There's a special group of players among NHL alumni who carved out their own small part in the history of the game.
Entering the 2014-15 NHL season, this group consisted of 341 members: 247 skaters and 94 goaltenders. Some have passed away. Some are now quietly living lives outside of hockey, while others remain in the game in some capacity.
These are the one-game wonders, the "Moonlight Grahams" of hockey, the guys who played just one NHL game and serve as a reminder of just how difficult it is to reach hockey's elite level.
After all, the easiest part is getting to the NHL; the difficult part is staying there.
Each one of the 341 stories is a bit different. Most were called up due to an injury. Some were summoned for one game as a reward for their hard work and the respect they earned from their respective organization. During times of war, players were sent overseas to fight, so others briefly filled the void. Defenseman Jeff Libby played one game for the New York Islanders during the 1997-98 season, but the prospect's career was cut short after he suffered a devastating eye injury in the minors that season. A total of 11 skaters made their debuts in the playoffs, including the legendary Don Cherry, who played one game for the Boston Bruins in the 1955 Stanley Cup playoffs.
There are no doubt countless stories from everyone involved in these situations, and it would be incredible to hear each and every one of them. So I decided to track down a couple of players for their stories.
Jordan Sigalet
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during his collegiate career at Bowling Green University, doctors told Jordan Sigalet his dream of playing professionally was not realistic. The Bruins had drafted him in the seventh round (209th overall) in 2001 and he turned pro after four seasons at Bowling Green.
During the 2005-06 season, the Bruins had plenty of goaltending talent in the organization, including Andrew Raycroft, Hannu Toivonen and Tim Thomas. Raycroft and Toivonen were splitting time in Boston, while Thomas and Sigalet were with the AHL team in Providence.
Toivonen suffered an injury midway through the season, so the Bruins needed to recall a goaltender to back up Raycroft. Due to waivers rules, Thomas remained in Providence because the Bruins did not want to take a chance on losing him, so Sigalet was summoned to Boston.
During his career in the organization, he was recalled a total of three times for 10 games, but his only playing time came on Jan. 7, 2006.
"That's a long time ago now," he said with a laugh. "It's something I'll never forget."
The Bruins were hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden and during warm-ups Sigalet was going about his normal pregame routine stretching at center ice.
Veteran goaltender Sean Burke, now a goalie coach with the Arizona Coyotes, played for Tampa that season and he was skating around without his mask on. The two stretched together at center ice and began to talk.
"He started up a conversation with me and said, 'How's it going, kid?' He was a guy I looked up to when I was younger and he was playing," recalled Sigalet. "I actually run into him here and there a couple of times and I've brought up that story with him and he remembers it, so it's pretty cool."
For 59 minutes, Sigalet sat on the Bruins' bench and worked the gate like any backup in Boston while Raycroft played. But with one minute left in regulation, Raycroft suffered a high-ankle sprain and couldn't finish the game.
"My heart obviously started to race a little bit," Sigalet said of the moment Raycroft started hobbling to the bench. "At that point of the game, you're freezing cold and there's a minute left. I'll never forget putting the mask on, the gloves and jumping over the boards. It's hard to believe you're out there in an NHL game. It didn't last long, no shots, but for me, especially people telling me I might not ever play hockey again, to keep playing and reach the NHL is something I'll never forget."
The Bruins finished with a 6-3 win over the Lightning and Sigalet's moonlight moment will last a lifetime.
"It was 43 seconds, but it almost felt like a lifetime just because you're so excited to be out there," he said. "It was going through my mind that if I get one shot and it goes in, I'm going to have the worst numbers in NHL history, so it was probably [good] I didn't get a shot on net."
Sigalet remembered someone came over the blue line and took a shot, but defenseman Andrew Alberts stuck his stick in the shooting lane and deflected the puck up into the stands.
"I remember thinking, 'If that went in, I might as well just retire,'" Sigalet said.
After the game, he skated off the ice and, as he walked down the tunnel, former Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque was standing there waiting to congratulate Sigalet.
"I was joking around with him that it was only 43 seconds and no shots," Sigalet remembered. "Right away he said, 'Well, you know what? You played the game and no one can ever take that away from you.' It's true."
The next game was Joe Thornton's return to Boston for the first time as a member of the San Jose Sharks. With Raycroft hurt, Sigalet thought he would start. Instead, the organization took a chance on Thomas. Thomas never went back to the minors and became one of the greatest goalies in franchise history, winning the Vezina Trophy twice, the Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup.
Sigalet played two more seasons in the AHL and finished his playing career in Europe before retiring in 2008. He's now the goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames and is doing well with his health. Coincidentally, his brother Jonathan, a defenseman, also played one game in the NHL for the Bruins during the 2006-07 season and is currently playing in Sweden.
Moe Robinson
Moe Robinson was 22 during the 1979-80 season. Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (49th overall) in the 1977 NHL amateur draft, he was playing for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the AHL when his older brother, future Hall of Famer Larry Robinson, suffered an injury with the Canadiens. Montreal called up Moe to replace Larry.
"It was quite a roller-coaster ride," Moe Robinson recalled.
He was playing in Halifax at the time of his promotion and needed to join the Canadiens in Edmonton for a game the same night, so he quickly packed his bags for the cross-country trip.
"It was freezing, but it was pretty exciting," Robinson said.
Claude Ruel was coaching Montreal at that time and told Robinson, a defenseman, he would be paired with veteran and future Hall of Famer Serge Savard.
"During the warm-up, my whole body was just vibrating," recalled Robinson. "Unfortunately, I never got on the ice for that game, so it never counted."
Robinson sat on the bench and opened the door for the entire game. A few nights later, the Canadiens were in Winnipeg and he went through the same emotional roller coaster.
"I was nervous again but finally got on the ice and had a few good shifts," he said. "I remember vaguely in front of the net there was a big scramble and [goaltender] Richard Sevigny jumped on it, and the first guy that came in I cleaned out, and it was Ron Wilson, who I had just played with the last two years in Halifax. We called him 'The Dog' so he gets up and he goes, 'Moe, what the Christ are you doing?' I said, 'Sorry, Ronnie, I had to do my job.'"
Robinson played only six shifts.
"It was something special, for sure," he said.
After his NHL debut against the Jets, Robinson practiced the next day in St. Louis, but his brother, Larry, rejoined the team and Moe knew that did not bode well for his chances of staying with the Canadiens.
"If he's back, I think my time is limited," Moe recalled thinking before he was sent back to the minors.
There were a lot of changes for the Canadiens that season. Bernie Geoffrion started the season as coach before Ruel took over after 30 games. Robinson had already participated in three training camps and played in a few preseason games for the Canadiens, but that season he thought could be his time to stick with Montreal.
Robinson returned to Halifax after his brief stint in the NHL with hopes he would return to Montreal that season. He was having a career season with the Voyageurs and finished with five goals and 35 assists in 64 games. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury and, when the Canadiens needed someone, they recalled Gaston Gingras, who remained in the NHL for the rest of his career.
"My hopes were a lot higher that year, and some of the guys were getting older and a little long in the tooth and there were a couple of spots that I thought might be opening up, so I was pretty hopeful," Robinson said. "It didn't happen and so be it. I enjoyed the ride, for sure."
The brothers Robinson never played together in the NHL. They were on the same team for a preseason game in the old Montreal Forum against the Philadelphia Flyers, so when asked which game meant more to him, playing in the NHL or playing with his brother, Moe said, "All the above."
Now 57, Robinson is involved in the Ottawa Senators alumni association and still plays in charity games once in a while. And he still works 10 hours per day as an automotive technician.
As for his NHL stint, some might think that Moe's pro career was overshadowed by the successes and achievements of his older brother. But those most important to Moe Robinson realize what he was able to accomplish by playing in one NHL game.
"Sometimes we're in a situation at the rink or something and my daughter will say, 'Oh, my dad played for the Montreal Canadiens,'" Robinson said. "That makes me feel kind of proud."
