Dave Bolland
A tenacious checking center whose defensive grit and timely scoring peaked with two iconic Stanley Cup-winning goals for Chicago.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: June 5·Millennials
Biography
Dave Bolland’s NHL role was that of a specialist, a player whose value was measured in the frustration of superstars and the turning of critical moments. Drafted by Chicago in 2004, he honed a reputation as a premier 'pest'—a sharp, agitating center who could shadow and shut down the league's elite offensive players. In the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, his hockey sense translated to the ultimate glory. With Chicago tied 3-3 in Game 6 against Philadelphia, Bolland pounced on a loose puck to score the Cup-clinching goal. Three years later, in the 2013 finals against Boston, he authored an even more dramatic moment, scoring the series-winning goal with less than a minute left in Game 6. These twin bookends defined a career built on relentless pressure and an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the most pressurized time.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Dave was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the 2010 Finals.
- Scored the game-winning goal with 59 seconds left to win the 2013 Stanley Cup for Chicago in Game 6.
- Won two Stanley Cup championships with the Chicago Blackhawks (2010, 2013).
Did You Know?
His nickname within hockey is 'The Rat,' a testament to his agitating, pesky playing style.
He played his junior hockey for the London Knights, winning the Memorial Cup in 2005.
His 2013 Cup-winning goal came just 17 seconds after Bryan Bickell had tied the game, creating one of the most frantic finishes in finals history.
“My job was to take their best player and make his night miserable.”
