1920–21 NHL season

Professional ice hockey league season August 2022 1920–21 NHL season National Hockey League Ice hockey December 22, 1920 – March 14, 1921 Regular season 24 4 Newsy Lalonde (Canadiens) O'Brien Cup 1920–21 NHL season#NHL Championship Ottawa Senators Toronto St. Patricks 1921–22 NHL season 1919–20 NHL season 1921–22 1919–20 NHL The 1920–21 NHL season was the fourth season of the National Hockey League (NHL). Four teams each played 24 games in a split season. The Quebec franchise was transferred to Hamilton, Ontario, to become the Hamilton Tigers. The Ottawa Senators won the league championship in a playoff with the Toronto St. Patricks. The Senators went on to win the Stanley Cup by defeating the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association three games to two in a best-of-five series. This would be the last split season before the NHL changed its regular season and playoff formats. League business Eddie Livingstone was again talking of creating a rival league and mentioned Hamilton as a city in his league. To head this off, league president Frank Calder got the owners of the league to admit a Hamilton franchise. As Abso-Pure had built an arena, all owners agreed that it would be wise to have a franchise in Hamilton. Because Quebec had done so badly the previous season, Calder said that Quebec's players would be given to Hamilton. Although Mike Quinn was non-committal at first, he finally sold the team to Hamilton and it became the Hamilton Tigers. Regular season The Tigers had some trouble signing Joe Malone from the Quebec days, but he finally did sign. The Tigers were awarded two players from the Senators, Punch Broadbent and Sprague Cleghorn by NHL president Calder, but both refused to sign with the Tigers, and eventually returned to the Senators.Dryden 2000 23 Cleghorn was awarded to the Toronto St. Patricks and at first balked at the move, but did report. After the St. Patricks were defeated in the NHL playoffs, Cleghorn joined Ottawa in a deal. NHL president Frank Calder did not like this and the following season a trading deadline was instituted. The Tigers stunned the Canadiens 5–0 in the team's first-ever game with Babe Dye starring and Howard Lockhart getting the only shutout of his NHL career.Dryden 2000 23 The Toronto St. Patricks lost Corbett Denneny to injuries and recalled Dye from Hamilton, giving them Mickey Roach in his place. Corbett Denneny scored six goals in a game January 26, 1921, helping the Toronto St. Patricks to wallop the Hamilton Tigers 10–3. Cy Denneny wasn't about to let his brother steal the thunder and he scored six goals himself in a March 7 game as the Ottawa Senators hammered the Hamilton Tigers 12–5. For the first time, a brother combination had scored six goals in a game the same season. Also on January 26, 1921, the Ottawa Senators left the ice with 5:13 to play in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. According to the Senators, referee Cooper Smeaton was one-sided in favour of the Canadiens. Smeaton let the Canadiens continue to play, allowing goals by Newsy Lalonde and Amos Arbour before calling the game. Smeaton denied the claim, stating "a referee is always paid and receives the same salary, regardless what team wins." Smeaton would resign over the incident, but was convinced to return to refereeing later in the season. The Senators were fined $500 by NHL president Frank Calder for the incident.Dryden 2000 23 The Ottawa Senators won the first half of the split season while the Toronto St. Patricks won the second half. Final standings Playoffs NHL Championship Ottawa, winner of the first half of the split regular season, played Toronto, winner of the second half, in a total-goals series for the O'Brien Cup and to compete for the Stanley Cup. Ottawa won by shutting out the St. Pats in both games. Ottawa then went on to play the Vancouver Millionaires of the PCHA. Ottawa Senators Toronto St. Pats The Arena Arena Gardens March 10 2 0–5 1 bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1921-Stanley-Cup-Playoff-boxscores-OTT.pdf No scoring No scoring 01:45 – pp – Cy Denneny (1)06:30 – Buck Boucher (1) No scoring 11:00 – Cy Denneny (2)16:45 – Buck Boucher (2)18:15 – Buck Boucher (3) No scoring Clint Benedict Jake Forbes March 14 1 2–0 1 bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1921-Stanley-Cup-Playoff-boxscores-OTT.pdf No scoring No scoring No scoring No scoring Eddie Gerard (1) - 11:00Frank Nighbor (1) - 14:00 No scoring Clint Benedict Jake Forbes Senators won series on total goals 7–0 Stanley Cup Final 1921 Stanley Cup Final The five games were played in Denman Arena, Vancouver. Vancouver Millionaires Ottawa Senators Denman Arena The Arena March 21 2 1–3 1 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/sen-vs-vmi/1921/03/21/1920030211#game=1920030211,game_state=final 15:40 - Alf Skinner (1)18:15 - Art Duncan (1) No scoring 1:20 - Smokey Harris (1) Jack Darragh (1) - 15:55 No scoring No scoring Hugh Lehman Clint Benedict March 24 2 4–3 2 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/sen-vs-vmi/1921/03/24/1920030212#game=1920030212,game_state=final 1:29 - Smokey Harris (2)3:01 - Jack Adams (1)10:29 - Art Duncan (1) Buck Boucher (4) - 8:05Cy Denneny (3) - 18:26 No scoring Jack Darragh (2) - 10:49 No scoring Punch Broadbent (1) - pp - 16:40 Hugh Lehman Clint Benedict March 28 2 3–2 2 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/sen-vs-vmi/1921/03/28/1920030213#game=1920030213,game_state=final 1:59 - Lloyd Cook (1) Jack Darragh (3) - 8:57 18:02 - Jack Adams (2) Cy Denneny (4) - sh - 8:22Sprague Cleghorn (1) - 10:52 No scoring No scoring Hugh Lehman Clint Benedict March 31 2 2–3 1 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/sen-vs-vmi/1921/03/31/1920030214#game=1920030214,game_state=final No scoring No scoring 2:22 - Alf Skinner (2) Buck Boucher (5) - 13:43 1:35 - Alf Skinner (3)15:52 - pp - Lloyd Cook (2) Punch Broadbent (2) - 16:52 Hugh Lehman Clint Benedict April 4 2 2–1 2 www.nhl.com/gamecenter/sen-vs-vmi/1921/04/04/1920030215#game=1920030215,game_state=final 16:26 - Alf Skinner (4) No scoring No scoring Jack Darragh (4) - 7:27Jack Darragh (5) - 9:40 No scoring No scoring Hugh Lehman Clint Benedict Ottawa won the series 3–2 Player statistics Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Player Team GP G A PtsNewsy Lalonde Montreal Canadiens 24 33 10 43Cecil "Babe" Dye Hamilton Tigers / Toronto St. Pats 24 35 5 40Cy Denneny Ottawa Senators 24 34 5 39Joe Malone Hamilton Tigers 20 28 9 37Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators 24 19 10 29Reg Noble Toronto St. Patricks 24 19 8 27Harry Cameron Toronto St. Patricks 24 18 9 27George "Goldie" Prodgers Hamilton Tigers 24 18 9 27Corbett Denneny Toronto St. Patricks 20 19 7 26Jack Darragh Ottawa Senators 24 11 15 26 Source: NHL.Dinger 2011 145 Leading goaltenders GP = Games Played, GA = Goals Against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals Against Average Name Team GP Games played Mins Minutes played W Wins L Losses T Ties GA Goals against SO Shutouts GAA Goals against average Clint Benedict Ottawa Senators 24 1462 14 10 0 75 2 3.08 Jake Forbes Toronto St. Patricks 20 1221 13 7 0 78 0 3.83 Georges Vezina Montreal Canadiens 24 1441 13 11 0 99 1 4.12 Howie Lockhart Hamilton Tigers 24 1454 6 18 0 132 1 5.45 Ivan Mitchell Toronto St. Patricks 4 240 2 2 0 22 0 5.50Source: NHLNHL http://www.nhl.com/ice/historicalstats.htm?season=19201921&gameType=2&team=&position=G&country= https://web.archive.org/web/20120302045107/http://www.nhl.com/ice/historicalstats.htm?season=19201921&gameType=2&team=&position=G&country= dead March 2, 2012 1920–21 Regular Season – Goalie Season Stats Leaders December 1, 2011 NHL Playoff scoring leader Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Player Team GP G A Pts PIMFrank Nighbor Ottawa Senators 2 1 3 4 2 Awards O'Brien Cup – Ottawa Senators Note: The O'Brien Cup, still considered the championship of the NHA, was not awarded to Ottawa until November 1921. It had remained under the care of the Canadiens who had won it in 1917, until the death of their owner, George Kennedy in October 1921, when the NHL made arrangements to re-use the trophy.The Morning Leader November 17, 1921 O'Brien Trophy To Be Given To Ottawa 14 Regina, Saskatchewan https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_AZTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2TcNAAAAIBAJ&dq=o-brien-cup&pg=5106%2C2564939 July 27, 2011 Coaches Hamilton Tigers: Joe Malone Montreal Canadiens: Newsy Lalonde Ottawa Senators: Pete Green Toronto St. Patricks: George O'Donoghue Debuts The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1920–21 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): The last remaining active player to kick off their NHL career this season was Leo Reise, Sr., who played his final NHL game in the 1929–30 season, although he missed the 1924–25 and 1925–26 seasons. Last games The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1920–21 (listed with their last team): Free agency Date Players Team February 23, 1921 Leo Reise Hamilton Tigers Transactions November 27, 1920 To Toronto St. PatricksHarry Cameron To Montreal Canadiens Joe MatteGoldie Prodgers November 27, 1920 To Hamilton TigersJack CoughlinJoe MatteGoldie ProdgersLoan of Billy Coutufor the 1920-21 Season To Montreal Canadiens Jack McDonaldHarry MummeryDave Ritchie December 16, 1920 To Hamilton TigersHoward Lockhart To Toronto St. Patrickscash January 4, 1921 To Montreal CanadiensRights to Punch BroadbentRights to Sprague Cleghorn To Hamilton Tigers cash January 21, 1921 To Hamilton TigersMickey Roach To Toronto St. Patricks cash January 25, 1921 To Toronto St. PatricksSprague Cleghorn To Hamilton Tigers Future Considerations See also List of Stanley Cup champions Pacific Coast Hockey Association Ice hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics List of pre-NHL seasons 1920 in sports 1921 in sports References Works cited 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 General references The Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol. 1, 1893–1926 inc Coleman, Charles 1966 Total Hockey Diamond, Dan Total Sports 2000 1-892129-85-X 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 External links NHL.com 1920 NHL