The Origin of the Hat Trick

A couple of weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins matched up against the New York Islanders in a game that resulted not only in a 9-2 dummying of the Islanders, but a re-writing of the history books as well. No, unfortunately this was no picture perfect, trophy-worthy moment in time; it was barely a memorable moment at that.

Pittsburgh’s Petr Sykora put an end to one of the longest streaks in NHL history after scoring his first (yes that’s right, his FIRST) career hat trick that night. Prior to his trio of goals, he held the record for the longest streak without a hat trick by a player who had at least two goals in previous games. Sykora went a total of 38 games being just a goal short, which would explain why he’d gone over 10 seasons without one.

But Sykora’s wasn’t the only made-for-history moment.

Pascal Dupuis, also of the Pens, scored his first career hat trick in the same game. While in another match-up, Dustin Brown of the LA Kings secured his first ever as well. Dupuis, Brown, and Sykora made December 11th, 2008, only the fifth day in NHL history in which three players scored their first career hat tricks on the same day.

With all of these hat tricks, I came to wonder, where did the slogan “hat trick” actually come from?

Aside from hockey, hat tricks are seen in a magnitude of other sports – soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and rugby. Nascar racers use the term “hat trick” when a driver wins a race, from pole position, and attains the fastest recorded lap of the race. Eliminating three players from a poker table in one hand is also referred to as a hat trick. Hat tricks are even seen in marbles when a player hits all of the marbles in a single turn.

The phrase “hat trick” is in fact, rooted in the game of cricket. In 1858, a player by the name of HH Stephenson took three wickets in consecutive balls—quite a rare accomplishment, considering there have only been 37 of them  in the history of the sport. At the time it was customary that a monetary collection be held for such outstanding performances, and Stephenson was awarded- you guessed it, a hat with his proceeds.

However, when it comes to hockey, it turns out that the tradition originated right here in Ontario.
In the 1950’s, the farm team of the New York Rangers were the Guelph Biltmore Madhatters. Sponsored by non other than Biltmore Hats, Biltmore would award any home team player with a new hat whenever he scored three goals. Toronto businessman Sammy Taft carried this tradition to Maple Leaf Gardens- and consequently the NHL, providing stylish chapeaus from his shop on Spadina Ave. Fans began to follow suit, offering their own hats to the player by throwing them onto the ice.

Soon fans began throwing different objects onto the ice in celebration of goals, and as a symbol of good luck. The chucking of octopuses at Detroit Red Wings games has to be the most notable example. The octopus was first used because the eight legs represented the number of games the Wings had to win in 1952 to take home the Cup. They won the championship that year, and so the octopus was seen as good luck from there on in.

In 1995, Scott Mellanby of the Florida Panthers completed what was to become known as the “rat trick”, after ridding the dressing room of a rat the same night he scored a pair of goals. In a later game, fans acknowledged Mellanby’s hat trick by throwing plastic rats onto the ice. The rats continued to be thrown the following year, and the franchise even played into it by allowing men dressed in Orkin exterminator outfits to collect them up.

Additionally, Alberta beef has been thrown for the Edmonton Oilers, catfish for the Nashville Predators, and on one instance a shark for San Jose.

When the object-tossing became a bit excessive, the NHL responded by banning the throwing of all objects onto the ice surface. However, they specifically allowed the traditional throwing of the caps on a hat trick to carry on. The hat trick continues to be the only situation whereby throwing objects onto the ice, teams are neither penalized, nor are fans dismissed.

The record for the most hat tricks is held by non other than Wayne Gretzky with 50; while former Blackhawk Bill Mosienko holds the record for scoring the fastest hat trick in just 21 seconds back in 1952.

Variations of the hat trick have also developed off of the original. There is the infamous “Gordie Howe hat trick”, when a player scores a goal and an assist, and gets into a fight in the same game. Gordie himself was not the first player to accomplish all three (that would be Harry Cameron of Toronto in 1917). Actually, linking Howe with this feat in the first place is interesting, considering he himself only completed the trio twice in his entire career. The real Gordie Howe hat trick record belongs to Rick Tocchet, with Brendan Shanahan and Jarome Iginla shortly behind. Maybe it’s just that Mr. Howe was that great of a legend, no one dares to questions the legitimacy of an unofficial record in his name.

Another legend, Mario Lemieux, also has an unofficial record in his name. The “Mario Lemieux hat trick” (aka the ultimate hat trick, Texas hat trick, or quintella) is when a player scores a goal in all five possible games situations in a single game. Lemieux is the only player ever to have scored the ultimate hat trick, back in 1988 scoring on a power play, short handed, even strength, on a penalty shot, and an empty netter.

So, I wonder what’s next. The tossing of ducks, penguins, coyotes? Maple leaves seem to be a viable option…after all, they could use the luck.