1924–25 NHL season

Professional ice hockey league season August 2023 1924–25 NHL season National Hockey League Ice hockey November 29, 1924 – March 13, 1925 Regular season 30 6 Hamilton Tigers Billy Burch (Tigers) Hart Memorial Trophy Babe Dye (St. Patricks) O'Brien Cup 1924–25 NHL season#NHL Championship Montreal Canadiens Toronto St. Patricks 1925–26 NHL season 1923–24 NHL season 1925–26 1923–24 NHL The 1924–25 NHL season was the eighth season of the National Hockey League. The NHL added two teams this season, a second team in Montreal, the Montreal Maroons and the first U.S. team, the Boston Bruins. Six teams played 30 games each. The NHL regular-season champion Hamilton Tigers did not participate in the playoffs, as their players demanded to their owner, Percy Thompson, that they would not participate in the NHL championship series unless they received an additional $200 each for the extra six games played that year. Under their contracts, the Tigers players were to receive the same amount of money no matter how many games they played from December 1, 1924, to March 31, 1925 (even though the season started on November 29, 1924). NHL President Frank Calder was not amused, stating that the players would be fined or suspended if they did not play in the final series, but the players stated that they would rather retire than advantage be taken of them. The day of the final game of the Semi-Final, Tiger Shorty Green met with Calder to try to reach an agreement, but to no avail. The players were all suspended and fined $200 each, therefore eliminating themselves from the playoffs. Because of the suspension, the semi-final playoff series between Montreal and Toronto became the NHL championship series. The Montreal Canadiens won the series and faced off against the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) for the Stanley Cup. Victoria won the series, the last non-NHL team to win the Cup. League business Prior to the start of this hockey season, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association folded and two of its teams, the Vancouver Maroons and Victoria Cougars, joined the Western Canada Hockey League. This meant that after three seasons of having three leagues compete for the Stanley Cup, there were once again only two. At the November 1924 NHL meeting, the NHL approved two new franchises, including its first franchise in the United States of America. Charles Adams of Boston was granted a franchise. The NHL also granted a second franchise for Montreal to James Strachan and Donat Raymond. Applications from New York City, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were shelved.McFarlane 1973 35 In January 1925, Tommy Gorman and Ted Dey sold their interests in the Ottawa Senators to T. Franklin Ahearn.Champions: the illustrated history of hockey's greatest dynasties Hunter Douglas 1997 Toronto, Ontario Penguin Books 978-0-670-86894-0 https://archive.org/details/championstheillu00doug 27 Ahearn then hired amateur hockey executive, Dave Gill, to be secretary-treasurer (general manager) of the team.Dave Gill is Ottawa's New Manager: Severs Connections With Amateurs January 27, 1925 Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario 11 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-journal-gill-1925/140199262/ A new trophy was added for the 1924–25 NHL season. The original Lady Byng Trophy was donated by Lady Byng, wife of Governor General Viscount Byng of Vimy, to be handed out to the player who showed the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with performance in play. She presented it to Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators. Arena changes The expansion Boston Bruins moved into Boston Arena. The expansion Montreal Maroons moved into the Montreal Forum. Regular season This was the first season for the Montreal Maroons and Boston Bruins, the Bruins becoming the first American NHL team. It was also the last season for the Hamilton Tigers, which would dissolve at season's end. The number of games played per team was increased from 24 to 30. The first game the League ever played on United States soil was the first game for the Bruins, who hosted the Maroons on December 1, 1924.Fischler Stan November 30, 2022 Bruins won first NHL game played in United States in 1924 https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-bruins-won-first-nhl-game-played-in-united-states-in-1924-338181072?tid=335154694 December 27, 2022 NHL.com A new arena, the Montreal Forum, was built to house the Maroons. However, the Montreal Canadiens played in it first. Because the Canadiens' home rink, Mount Royal Arena, couldn't produce ice, the November 29 home opener against the Toronto St. Patricks was moved to the Forum. The Canadiens beat the St. Patricks 7–1, before 9,000 fans. an NHL attendance record of 11,000 was set on December 27, when the Maroons hosted the Canadiens.Dryden 2000 27 The Maroons actually had no official nickname their first season. However, fans took to the deep crimson uniforms they wore and called them the Maroons, and the team leaned on two former Ottawa Senators, Punch Broadbent and Clint Benedict they picked up from Ottawa before the season but still managed only fifth place. Broadbent scored a pair of goals in the Maroons' first ever victory, a 3–1 victory over Ottawa at the Forum in Montreal. Broadbent scored five goals in a game on January 7 as Montreal defeated the Tigers 6–2 in the Abso-Pure rink in Hamilton.Coleman 1966 472–473 On December 17, goaltenders Jake Forbes of Hamilton and Alex Connell of Ottawa engaged in the first ever scoreless tie in a regular season game in NHL history. Just before the end of the season, the Bruins, which finished in last place, had a modest winning streak. First, they beat the Montreal Canadiens 3–2 March 3. Normand Shay scored the winning goal on a two on one break at 16:39 of the third period as Jimmy Herbert shot and then Shay pounced on the rebound and put it by Georges Vezina. The game was rough and referee Jerry Laflamme meted out quite a few penalties, including four minors to Lionel Hitchman of Boston. Howie Morenz starred in a losing cause with two goals. The Bruins then defeated the league-leading Hamilton Tigers 2–0 in their next game as Doc Stewart played well in goal. Final standings Playoffs The Pacific Coast Hockey Association folded prior to the 1924–25 season, leaving only the NHL and the Western Canada Hockey League competing for the Stanley Cup. This marked the last time until 2020 that the playoffs were played entirely in Canada. NHL Championship With an increase in the number of NHL teams, the NHL changed its O'Brien Cup playoff format by having the second- and third- place teams play a two-game total-goals series to see who played the number one seed in another two-game total-goals for the NHL championship. However, players on the first-place Hamilton Tigers demanded $200 each for the extra six games played during the regular season and the league threatened to suspend the players and the team. Last-ditch efforts to reach a compromise failed and the Tigers were suspended. It was suggested that the Ottawa Senators be included in the playoffs, but Toronto General Manager Charlie Querrie and Montreal owner Leo Dandurand cited a fourth-place finish did not qualify Ottawa a playoff berth. Thus, the series between second-place Toronto and third-place Montreal would determine the NHL title. During the Toronto–Montreal series, NHL president Frank Calder announced that the Canadiens would playe their home games at the Forum, but Dandurand said that they would be played at Mount Royal Arena unless it were necessary to move to the Forum, citing home games were home games, and the Canadiens played better in front of their own fans. Calder backed down from his stand. Montreal won the series against Toronto and earned the right to play for the Stanley Cup. Early in the following 1925 season, when they were given placeholder possession of the new Prince of Wales Trophywhich duplicated the O'Brien Cup as an award for the NHL playoff championshipthe Canadiens retroactively engraved this 1925 championship on the new trophy. Montreal Canadiens Toronto St. Patricks Mount Royal Arena Arena Gardens March 11 2 2–3 1 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/tsp-vs-mtl/1925/03/11/1924030111#game=1924030111,game_state=final No scoring Bert McCaffrey (1) - 14:10 6:00 - Howie Morenz (1)19:00 - pp - Howie Morenz (2) No scoring 4:00 - Billy Boucher (1) Jack Adams (1) - 4:30 Georges Vezina John Ross Roach March 13 1 2–0 1 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/mtl-vs-tsp/1925/03/13/1924030112#game=1924030112,game_state=final Sprague Cleghorn (1) - 9:15 No scoring No scoring No scoring Howie Morenz (3) - 19:35 No scoring Georges Vezina John Ross Roach Montreal won the series on total goals 5–2 Stanley Cup Finals 1925 Stanley Cup Finals In the Western Canada Hockey League, the third place Victoria Cougars won its league championship and faced the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup. The series was played in Patrick Arena in Victoria, except for game two, which was played at Denman Arena in Vancouver to gather greater fan support and more income. Victoria beat Montreal three games to one, out-scoring the Canadiens 16 to 8. Victoria was the first (and only to date) non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup since the NHL's founding. Victoria Cougars Montreal Canadiens Patrick Arena (game two played in Denman Arena) Denman Arena March 21 2 2–5 1 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/mtl-vs-vic/1925/03/21/1924030311#game=1924030311,game_state=final 3:50 - Jack Walker (1)11:55 - Haldor Halderson (1) No scoring 3:22 - Jack Walker (2) No scoring 3:22 - Gord Fraser (1)14:06 - Gord Fraser (2) Billy Coutu (1) - 13:38Howie Morenz (4) - 19:06 Hap Holmes Georges Vezina March 23 2 1–3 1 bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1925-Stanley-Cup-Playoff-boxscores-VICTORIA-COUGARS.pdf 8:15 - Jack Walker (3)15:40 - Frank Fredrickson (1) No scoring No scoring Aurele Joliat (1) - 1:18 8:52 - Jack Walker (4) No scoring Hap Holmes Georges Vezina March 27 2 4–2 2 bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1925-Stanley-Cup-Playoff-boxscores-VICTORIA-COUGARS.pdf 9:00 - Jocko Anderson (1) Howie Morenz (5) - 4:32 No scoring No scoring 1:49 - Gizzy Hart (1) Aurele Joliat (2) - 5:50Howie Morenz (6) - 7:30Howie Morenz (7) - 18:52 Hap Holmes Georges Vezina March 30 2 1–6 1 bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1925-Stanley-Cup-Playoff-boxscores-VICTORIA-COUGARS.pdf 5:05 - Frank Fredrickson (2) No scoring 1:35 - Gizzy Hart (2)16:25 - Haldor Halderson (2)00:00 - Frank Foyston (1) Billy Boucher (2) - 11:38 7:05 - Frank Fredrickson (3)16:31 - Clem Loughlin (1) No scoring Hap Holmes Georges Vezina Victoria won the series 3–1 NHL Playoff scoring leader Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Player Team GP G A PtsHowie Morenz Montreal Canadiens 6 7 1 8 Awards The NHL introduced its second individual award, the Lady Byng Trophy, named after its donor, Lady Byng, wife of Canada's Governor-General. It is awarded to Frank Nighbor for excellence, gentlemanly play and sportsmanship. 1924–25 NHL awardsHart Trophy:(Most valuable player) Billy Burch, Hamilton TigersLady Byng Trophy:(Excellence and sportsmanship) Frank Nighbor, Ottawa SenatorsO'Brien Cup:(League champions) Montreal CanadiensPrince of Wales Trophy:(League champions) Montreal Canadiens Note: The Prince of Wales Trophy was not in use during this season. The Canadiens were engraved onto the Trophy in 1925–26.The National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2009 2008 Dan Diamond & Associates 241 McCarthy, Dave 978-1-894801-14-0 Player statistics Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Player Team GP G A PtsBabe Dye Toronto St. Patricks 29 38 6 44Cy Denneny Ottawa Senators 28 27 15 42Aurele Joliat Montreal Canadiens 24 29 11 40Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens 30 27 7 34Billy Boucher Montreal Canadiens 30 18 13 31Jack Adams Toronto St. Patricks 27 21 8 29Billy Burch Hamilton Tigers 27 20 4 24Red Green Hamilton Tigers 30 19 4 23Jimmy Herbert Boston Bruins 30 17 5 22Hap Day Toronto St. Patricks 26 10 12 22 Source: NHL.Dinger 2011 146 Leading goaltenders GP = Games Played, GA = Goals Against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals Against Average Player Team GP GA SO GAA Georges Vezina Montreal Canadiens 30 56 5 1.81 Jake Forbes Hamilton Tigers 30 60 6 1.96 Clint Benedict Montreal Maroons 30 65 2 2.12 Alec Connell Ottawa Senators 30 66 7 2.14 John Ross Roach Toronto St. Patricks 30 84 1 2.80 Charles Stewart Boston Bruins 21 65 2 3.08 Howie Lockhart Boston Bruins 2 11 0 5.50 Hec Fowler Boston Bruins 7 43 0 6.16 Coaches Boston Bruins: Art Ross Hamilton Tigers: Jimmy Gardner Montreal Canadiens: Leo Dandurand Montreal Maroons: Cecil Hart and Eddie Gerard Ottawa Senators: Pete Green Toronto St. Patricks: Eddie Powers Debuts The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1924–25 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): Alex Connell, Ottawa Senators Carson Cooper, Boston Bruins Hap Day, Toronto St. Patricks Charles Dinsmore, Montreal Maroons Jimmy Herbert, Boston Bruins Bert McCaffrey, Toronto St. Patricks Alex Smith, Ottawa Senators Hooley Smith, Ottawa Senators Last games The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1924–25 (listed with their last team): Free agency Date Players Team October 31, 1924 Hooley Smith Ottawa Senators November 18, 1924 Alex Connell Ottawa Senators December 9, 1924 Hap Day Toronto St. Patricks Transactions October 20, 1924 To Montreal MaroonsClint BenedictPunch Broadbent To Ottawa Senators cash December 8, 1924 To Boston BruinsErnie Parkes To Toronto St. Patricks cash December 9, 1924 To Montreal MaroonsReg Noble To Toronto St. Patricks $8,000 cash December 14, 1924 To Boston BruinsBilly Stuart To Toronto St. Patricks cash December 19, 1924 To Boston BruinsGeorge Carroll To Montreal Maroons rights to Ernie Parkes December 24, 1924 To Hamilton Tigersrights to Charlie Cotch To Montreal Canadiens cash January 3, 1924 To Boston BruinsRobert BensonBernie Morris To Montreal Maroons Alf Skinner January 10, 1925 To Boston BruinsLionel Hitchman To Ottawa Senators cash See also List of Stanley Cup champions 1924–25 WCHL season References The Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol.1 1893–1926 inc. Coleman Charles L. 1966 National Hockey League 465–486 Total Hockey Diamond, Dan Total Sports 2000 1-892129-85-X Dinger Ralph 2011 The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012 Dan Diamond & Associates 978-1-894801-22-5 registration https://archive.org/details/nationalhockeyle0000unse_u6g5 Dryden Steve Century of hockey McClelland & Stewart Ltd. Toronto, ON 2000 0-7710-4179-9 Fischler Stan Fischler Shirley Hughes Morgan Romain Joseph Duplacey James 2003 The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League Publications International Inc. 0-7853-9624-1 Fischler 2003 McFarlane Brian The Story of the National Hockey League Pagurian Press New York, NY 1973 0-684-13424-1 registration https://archive.org/details/storyofnationalh0000mcfa Notes External links Hockey Database NHL.com 1924 NHL NHL Category:Canada–United States sports relations