Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The year 2022 marked a special year in hockey.
It was a return to on-ice normalcy. Off the ice, the sport struggled with the worst issues it has seen, perhaps in history. Through the difficult conversations, moments of hope emerged as well, positive events and firsts that we’ll all remember.
Here is a look at five memorable hockey moments from 2022:
Nazem Kadri Hoists the Stanley Cup
Winning the Stanley Cup is a lifelong dream for NHL players. It represents the pinnacle on-ice achievement in the sport.
When that title and the fulfillment of that dream comes only weeks after enduring horrific racism, the message and meaning of the accomplishment transcend the sport.
That is the story of then Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri who faced racism and hateful threats to his family during Colorado’s series against the St. Louis Blues. Kadri responded to the online attacks and threats by scoring a hat trick in Game 4 of the series, a moment few NHL fans will soon forget.
Kadri became the first Muslim to win a Stanley Cup, and for the first time, brought the Stanley Cup to a mosque.
Fan Captures the NHL’s Heart
From time to time, a fan or family member of a player grabs the heart of the NHL. In 2022, that person was Ben Stelter, the six-year-old Edmonton Oilers fan who passed away due to brain cancer in August.
In Edmonton, Ben became a fixture in the Oilers’ dressing room, practices, and within the hearts and minds of players and fans alike. His infectious personality spread hope and joy across the NHL and inspired the Oilers’ playoff run in search of another win, and the chance to hear the team’s winning song and Stelter saying, “Play La Bamba, baby!”
Women Shatter the Glass (Ice) Ceiling Into NHL Front Offices
It started early in 2022 when the Vancouver Canucks hired Emilie Castonguay. Then the team hired Hockey Hall of Famer Cammi Granato, both as an assistant GM with the team.
In January, The Hockey News published a list of 20 women who could become NHL GMs, and by the end of 2023, six members of that list – Castonguay, Granato, Hayley Wickenheiser (Toronto Maple Leafs), Kate Madigan (New Jersey Devils) , Alexandra Mandrycky (Seattle Kraken), and Meghan Hunter (Chicago Blackhawks) – had been hired by NHL teams as assistant GMs.
Nostalgia for Legends Lost
If there is one way to see the goodness that resides inside NHL fans and to unlock the positive emotions and meaning of hockey within us all, it’s watching the legends we considered immortal, become mortal.
In 2022, the hockey world lost Hockey Hall of Famers, including Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy and Borje Salming.
In the case of Salming, his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and their fans rallied around the Swedish blueliner in the days and weeks prior to his passing. The emotion and love were real, as it was during tributes for Bossy and Lafluer. The game of hockey plays a role in the traditions and memories of so many, and these three personify the nostalgic power of our hockey experiences.
The Full Return of Hockey
The Olympics, World Championships, Memorial Cup, Isobel Cup, NCAA and U Sports championships, and Stanley Cup were all handed out and contested in 2022.
After years of disrupted play due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, it felt good to see hockey back on the ice. Fans returned to buildings, youth and junior teams saw family at their games, and the on-ice moments we love came back.
Within this broad statement, many moments, all of which could appear on this list alone, were created.
Canada won another dramatic women’s hockey Olympic and World Championship gold over USA, and in the women’s World Championship, Czechia won a historic bronze, the first-ever medal for the nation.
In the NHL, Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th goal and continues his push to break the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring record, while Auston Matthews scored 60 and Mitch Marner broke the Toronto Maple Leafs’ all-time point streak record. Mike Grier became the first ever Black GM in NHL history, and legendary Black hockey pioneer Herb Carnegie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The full return of hockey reminded us of what we love in the game.
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