The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The game's proceeds benefit the pension fund of the players, and the winning team is awarded $1,000,000 towards a charity of their choice.
Charles Joseph Sylvanus Apps, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1936 to 1948, an Olympic pole vaulter and a Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario. In 2017 Apps was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
Theodore Samuel "Teeder" Kennedy was a professional ice hockey centre who played his entire career with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1943 to 1957 and was captain for eight seasons. Along with Turk Broda, he was the first player in NHL history to win five Stanley Cups, and he was the last Maple Leaf to win the Hart Trophy for most valuable player, until Auston Matthews in 2022. He was an essential contributor to the Maple Leafs becoming what many consider as the National Hockey League's first dynasty. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. He has been called the quintessential Maple Leaf and by some the greatest player in the team's history. In 2017 Kennedy was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.
Brian Wesley Campbell is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, assisting on the deciding goal.
The 1979–80 NHL season was the 63rd season of the National Hockey League. This season saw the addition of four teams from the disbanded World Hockey Association as expansion franchises. The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers, and Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL, bringing the total to 21 teams. The other two WHA teams were paid to disband.
The 1936–37 NHL season was the 20th season of the National Hockey League (NHL). Eight teams each played 48 games. The Detroit Red Wings were the Stanley Cup winners as they beat the New York Rangers three games to two in the final series.
The 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, on January 21, 1990. The game saw the team of all-stars from the Wales conference defeat the Campbell conference all-stars 12–7. The Montreal Canadiens were slated to host the 41st All-Star Game but withdrew their bid to considerations due to the hosting by Quebec City of Rendez-Vous '87. This had allowed the Penguins, who wanted to host an All-Star Game in 1993, to move up three years early.
Shea Michael Weber is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman under contract with the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played sixteen seasons in the NHL for the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. He is known to have one of the hardest shots in hockey history.
Sylvanus Marshall Apps is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Apps was born in Toronto, Ontario. He is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame member Syl Apps.
Gillian Mary Apps is a women's ice hockey player. Apps was a member of the Canadian National Hockey Team that won back to back Gold Medals in three consecutive Olympic Games.
The 1947 Stanley Cup Finals was a best-of-seven series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the defending champion Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs won the series four games to two. This was the first all-Canadian Finals since 1935, when the since-folded Montreal Maroons defeated the Maple Leafs.
The 1999–2000 Toronto Maple Leafs season saw the team finish in first place for the first time since the 1962–63 season. It was also the Maple Leafs' first 100-point season, as well as long-time NHLer Wendel Clark's last season in the NHL.
The 1941–42 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the club's 25th season in the NHL. The Maple Leafs came off a very solid season in 1940–41, finishing with their second highest point total in club history, as they had a 28–14–6 record, earning 62 points, which was two fewer than the 1934–35 team accumulated; however, they lost to the Boston Bruins in the semi-finals, extending their Stanley Cup drought to nine seasons.
The 1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's sixth season in the National Hockey League.
The 1974–75 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's eighth season in the National Hockey League. It was also the Penguins first season in the Norris division of the Prince of Wales Conference. The team qualified for the playoffs for the third time in franchise history, losing to the New York Islanders after gaining a 3–0 lead in the quarter-final round.
The 37th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary, home of the Calgary Flames, on February 12, 1985. The Wales Conference defeated the Campbell Conference 6–4. The game's most valuable player was Mario Lemieux, who became the first rookie to win All-Star MVP honours, a feat that would not be repeated until 33 years later by Vancouver Canuck Brock Boeser in 2018.
The 1977–78 Pittsburgh Penguins season was their 11th in the National Hockey League. They finished fourth in the Norris Division, thus did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. This was their worst regular season since 1974, with only 68 points, and the first time since 1974 that the Penguins did not qualify for the playoffs.
The 31st National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, home of the Buffalo Sabres, on January 24, 1978. Wales Conference All-Star team defeated the Campbell Conference for the fourth consecutive year. Gilbert Perreault scored with 1:05 left in sudden death overtime for the winning goal. This was the first all star game to be played with an overtime period. The most valuable player award went to goaltender Billy Smith who stopped 16 shots in the first 30 minutes of the game.
The 29th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, home of the Philadelphia Flyers, on January 20, 1976. Wales Conference All-Star team defeated the Campbell Conference 7–5 after opening up a 6–1 lead in the second period. Peter Mahovlich was voted most valuable player of the game after scoring a goal and three assists.
The Apps family, originally from Ontario, Canada, has had three generations participate in ice hockey. Syl Apps and Syl Apps, Jr. represent the first two generations. The third generation includes a daughter Gillian Apps, and a son Syl Apps III. The third generation competed in the NCAA. Collectively, the Apps siblings played over 200 NCAA ice hockey games. In addition, the third generation has another sibling, Amy. She was a former member of the Canadian National women's soccer team.
