Original Six
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The Original Six (
The Six are not the original teams of the NHL. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are the two members of this group that are charter members of the NHL.[1] However, the Original Six are considered a set for having joined the league by 1926, and thus being the NHL's oldest active franchises.
The Original Six have the most combined Stanley Cup titles among NHL franchises; the Canadiens hold the most wins at 24. The Maple Leafs, who won the last Stanley Cup of the Original Six era, are the only Original Six franchise to have not returned to the Stanley Cup Finals since the 1967 expansion.
Teams
Team name | Location | Founded |
---|---|---|
Montreal Canadiens | Montreal, Quebec | 1909 (joined NHL in 1917) |
Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto, Ontario | 1917 |
Boston Bruins | Boston, Massachusetts | 1924 |
Chicago Black Hawks
|
Chicago, Illinois | 1926 |
Detroit Red Wings | Detroit, Michigan | |
New York Rangers | New York City, New York |
Background
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The NHL consisted of ten teams during the 1920s, but the league experienced a period of retrenchment during the Great Depression, losing the Pittsburgh Pirates/Philadelphia Quakers, Ottawa Senators/St. Louis Eagles, and Montreal Maroons in succession to financial pressures. The New York/Brooklyn Americans, one of the league's original expansion franchises, along with the Bruins and Maroons, lasted longer but played as wards of the league from 1936 onward. World War II and its own economic strains severely depleted the league's Canadian player base since Canada entered the war in September 1939, and many players left for military service. The Americans suspended operations in the fall of 1942, which left the NHL with just six teams.
Despite various outside efforts to initiate expansion after the war, including attempted revivals of the Maroons and Americans franchises, the league's membership remained at six teams for the next 25 seasons. This was the longest static period without expansion, team moves or contraction in the history of the league, and also featured the longest period without any team changing arenas. The next longest streak, from the 2000 expansion to
Criticisms
The Original Six era has been criticized for having a
It was not a coincidence that two of the dominant teams were based in Canada, and the third was based in an American city that borders Canada. The league had a rule that gave each team exclusive rights to negotiate contracts with promising local players within 50 miles (80 km) of its home ice. A player who was not within the 50-mile limit was free to field offers from any team.[3] Once a player agreed to an NHL sponsorship-level contract, the NHL club could assign him to its sponsored junior squad, its "sponsorship list."
Since the Toronto and the Montreal metropolitan areas contained abundant hockey prospects, that put them at a major recruiting advantage over Boston, New York, and Chicago, which had very few such prospects in their territories. Detroit had Southwestern Ontario as part of its territory and so it did not have the major advantage of the Canadian teams, but it was better positioned than the other American ones.[4]
In practice, all six teams recruited players from Canada by sponsoring minor league, junior, and amateur teams.
Very few all American-developed NHL players emerged in the 1950s and 1960s.
After World War II, all six NHL owners consistently rejected any bids for expansion, namely a bid for the American Hockey League's Cleveland Barons team in 1952. In the eyes of many observers, the criteria for entry were changed every time with a desire to defeat any such bid.[9] The owners also reneged on promises to allow the extant but dormant Maroons and Americans franchises to reactivate.[10]
Those phenomena had the impact of limiting player movement, and as a result, the Original Six rosters were very static.[11] Until the lengthening of careers in the 1980s, only one 20-year player in NHL history, Larry Robinson, started his career after 1964, and it is generally accepted that the weakest Calder Trophy winners (rookies of the year) of all time were selected in the 1950s and the 1960s.[12]
Corruption
The league tolerated monopolistic practices by the owners. At one point, for instance, Red Wings owner James E. Norris effectively owned the Black Hawks as well and was also the largest stockholder in the Rangers.[13] He also had significant influence over the Bruins by way of mortgages extended to the team to help keep it afloat during the Depression, which led some critics to joke that NHL stood for "Norris House League."[13]
The control of owners over their teams was absolute. Players who got on the wrong side of their team owner were often harshly punished by being either traded out of town or sent to the minors.[citation needed] An example of this is the case of the bruising Red Wings forward Ted Lindsay, who, after agitating for a players' union, was sent to the last-place Black Hawks. Norris' conglomerate did not invest in Boston, Chicago, and New York, which mostly just filled dates for the Norris arenas.[citation needed] A measure of the dominance of Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto in the era can be seen in that between the Bruins' Stanley Cup wins in 1941 and 1970, every single Cup except for Chicago in 1961 was won by the Red Wings, the Canadiens, or the Maple Leafs, and those three teams failed to make the playoffs only eight times combined in the era.
Labour conditions for the players were also poor.[5] Players' medical bills were paid for only two months after an injury.[citation needed] Moreover, whenever players were sent to the minors, they had their salaries cut, and their relocation costs were not covered.[5] The players were also not paid for off-season promotions and did not share in the funds of promotions such as trading cards as was done in baseball.[citation needed] In the earlier era, players were allowed to play other sports, such as lacrosse, for money in the off-season, but that was disallowed in the standard Original Six-era contract.[citation needed] Players were signed as early as 16, and they were bound to one of the teams, which then directed their development.
The pension plan, formed in 1946, was ostensibly for the players' benefit but was kept secret, which hid large amounts of money under the control of the owners.[
End of era
As the more conservative owners left the NHL, a younger guard that was more receptive to expansion came into the league. By 1963, when the Rangers governor,
The first dozen seasons (
With the exception of Toronto, since the dawn of the Expansion Era every Original Six team has played in the Stanley Cup Finals at least 4 times and won the Cup at least once (the Maple Leafs have not competed in a Finals since winning in 1967, the longest active NHL championship drought). The Montreal Canadiens have twice won the Cup by defeating other Original Six clubs in every series the playoffs: in 1978 (beating Detroit, Toronto, and Boston) and 1979 (beating Toronto, Boston, and New York). Also, the 1992 Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team to also win the Cup after beating three of the Original Six (New York and Boston in the Wales Conference playoffs, and Chicago in the finals). Twice, the Eastern Conference champion beat two Original Six teams before being defeated by another in the Stanley Cup Finals: the Carolina Hurricanes in 2002 (beat Montreal and Toronto, lost to Detroit) and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 (beat Boston and Montreal, lost to Chicago). In 2013, the League moved the Red Wings to the Eastern Conference, leaving Chicago as the only Original Six team in the West. In 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning became the first team to face only Original Six franchises in the four-round playoff era, beating Detroit, Montreal, and New York in the Eastern playoffs before falling in the Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago.[15]
The last active player from the Original Six era was Wayne Cashman, who retired with the Boston Bruins in 1983. The final active player and official in any on-ice capacity for the league was linesman John D'Amico, who retired at the end of the 1986–87 season.
According to Forbes in 2015, five of the Original Six teams are the top five most valuable NHL clubs: the Rangers at approximately $1.2 billion, the Canadiens at $1.18 billion, the Maple Leafs at $1.15 billion, the Blackhawks at $925 million, and the Bruins at $750 million. The Red Wings rank eighth at $600 million.[16][17]
Head-to-head records
Records current as of June 13, 2023[update].
Boston Bruins
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Chicago Black Hawks
|
596 | 272 | 240 | 79 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 1 |
Detroit Red Wings | 614 | 256 | 258 | 95 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 38 | 23 | 15 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens (see Bruins–Canadiens rivalry) |
757 | 291 | 353 | 103 | 10 | 34 | 9 | 25 | 177 | 71 | 106 | 0 |
New York Rangers | 666 | 305 | 252 | 97 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 26 | 19 | 2 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (see Bruins–Maple Leafs rivalry) |
684 | 304 | 269 | 98 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 83 | 42 | 40 | 1 |
Chicago Black Hawks
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Boston Bruins | 596 | 245 | 268 | 79 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 9 | 18 | 1 |
Detroit Red Wings (see Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry) |
751 | 294 | 362 | 84 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 81 | 43 | 38 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens | 572 | 162 | 302 | 103 | 5 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 81 | 29 | 50 | 2 |
New York Rangers | 596 | 252 | 243 | 98 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 657 | 269 | 288 | 96 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 38 | 15 | 22 | 1 |
Detroit Red Wings
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Boston Bruins | 614 | 263 | 250 | 95 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38 | 15 | 23 | 0 |
Chicago Black Hawks )
(see Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry |
751 | 373 | 277 | 84 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 81 | 38 | 43 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens | 604 | 215 | 288 | 96 | 5 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 62 | 29 | 33 | 0 |
New York Rangers | 602 | 273 | 219 | 103 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 0 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (see Maple Leafs–Red Wings rivalry) |
680 | 288 | 292 | 93 | 7 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 117 | 59 | 58 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Boston Bruins (see Bruins–Canadiens rivalry) |
757 | 363 | 280 | 103 | 11 | 34 | 25 | 9 | 177 | 106 | 71 | 0 |
Chicago Black Hawks
|
572 | 307 | 160 | 103 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 81 | 50 | 29 | 2 |
Detroit Red Wings | 604 | 293 | 209 | 96 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 62 | 33 | 29 | 0 |
New York Rangers | 638 | 342 | 198 | 94 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 73 | 38 | 33 | 2 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (see Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry) |
765 | 366 | 299 | 88 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 78 | 46 | 32 | 0 |
New York Rangers
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Boston Bruins | 666 | 264 | 301 | 97 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 47 | 19 | 26 | 2 |
Chicago Black Hawks
|
596 | 246 | 250 | 98 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 0 |
Detroit Red Wings | 602 | 226 | 264 | 103 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens | 638 | 202 | 337 | 94 | 5 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 73 | 33 | 38 | 2 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 623 | 237 | 283 | 95 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 35 | 19 | 16 | 0 |
Toronto Maple Leafs
Opponent | Games played | Wins | Regulation losses | Ties | OT/SO losses | Series played | Wins | Losses | Games played | Wins | Losses | Ties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
Boston Bruins (see Bruins–Maple Leafs rivalry) |
684 | 282 | 293 | 98 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 83 | 40 | 42 | 1 |
Chicago Black Hawks
|
657 | 292 | 266 | 96 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 22 | 15 | 1 |
Detroit Red Wings (see Maple Leafs–Red Wings rivalry) |
680 | 299 | 283 | 93 | 5 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 117 | 58 | 59 | 0 |
Montreal Canadiens (see Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry) |
765 | 311 | 347 | 88 | 19 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 78 | 32 | 46 | 0 |
New York Rangers | 623 | 291 | 225 | 95 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 16 | 19 | 0 |
See also
References
- ^ "November 26: This Date in History". nhl.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ISBN 9780393087888.
- ^ Sears, Thom (2012). Straight Shooter: The Brad Park Story. John Wiley & Sons. p. 23.
- ^ Gerald Eskenazi (1976). A Thinking Man's Guide To Pro Hockey. Dutton Publishing.
- ^ a b c Diamond, Dan, ed. (1998). Total Hockey. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 59.
- ^ Vogl, John (September 30, 2012). Prospects Game proof America's got hockey talent Archived February 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. The Buffalo News. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ Swift, E.M. (June 11, 2001). "Going Out With A Shout". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
- ^ "Swede Ulf Sterner - the first European in the NHL". IIHF. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
- ISBN 0-8403-2941-5.
- ^ McFarlane, Brian (1969). 50 Years of Hockey. Greywood Publishing Ltd.
- ^ Diamond, Dan, ed. (1998). Total Hockey. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 285.
- ^ Klein, Jeff Z. (1986). The Klein and Reif Hockey Compendium. McClelland and Stewart.
- ^ a b Boyle, Robert H. (February 2, 1959). "Black Hawks On The Wing". CNN. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
- ^ "Blackhawks join Bruins for Original 6 Cup finals," from The Score, September 6, 2013
- ^ Gretz, Adam (May 31, 2015). "The Tampa Bay Lightning's playoff journey through the Original Six". CBS Sports. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
- ^ Ozanian, Mike (November 24, 2015). "The NHL's Most Valuable Teams". Forbes. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
- ^ "NHL Vakuations". Forbes. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
Further reading
- Cruise, David & Griffiths, Alison (1990). Net Worth:Exposing the Myths of Pro Hockey. Stoddart Publishing.