EJC: HOCKEY WRITINGS

Abstract. The purchase of a coffee at a Canadian institution, Tim Hortons, turned into an informal investigation into hockey card statistics. Turns out, hockey card statistics are stagnant and stale. This was disappointing to see because the game of hockey has changed, and the statistics used to keep track of the game have changed. Even the cards have changed. Well, not the back of the cards, which do not well enough paint a statistical picture of the hockey player photographed on the front of the card.

Abstract. On the lookout for and with a vested interest in Canadian mathematics education matters, this article is dedicated to hockey cards. More specifically, the statistics found on the back of hockey cards. The combination of taking a trip down memory lane, thrifting in British Columbia, traipsing around Toronto, and having coffee (one cream) at Tim Hortons resulted in an investigation as to whether or not hockey card statistics have changed over the last half century. Long story short, they have not. The addition of power play goals and the plus/minus statistic are the only major developments. Although this can be considered an improvement, I consider it a shame. First, the statistics do not reflect changes to the game of hockey. Second, they do not include any of the plethora of statistics readily available at National Hockey League Stats (dot com) and Records (dot com). In other words, I contend that the standard statistics (Games Played, Goals, Assists, Points, Plus/Minus, Penalty in Minutes and Power Play Goals), found on the back of every type of hockey card, do not well enough paint a statistical picture of the hockey player photographed on the front of the card. To cement my contention, I detail my Build-a-Card exercise (akin to Build-a-Bear, yes), which is where one uses a blank back of the card as a canvas with which to paint a proper statistical portrait of a hockey player, albeit beer league hockey style.

Abstract. The purpose of this article is to further the recent introduction of numberlines. Number lines, still, yes, are a pictorial abstraction of the real numbers; numberlines, however, are hockey line nicknames based on jersey numbers. A discussion of numberlines, the recent playoff woes of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the binary expansions of the jersey numbers worn by “The Triplets” (who play for The Bolts) culminates with a new nickname more befitting such a transcendent trio.

Abstract. While Rutherford Rink had its challenges, for the Faculty/Staff Hockey League, Rutherford's problems were sometimes a blessing in disguise.

Abstract. The purpose of this article, in general, is to expound Chernoff’s (2016) notion of numberlines, that is, hockey line nicknames based on jersey numbers. The article begins with a brief discussion of the history of hockey line nicknames, which allows for the parsing of numberlines and quasi-numberlines (nicknames based on numbers associated with hockey players). Focusing, next, on jersey number restrictions for the National Hockey League (NHL), a repeated calculation of the number of possible numberlines winnows down the number from a theoretical upper bound to a practical upper bound. Moving beyond the numbers, the names of natural numbers – those with a certain panache (e.g., Untouchable, McNugget, Frugal, Hoax, Narcissistic, Unhappy, Superperfect and Powerul numbers) – act as a gateway to the notion of numberlining, the process of attempting to coin a numberline. Two particular examples, The Powers Line and The Evil Triplets provide a window into the process of numberlining. Prior to concluding remarks, which explain how numberlines and numberlining fall in line with the NHL’s recent embrace of fans’ use of social media, the article details how adopting hockey line nicknames based on jersey numbers can be used as a possible venue to rename questionable hockey line nicknames.

Abstract. A select few NHL forward trios have earned memorable monikers based on one key relationship: their numbers.