Captain (ice hockey) captain, Craig Hartsburg, was injured on January 3, 1984, and Bellows became interim captain shortly thereafter in January 1984. Charlie Gardiner was the first NHL captain born in Europe to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title (1934). Derian Hatcher became the first American-born captain to win the Stanley Cup in 1999. Daniel Alfredsson was the first European-born and trained captain to lead an NHL team to the Stanley Cup Final (2007), while Nicklas Lidstrom was the first captain born and trained in Europe to lead an NHL team to a Stanley Cup title (2008), followed by Zdeno Chara
1968 Stanley Cup playoffs the series in four games. 1968 Stanley Cup playoffs The 1968 Stanley Cup playoffs, to decide the 1968 championship of the National Hockey League (NHL) was the first after the expansion from six to twelve teams. The playoff system was thus expanded from a four-team to a eight-team tournament, and was designed so that four of the new expansion teams would qualify for the postseason. The defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs did not qualify and a new champion would be crowned. The Montreal Canadiens would defeat the St. Louis Blues in four straight to win the Stanley Cup. All of