1927–28 NHL season
1927–28 NHL season | |
---|---|
League | National Hockey League |
Sport | Ice hockey |
Duration | November 15, 1927 – April 14, 1928 |
Number of games | 44 |
Number of teams | 10 |
Regular season | |
Season champions | Montreal Canadiens |
Season MVP | Howie Morenz (Canadiens) |
Top scorer | Howie Morenz (Canadiens) |
Canadian Division champions | Montreal Canadiens |
American Division champions | Boston Bruins |
Stanley Cup | |
Champions | New York Rangers |
Runners-up | Montreal Maroons |
The 1927–28 NHL season was the
League business
American DivisionThe O'Brien Cup, which used to go to the National Hockey Association (NHA), later the NHL league champion, would now go to the winner of the Canadian Division. The Prince of Wales Trophy, first awarded to the winner of the first game at Madison Square Garden, and later the NHL league champion, would now go to the winner of the American division.
The first indications that the Ottawa Senators were in financial trouble surfaced when they asked the league for a bigger share of road game income. Though the league entertained the Senators suggestion, the Senators did not receive this income. It was decided by the Ottawa management to sell star right wing Hooley Smith to the Montreal Maroons for an undisclosed amount of money ($22,500 it was believed). At the same time, right wing Punch Broadbent returned to Ottawa.
The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced new sweaters of blue and white, changing from the former green logo on white uniform. They are the first team in the NHL to have a set of white uniforms and a set of dark uniforms.[1][2]
Rule changes
The league changed the rule for substitution, allowing "on the fly" changes, as long as the player going off is on the bench before the substitute goes on.[3]
The league implemented new measures to increase scoring. The blue lines were introduced, dividing the rink into three zones: defending, neutral and attacking. Teams with possession in their defending zone could now pass the puck forward, and both teams could pass the puck forward in the neutral zone, although forward passing across the blue lines was still disallowed. New penalties were given for picking up the puck; and for clearing the puck out of play. Goalie leg pads were reduced in width to ten inches from twelve and goalies were disallowed from travelling more than four feet with the puck.[4] However, the new changes did not improve scoring, as the average number of goals per game decreased to 3.8, from 4.0.[5] A new ten-minute sudden-death overtime period was introduced to resolve games tied after 60 minutes. This was also ineffective, and the number of tie games doubled from 36 to 74.[5]
Teams
1927-28 National Hockey League | |||||
Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canadian | |||||
Montreal Canadiens | Montreal, Quebec
|
Montreal Forum | 12,500 | ||
Montreal Maroons | Montreal, Quebec
|
Montreal Forum | 12,500 | ||
New York Americans | New York, New York
|
Madison Square Garden | 15,925 | ||
Ottawa Senators | Ottawa, Ontario
|
Ottawa Auditorium | 7,500 | ||
Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto, Ontario
|
Arena Gardens | 7,500 | ||
American | Boston Bruins | Boston, Massachusetts
|
Boston Arena
|
5,000 | |
Chicago Black Hawks
|
Chicago, Illinois
|
Chicago Coliseum | 6,000 | ||
Detroit Cougars
|
Detroit, Michigan
|
Detroit Olympia | 15,000 | ||
New York Rangers | New York, New York
|
Madison Square Garden | 15,925 | ||
Pittsburgh Pirates | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
|
Duquesne Garden
|
5,000 |
Regular season
The Chicago Black Hawks fired coach
The Ottawa Senators, the smallest market in the league, were affected by franchises in the U.S. and sold their star right wing Hooley Smith to the Montreal Maroons for $22,500 plus the return of right wing Punch Broadbent, followed by the sale of defenceman Edwin Gorman to Toronto.
Toronto, now the Maple Leafs, showed power early on and it looked like they would make the playoffs. However, injuries to Hap Day and Bill Carson doomed the team, and the Leafs sagged to fourth, out of the playoffs for the third straight year. It would take another 80 years until the Leafs missed the playoffs three straight times again.
Thanks to the great play of
Final standings
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montreal Canadiens | 44 | 26 | 11 | 7 | 116 | 48 | 496 | 59 |
Montreal Maroons | 44 | 24 | 14 | 6 | 96 | 77 | 549 | 54 |
Ottawa Senators | 44 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 78 | 57 | 483 | 50 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 44 | 18 | 18 | 8 | 89 | 88 | 436 | 44 |
New York Americans | 44 | 11 | 27 | 6 | 63 | 128 | 563 | 28 |
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston Bruins | 44 | 20 | 13 | 11 | 77 | 70 | 558 | 51 |
New York Rangers | 44 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 94 | 79 | 462 | 47 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 44 | 19 | 17 | 8 | 67 | 76 | 395 | 46 |
Detroit Cougars | 44 | 19 | 19 | 6 | 88 | 79 | 395 | 44 |
Chicago Black Hawks | 44 | 7 | 34 | 3 | 68 | 134 | 375 | 17 |
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold
Playoffs
In the Canadian Division, the Montreal Maroons beat the Ottawa Senators and then went to the limit against the Canadiens before Russell Oatman put the Maroons into the finals with a goal in overtime.
In the American Division, the New York Rangers knocked off the Pittsburgh Pirates in a rough series, and then beat Boston to go to the finals against the Montreal Maroons.
Playoff bracket
Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||||||
C1 | Mtl Canadiens | 2G | ||||||||||||
C2 | Mtl Maroons | 3G | C2 | Mtl Maroons | 3G | |||||||||
C3 | Ottawa | 1G | C2 | Mtl Maroons | 2 | |||||||||
A2 | NY Rangers | 3 | ||||||||||||
A1 | Boston | 2G | ||||||||||||
A2 | NY Rangers | 6G | A2 | NY Rangers | 5G | |||||||||
A3 | Pittsburgh | 4G |
Quarterfinals
(A2) New York Rangers vs. (A3) Pittsburgh Pirates
March 27 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 0–4 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden III
|
Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 04:13 – Frank Boucher (1) 14:36 – Bun Cook (1) 18:34 – Alex Gray (1) | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 04:21 – Ching Johnson (1) | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
Roy Worters | Goalie stats | Lorne Chabot |
March 29 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4–2 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden III
|
Recap | |||
Marty Burke (1) – 14:04 | First period | 03:03 – Clarence Abel (1)
| ||||||
Rodger Smith (1) – 07:40 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
Rodger Smith (2) – 13:47 Baldy Cotton (1) – 18:57
|
Third period | 10:40 – Murray Murdoch (1) | ||||||
Roy Worters | Goalie stats | Lorne Chabot |
New York won series on total goals 6–4 | |
(C2) Montreal Maroons vs. (C3) Ottawa Senators
March 27 | Montreal Maroons | 1–0 | Ottawa Senators | Ottawa Auditorium | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
Joe Lamb (1) – 09:05 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
Alec Connell | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
March 29 | Ottawa Senators | 1–2 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | 10:00 – Babe Siebert (1) | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 05:00 – Hooley Smith (1) | ||||||
Hec Kilrea (1) – 02:00 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
Clint Benedict | Goalie stats | Alec Connell |
Montreal won series on total goals 3–1 | |
Semifinals
(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A2) New York Rangers
March 31 | Boston Bruins | 1–1 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden III
|
Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
Harry Oliver (1) – 03:00 | Third period | 01:48 – Frank Boucher (2) | ||||||
Hal Winkler | Goalie stats | Lorne Chabot |
April 3 | New York Rangers | 4–1 | Boston Bruins | Boston Arena
|
Recap | |||
Bill Cook (1) – 19:30 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
Murray Murdoch (2) – 11:23 Bun Cook (2) – 16:18 Frank Boucher (3) – 17:32 |
Second period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | 19:30 – Harry Oliver (2) | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Hal Winkler |
New York won series on total goals 5–2 | |
(C1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (C2) Montreal Maroons
March 31 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–2 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
Albert Leduc (1) – 10:10 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
Art Gagne (1) – 03:55
|
Second period | 13:55 – Jimmy Ward (1) 15:00 – Hooley Smith (2) | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
George Hainsworth | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
April 3 | Montreal Maroons | 1–0 | OT | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap | ||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
Russell Oatman (1) – 08:22 | First overtime period | No scoring | ||||||
Clint Benedict | Goalie stats | George Hainsworth |
Montreal Maroons won series on total goals 3–2 | |
Stanley Cup Finals
The circus knocked the Rangers out of Madison Square Garden, and all games were played in the Montreal Forum, even though Boston offered to host the Rangers. The Maroons won game one 2–0, with Nels Stewart and goaltender Clint Benedict the stars.
Drama took over in game two when Nels Stewart fired a hard shot that struck New York goaltender
April 5 | New York Rangers | 0–2 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 10:48 – Red Dutton (1) | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | 05:56 – Merlyn Phillips (1) | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
April 7 | New York Rangers | 2–1 | OT | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | ||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
Bill Cook (1) – 00:30 | Third period | 18:51 – Nels Stewart (1) | ||||||
Frank Boucher (4) – 07:05 | First overtime period | No scoring | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
April 10 | New York Rangers | 0–2 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | 09:00 – Nels Stewart (2) | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | 17:20 – Babe Siebert (2) | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
April 12 | New York Rangers | 1–0 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
Frank Boucher (5) – 13:13 | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
April 14 | New York Rangers | 2–1 | Montreal Maroons | Montreal Forum | Recap | |||
Frank Boucher (6) – 17:05 | First period | No scoring | ||||||
No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
Frank Boucher (7) – 15:16 | Third period | 17:16 – Merlyn Phillips (2) | ||||||
Lorne Chabot | Goalie stats | Clint Benedict |
New York won series 3–2 | |
Awards
The terms for awarding the
1927–28 NHL awards | |
---|---|
Hart Trophy: (Most valuable player) |
Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens |
Lady Byng Trophy :(Excellence and sportsmanship) |
Frank Boucher, New York Rangers |
O'Brien Cup: (Canadian Division champions) |
Montreal Canadiens |
Prince of Wales Trophy: (American Division champions) |
Boston Bruins |
Vezina Trophy: (Fewest goals allowed) |
George Hainsworth, Montreal Canadiens |
Player statistics
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens | 43 | 33 | 18 | 51 |
Aurel Joliat |
Montreal Canadiens | 44 | 28 | 11 | 39 |
Frank Boucher | New York Rangers | 44 | 23 | 12 | 35 |
George Hay |
Detroit Cougars | 42 | 22 | 13 | 35 |
Nels Stewart | Montreal Maroons | 41 | 27 | 7 | 34 |
Art Gagne | Montreal Canadiens | 44 | 20 | 10 | 30 |
Bun Cook | New York Rangers | 44 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
Bill Carson | Toronto Maple Leafs | 32 | 20 | 6 | 26 |
Frank Finnigan | Ottawa Senators | 38 | 20 | 5 | 25 |
Bill Cook | New York Rangers | 43 | 18 | 6 | 24 |
Duke Keats | Detroit Cougars/Chicago Black Hawks | 38 | 14 | 10 | 24 |
Source: NHL[8]
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; SO = Shut outs; GAA = Goals against average
Player | Team | GP | Mins | GA | SO | GAA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Hainsworth | Montreal Canadiens | 44 | 2730 | 48 | 13 | 1.05 |
Alex Connell |
Ottawa Senators | 44 | 2760 | 57 | 15 | 1.24 |
Hal Winkler | Boston Bruins | 44 | 2780 | 70 | 15 | 1.51 |
Roy Worters | Pittsburgh Pirates | 44 | 2740 | 76 | 11 | 1.66 |
Clint Benedict | Montreal Maroons | 44 | 2690 | 76 | 6 | 1.70 |
Source: hockey-reference.com[9]
Coaches
American Division
- Boston Bruins: Art Ross
- Chicago Black Hawks: Barney Stanley and Hughie Lehman
- Detroit Cougars: Jack Adams
- New York Rangers: Lester Patrick
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Odie Cleghorn
Canadian Division
- Montreal Canadiens: Cecil Hart
- Montreal Maroons: Eddie Gerard
- New York Americans: Shorty Green
- Ottawa Senators: Dave Gill
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Conn Smythe
Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1927–28 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
- Dit Clapper, Boston Bruins
- Norman Gainor, Boston Bruins
- Cy Wentworth, Chicago Black Hawks
- Charlie Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks
- Larry Aurie, Detroit Cougars
- Marty Burke, Montreal Canadiens
- Jimmy Ward, Montreal Maroons
- Joe Lamb, Montreal Maroons
- Marty Barry, New York Americans
- Allan Shields, Ottawa Senators
- Joe Primeau, Toronto Maple Leafs
Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1927–28 (listed with their last team):* Denotes last game was in the playoffs.
- Sprague Cleghorn, Boston Bruins
- Corb Denneny, Chicago Black Hawks
- Frank Foyston, Detroit Cougars
- Jack Walker, Detroit Cougars
- Billy Boucher, New York Americans
- Odie Cleghorn, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Lester Patrick, New York Rangers*
See also
- 1927–28 NHL Transactions
- List of Stanley Cup champions
- Ice hockey at the 1928 Winter Olympics
- Prairie Hockey League
- List of pre-NHL seasons
- 1927 in sports
- 1928 in sports
References
- Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
- Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
- Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
- Duplacey, James (1996). The annotated rules of hockey. New York: Lyons & Burford, Publishers. ISBN 1-55821-466-6.
- 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. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
- McFarlane, Brian (1973). The Story of the National Hockey League. New York: Pagurian Press. ISBN 0-684-13424-1.
- Ross, J. Andrew (2015). Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-3383-9.
- Notes
- ^ "1927–28 – The Hockey Uniform Database". nhluniforms.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ "Toronto Maple Leafs 2011–12 Media Guide" (PDF). Toronto Maple Leafs. 2011. p. 193. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2011.
- ^ Duplacey 1996, p. 33.
- ^ Ross 2015, p. 168.
- ^ a b Ross 2015, p. 169.
- ^ McFarlane 1973, p. 40.
- ^ a b c Dryden 2000, p. 30.
- ^ Dinger 2011, p. 146.
- ^ "1927–28 NHL Season Goalie Statistics". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2011.