{allcanada} Dec. 9: NHL announces plans for expansion

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THIS DATE IN HISTORY: Dec. 9

1989: After staying with 21 teams since 1979, the NHL announces that it will expand to 28 teams within the next 10 years. NHL president John Ziegler unveils the plan at the Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.

A San Jose franchise is already scheduled to begin play in the 1991-92 season; in all, nine franchises are added by 2000, bringing the League to 30 teams. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators join the League in 1992, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Florida Panthers are added in 1993. The Nashville Predators (1998) and Atlanta Thrashers (1999) complete the 28-team plan, and the NHL adds the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000 to form a 30-team league.

 

MORE MOMENTS

1956: Gordie Howe scores his 324th NHL goal, tying Nels Stewart for second on the NHL's all-time list, in the Detroit Red Wings' 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Catching Stewart leaves Howe trailing only Maurice Richard in career goals.

 

1979: Wayne Gretzky plays against Howe for the second of four times in their NHL careers when the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Hartford Whalers 3-0 at Northlands Coliseum. Gretzky scores a goal for the Oilers; Howe goes without a point but leads Gretzky in career goals, 797-11.

 

1982: Gretzky's NHL-record 30-game point streak comes to an end when he's held off the scoresheet in the Oilers' 3-3 tie with the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Rookie goaltender Gary Laskoski makes 32 saves for Los Angeles.

 

1986: Kings rookie Luc Robitaille gets his first NHL hat trick in a 7-2 win against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Robitaille scores the tie-breaking goal in the second period and gets two more in the third.

 

2007: Milan Hejduk scores three times and has three assists in the Colorado Avalanche's 9-5 victory against the St. Louis Blues at Pepsi Center. The line of Hejduk, Paul Stastny (two goals, three assists) and Ryan Smyth (one goal, two assists) combines for 14 points.

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