Canadian stamp stories

In the pursuit of the greatest prize in the National Hockey League^® (NHL^®) – the Stanley Cup^® – defence only gets you so far. To win, you’ve got to score – and that takes the speed, agility and power of a great winger or centre. Some of the best in the world hail from Canada, and these legends have claimed major scoring titles, all-time records and unparalleled status among their fans.

There’s Howie Morenz, known as both “The Stratford Streak” and “The Mitchell Meteor,” who some call the League’s first superstar. Quebec’s “Phantom Joe“ Malone scored the second-most career goals of any player in the first half century of the NHL and remains the only one in history to score seven goals in a single game. The fastest hat trick? That goes to Bill Mosienko, proud son of Winnipeg, who holds the record of three goals in just 21 seconds.

Highlighting the greatest achievements and most memorable moments of six of Canada’s greatest NHL forwards, the stamps in this commemorative issue feature Sidney Crosby, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Mark Messier, Darryl Sittler and Steve Yzerman. Their guts and grit have brought glory to their teams, and they have earned a place in hockey history and in the hearts of their adoring fans.

Sidney Crosby
During his debut season, Sidney Crosby – born in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia – launched his high-scoring and record-setting career in the NHL by becoming the youngest player ever to notch over 100 points in a season. Crosby’s second season netted him an incredible collection of awards and honours, including the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award.* Named captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins® before the 2007-08 season, Crosby led his team to the Stanley Cup Final and narrowly missed winning the championship. The next season, he took the Penguins all the way to win hockey’s ultimate prize. Crosby capped off yet another spectacular season in 2015-16 with a Stanley Cup Championship and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

* The Lester B. Pearson Award was renamed the Ted Lindsay Award in 2010.

Phil Esposito
Hailing from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Phil Esposito became one of the greatest scorers in the NHL. As a centre for the Boston Bruins^®, he used his powerful shot to notch 76 goals in a single season, a record that stood for more than a decade. Esposito impressively racked up more than 50 goals in five straight seasons and was awarded the Art Ross Trophy five times for most regular-season points. In 1970, he helped his team win a Stanley Cup Championship, Boston’s first in 29 years – a feat he repeated again in 1972. Esposito also co-captained Team Canada during the famous 1972 Canada-USSR Summit Series. A superstar until his retirement in 1981, Esposito was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.

Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur became a scoring machine as a member of the Montreal Canadiens^®. A native of Thurso, Quebec, he reached a milestone 1,000 points in just 720 games – faster than any other NHL player before him. He also became the first in the League to earn more than 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons. A record-setting right-winger, he helped the Habs secure five Stanley Cup Championships and took home both the Art Ross Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award* three times, the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy. Lafleur retired in 1984 at age 33 but returned to play for the New York Rangers^® in 1988 – the same year he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame – and the Quebec Nordiques^® in 1989. He hung up his skates for good in 1991.

* The Lester B. Pearson Award was renamed the Ted Lindsay Award in 2010.

Mark Messier
Introduced to hockey at a young age, Mark Messier’s life was rapidly consumed by the sport. Starting as a stick-boy, he quickly evolved into an NHL prospect and was eventually drafted by the Edmonton Oilers^® in 1979. “The Moose,” as he was nicknamed, dominated the League for the duration of his 25-year career. In 1984, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy and his first of five Stanley Cup Championships with the Oilers. In 1991, Messier was traded to the New York Rangers where, after another victorious Stanley Cup Championship in 1994, he became the first player to captain two different teams to the title. When he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, he held the record for most number of games played (1,992) and was second on the all-time scoring list. Both records still stand.

Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler’s stellar hockey career began on a frozen pond and was capped with his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. He joined the Toronto Maple Leafs^® – donning auspicious number 27 – for the 1970-71 season and achieved early success as the linchpin of the team’s offence. Sittler not only scored 30 or more goals per season over the next decade but also, in 1976, became the first Leaf to record 100 points in a single season. That same year, on February 7, he tallied 10 points in a single game with two hat tricks and four assists – an NHL record that still stands. He became a Canadian hero when he scored the winning goal in the 1976 Canada Cup championship game.

Steve Yzerman
Drafted fourth overall by the Detroit Red Wings^® in 1983, Steve Yzerman confirmed his status as a hockey superstar early in his career. At the tender age of 21, he became the team’s captain – a position he held until his retirement in 2006. In 1997, Yzerman led the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup Championship after allowing just four playoff losses – a prize they claimed again in 1998 and 2002. He also laced up his skates to help Canada take home gold at the 2002 Olympics. After he left the ice, Yzerman remained with the NHL to join Detroit’s front office, where he helped the team win another championship in 2008. After a storied NHL career on and off the ice, Yzerman was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. The following year, he became general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning^®.