Detroit — Let’s face it, 2021 was as tough to take as the end of 2020.
The coronavirus wouldn’t go away, and thwarted the hopes and expectations of many, including NHL players, coaches and fans.
The league battled through a shortened, 56-game season filled with restrictions and protocols that made life difficult for the first half of 2021, starting the schedule in early January.
After a short summer, it was back to work in hopes of having a more typical regular season starting in October.
But as the weeks and months have continued, a variant of the virus has pummeled the schedule, forced numerous postponements and decimated lineups.
Still, there were many memorable moments and positive achievements this calendar year.
Individual stars such as Connor McDavid and Alex Ovechkin continued to shine, Rookies (Red Wings’ Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond) burst onto the scene.
Here is a look at the top 21 stories around the NHL in 2021:
►1. Kyle Beach reveals himself as ‘John Doe’: The biggest story in the NHL didn’t involve a game.
In an October exclusive interview on TSN, Beach, a 2008 first-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, identified himself as an alleged sexual assault victim of team employee Brad Aldrich.
The interview took place one day after the Blackhawks’ released an internal investigation, which ultimately led to the resignations of general manager Stan Bowman, and Joel Quenneville as coach of the Florida Panthers (Quenneville was Chicago’s coach at the time of alleged assaults).
Beach and the Blackhawks reached a confidential settlement earlier this month.
►2. COVID-19 continues to impact NHL: The year began with the league playing a shortened 56-game schedule due to the pandemic. It ended with the 2021-22 regular season resuming after an extended holiday break due to the omicron variant that created havoc with the regular-season schedule.
A staggering 80 games have been postponed this season, participation in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing has been cancelled, and teams have played with extensive minor-league rosters at times because they’ve had so many players out.
Incredibly, the virus continues to be a dominant story in the NHL (and junior ranks, scrapping junior men’s and women’s world championships).
►3. Tampa Bay wins consecutive Stanley Cups: Four years after the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back Cups, the Lightning won consecutive championships during COVID-dominated seasons.
Some will say the Lightning won the Stanley Cups by circumventing the salary cap, and forward Nikita Kucherov missing the shortened regular season to hip surgery then returning for the playoffs was terrific timing.
But the Lightning winning these championships given all the restrictions and protocols and living and playing in a bubble (for the first Cup) make the feat even more impressive.
►4. Stanley Cup Final returns to Canada: The Montreal Canadiens lost in five games to the Lightning, but that’s somewhat secondary.
The fact a Canadian-based team reached the Finals — thanks in part to an all-Canadian division being instituted during the shortened season, reducing travel — was a great story.
No fans were allowed into Bell Centre, unfortunately, due to restrictions in Quebec. But thousands jammed the streets outside to celebrate.
►5. Seider, Raymond headline rookie class: The Red Wings were anticipating contributions from rookie defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Lucas Raymond. But what the duo has provided has surpassed anyone’s expectations.
Raymond has 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 31 games, including an early season hat trick and a long string of deft passes during the season that make him a leading contender for the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year).
To win that award, Raymond will likely have to beat out Seider, who has been a tower of strength defensively, while also putting a forth an offensive game (three goals, 18 assists, 21 points) that was somewhat unexpected so early in his NHL career.
Raymond and Seider have shown savvy, aren’t awed by the NHL and play with a confidence and assurance beyond their ages.
The only comparable rookie is Trevor Zegras, who is having a breakthrough season in Anaheim with 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists).
►6. League expands with Seattle Kraken: The Kraken became the NHL’s 32nd team during 2021 and have enjoyed terrific success off the ice — if not on it.
The merchandise is selling big, the team is selling out its home games, and the Kraken’s arrival has provided balance between the two NHL conferences (16 teams both East and West now).
►7. Tragic deaths of Matīss Kivlenieks, Jimmy Hayes: Kivlenieks, 24, a Columbus Blue Jackets goalie, died tragically of chest trauma July 4 during a fireworks accident at the home of former Red Wings goalie (and current Columbus coach) Manny Legace.
Fellow Latvian and Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins, who was present, said that Kivlenieks saved Merzlikins’ then-pregnant wife, Aleksandra, by taking the brunt of the errant mortar blast.
Hayes, 31, a popular former NHL player, died in his Massachusetts home. The cause of death was listed as acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine.
►8. Outdoor classic at Lake Tahoe: Despite the shortened season, the NHL still had outdoor games in Lake Tahoe.
The mountains and beautiful blue water in the background provided an incredible setting. But the Vegas-Colorado game Saturday was delayed into the morning hours because warm temperatures melted the ice.
The next day’s game between Boston and Philadelphia was delayed, but had fewer ice issues.
►9. Jack Eichel gets traded to Vegas: The former Buffalo star asked for, and received, a trade after not being able to agree on a specific surgery for his neck.
That was the final straw after years of losing, Eichel getting frustrated with Sabres’ management, and the organization not being convinced Eichel was a genuine leader.
Eichel is expected to make his Vegas debut in the next month.
►10. Patrick Marleau sets games played record: Marleau, 41, played his 1,768th NHL game on April 19, passing Red Wings’ legend Gordie Howe, who had owned the record since 1961.
Marleau played in 910 consecutive games between April 2009 and May 2021, the fifth-longest streak all-time and only 54 short of leader Doug Jarvis.
Marleau is currently unsigned, but has not announced his retirement.
►11. Alex Ovechkin chasing Gretzky: At the age of 36, Ovechkin is defying age and making a concerted run at Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring marks. Ovechkin has 22 goals this season, and 752 for his career.
He has missed more than 100 potential games to one full-season lockout, one half-season lockout, and approximately 10 games at the end of the 2019-20 season due to the onset of the pandemic. Ovechkin could be much closer to Gretzky’s mark.
Gretzky had 894 goals for his career, making Ovechkin 142 away. This year showed Ovechkin is capable of coming awfully close to the Great One’s record.
►12. Tim Peel hot mic controversy: Peel was caught on a microphone in March during a Red Wings-Predators game saying he “wanted” to call a penalty on the Predators. He was removed by the NHL the next day from officiating future games, although Peel was slated to retire at season’s end.
►13. New York Islanders open UBS Arena: The Islanders moved out of Nassau Coliseum and into the $1.1 billion UBS Arena in November. Thankfully, the Islanders gave the Coliseum one last memorable, energizing spring playoff run, capped with a Game 6 overtime victory over Tampa in the Eastern Conference Finals (the Islanders lost Game 7 in Tampa). Nassau was home for most of the last 40 years for the Islanders, providing a decided home-ice advantage (minus any creature comforts).
The Islanders opened UBS Arena with a seven-game home losing streak.
►14. Connor McDavid’s greatness: If there was any doubt who the best player in the NHL is, McDavid squashed it with a mind-boggling 2021. In 86 regular-season games, McDavid had 50 goals and 105 assists for 155 points. His speed and creativity make him a must-see attraction around the NHL — and makes the Oilers a tougher out in the playoffs as the talent around him improves.
►15. Leon Draisaitl’s excellence: The only player statistically who compared to McDavid was teammate Draisaitl. In 86 games, Draisaitl had 55 goals and 79 assists for 134 points. Playing on the same line with McDavid, or not, Draisaitl has become one of the elite players in the NHL, and 2021 reaffirmed it.
The two provide the Oilers with an incomparable nucleus.
►16. Mario Lemieux sells majority shares of Penguins: In early December Lemieux, the legendary Penguins star, sold his majority control of the organization to Fenway Sports Group, the total sale approaching $900 million.
Lemieux, who acquired an ownership stake during the Penguins’ ownership collapse in the late 1990s, made a profit of $350 million in the sale.
►17. Auston Matthews keeps scoring goals: The playoffs were a major disappointment for Matthews and the Maple Leafs. But the young star continued to be a monster goal scorer during the regular season. In 79 games in 2021, Matthews scored a staggering 61 goals.
But until Matthews can lead Toronto past the first round of the playoffs, the regular-season success will be somewhat muted.
►18. Henrik Lundqvist retires: The legendary, likely Hall of Famer goaltender was a rock for the New York Rangers, ending his career with a 459-310-96 record and 64 shutouts. Lundqvist actually signed with Washington as a free agent before the shortened season, but a heart condition forced him to sit out. Lundqvist wanted to play one more season, but announced his retirement in August.
►19. Carey Price/Jonathan Drouin reveal mental health struggles: The two Montreal Canadiens stars came forward in 2021 with their off-ice struggles.
Price entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in October, and later revealed he entered the program to seek help with “substance use” after years of neglecting his mental health.
Drouin left the Canadiens in April, just before the playoffs began. He revealed in a September interview he had been dealing with anxiety and insomnia which had been troubling him for years.
Drouin has returned to the Canadiens this season, while Price has begun practicing.
►20. Andrei Vasilevskiy’s dominance: The Tampa goaltender solidified his ranking in many polls as the best goalie currently in the world. Vasilevskiy was outstanding during the playoffs, posting a .937 save percentage and five shutouts. Vasilevskiy has carried that stretch into this regular season, with a 17-4-3 record and .928 save percentage.
Playing the game’s most important position, there isn’t a better goaltender around.
►21. Trevor Zegras’ lacrosse-style assist: The former Plymouth Township-based United States National Development Team star became an internet sensation when he assisted on Anaheim teammate Sonny Milano’s goal against Buffalo in early December with a lacrosse style set up. It truly was imaginative, fun and brought much positive attention to the sport.
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan