Cup Finals (something that simply can't happen anymore) and perhaps a Leafs cup....

Answer 10

Here is one for you. What if the Islanders never traded Roberto Luongo?

Back in 2000, Mike Milbury decided to trade away Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to the Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. Of course, both Parrish and Kvasha were useless with the Isles and are no longer on the team. Luongo blew up and became a star with both the Panthers and later on the Canucks. Jokinen became a star as well with the Panthers. Do you realize how good the Isles could have been if they still had both Luongo and Jokinen on the roster? Coupled with the draft pick that would have become Jason Spezza, instead of peddling it away to Ottawa for the useless Alexei Yashin? That team could have done damage instead of becoming a total joke for much of the decade.