Nathaniel Oliver
General Manager of the Buffalo Beauts (NWHL). Hockey history writer "The Hockey Writers". Credentialed media for the NHL Combine and 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships in Buffalo, NY, USA. Born and raised in Buffalo, NY. Lifelong hockey fan for over 40 years. Proponent of the women's game.
Author's Posts
One For the Ages: "Cowboy" Bill Flett's 1972-73 NHL Season
October 22nd, 2020 Growing up in Alberta, Canada, Bill Flett became accustomed to handling cattle at a young age, and building his muscles while working on a farm. He had been a calf-roper in and around the Calgary area, and was known to participate in rodeos with regularity. This extracurricular activity of his took place well throughout his 11 years...
Top 10 Russians in the NHL Today
October 19th, 2020 Russians comprise some of the most talented, most dominant players in the NHL today. In this decade alone, they have won Vezina Trophies, "Rocket" Richards, Hart Memorials, Art Ross Trophies and Conn Smythes, and of course, the Stanley Cup. If Russia has not put forth the largest amount of superstars in the current NHL, then they have...
One for the Ages: Mats Naslund’s 1985-86 NHL Season
October 11th, 2020 Mats Naslund played a style of hockey that was far larger than his 5-foot-7, 160-pound frame. Possessing tremendous speed and an ability to generate offense seemingly on a whim, Naslund was the star forward for the Montreal Canadiens during the decade of the 1980s. Combining his skill, determination, and Nordic heritage, the fans of...
One for the Ages: Guy Lafleur’s 1989-90 NHL Season
September 20th, 2020 Guy Lafleur was 38 years old when he signed as a free agent with the Quebec Nordiques on Jul. 14, 1989. The man affectionately known as "The Flower" was already a Hockey Hall of Famer before he ever donned the blue and white fleur-de-lis, having been inducted the year prior. In retrospect, the 1989-90 Nordiques were an oddity of...
The NHL's Top-50 Russians of All-Time
September 15th, 2020 The very first Russian-born and trained player to make it to the NHL was Victor Nechayev. Upon marrying an American woman that allowed him entry into the USA, Nechayev played one season of professional hockey in North America. That included three games for the Los Angeles Kings during the 1982-83 season, one of which saw him score a...
Hitting in Women's Hockey: Why Not?
September 11th, 2020 Occasionally I will be asked for my thoughts as to whether hitting (bodychecking) should be allowed in women's hockey. For those unfamiliar with the rules for the women's game, while body contact is allowed and happens quite regularly, bodychecking is not. Delivering a bodycheck constitutes a two-minute minor penalty. If you really...
