1940–41 NHL season

1940–41 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationNovember 2, 1940 – April 12, 1941
Number of games48
Number of teams7
Regular season
Season championBoston Bruins
Season MVPBill Cowley (Bruins)
Top scorerBill Cowley (Bruins)
Stanley Cup
ChampionsBoston Bruins
  Runners-upDetroit Red Wings
NHL seasons

The 1940–41 NHL season was the 24th season of the National Hockey League (NHL). Seven teams each played 48 games. The Boston Bruins were the Stanley Cup winners as they swept the Detroit Red Wings four games to none in the final series.

League business

In September 1940, International Ice Hockey Association president W. G. Hardy announced a new one-year agreement was reached with the NHL, who agreed to pay $250 for signing an amateur and another $250 if the amateur played in the NHL.[1] NHL president Frank Calder signed the new professional-amateur agreement in October 1940.[2] The agreement also included allowing the NHL to sign a limited number of junior age players.[3]

Regular season

The Montreal Canadiens had hit the bottom in 1939–40, and were in financial trouble. Frank Patrick decided to become an investor and governor for the team, and Tommy Gorman was hired as general manager. He hired recently released Toronto coach Dick Irvin to run the team. One of the first things Gorman and Irvin did was scout for players, and the Canadiens came up with Johnny Quilty, Joe Benoit, Elmer Lach and defenceman Ken Reardon. Bert Gardiner would be used in goal, replacing Claude Bourque and Wilf Cude. Murph Chamberlain was bought from Toronto to bolster the offence.

Quilty and Benoit came through, as did Toe Blake, but the Habs had a long way to go, finishing sixth. Quilty won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. In fact, before the season started, Coach Irvin handed a sealed envelope to a reporter of his guess who would win the Calder Trophy, and when the season ended, the reporter opened the envelope: Johnny Quilty was the choice Irvin made.

The Boston Bruins set a record 23 straight unbeaten games en route to a strong first-place finish at the end of the schedule. The Rangers, finished fourth after the previous year's Stanley Cup win and Dave Kerr was not up to his usual form in goal.

Final standings

National Hockey League
GP W L T Pts GF GA
Boston Bruins 48 27 8 13 67 168 102
Toronto Maple Leafs 48 28 14 6 62 145 99
Detroit Red Wings 48 21 16 11 53 112 102
New York Rangers 48 21 19 8 50 143 125
Chicago Black Hawks 48 16 25 7 39 112 139
Montreal Canadiens 48 16 26 6 38 121 147
New York Americans 48 8 29 11 27 99 186

[4]

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
         Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsStanley Cup Finals
1Boston4
2Toronto3
1Boston4
3Detroit2
3Detroit0
4NY Rangers1
3Detroit2
5Chicago0
5Chicago2
6Montreal1

Quarterfinals

(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) New York Rangers

March 20 New York Rangers 1–2 OT Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period 14:39 – Carl Liscombe (1)
Lynn Patrick (1) – pp – 04:33 Third period No scoring
No scoring First overtime period 12:01 – Gus Giesebrecht (1)
Dave Kerr Goalie stats Johnny Mowers
March 23 Detroit Red Wings 1–3 New York Rangers Madison Square Garden III Recap  
No scoring First period 18:38 – pp – Babe Pratt (1)
Don Grosso (1) – 03:02 Second period 11:30 – Alex Shibicky (1)
No scoring Third period 19:31 – Mac Colville (1)
Johnny Mowers Goalie stats Dave Kerr
March 25 New York Rangers 2–3 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Kilby MacDonald (1) – 15:25 First period 11:38 – Bill Jennings (1)
19:48 – Jack Stewart (1)
No scoring Second period No scoring
Neil Colville (1) – 19:51 Third period 09:39 – pp – Mud Bruneteau (1)
Dave Kerr Goalie stats Johnny Mowers
Detroit won series 2–1


(5) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens

March 20 Montreal Canadiens 1–2 Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
Elmer Lach (1) – 08:14 First period 16:21 – George Allen (1)
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 07:57 – Max Bentley (1)
Bert Gardiner Goalie stats Sam LoPresti
March 22 Chicago Black Hawks 3–4 2OT Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Cully Dahlstrom (1) – pp – 02:33 First period 08:01 – Joe Benoit (1)
14:02 – pp – Joe Benoit (2)
Joe Cooper (1) – 03:13 Second period 10:51 – Joe Benoit (3)
Mush March (1) – 10:13 Third period No scoring
No scoring Second overtime period 14:03 – Charlie Sands (1)
Sam LoPresti Goalie stats Bert Gardiner
March 25 Montreal Canadiens 2–3 Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 14:56 – George Allen (2)
Joe Benoit (4) – 18:37
Ray Getliffe (1) – 18:58 		Second period 12:11 – Cully Dahlstrom (2)
No scoring Third period 03:31 – Cully Dahlstrom (3)
Bert Gardiner Goalie stats Sam LoPresti
Chicago won series 2–1


Semifinals

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (2) Toronto Maple Leafs

March 20 Toronto Maple Leafs 0–3 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period 15:33 – Flash Hollett (1)
No scoring Third period 18:21 – Terry Reardon (1)
19:24 – Eddie Wiseman (1)
Turk Broda Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
March 22 Toronto Maple Leafs 5–3 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
No scoring First period 08:13 – Eddie Wiseman (2)
09:47 – Milt Schmidt (1)
Gordie Drillon (1) – 02:33
Reg Hamilton (1) – pp – 07:30
Nick Metz (1) – 15:00
Nick Metz (2) – 15:47 		Second period No scoring
Don Metz (1) – 01:44 Third period 04:00 – Eddie Wiseman (3)
Turk Broda Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
March 25 Boston Bruins 2–7 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap  
Milt Schmidt (2) – pp – 13:35 First period 18:03 – Sweeney Schriner (1)
Herb Cain (1) – 05:07 Second period 06:59 – Syl Apps (1)
12:46 – pp – Bucko McDonald (1)
17:36 – pp – Syl Apps (2)
No scoring Third period 05:26 – Sweeney Schriner (2)
16:43 – Syl Apps (3)
17:05 – Nick Metz (3)
Frank Brimsek Goalie stats Turk Broda
March 27 Boston Bruins 2–1 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Woody Dumart (1) – 07:15 Second period 10:30 – Gordie Drillon (2)
Herb Cain (2) – 08:13 Third period No scoring
Frank Brimsek Goalie stats Turk Broda
March 29 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–1 OT Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
Lex Chisholm (1) – 04:58 First period 14:16 – Pat McReavy (1)
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
Pete Langelle (1) – 17:37 First overtime period No scoring
Turk Broda Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
April 1 Boston Bruins 2–1 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
Bobby Bauer (1) – 10:39
Herb Cain (3) – 12:00 		Third period 09:48 – Gordie Drillon (3)
Frank Brimsek Goalie stats Turk Broda
April 3 Toronto Maple Leafs 1–2 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
Bucko McDonald (2) – 13:28 First period 14:32 – Flash Hollett (2)
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 14:17 – Mel Hill (1)
Turk Broda Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
Boston won series 4–3


(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) Chicago Black Hawks

March 27 Chicago Black Hawks 1–3 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 19:59 – pp – Sid Abel (1)
No scoring Second period 10:15 – Carl Liscombe (2)
Mush March (2) – 05:15 Third period 15:28 – Joe Fisher (1)
Sam LoPresti Goalie stats Johnny Mowers
March 30 Detroit Red Wings 2–1 OT Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Alex Motter (1) – pp – 01:25 Second period 04:02 – pp – Doug Bentley (1)
No scoring Third period No scoring
Gus Giesebrecht (2) – 09:52 First overtime period No scoring
Johnny Mowers Goalie stats Sam LoPresti
Detroit won series 2–0


Stanley Cup Finals

Main article: 1941 Stanley Cup Finals


April 6 Detroit Red Wings 2–3 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
No scoring First period 13:26 – Eddie Wiseman (4)
No scoring Second period 14:45 – Milt Schmidt (3)
Carl Liscombe (3) – 10:55
Syd Howe (1) – 17:45 		Third period 09:16 – Pat McReavy (2)
Johnny Mowers Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
April 8 Detroit Red Wings 1–2 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
Mud Bruneteau (2) – 02:41 Third period 13:35 – Terry Reardon (2)
17:35 – Roy Conacher (1)
Johnny Mowers Goalie stats Frank Brimsek
April 10 Boston Bruins 4–2 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Eddie Wiseman (5) – 03:57
Milt Schmidt (4) – 14:07 		First period 03:15 – Bill Jennings (2)
07:45 – Sid Abel (2)
Milt Schmidt (5) – 00:59 Second period No scoring
Art Jackson (1) – pp – 17:20 Third period No scoring
Frank Brimsek Goalie stats Johnny Mowers
April 12 Boston Bruins 3–1 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 10:14 – pp – Carl Liscombe (4)
Flash Hollett (3) – pp – 07:42
Bobby Bauer – pp – 08:43
Eddie Wiseman (6) – 19:32 		Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
Frank Brimsek Goalie stats Johnny Mowers
Boston won series 4–0


Awards

Calder Trophy:
(Best first-year player)		 Johnny Quilty, Montreal Canadiens
Hart Trophy:
(Most valuable player)		 Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins
Lady Byng Trophy:
(Excellence and sportsmanship)		 Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
O'Brien Cup:
(Stanley Cup runners-up)		 Detroit Red Wings
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Top regular season record)		 Boston Bruins
Vezina Trophy:
(Fewest goals allowed)		 Turk Broda, Toronto Maple Leafs

All-Star teams

First Team   Position   Second Team
Turk Broda, Toronto Maple Leafs G Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins
Dit Clapper, Boston Bruins D Earl Seibert, Chicago Black Hawks
Wally Stanowski, Toronto Maple Leafs D Ott Heller, New York Rangers
Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins C Syl Apps, Toronto Maple Leafs
Bryan Hextall, New York Rangers RW Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
Sweeney Schriner, Toronto Maple Leafs LW Woody Dumart, Boston Bruins
Cooney Weiland, Boston Bruins Coach Dick Irvin, Montreal Canadiens

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes

PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS PIM
Bill Cowley Boston Bruins 46 17 45 62 16
Bryan Hextall New York Rangers 48 26 18 44 16
Gordie Drillon Toronto Maple Leafs 42 23 21 44 2
Syl Apps Toronto Maple Leafs 41 20 24 44 6
Syd Howe Detroit Red Wings 48 20 24 44 8
Lynn Patrick New York Rangers 48 20 24 44 12
Neil Colville New York Rangers 48 14 28 42 28
Eddie Wiseman Boston Bruins 47 16 24 40 10
Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins 48 17 22 39 2
Roy Conacher Boston Bruins 41 24 14 38 7

Source: NHL[5]

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SO
Turk Broda Toronto Maple Leafs 48 2970 99 2.00 28 14 6 5
Frank Brimsek Boston Bruins 48 3040 102 2.01 27 8 13 6
Johnny Mowers Detroit Red Wings 48 3040 102 2.01 21 16 11 4
Dave Kerr New York Rangers 48 3010 125 2.49 21 19 8 2
Paul Goodman Chicago Black Hawks 21 1320 55 2.50 7 10 4 2
Bert Gardiner Montreal Canadiens 42 2600 119 2.75 13 23 6 2
Sam LoPresti Chicago Black Hawks 27 1670 84 3.02 9 15 3 1
Chuck Rayner N.Y. Americans 12 773 44 3.42 2 7 3 0
Earl Robertson N.Y. Americans 36 2260 142 3.77 6 22 8 1

Coaches

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1940–41 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1940–41 (listed with their last team):

See also

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.
  • 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.
Notes
  1. ^ "N.H.L. Will Pay I.H.A. $500 Cash For Signing Up Amateur Players". Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. September 13, 1940. p. 16.Free access icon
  2. ^ "Clubs Will Share Reimbursement Under This Plan". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. October 18, 1940. p. 20.Free access icon
  3. ^ "Close Co-Operation Exists Between Hockey Organizations". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. January 2, 1941. p. 12.Free access icon
  4. ^ Standings: NHL Public Relations Department (2008). Dave McCarthy; et al. (eds.). THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Official Guide & Record Book/2009. National Hockey League. p. 148. ISBN 978-1-894801-14-0.
  5. ^ Dinger 2011, p. 148.