1943-44
OFFSEASON
Pretty quiet off-season with no major retirements or trades. New players entering the league include goaltender Bill Durnan in Montreal, Gus Bodnar and Gus Mortson in Toronto, Don Raleigh joining the Rangers and netminder Harry Lumley in Detroit. Will be interesting to see what the Canadiens do with their goaltending as they have Turk Broda, who has won back to back Vezina Trophies along with Earl Robertson, who is still just 32 and enjoyed some very good seasons in Detroit. Now you add in Durnan and fellow rookie Gerry McNeil and there is quite a logjam.
REGULAR SEASON
The big story was the emergence of Maurice Richard as the dominant player in the league. Richard would lead the NHL with 37 goals and finish third in points with 75. He was amazingly consistent and set a record by earning a point in 44 straight games, smashing the old mark of of 18 established by Syl Apps of Toronto last year.
Elmer Lach (19-68-87) led the NHL in scoring for the first time in his career as he, Richard and Toe Blake(30-36-66) became the most feared trioka in the loop. The Canadiens breezed to the regular season title, losing just 5 games in the process and finishing 19 points ahead of second place Toronto. There was no goalie controversy in Montreal this season as Turk Broda remained the starter and played every game while Bill Durnan spent the year in the minors.
Meanwhile Boston veteran Dit Clapper (13-40-53) surpassed the 750 game mark and finished the season with 773 career regular season games. Charlie Conacher (11-25-36), who continues to play for Toronto is second all-time at 647.
Injuries hit some big time stars as Ranger defenseman Babe Pratt, Chicago's Max Bentley and Boston's Roy Conacher all missed significant time.
Code:
GP W L T PTS
Montreal Canadiens 50 37 5 8 82
Toronto Maple Leafs 50 29 16 5 63
Detroit Red Wings 50 23 16 11 57
Boston Bruins 50 23 20 7 53
Chicago Black Hawks 50 10 34 6 26
New York Rangers 50 8 39 3 19
SCORING LEADERS TEAM GP G A PTS
Elmer Lach MON 48 19 68 87
Sid Abel DET 50 31 54 85
Maurice Richard MON 48 37 38 75
Syl Apps TOR 50 32 42 74
Milt Schmidt BOS 50 36 30 66
Toe Blake MON 41 30 36 66
Nick Metz TOR 50 26 38 64
Woody Dumart BOS 50 27 34 61
Billy Taylor TOR 48 24 35 59
Jack Stewart DET 50 22 34 56
PLAYOFFS
Montreal had little trouble beating Toronto in 5 games as Lach, Blake and Richard combined for 26 points in the series. Meanwhile, in the other semi-final the Boston Bruins did something that had never been accomplished before - won 4 straight games after dropping the first three of the series. Detroit won Game 1 3-2 in overtime at home and took game two by an 8-3 score. A 6-2 win in Boston two nights later had the Wings on the brink of a rematch with Montreal in the Stanley Cup finals. However, the Bruins had other ideas.
Woody Dumart and Milt Schmidt each had a goal and an assist as the Bruins won game 4 3-2. Game 5 was a blowout 7-2 win for the Bruins and they followed that up with a tight 4-3 victory on home ice in Game 6 to even the series. Herb Cain would get the series winner in overtime as Boston completed the comeback with a 4-3 victory.
The celebration was short-lived as Boston made the trainride to Montreal and promptly got hammered 7-2 by the Habs in the opener of the Finals. Maurice Richard had a 4 point night in the Canadiens win.
Boston regrouped and won Game Two 3-2 to head home with the series tied. Home ice did not prove advantageous to the Bruins who lost both games by scores of 5-2 and 9-4. The Canadiens would win the Cup two days later with a 6-5 victory on Forum ice. The game winner came in overtime off the stick of Toe Blake with Elmer Lach and Maurice Richard drawing the assists.
Lach led all playoff performers with 20 points in 10 games, one more than Blake. Richard topped goal scorers with 7 and ended with 16 points but the playoff MVP went to defenseman Ken Reardon, who tallied 4 goals and 12 assists in the post-season.
Other Award winners:
HART TROPHY: Sid Abel Detroit (50 GP 31-54-85)
VEZINA TROPHY: Turk Broda Montreal (37-5-8, 2.51)
NORRIS TROPHY: Jack Stewart Detroit (50 GP,22-34-56)
ART ROSS TROPHY: Elmer Lach Montreal (48 GP 19-68-87)
CALDER TROPHY: Bob Fillion Montreal (50 GP 18-29-47)
The game does not select the all-star team but I will start naming first and second team all-stars
Code:
POS FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM
G Turk Broda Montreal Chuck Rayner Detroit
D Kenny Reardon Montreal Moe Morris Toronto
D Jack Stewart Detroit Butch Bouchard Montreal
C Sid Abel Detroit Elmer Lach Montreal
LW Toe Blake Montreal Nick Metz Toronto
RW Maurice Richard Montreal Dit Clapper Boston