Glaring omissions form the 21st century and the inconsistency behind the NHL’s Cup engraving policy
Bryan Bickell absolutely should’ve had his name on the 2010 Cup
I’ve always thought Bryan Bickell getting name left off the 2010 Stanley Cup was one of those cases where the rule was technically followed, but the spirit of it wasn’t.
Yes, Bickell only played 16 regular-season games for Chicago in 2009-10, so he didn’t meet the 41-game requirement. But look at what happened once the playoffs started:
16 NHL regular-season games with Chicago and 65 regular season games and 4 Blackhawks playoff games for the Blackhawks (3 out of 6 in round 1 and 1 out of 6 in round 2 then was a healthy scratch the other 18 playoff games). Didn’t play a single playoff game for Rockford as he stayed with Chicago for the Stanley Cup run rather than returning to Rockford.
That’s a very different situation from Corey Crawford, Jack Skille and Jake Dowell. Obviously sad that their names got left off, but I completely understand why. Those 3 of course are different because none of them played double digit games in the regular season and not a single playoff game being black aces and not being full time nhlers until the 2010-2011 season.
And Chicago apparently agreed that Bickell’s case was different enough to warrant an exemption cause he was up and down in the 2009-2010 regular season, but was no longer a black ace and was a full time NHLer once the 2010 playoffs began. The Blackhawks front office even petitioned to have his name put on the Cup, but the request was denied. He was still treated like a member of the championship team in basically every other respect. This includes the team picture, ring, parade, personal day with the Cup, etc. The historical record also notes that Bickell was the only one of Chicago’s players who failed the automatic engraving criteria who actually played in the 2010 playoffs.
The part that really gets me is how close he was to automatically qualifying in at least one of two ways.
The NHL had two basic routes: 41 regular-season games and/or one Stanley Cup Final game appearance.
If Chicago had simply dressed Bickell for ONE Final game—say Game 4—and scratched Kris Versteeg, Bickell would’ve had 5 playoff games instead of 4 with one being in the Final. Boom. Automatically qualified. No petition, no debate, no exemption needed.
And it’s not like Versteeg would’ve gone from being a major contributor to barely participating. He actually played 21 of Chicago’s 22 playoff games and 5 out of 6 Final games. In this hypothetical he’d still have played 22 playoff games and 5 Finals games. And after getting traded after the 2010 run, his eventual return to Chicago for the 2015 cup still would’ve stayed the same.
Obviously you don’t make lineup decisions in the Stanley Cup Final just to get somebody’s name engraved. I understand that. But in hindsight, it would’ve been pretty incredible if Bickell had gotten just that one appearance so no questions would’ve been necessary.
Because that’s really the difference here: Bickell wasn’t some Blackhawks prospect who happened to be around (like he had been when the hawks went to the conference final a year prior as a black ace after an injury riddled 2008-2009 season in Rockford). He actually experienced his first Stanley Cup playoff run.
Yes, eventually got his name on the Cup in 2013 and 2015 and was even a potential Conn Smythe candidate in 2013 alongside Kane and Crawford until Kane deservedly got it, but I still think the 2010 Cup should’ve had “Bryan Bickell” on it too.
The NHL had a rule. Chicago had a legitimate exemption case. And Bickell was close enough to the normal requirements that, IMO, he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Steven Kampfer (2011 Boston Bruins) — Denied
This one is pure administrative nonsense. Kampfer was a regular on Boston's blueline, putting up 5 goals, 10 points, and a +9 rating. He finished the season with 38 regular-season games, just 3 measly games short of automatic regular season game qualification.
The Reality: The only reason he didn't hit 41 games is because he suffered a knee injury right at the finish line on March 31, 2011 against Toronto.
The Hypocrisy: The Bruins petitioned for both Marc Savard and Steven Kampfer. Savard played only 25 games and 0 playoff games due to tragic concussions from the tail end of the previous year from Matt Cooke and a new one right before the all star break from a hit by ex-Bruin Matt Hunwick and the NHL rightfully granted him an injury exemption. However, the league denied Kampfer because it was his rookie year. How do you grant an injury exemption to a guy with 25 games but deny the guy with 38 games whose season was also ended by medical bad luck? It’s completely broken logic.
Colin Fraser (2014 Los Angeles Kings) — Left Off
Fraser was a crucial piece of the 2012 Kings championship culture. In 2013-14, he ground out 33 regular-season games before being caught in a roster crunch and demoted in early February right before the Olympic break.
The Reality: He was recalled for the playoffs, stood in the handshake line after Martinez's 2OT winner, got the ring, was in the parade, and had his day with the Cup. But because he didn't get onto the ice in the postseason, the Kings didn't submit a petition under the tight name limit.
The Hypocrisy: The Kings used a slot to petition for Jeff Schultz, who played 0 regular-season games and 0 Finals games, but got on because his 7 playoff games happened in the later rounds (not in the final though). Fraser gave blood and sweat to that locker room for 3 years, but corporate bean-counting kept him off the 2014 band.