With the World Junior Championship starting later this month, and in recognition of one of this post's featured players Troy Murray (who was captain of Team Canada at the 1982 tourney), let's take a look at the 10 players that captained Team Canada during the 1990s:
1990: Dave Chyzowski. Canada wins gold with a 5-1-1 record. Chyzowski is drafted second overall by the Islanders in 1989, but plays only 126 NHL games.
1991: Steven Rice. Canada wins second straight gold with 5-1-1 record. Rice played over 300 games in the NHL, and won both the Calder Cup and Allan Cup during his hockey career.
1992: Eric Lindros. Canada finishes a disappointing sixth with 2-3-2 record. One of the most hyped prospects of all-time, Lindros won both the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award in 1995, as well as an Olympic gold medal in 2002. His career ended early due to concussions, however he was named to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
1993: Martin Lapointe. Canada wins gold with a 6-1-0 record. Lapointe played just under 1,000 career NHL games (991), and won back-to-back Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1997 & 1998,
1994: Brent Tully. Canada goes undefeated to win fourth gold in five years, with a 6-0-1 record. Tully was drafted 93rd overall by Vancouver in 1992, but never played in the NHL, playing a few seasons in the AHL before some time in Germany.
1995: Todd Harvey. Canada wins every game (7-0-0) for third straight gold in the final year of round robin tournament. Harvey played in 671 games with four teams in his NHL career, primarily with Dallas and San Jose.
1996: Nolan Baumgartner. Fourth straight gold in first playoff format for the tournament. Canada wins every game again, then defeats Sweden 4-1 in the gold medal game. Baumgartner was selected 10th overall by Washington in 1994, but played in only 143 NHL games. He was a three time AHL all-star, playing 878 games in the league.
1997: Brad Larsen. The drive for five is completed with 2-0 victory over the United States in the gold medal game. Larsen played just under 300 NHL games, winning a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001.
1998: Cory Sarich & Jesse Wallin. Canada's worst ever finish in the playoff format. After finishing 2-2 in the round robin, Canada loses to Russia in the quarter-finals, then loses 3-0 to the US in a placement game before losing 6-3 to Kazakhstan in the seventh place game. Sarich played just under 1,000 NHL games (969), winning a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004. Wallin played only 49 NHL games, retiring after suffering a serious concussion in 2003.
1999: Mike Van Ryn. Canada rebounds from the 1998 tournament with a second place finish, losing a tight 3-2 game to Russia in the gold medal game. Van Ryn played 353 NHL games over eight seasons, mostly with Florida.
562- Mike Hough
A left winger, Hough was drafted 181st overall by Quebec in 1982. He turned pro in 1983-84, playing his first three seasons with Fredericton in the AHL, recording back-to-back 20 goal seasons.
Hough made his NHL debut in 1986-87, playing in 56 games, scoring six goals and 13 points. Until the 1990-91 season he bounced between the NHL and minors, playing in 17, 46 and 43 games respectively over three seasons. 1991-92 would be Hough’s best statistical season, recording 16 goals and 38 points while captaining the Nordiques.
After seven seasons in Quebec he was traded in 1993 to Washington for Paul MacDermind and Reggie Savage. Hough’s time with the Capitals was short, in fact only four days, as he was claimed by Florida in the 1993 expansion draft. In his first season as a Panther he scored six goals and 29 points in 78 games. During the Panthers’ 1996 Stanley Cup Finals run Hough contributed four goals (two game winners) and five points in 22 games.
In July 1997 he signed with the New York Islanders as a free agent. After one full season in 1997-98 and 11 games on Long Island in 1998-99 Hough capped his professional career split between the AHL and IHL.
In 13 NHL seasons Hough played in 707 games, scoring 100 goals and 256 points. In retirement he earned a BA in Economics and has worked in telecommunications, most recently with Rogers.
YouTube clip: laying out Jaromir Jagr during the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. To translate from 1990s hockey talk to current day: clean shoulder = blindside hit and winded or groggy = concussion.
563 - Dan Quinn
In March 1991 Dan Quinn was traded by Vancouver with Garth Butcher to St. Louis for Geoff Courtnall, Robert Dirk, Sergio Momesso, Cliff Ronning and a fifth round pick (Brian Loney).
Dan Quinn - played only 14 games with Blues, scoring four goals and 11 points, while also playing in 13 playoff games, scoring four goals and 11 points. In September 1991 Quinn was traded to Philadelphia with Rod Brind’Amour for Murray Baron and Ron Sutter.
Garth Butcher - in four seasons he played in 208 games, scoring 46 points and recording 508 penalty minutes. Butcher helped the Blues make the Norris Division Finals twice. In January 1994 he was traded to Quebec with Bob Bassen and Ron Sutter for Denis Chasse and Steve Duchesne.
Geoff Courtnall - played five seasons and 292 games, scoring 102 goals and 246 points, including 20+ goals twice and one 31 goal season. During the 1994 playoffs Courtnall finished third in Canucks team scoring with 9 goals and 19 points. He returned to the Blues as a free agent in 1995.
Robert Dirk - in four seasons he played in 217 games, scoring 27 points and recording 401 penalty minutes. In March 1994 Dirk was traded to Chicago for a fourth round pick (Mike Dubinsky).
Sergio Momesso - in five seasons, he played in 269 games, scoring 68 goals and 141 points. A picture of consistency, Momesso scored between 10-20 goals each full season while recording over 140+ penalty minutes in his time in Vancouver. In the 1994 playoffs he contributed three goals, seven points and 56 penalty minutes. In July 1995 he was traded to Toronto for Mike Ridley.
Cliff Ronning - in six seasons he played in 366 games, scoring 112 goals and 328 points. Ronning had four seasons where scored 20+ goals and 67 or more points. He finished fourth on the team in scoring during the 1994 playoffs, with five goals and 15 points. In July 1996 Ronning signed with Phoenix as free agent
Brian Loney - played 12 games with Canucks in 1995-96 but spent his pro career primarily in the AHL and European leagues.
Give this one to the Canucks on volume. In the trade they landed four players that all contributed to their trip to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. The key return for the Blues, Dan Quinn, was traded away less than a season later, and was part of the deal that sent Rod Brind’Amour away from St. Louis, also a net negative deal for the Blues.
564 - Jeff Daniels
A left winger, Daniels was drafted 109th overall by Pittsburgh in 1986. He played two more seasons with Oshawa in the OHL before turning pro in the 1988-89 season with Muskegon in the IHL. Daniels played his first four pro seasons (1988-92) with the Lumberjacks, but did appear in 13 games with the Pens between 1990 and 1992, recording two assists. He also made playoff appearances in 1991 (five) and 1992 (ten), sufficient enough to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup for both seasons.
1992-93 was Daniels’ true rookie season in the NHL, playing in 58 games, scoring five goals and nine points. He also played in 12 playoff games, scoring three goals and five points. In March 1994 he was traded to Florida for Greg Hawgood. Daniels played two games over two seasons with the Panthers, then spent the 1995-96 season with Springfield in the AHL. He played 12 games with the Whalers/Hurricanes from 1996 to 1998 before being claimed by Nashville in the 1998 expansion draft.
After one season as a Predator Daniels returned to Carolina in 1999, where his career was rejuvenated. Over the next four seasons he played in between 59 and 69 games each season, scoring a total of eight goals and 18 points. He also played in his third career Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, playing in all 23 playoff games.
Daniels retired following the 2002-03 NHL season, having played in 12 NHL seasons and 425 games, scoring 17 goals and 43 points. He has remained in the Hurricanes franchise in retirement, first as an assistant coach (2003-08), then general manager and head coach of Albany, then Charlotte in the AHL. In 2015 Daniels returned to the Hurricanes as a scout and since 2018 he has been an assistant coach.
YouTube clip: fighting Chris Gratton during a March 2001 game between Carolina and Buffalo.
565 - Troy Murray
A centre, Murray was drafted 57th overall by Chicago in 1980. Following the draft he played two seasons of college hockey at North Dakota, appearing in his first NHL game at the end of the 1981-82 season. That season Murray also captained Canada at the World Junior Championships, leading the team to gold.
Murray’s true rookie season came in 1982-83 when he played in 54 games, scoring eight goals and 15 points. His breakout season came two seasons later when he scored 26 goals and 66 points in 80 games. During the 1985 playoffs he added five goals and 19 points as the Black Hawks would lose to the eventual champions, the Edmonton Oilers, in the Campbell Conference Finals.
The mid to late 1980s were Murray’s prime, scoring 20+ goals and 50+ points in five straight seasons while earning Selke Trophy votes in four of those seasons. 1985-86 was arguably the best individual season in his career, scoring 45 goals and 99 points, winning the Selke Trophy and earning all-star and Hart Trophy votes.
In July 1991 Murray was traded with Warren Rychel to Winnipeg for Bryan Marchment and Chris Norton. In parts of two seasons with the Jets Murray played in 103 games, scoring 20 goals and 54 points while acting as team captain. Just over 18 months after he was traded away from Chicago, Murray was sent back to the Blackhawks for Steve Bancroft and future considerations. His second stint with the Hawks lasted 34 games before he was traded in March 1994 to Ottawa for a draft pick swap.
Murray played 48 games with the Senators, scoring nine goals and 29 points before an April 1995 trade to Pittsburgh alongside Norm Maciver for Martin Straka. Murray finished the season with Pittsburgh then signed with Colorado as a free agent. Murray’s final NHL season came in 1995-96 with Colorado, scoring 21 points in 63 regular season games. He also played in eight playoff games, enough to get his name included on the Stanley Cup as the Avalanche swept Florida in the Finals.
Murray retired following one season in the IHL with the Chicago Wolves. His NHL record stands at 15 seasons, 915 games, 230 goals and 584 points. He has worked in broadcasting since retirement, mostly recently as a colour commentator for Chicago television broadcasts.
YouTube clip: scoring the overtime winner on a beauty individual effort against Toronto in the last game of the 1988-89 regular season
566 - Bernie Nicholls
In July 1990 Nicholls was traded from Los Angeles to the New York Rangers for Tony Granato and Tomas Sandstrom.
Bernie Nicholls - in parts of three seasons with Rangers, Nicholls played 104 games, scoring 37 goals and 110 points. He was traded to Edmonton in October 1991 as part of the Mark Messier deal.
Tony Granato - played seven seasons with Kings, appearing in 380 games, scoring 148 goals and 305 points. Granato scored 30+ goals in his first three seasons as King, adding 17 points during the Kings’ run to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals. In August 1996 he signed with San Jose as a free agent after missing a significant amount of time due to a head injury many thought would end his career.
Tomas Sandstrom - in five seasons Sandstrom played in 235 games, scoring 117 goals and 254 points. In his first season with LA he scored 45 goals and 89 points. During the 1993 playoffs Sandstrom contributed 25 points. In February 1994 he was traded to Pittsburgh with Shawn McEachern for Marty McSorley and Jim Paek.
Call this a draw as both teams experienced success. Nicholls may not have been a big contributor with the Rangers, but he was a key component to New York landing Mark Messier, a future team captain and franchise icon that led the Broadway Blueshirts to their first Stanley Cup victory in 50 years. Sandstrom and Granato finished second and fourth in team scoring in the 1993 playoffs for Los Angeles and were significant offensive contributors for several seasons.
567 - Randy Burridge
A left winger, Burridge was drafted 157th overall by Boston in 1985 after scoring 106 points with Peterborough in the OHL. He returned to junior for a handful of games after the draft, joining the Bruins for 52 games during the 1985-86 season, scoring 17 goals and 42 points.
After spending his sophomore season primarily in the AHL, Burridge became a full-time NHLer in 1987-88, scoring 27 goals and 55 points while recording 105 penalty minutes. The Bruins would make the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals, with Burridge scoring two goals and 10 points as Boston was swept by Edmonton. The following season he broke out offensively, scoring career-highs in goals (31) and points (61). This outburst was short-lived, as Burridge returned to a 15+ goals per season pace; his offence returned for the 1990 playoffs, as he scored 15 points in 21 games as the Bruins would again lose to Edmonton in the Stanley Cup FInals.
In June 1991 Burridge was traded to Washington for Steve Leach. In two of three seasons with the Capitals he scored 20+goals, missing all but four games during the 1992-93 season due to knee injuries. In February 1995 he was traded to Los Angeles for Warren Rychel, finishing the season with the Kings before signing with Buffalo for the 1995-96 season.
A native of Fort Erie, located just across the border from Buffalo, Burridge was an assistant captain with the Sabres, scoring 25 goals and 58 points in his first season; this would be the fifth and final time he eclipsed the 20 goal barrier. After three seasons in Buffalo, Burridge played one final pro season in 1998-99 split between Las Vegas in the IHL and Germany.
In 13 NHL seasons, Burridge played in 706 games, scoring 199 goals and 450 points. He settled in Las Vegas in retirement, working in both sales and real estate, staying connected to pro hockey by working as the youth program coordinator for the Vegas Golden Knights.
YouTube clip: taking a penalty shot against the Hartford Whalers’ Kay Whitmore during a March 1991 game between Adams Division rivals.
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