• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • Atlantic Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Metropolitan Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Pacific Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle NHL
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • Fantasy Hockey
  • THW Archives
  • More…
    • Columns
    • NWHL
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • Long Read
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • Atlantic Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Metropolitan Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Pacific Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle NHL
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • Fantasy Hockey
  • THW Archives
  • More…
    • Columns
    • NWHL
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • Long Read
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Hockey Celebrations of All Time

By Bill Schoeninger May 20th, 2017

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Originally published in July of 2015, this post has stood the test of time. We feel many of our new fans will enjoy it.

The NHL has seen its fair share of evolution when it comes to celebrating goals. If you watch video of Jean Beliveau or Gordie Howe scoring back in the 1960s, you’ll see a very tame couple of glove taps with their teammates, and maybe a hug.

With time, hockey celebrations have become more and more flamboyant. Some time in the late 80s or

hockey celebrations

“The Glass Jump” a newer breed of hockey celebrations (Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)

early 90s, the skate-by fist bump with your teammates on the bench became the norm after scoring. Today’s latest innovations include the glass-jump and massive fist pump on one knee.

Throughout the years, a number of celebrations have stuck out as memorable. Most only happened once, but they’ll never be forgotten. There are also a few so obscure you’ve probably never seen them. But once you do, you’ll never forget them.

There were so many great options to choose from, it was very difficult to boil it down to just 10. The result is a combination of the most creative, funny, historic, and unique celebrations we’ve seen in hockey.

THW’s Top 10 Hockey Celebrations

#10. Hartnell’s Score & Fight

It’s well known that Scott Hartnell and Dion Phaneuf don’t like each other. Hartnell went as far as to talk trash during the All Star Game in 2012 with the famous “Suck It, Phaneuf” after scoring a goal. They’ve fought twice as well. Seconds after Phaneuf delivered Hartnell into the boards with a questionable hit, he put one past James Reimer.

His first thought was to immediately fight Phaneuf, instead of celebrating.

#9. The Jagr Salute

It’s simple, but it’s something that only Jagr is famous for. There have been a few players that have mockingly done the salute when playing Jagr’s teams, but more often than not, Jagr got the last laugh. It is not a military salute that Jagr is copying, he simply liked it when he saw Terrell Davis do it for the NFL’s Denver Broncos. Among the top ten players of all time, he’s the only one known for having his own unique celebration.

#8. Milan Hejduk Goes For a Swim

Certainly on the goofier side of things, Hejduk’s dive-and-swim at center ice after scoring an overtime winner is frequently cited as one of the best of all-time. Hejduk said he didn’t plan it, but started swimming “out of pure joy and happiness”.

#7. Bobby Orr’s Flying Goal

This celebration gave birth to probably the most iconic, recognizable hockey photo of all-time. Orr flying through the air, parallel to the ice, hands-out after scoring the goal that would win the Stanley Cup for the Bruins.

#6. Kamloops Blazers Channel NHL 94

This one is underrated, and goes back to the early days of NHL video games. In its infancy, NHL 94 featured one basic celebration when your team scored a goal. It was two hands on the stick above your head, pumping it up and down with your knees bent.

The Blazers, a team in the WHL, decided to make it their team celebration after a win. It looks goofy, but seeing a whole team do it is undeniably funny.

#5. Mike Eruzione’s Miracle

While most celebrations of old were more understated, there were a few notable exceptions to the rule. For especially big goals, it was tradition that the scoring team’s bench would empty to congratulate the player who scored.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger goal in hockey history than the one Mike Eruzione scored to give Team USA a 4-3 lead over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics. By the time the camera pans to the bench just a few seconds after Eruzione scored, every skater had already jumped onto the ice.

#4. Theo Fleury Loses It

Few men played the game with the degree of passion and intensity of Theo Fleury. Hated by many, you couldn’t deny his commitment. When he scored this overtime game-winner against the Oilers in 1991, he absolutely lost it.

Years later, Nail Yakupov repeated a similar celebration when he scored the second goal of his career in 2013.

3. Tiger Williams Takes a Ride

Normally, you’d be asking for a beating from the other team if you did this celebration because of how obnoxious it is. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone willing to go after Tiger Williams. Nobody has more penalty minutes in the history of the NHL than Williams, whose 3,966 trump 2nd place Dale Hunter by 401.

#2. Ric Del Basso Uses His Head

The Australian Ice Hockey League isn’t known for much, but it does have one of the funniest celebrations in hockey to its credit. I can’t imagine an NHL player ever attempting this due to the risk of injury and how angry it would make the opponent, but who knows?

#1. Selanne the Sharpshooter

In 1993 at the age of 22, Teemu Selanne arrived in North America with a bang. He scored 76 goals that season, shattering the rookie record and leading the entire league that year. When he scored goal #54 to break Mike Bossy’s record, he gave us perhaps the most memorable celebration in history.

  • Tags
  • Milan Hejduk
  • Teemu Selanne
  • Tiger Williams
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Facebook Comments

Editor’s Picks
Martin St. Louis, the Little Big Man

Martin St. Louis, the Little Big Man

9367
'Mr. Hockey' Gordie Howe

'Mr. Hockey' Gordie Howe

9829
Recent Posts
Dec 11th 8:50 AM
Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets’ Defensive Depth Offers Deadline Options

Dec 11th 8:35 AM
Prospects

2020 World Juniors Camp Invites by NHL Team

Dec 11th 12:59 AM
Chicago Blackhawks

Fleury Returns, Leads Vegas to 5-1 Win over Blackhawks

Dec 11th 12:35 AM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Tavares Scores Twice, Andersen Comes up Big in Third as Leafs Beat Canucks

Dec 10th 11:59 PM
Arizona Coyotes

Flames’ Win Streak at 6 Games with 5-2 Win over Coyotes

Dec 10th 11:47 PM
Carolina Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho Scores Twice, Hurricanes Beat Oilers 6-3

Dec 10th 11:45 PM
Detroit Red Wings

Blake Wheeler Sparks Offence, Jets Hand Red Wings 12th Straight Loss

Dec 10th 11:35 PM
Florida Panthers

Stamkos, Vasilevskiy Lead Lightning to 2-1 Win over Panthers

Dec 10th 11:31 PM
Dallas Stars

Stars Win Bowness’ 1st Game as Coach, Shut out Devils 2-0

Dec 10th 11:26 PM
Anaheim Ducks

Ducks Top Wild 3-2 in Shootout

Stay in Touch
Contact Us

Via our Newsletters
RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Our Partners
HFBoards

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

Join over 18 000 Subscribers of our free bi-weekly Newsletter.

© The Hockey Writers 2018. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • Atlantic Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Metropolitan Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Dallas Stars
    • Minnesota Wild
    • Nashville Predators
    • St Louis Blues
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • Pacific Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle NHL
    • Vegas Golden Knights
    • Vancouver Canucks
  • Store
  • The THW Archives
  • Prospects
  • The Goalie Page
  • NHL Salary Cap Information
  • Join Our Team
  • Search THW