Many fans feel that NHL assists are handed out a little too freely these days, as most goals usually result in three of the five players on the ice receiving a point.
The following will show that perhaps these equipment managers should have also been awarded with an assist thanks to their quick thinking and quick hands. These trainers were on their toes and alert at all times as they dish off sticks to players without one, and the end result sees the puck land in the back of the opponent’s net.
1. Jon Taglianetti – Pittsburgh Penguins Equipment Manager
The first instance takes place in Pittsburgh with the Penguins taking on their state rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby hands his stick to defenceman Brian Dumoulin, who has broken his, and remains in the ice.
Crosby then races to the bench where he’s handed a stick by Jon Taglianetti the equipment manager as defenceman Kris Letang leads a rush and gets to the net in time to jam in Letang’s rebound for a 1-0 lead.
2. Bobby Hastings – Toronto Maple Leafs Equipment Manager
The Toronto Maple Leafs are hemmed in their own zone by the visiting San Jose Sharks and Leafs’ right winger Mitch Marner finds himself with a broken stick. He has the presence of mind to remain on the ice as the Leafs break out of their own zone and races to the bench for a new piece of lumber from equipment manager Bobby Hastings.
This creates a 3 on 2 break for Toronto and as soon as Marner gets the puck on his stick he feeds teammate Zach Hyman for a goal.
3. Brock Myles – Washington Capitals Equipment Manager
With the Washington Capitals visiting Long Island for a game against the New York Islanders, Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin is stationed in front of his bench at his own blue line while defenceman Karl Alzner leads a rush down the ice into the Islanders’ zone.
Ovechkin is handed a new stick and joins Alzner in a 3 on 2 rush. Alzner, who is skating alongside the right boards, feeds Ovechkin in centre ice and Ovi lets a shot go which has just enough power on it to end up in the back of the net.
4. Pete Rogers – Nashville Predators Equipment Manager
The Nashville Predators were in the playoffs in 2018 to play the Winnipeg Jets, when Nashville forward Filip Forsberg found himself at the Winnipeg blue line in need of a new twig after breaking his. The equipment manager, Pete Rogers, gives him a stick, and Forsberg fights off a Jets’ defenceman and breaks toward the net while drawing a delayed penalty on the play. Forsberg keeps going against three Jets and dekes the goalie while depositing the puck in the net.
5. Jeff Lang – Edmonton Oilers Equipment Manager
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid needed to replace a broken stick one night while playing the Hurricanes in Carolina and hung around the opponent’s blue line after receiving a new one. He was then fed with a perfect pass while the Hurricanes were changing on the fly and broke in for a goal with his brand new cue.
6. Pete Rogers – Nashville Predators
Pete Rogers Supremacy pic.twitter.com/6qC28PshoM
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) October 22, 2023
Pete Rogers does it again! Nashville Predators’ forward Luke Evangelista was handed a new stick at his own blue line by equipment manager Pete Rogers in a home game against the San Jose Sharks. A few seconds later, Evangelista was sent in alone on goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood and beat him with a beautiful deke in a 5-1 win while his teammates celebrate with Rogers on the bench.
7. J.W. Aiken – Vegas Golden Knights Equipment Manager
During the 2023 Stanley Cup finals, the Vegas Golden Knights equipment manager, J.W. Aiken, had a nice helpful assist by giving captain Mark Stone a stick as they were coming out of their own zone. Mark Stone gets the puck in the offensive zone, then passes to Brett Howden, and he finishes it in the net!
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.
