Ache #21: Sergei Zholtok

This isn't a story of a heartbreaking loss on the ice. This is the story of a heartbreaking loss off the ice.

Sergei Zholtok was a fan-favorite with the Minnesota Wild from 2001-04. Although he wasn't a member of the inaugural team in 2000, his impact was felt during the early days of the franchise.

Zholtok was drafted 55th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in 25 games over two seasons with the Bruins before being picked up by Ottawa. He had his breakout season with the Montreal Canadians in 1999-00, scoring 26 goals. He was traded to Edmonton in December 2000 during a down year in which he scored five goals in 69 games between Montreal and Edmonton.

With his value at a low point, he was acquired by the Minnesota Wild for just a 7th round draft choice. The move gave Zholtok increased playing time on the second-year franchise, including playing the point on the Wild's first power play unit.

Zholton averaged just over 16 minutes of ice time with the Wild during his three season with the Wild with 48 goals and 62 assists in 210 career games with Minnesota. He shared the "C" with Brad Bombadir and Matt Johnson during the 2002-03 season in which Wild broke out, won 43 games and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

He was a key contributor as the club made a run to the Western Conference Finals, including recording the assist on Andrew Brunette's legendary OT Game 7 goal against Colorado. Zholtok had 13 points in 18 playoff games that year.

Zholtok became the first Latvian to captain an NHL club

He was traded to Nashville along with Bombadir for draft picks in March 2004. He appeared in 11 regular season games and six playoff games for the Predators.

Throughout his career, Zoltoks had a weird medical history. Zholtok was sent to a St. Paul Hospital after he hyperventilated during a game. After a similar incident in 2003, he was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic with a heart arrhythmia but was cleared to play.

Friend and former Wild teammate Darby Hendrickson told the Pioneer Press in 2004 that Zholtok wouldn't have kept playing if he know is health was at risk. 

With the NHL lockout in 2004-05, Zholtok elected to play in his native Latvia and signed with Riga 2000 (Latvia). He convinced Hendrickson to join him on the team in Latvia. 

On November 3, 2004, Zholtok left a game with five minutes remaining and collapsed gasping for air in the hallway.

Paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resucitation. They attempted to shock Zholtok's heart. Hendrickson saw what was going on and called Wild physician Sheldon Burns, who was familiary with Zholtok's medical history and joined Zholtok as he laid on the floor.

But nothing could be done.

"As difficult as it was, I'm glad I was there. I know he would have wanted me there. I know he would have wanted his father there. He's a guy I loved. I don't relive my final moments with him. I relive the unbelievable moments I shared with him." -Darby Hendrickson

An autopsy determined cause of death was heart failure.

The hockey world mourned the loss of Zholtok. During a game against Minnesota and Nashville, he was honored at center ice in front of a sell-out, misty-eyed Xcel Energy Center. 

Sergei's 16-year-old son, Edgar, is comforted by Wild Captain

Filp Kuba while his father is being honored in 2005

Ache #19: Gretzky, Kurri and the 1984 Conference Finals

In 1984, Wayne Gretzky was on his way to becoming "the great one". In his first four seasons in the NHL, the Hall of Fame center had scored 269 goals and tallied 709 points in 319 career games. He had won four consecutive Hart Memorial Trophies (given to the league's most valuable player), three consecutive Art Ross trophies (given to the league's top scorer) and two consecutive Lester Pearson awards (given to the most outstanding player voted on by the NHL)

The one thing he hadn't been able to do was hoist the cup.

Edmonton was swept by Philadelphia in the first round Gretzky's rookie year in 1979-80. In 1980-81, they swept Vancouver in the first round before losing in six games to the New York Islanders, who were in the middle of their run of four straight championships. In 1981-82, they were upset by a 24-win LA Kings team in five games. In 1982-83, they finally reached the Stanley Cup Finals before being swept by the Islanders for their fourth straight Stanley Cup.

But this isn't a blog about Edmonton. This is a blog about Minnesota.

In the 1983-84 season, the North Stars won their second Norris Division championship in three years.
At 39-31-10 (88 points), the North Stars were the only division winner not to win at last 49 games and have fewer than 100 points.

In fact, eight other franchises (Edmonton, Boston, Buffalo, Quebec, NY Islanders, Washington, Philadelphia, NY Rangers) had more points than the North Stars.

If Brian Bellows and the 1983-84 North Stars

had played in the Patrick Division, they would have 

finished in fifth place.

During their Stanley Cup Finals run in 1981, the North Stars were an underdog in almost every series as well. Brian Bellows, Neal Broten and Dino Cicerelli were up for the challenge.

In the first round of the playoffs, the North Stars drew rival Chicago. After losing to the New York Islanders in the 1980-81 Stanley Cup Finals, the Black Hawks had eliminated Minnesota the past two seasons.

The 68-point Black Hawks won Game One in Bloomington 3-1. In Game Two, the North Stars needed some late-game heroics. Tied 3-3 after the second period, Al MacAdam and Willi Plett each scored to give Minnesota a 5-3 lead. A Denis Savard goal trimmed the lead to 5-4 before Neal Brotten scored to make it 6-4. A late Darryl Sutter goal made it a one goal game before Minnesota's defense locked down to give the North Stars a 6-5 Game Two win.

Game Three at Chicago Stadium went to Minnesota 4-1 to give the North Stars a 2-1 series lead. Game Four saw Minnesota lose a 3-2 midway through the third period to lose 4-3.

The North Stars never trailed in the decisive Game Five at the Met Center, winning 4-1 to take the series.

The semi-final round matched the North Stars up against the St. Louis Blues, who had defeated the Detroit Red Wings in four games. The two teams split the first four games of the series. In Game 5, the North Stars shut the Blues out 6-0. St. Louis responded in Game Six by shutting Minnesota out 4-0. A decisive Game Seven was played at the Met Center, and was tied at the end of regulation. A Steve Payne goal gave Minnesota the series win in overtime and a date with the Edmonton Oilers in the Conference Finals.

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Steve Payne

After going 2-0 in elimination games, the North Stars were pretty confident into their tough match up against Edmonton. They'd need more than confidence against a team that featured eight 20+ goal scorers (Gretzky had 87 by himself) and six future Hall of Famers (Anderson, Fuhr, Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, Coffey).

The series wasn't even close. Edmonton outscored Minnesota 22-10 in the four game sweep. Five of Minnesota's goals came in an 8-5 Game Three loss with Andy Moog in net.

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Jari Kurri (above) scored as many goals (5) as
G Grant Fuhr allowed (5) against Minnesota

The Oilers would dethrone the New York Islanders in the Stanley Cup finals, winning their first of five Stanley Cups in the 1980s.

And, just like in 1980-81, the North Stars were once again a footnote of one of the greatest dynasties in NHL history.