FanHouse Greatnhlcommercials

Great commercials (though, this one isn't great) in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

Max Talbot has always been a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. He seems to be a likable guy, he's very entertaining off the ice and a darn good player on it. He's also had a starring role in multiple commercials for a A & L motor sales, a high-end car dealership in the Pittsburgh area.

On Saturday night, before the Penguins were steamrolled by the San Jose Sharks, the third part of the Max Talbot trilogy made its debut, and it just might be the worst thing I have ever seen. You can see the can see the carnage for yourself after the jump.

Great commercials in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

It's been a while since we jumped in the FanHouse time machine and rummaged for some great hockey commercials, so let's dedicate this one to long-time Maple Leafs (and Nordiques, and for a brief time, Canucks) forward Mats Sundin.

In this edition, Sundin challenges Wayne Gretzky for Big Macs, gets mocked for his love of ABBA, and turns a Canadiens goalie into a garden destroying maniac. Enjoy.

Great commercials in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

The only real hockey news of the week has been free agent Todd Bertuzzi returning to Detroit, and the NHL announcing its slate of national television broadcasts. Obviously, times are mind-numbingly slow for hockey fans. That said, there's not a better time to jump in the old time machine for another installment of great commercials in NHL history, this time featuring former members of the Boston Bruins.

The participants: Adam Oates picking up "loose rebounds," Cam Neely gardening, and, of course, Bobby Orr.

Great commercials in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

We're in the slowest part of the NHL year. The season just ended, the draft is still a week away, and free agency has yet to begin. So, what better time to turn back the clock and unearth some YouTube treasures?

Back in late May, when news surfaced that Sergei Fedorov might be finishing his hockey career in Russia, we took a look back at some of his finer moments in NHL advertising campaigns. Turns out, we missed some.

Great commercials in NHL history: A look back at the absurdity and hilarity of NHL advertising campaigns.

The news that Sergei Fedorov is, reportedly, leaving the NHL after 18 years to join Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL is somewhat disappointing to me, seeing as how he was always one of my favorite players growing up in the early 1990's. One of the best two-way players to ever lace up a pair of skates, and part of the Red Wings' famed "Russian Five" line, Fedorov was also involved in some hockey's finer advertising campaigns, including the days when ESPN actually acknowledged the existence of the sport.

Before the Pittsburgh Penguins had Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to draw fans to the building, they had to resort to promotional giveaways advertised in cheesy commercials with what are now archaic graphics and technology. They also used superstars such as Rod Schutt and Pat Price to promote their product. I guess Rick Kehoe and Randy Carlyle weren't available.

Let's go back to March 13, 1982, when the first 5,000 adults for the Penguins vs. Colorado Rockies game received a promotional Budweiser picnic jug: