How much do you know about some of the greatest teams in sports history?
With "The Last Dance" celebrating the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s, take the quiz below to see how your knowledge of the best pro squads of all time stacks up against the competition.
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Joel Ward, who played 11 seasons in the NHL, officially announced his retirement on Monday with a post for The Players' Tribune.
Ward hasn't played since the 2017-18 campaign when he suited up for the San Jose Sharks. Overall, he spent three seasons with San Jose, four with the Washington Capitals, three with the Nashville Predators, and one with the Minnesota Wild.
"I know I didn't play the last two years, but I tried. I did. I wish I could have gone out in a bit of a different way," Ward wrote. "But, you know, just thinking about it all - all 726 games - I realized something. 'Who am I to wish for any more time?' I got what I wanted. I'm one of the lucky ones."
The 39-year-old wasn't selected in the 1999 draft, but he later signed a contract with the ECHL's Florida Everblades in 2005 and eventually worked his way through the AHL to the NHL.
"I just wanted a chance, a shot. I didn't have, relatively, a whole lot of skills," Ward wrote. "I wasn't a smooth skater. I wasn’t a fighter or a grinder really. I was just me, Joel. What I did have, though, was some hockey IQ because I watched so much hockey growing up."
Ward would go on to amass 133 goals and 171 assists during his career. He also appeared in 83 playoff games, racking up an impressive 22 goals and 30 assists in those contests.
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With ESPN's "The Last Dance" whetting the appetite of folks desperate for any sort of sports content, theScore editors have joined forces to look back at some of the most captivating narratives that deserve similar treatment to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty.
Today, we're looking at five hockey documentaries we'd love to see:
No NHL teams enjoyed more success in the late 1990s than the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings. From '96 to '98, the two Western Conference powerhouses combined for three Stanley Cup victories and a pair of Presidents' Trophies. Both clubs were loaded with future Hall of Famers, and each franchise produced moments that have been etched in hockey lore.
Above all else, they absolutely hated each other, and a behind-the-scenes look at that animosity would be appointment viewing for all hockey fans. Following the lead of "The Last Dance," multiple episodes could be used to tell the whole story of how the teams were built, the playoff battles, the championships, the hit on Kris Draper, and of course, the brawls.
The rivalry has been discussed, written about, and YouTubed at length, but it's never gotten the deep dive it deserves. Just think of the icons who could help tell the story: Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Sergei Fedorov, Patrick Roy, Claude Lemieux, Scotty Bowman. The list goes on.
Nearly two decades after the Atlanta Flames relocated to Calgary in 1980, the league looked to revive hockey in Georgia's capital by granting the city another franchise. On June 25, 1997, the Atlanta Thrashers were born.
This documentary would chronicle the club's transient history from the moment the city landed a team up until its relocation following the 2010-11 campaign. The film would take viewers through the 1999 NHL Draft and the club's subsequent 14-win inaugural season, highlight the legacy and eventual exit of franchise talent Ilya Kovalchuk, reflect on the club's competitive peak in the mid-2000s, and uncover exactly what went wrong to cause the franchise to fizzle out.
With insight from the club's most prominent figures, including 1999 first-overall pick Patrik Stefan, star forwards Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, and Ray Ferraro, as well as general manager and head coach Don Waddell, the film would reveal stories and events that have never before been shared. The Thrashers may not have been around for long, but they'll forever be remembered by a generation of hockey fans.
There was a supposedly feature film in the works three years ago about John Scott's journey from enforcer to fan punch line to league-office pariah to folk hero. Even if it ultimately gets made, a Hollywood version surely wouldn't give the most accurate account of what really transpired.
A documentary featuring candor from Colin Campbell and those who held key positions with the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens at the time - as well as Scott himself, of course - would be intriguing.
It's well-known that the NHL didn't want Scott - a career grinder - to play in the All-Star Game after being voted in by fans as a joke in 2016. But how much pressure did the league exert on him to try to convince him to drop out? The Coyotes traded the then-AHLer to the Canadiens, effectively banishing him to Newfoundland in a curious move shortly before the All-Star festivities. What role did Arizona's brass play in all this? These questions have been left unanswered for years, and it would be great to see them explained now that some time has passed.
Patrick Roy's tenure with the Canadiens came to an infamous, abrupt end. In December 1995, Roy took the ice for the last time in a Habs sweater. After allowing nine goals at home and having the crowd sarcastically jeer him for stopping easy pucks, Roy stormed off the ice when he was eventually pulled and told Canadiens president Ronald Corey, "It's my last game in Montreal." He was traded to the Avalanche four days later.
A full-blown, behind-the-scenes look at the entire ordeal would be fascinating, with insight from various people involved. The documentary could also explore the tensions between Roy and his new coach, Mario Tremblay, throughout the season, as seen through the media and his teammates. Then-Canadiens GM Rejean Houle - who was just over a month into his tenure in the role - was heavily criticized for dealing Roy and receiving such a small return.
Hearing the different viewpoints would help paint a clearer picture of that fateful day. The aftermath has some juice to it as well, as Roy ultimately helped the Avalanche win a pair of championships, while the Canadiens haven't managed to claim one since his departure.
The chapters in the rivalry of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are still being written, but the story would make for a compelling documentary once both careers are finished. While they've been the two faces of the NHL's post-lockout era, they couldn't be more different - both on and off the ice.
On one hand, we have Crosby: a reserved personality, a hockey nerd, and one of the best two-way centers of all time. On the other, we have Ovechkin: outgoing, emotional, exciting, and the best goal pure goal-scorer ever. The film would, of course, dive into the history between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. They've been the two best teams in the Eastern Conference in the post-lockout era, meeting in the playoffs four times since Crosby and Ovechkin came into the league.
Each time they've met in the postseason, the victor went on to win the Stanley Cup, with Crosby or Ovechkin winning the Conn Smythe Trophy three times. The Penguins got the upper hand in their first meeting in 2009 - which included a game that featured dueling hat tricks between the two future Hall of Famers - as well as 2016 and 2017 before the Capitals finally slew the dragon in 2018. Hockey fans can only hope there's more to come.
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Humboldt Broncos captain Graysen Cameron has committed to Division III Northland College, he announced Sunday.
Cameron's announcement comes just two years after he suffered a broken back during the tragic 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash in which 16 people died.
"I'm proud to announce my commitment to Northland College," Cameron tweeted. "Thanks to all my coaches, trainers, teammates, friends, the Humboldt Broncos, and most importantly all my family for helping me over the last year and a half get back on the ice and play ... Dream come true."
The 20-year-old forward finished with five goals and 13 points through 46 games for the Broncos in the SJHL this season. Cameron's efforts helped the club secure a playoff berth before it ultimately fell to the top-ranked Flin Flon Bombers.
"His perseverance speaks for itself," Northland head coach and athletic director Seamus Gregory said, according to Discover Humboldt's Rory McGouran.
He added: "Having had a great relationship with (former Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan) and growing friendship with (current head coach Scott Barney), we know the character men they have and want in their locker room, and Graysen is one of those exemplary human beings."
The Broncos organization retired Cameron's No. 9 in the rafters of the Elgar Peterson Arena.
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Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos, who's been recovering from core muscle surgery, says he'll be ready to play if the NHL season resumes.
"With the timing of all this, it was devastating at the beginning, because I thought I would be possibly missing some (Stanley Cup) Playoff games," Stamkos said, according to NHL.com's Mike Battaglino. "And the stoppage happened, we didn't know how long it was going to be, so the kind of silver lining in that was I'll be ready when we resume."
Stamkos underwent surgery March 2, causing him to miss the club's last seven games before the current hiatus.
"I've been able to still use this time to rehab," Stamkos said. "I've been going to the rink three times a week to skate, and just start feeling normal again. So, I guess I have a chance to get out of the house and do that, obviously safely, with all the guidelines we have within our community."
Stamkos ranks second on the team in both goals (29) and points (66) through 57 games. The Lightning sit second in the Atlantic Division.
The 30-year-old Lightning captain isn't the only player who's benefited from the stoppage in play. Carolina Hurricanes blue-liner Dougie Hamilton also said he'll be ready to return after suffering a broken fibula in January, while Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan expects forward Jake Guentzel to be back in the lineup following shoulder surgery in December.
The NHL and NHLPA have reportedly intensified talks regarding a potential plan to finish the season that would see teams play in up to four NHL cities that are not deemed to be coronavirus hotspots. Toronto and Columbus are apparently the leading contenders to become host cities.
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The NHL should be deep into postseason action, but with the start of 2019-20 playoffs delayed, theScore's hockey editors are picking their favorite Game 7s from years past.
On Sunday, we're looking back at the conclusion of the 2001 Stanley Cup Final, which will be remembered most for a legendary defenseman finally winning it all.
The New Jersey Devils were the defending Stanley Cup champions and remained a formidable squad. They led the NHL in scoring, ranked among the league's best in goals against, and finished atop the Atlantic Division with the Eastern Conference's best record.
The Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the opening round of the playoffs, required seven to edge the seventh-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs, and then dispatched the Pittsburgh Penguins in five in the conference final.
The Colorado Avalanche, meanwhile, clinched the Presidents' Trophy with a league-best mark of 52-16-10, led by captain Joe Sakic's 54 goals and 118 points, both of which ranked second in the NHL.
The Avalanche swept the Vancouver Canucks in Round 1, snuck past the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Kings in seven games, and then eliminated the St. Louis Blues in five to advance to the Cup Final.
The Avalanche cruised to a 5-0 win in Game 1, but the Devils prevailed 2-1 in Game 2. Two nights later, Ray Bourque scored the game-winner as Colorado earned a 3-1 victory and a 2-1 series lead.
New Jersey stormed back by grinding out a 3-2 win on home ice in Game 4, then followed it with a 4-1 road victory in Game 5 that put the club within a single win of capturing consecutive championships.
But the Avalanche weren't finished. They forced Game 7 by shutting out the Devils 4-0 - in New Jersey, no less - on the strength of a three-point night from defenseman Adam Foote.
The stars: In a series pitting two of the greatest goaltenders ever against each other, Patrick Roy outplayed Martin Brodeur over the first six contests. Brodeur had a pedestrian .871 save percentage over that span, while Roy entered Game 7 with a stellar .934 mark.
That trend continued in the decisive matchup: Roy stopped 25 of 26 shots he faced in a 3-1 victory, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for an NHL-record third time.
Sakic also stepped up when it mattered most, setting up Colorado's second goal before lighting the lamp himself on a power play later in the second period.
Bourque played more than any other skater on either club except Foote (by nine seconds) in Game 7, logging a remarkable 29:35 at the age of 40.
The X-factor: Colorado was forced to play the winner-take-all affair without Peter Forsberg, the club's second-leading point producer during the regular season, who remained out with an injury as he had been since the conference final.
In his absence, on the biggest stage and with the season hanging in the balance, 21-year-old winger Alex Tanguay buried two of the Avalanche's three goals and helped to set up the other. Tanguay's big night didn't come out of nowhere - the winger produced 27 goals and 77 points in his second NHL campaign before the playoffs began. But the young forward had his best performance of the postseason in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and his star-caliber effort was critical to Colorado's triumph.
The key moment: While Tanguay's contributions were instrumental, Sakic's marker was the dagger. His league-leading 13th goal of the playoffs gave the Avalanche a 3-0 cushion, and it came less than 90 seconds after Tanguay's second of the game, swinging the momentum fully in Colorado's favor.
It was a dose of brilliance from "Burnaby Joe," who faked a shot from the faceoff circle and then wired home a perfect wrister up high on Brodeur.
This game was loaded with future Hall of Famers, and as such, featured its share of skilled plays. However, it's most remembered for what happened once it was over.
After receiving the Stanley Cup from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Sakic immediately handed it to Bourque to lift, in what remains one of hockey's most enduring scenes.
Bourque had waited longer to do that for the first time than any other Cup-winning player in the history of the trophy, and no one can say he didn't earn it.
Bourque retired shortly after bringing the Cup back to Boston, where he spent the majority of his career. Sakic won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP, as well as the Ted Lindsay Award and the Lady Byng.
Colorado reached the Western Conference Final in 2002, but lost to the Detroit Red Wings in seven. Every game in that matchup was decided by two goals or fewer until Game 7, when the Red Wings crushed the Avalanche 7-0. Colorado was never the same after that, as head coach Bob Hartley was fired in December 2002, and Roy retired in May 2003.
The Avalanche made the playoffs in six of the eight years after winning their second title, but haven't qualified for the conference final since doing so in 2002. Meanwhile, the Devils avenged their Game 7 loss by claiming the Cup two years later with the same core. Impressively, they did so without their leading 2000-01 goal-scorer, Alexander Mogilny, who parlayed his 43-goal campaign into a four-year pact with Toronto.
New Jersey made 13 straight trips to the postseason from 1997 to 2010, though it took them until 2012 to return to the Cup Final, and the club hasn't won it all since 2003.
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Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen believes that while head coach John Tortorella may be tough on his players, he gets the job done effectively.
"Rick Nash puts it in a good way when I talk to him about Torts - and they were together in New York - and Rick Nash said that you always know where you're at with John Tortorella," Kekalainen said Sunday on the NHL's "Executive Suite" podcast. "There's no gray area, there's no wondering, 'What does he think of me?' He'll let you know what you do right, what you do wrong, and I think that's a real good quality."
Tortorella has long been known for his outspoken nature, which has led to him publicly criticizing his players. Most recently, he called out Anthony Duclair last season for being "off the rails," adding he was unsure if the winger knows how to play hockey.
"I think that players, at the end of the day, they appreciate it, and I've heard a lot of guys talk about Torts a lot more fondly in the past tense," Kekalainen added. "They learn to appreciate how he was like after the fact, after he had coached them because then they get into other situations and they realize the coach is telling one thing in front and the other thing behind your back, and that's something that I know that the players do not appreciate."
The veteran coach has been at the helm in Columbus since the 2015-16 campaign. He's led the club to the postseason the last three years, including its first playoff series win last season against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2004 and 2017.
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Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara isn't yet pondering retirement, even while the 2019-20 season is on pause.
"Definitely not getting ahead of myself. I'm still in the present and I still believe that we're going to play some sort of hockey this season," Chara said on Sportsnet's "After Hours."
He added: "That's where I'm at. I'm not getting too ahead of myself. Obviously I still love the game, I still love going out there and compete, and if everything is right I still want to play."
The 43-year-old Chara is in his 22nd NHL campaign and has spent the last 14 years with the Bruins. He's the only active player from the 1996 draft class and has appeared in 1,553 career games.
"Very honored and privileged to play 1,000 games with the Bruins, over 1,500 games in this league," Chara said. "I've said it many times, I'm very grateful and I'm very lucky to be able to play with so many great teammates and under so many great coaches and good organizations."
The former Norris Trophy winner has amassed 205 goals and 656 points throughout his career, which included stints with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders. Chara also captured a Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 - one of three times he led the Bruins to the Cup Final as captain.
The veteran is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign. He signed back-to-back one-year deals with the Bruins for the past two seasons.
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