Towel Power
Encyclopedia
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) to describe the waving of rally towel
Rally towel
A rally towel is a sports paraphernalia item and a type of towel often used as a fan symbol used in American sports events. The prototype of the modern rally towel, created in 1975 by former Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, was known as the Terrible Towel...
s by their fans. The tradition started in the 1982 Western Conference Finals where Vancouver played the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. During game two of the series head coach Roger Neilson
Roger Neilson
Roger Paul Neilson, CM was a National Hockey League coach, and was responsible for many innovations in the game...
waived a white towel on the end of a hockey stick in a mock surrender
Surrender (military)
Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
after being upset with the officiating. Neilson was ejected and the Canucks lost 4–1. When Vancouver returned home from Chicago for the following game fans supported both Neilson and the Canucks by waiving towels first at the airport when the team arrived and then during the next game. The Canucks won the next three games and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals
1982 Stanley Cup Finals
-References:...
where they were defeated by the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. As part of the tradition the Canucks hand out towels prior to playoff games for fans to help support the team.
Background
Late in the 1981–82 season the Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
played a game against the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. During the game Canucks' enforcer Tiger Williams
Tiger Williams
David James "Tiger" Williams is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.-NHL career:...
was punched by a fan. In response Canucks' head coach Harry Neale
Harry Neale
Harold Watson Neale is a hockey colour commentator, who currently works for the Buffalo Sabres on the Sabres Hockey Network...
went into the crowd to "get the fan" and a few players followed suit. For his actions NHL President John Ziegler suspended Neale for eight games. Neale's suspension began with four games remaining and assistant coach Roger Neilson
Roger Neilson
Roger Paul Neilson, CM was a National Hockey League coach, and was responsible for many innovations in the game...
took over the head coaching duties for Neale. Vancouver finished the year with a 30-33-17 recorded, second in the Smythe Division
Smythe Division
The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division....
and qualifed for the playoffs. Neale's suspension then carried over for the first four games. Despite the losing record the Canucks finished the year with an eight game unbeaten streak, which continued into their first round match-up with the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. Vancouver swept the Flames in three straight games advancing to the second round where they faced the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. With Canucks General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Jake Milford
Jake Milford
John Calverley "Jake" Milford was a general manager in the National Hockey League....
retiring and Neale set to replace him, Neale told Milford to keep Neilson as head coach for the remainder of the playoffs beliving the team had bonded under his guidance. With Neilson remaining as head coach the Canucks eliminated the Kings in five games and advanced to the Western Conference Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
.
Incident
Denis Savard
Denis Joseph Savard is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1980 to 1997, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000...
scored on the power play to put the Blackhawks up 4–1. This enraged the Canucks' bench. Assistant coach Ron Smith yelled out "We give up, we surrender, we give up." Williams suggested to Neilson that he throw sticks onto the ice in protest. Neilson noted that he had done that before and he had a better idea. He proceeded to take a white towel and place it on the end of a hockey stick holding it up in a mock surrender
Surrender (military)
Surrender is when soldiers, nations or other combatants stop fighting and eventually become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. A white flag is a common symbol of surrender, as is the gesture of raising one's hands empty and open above one's head.When the...
. Some of the Canucks' players followed suit. Neilson was ejected from the game along with three players. Vancouver goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Richard Brodeur
Richard Brodeur
Richard "King Richard, Kermit" Brodeur known to many as "King Richard", is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:...
later noted that although they lost the game the atmosphere in the locker-room was so positive it was as if they had won.
Aftermath
Neilson was fined $1,000 and the franchise was fined $10,000 as a result of the incident. Myers later called Nielson's action "bush league". While NHL executive vice-president Brian O'Neill stated that the mock surrender "disgraced the championship series." Canucks' captain Stan SmylStan Smyl
Stanley Philip Smyl is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger. As a junior, he appeared in three consecutive Memorial Cups with the New Westminster Bruins, winning the championship twice in 1977 and 1978...
noted that several players were "surprised" by Nielson's action because the coach had always been "respectful" and it was an "extreme way for him to react". When the Canucks returned home they were greeted by fans at the airport waiving towels in support of the team. During game three, fans waived towels to show support for the Canucks. Local vendors were even selling white towels outside of the stadium. Vancouver won game three 4–3 to take the lead in the series. For game four there were more fans waiving towels as the Canucks won again 5–3. Vancouver won game five in Chicago and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals
1982 Stanley Cup Finals
-References:...
, where they were swept by the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
To continue the tradition the organization produces 20,500 white towels with the Canucks logo for each playoff game. Following his first playoff game in 2007
2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
Vancouver forward Alex Burrows
Alexandre Burrows
Alexandre Ménard-Burrows is a French-Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He is known for playing in the style of an agitator and for his ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the ECHL...
stated "It looks like the fans are really into the game and the atmosphere out there is something else, people are really passionate instead of just sitting and no one moving or anything like some places. It just creates movement and it seems like there is more enthusiasm and intensity in the building."
Others
Several other hockey teams have implemented towel waving. Red and blue towels are waved by fans of the Calgary FlamesCalgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
and Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
respectively and fans of the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
wave bright orange "Fowl Towels" in the playoffs. The Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
fans also utilize both black, gold, and white towels on various playoff games. Towels have often been implemented by other teams at various times for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Similar traditions exist in other sports as well.