October 19th has been a memorable day in hockey history, filled with milestones, remarkable achievements, and unforgettable moments. Today, we look back at some of the key events that have occurred on this date.
One of the most significant events on October 19th took place in 1957 when Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens became the first player in NHL history to score 500 career goals. Richard achieved this milestone with a power-play goal in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Forum. The fans erupted in a thunderous ovation after the puck hit the back of the net, celebrating the historic moment. At the time, no other NHL player had reached 400 goals. Richard finished his career in 1960 with 544 goals, then an NHL record.
October 19th has also been a day for firsts. In 1960, Bob Nevin scored the first goal of his NHL career in a game where the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Nevin went on to score 307 career goals over 18 seasons with several teams. On October 19, 1966, Bobby Orr played his first NHL game with the Boston Bruins, contributing an assist in a 6-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Years later, on October 19, 2007, Patrick Kane scored his first NHL goal against the Colorado Avalanche. In 2021, Detroit Red Wings rookie Lucas Raymond also scored his first NHL goal on this day.
Several players have reached significant career milestones on this day. On October 19, 1989, Peter Stastny of the Quebec Nordiques reached 1,000 career points with an empty-net goal in a 5-3 win against Chicago. He was the 24th NHL player to reach this mark and the first European-trained player to do so. In 2021, Leon Draisaitl became the seventh player in Oilers history to score 200 goals, achieving the milestone in his 481st NHL game.
October 19th has also seen some unusual events. In 1950, a record-breaking heat wave in Chicago forced the postponement of a game between the Blackhawks and Red Wings because the ice at Chicago Stadium wouldn't stay frozen.
More recently, on October 19, 2014, the New York Rangers set a franchise record for the two fastest goals scored. Rick Nash scored only four seconds after Martin St. Louis also scored. In 2023, Leo Carlsson became the second-youngest player in Ducks history to score in his NHL debut. Also in 2023, Sergei Bobrovsky earned his 107th win with the Florida Panthers, surpassing John Vanbiesbrouck for second place on the franchise's all-time list.
Looking at recent games on October 19, 2025, Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes set a unique record by becoming the first player in NHL history to score four game-winning goals through his club's first five games of the season. Other games saw the Avalanche, Golden Knights, and Kraken extend their season-opening points streaks.
