# 1969–70 NHL season

The 1969–70 NHL season was the 53rd season of the National Hockey League. For the third straight season, the St. Louis Blues reached the Stanley Cup Finals, and for the third straight year, the winners of the expansion West Division were swept four games to none. This time, however, it was at the hands of the Boston Bruins, as the defending champions Montreal Canadiens narrowly missed the playoffs, something that did not happen again for the next quarter century. With both the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs missing the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs, it was the first time in league history that no Canadian team in the NHL (two Canadian teams at the time) qualified for the playoffs (something that has happened only once since, in 2016, when all seven NHL's Canadian teams missed the playoffs). It was also the final season that teams wore their colored jerseys at home until the 2003–04 season.

## Amateur draft

The 1969 NHL Amateur Draft was held on June 12 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Rejean Houle was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens.

## Regular season

Detroit owner Bruce Norris installed a phone at the Red Wing bench connected to his at his seat in the Olympia. When coach Bill Gadsby saw the phone, he ordered it removed. Gadsby was fired after three games
Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins became the first (and to date, the only) defenceman in NHL history to win the league scoring championship. He did it by setting a new record for assists with 87 and totalling 120 points, only six shy of the point record set the previous season by teammate Phil Esposito. Along the way, he also won the Norris Trophy for the third straight year as the top defenceman, the Hart Trophy for league MVP, and the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff MVP, being the only player in the NHL to win four individual awards in a single season.
Gordie Howe finished the season within the ten leading NHL point scorers for an all-time record of 21 consecutive seasons; it was the final season he did so.
For the second straight season, the St. Louis Blues easily won the West Division, being the only team in the division to have a winning record.
The East Division, however, saw a temporary changing of the guard, as Montreal dropped from first the previous season to fifth, missing the playoffs on the total goals scored tie-breaker with the New York Rangers. The Rangers were in first place for a time, but injuries on the blueline doomed any hope of a first-place finish, and they even obtained Tim Horton in desperation. It was the only season Montreal failed to make the playoffs between 1948 and 1995, and as the Toronto Maple Leafs also failed to make the postseason, this was the first playoffs in NHL history to feature no Canadian teams. These developments were instrumental in the decision to move Chicago to the West Division in conjunction with the 1970 expansion, and the adoption of "crossover" playoff series between East and West Division teams the following season. The division crossover kept the newer expansion teams out of the Stanley Cup Finals for the next three seasons. The Bruins and the Black Hawks both tied for the lead in the East (and entire league) with 99 points, but Chicago was awarded first place because they had 5 more wins. It was Chicago's second first-place finish in team history (the first being 1966–67).

### Canadiens/Rangers tiebreaker

The last two playoff berths in the East Division were contested by three teams entering the final weekend of the season. The Detroit Red Wings were in third place with 93 points, followed by the Montreal Canadiens with 92 and the New York Rangers with 90. The Red Wings captured the third seed with a 6–2 win over the Rangers on Saturday night. The Canadiens needed just one victory to clinch the fourth and final berth. A New York win and a Montreal loss in their final games would give each team identical 38–22–16 records. At that time, the next tiebreaker was goals scored, in which the Canadiens held a 242–237 advantage. The Rangers had to outscore the Canadiens by at least five goals in order to qualify for the postseason. Scoring for the Blueshirts started early and often, leading 4-1 after the first period and 7-3 after two periods. Up 9-3 late in the third period, the Rangers pulled goaltender Eddie Giacomin in an attempt to pile on more goals and to pad the overall goal scoring lead, but instead surrendered two goals to Detroit. After the final buzzer, the Rangers peppered Red Wings goaltender Crozier with a franchise-record 65 shots on goal en route to a 9–5 triumph and a four-goal lead over Montreal.
Later that evening, the Canadiens either had to win, or score at least five goals in defeat, but were up against a Black Hawks team needing a victory to clinch top seed in the divisional playoffs. With Montreal trailing 5–2 and desperate for three more goals with 9:16 remaining in the third period, coach Claude Ruel pulled netminder Rogie Vachon for an extra attacker. Instead, the Canadiens surrendered five empty-net goals in a 10–2 defeat and missed the postseason for the only time within a 46-season span from 1949 to 1994. Montreal's Yvan Cournoyer commented on the Red Wings' effort in the afternoon, bitterly stating, "Those guys have no pride."

### Final standings

East Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 76 | 45 | 22 | 9 | 250 | 170 | +80 | 99 |
| 2 | Boston Bruins | 76 | 40 | 17 | 19 | 277 | 216 | +61 | 99 |
| 3 | Detroit Red Wings | 76 | 40 | 21 | 15 | 246 | 199 | +47 | 95 |
| 4 | New York Rangers | 76 | 38 | 22 | 16 | 246 | 189 | +57 | 92 |
| 5 | Montreal Canadiens | 76 | 38 | 22 | 16 | 244 | 201 | +43 | 92 |
| 6 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 76 | 29 | 34 | 13 | 222 | 242 | −20 | 71 |
West Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | St. Louis Blues | 76 | 37 | 27 | 12 | 224 | 179 | +45 | 86 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 76 | 26 | 38 | 12 | 182 | 238 | −56 | 64 |
| 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 76 | 19 | 35 | 22 | 224 | 257 | −33 | 60 |
| 4 | Oakland Seals | 76 | 22 | 40 | 14 | 169 | 243 | −74 | 58 |
| 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 76 | 17 | 35 | 24 | 197 | 225 | −28 | 58 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Kings | 76 | 14 | 52 | 10 | 168 | 290 | −122 | 38 |

## Playoffs
### Playoff bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Stanley Cup Finals | Stanley Cup Finals | Stanley Cup Finals |
| 1 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Detroit | 0 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Detroit | 0 | 1 | Chicago | 0 | | | |
| East Division | East Division | East Division | 1 | Chicago | 0 | | | |
| East Division | East Division | East Division | 2 | Boston | 4 | | | |
| 2 | Boston | 4 | 2 | Boston | 4 | | | |
| 4 | New York | 2 | | | | | | |
| 4 | New York | 2 | | | | E2 | Boston | 4 |
| | | | | | | W1 | St. Louis | 0 |
| 1 | St. Louis | 4 | | | | | | | W1 | St. Louis | 0 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 2 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Minnesota | 2 | 1 | St. Louis | 4 | | | |
| West Division | West Division | West Division | 1 | St. Louis | 4 | | | |
| West Division | West Division | West Division | 2 | Pittsburgh | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 2 | Pittsburgh | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Oakland | 0 | | | | | | |

### Quarterfinals
#### (E1) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (E3) Detroit Red Wings

The Chicago Black Hawks finished as the NHL's best regular season team with 99 points. Detroit finished third in the East Division with 95 points. This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, and they split their eight previous meetings. They last met in the 1966 semifinals which Detroit won in six games. These teams each won four games of their eight-game regular season series.
In the Chicago-Detroit series, the Black Hawks swept the series, winning all four games by 4–2 scores.
* Chicago won series 4–0

#### (E2) Boston Bruins vs. (E4) New York Rangers

The Boston Bruins finished second in the East Division, earning 99 points. The New York Rangers earned 92 points to finish fourth in the East. This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with Boston winning four of their six previous meetings. They last met in the 1958 semifinals which Boston won in six games. These teams each won four games of their eight-game regular season series.
The Bruins clobbered the Rangers 8–2 in game one; Ranger coach Emile Francis replaced Ed Giacomin when the score reached 7–1, in favor of Terry Sawchuk. Sawchuk replaced Giacomin as the starter in game two, but Boston won 5–3.
Game three at Madison Square Garden featured a hostile crowd, with the New York fans booing, shouting obscenities and throwing objects at the Boston players. Giacomin – back in goal for the Rangers – reportedly told Bruin Derek Sanderson "We're being paid to get you tonight." A subsequent brawl erupted into both benches clearing, as well as fans littering the ice with debris; it took 19 minutes to play the first 91 seconds of the game. By the end of the Rangers' 4–3 win, the teams had set a new NHL playoff record for penalties (38) and penalty minutes (174).
Game four had Rod Gilbert score two goals in a 4–2 Ranger win. Giacomin was brilliant in goal for the Rangers and one of the highlights was stopping Derek Sanderson on a shorthanded breakaway. Game five was won by Boston 3–2 as Esposito scored two goals. Bobby Orr set up the winner when he stole a pass at center ice when the Rangers were caught on a line change. Game six was won easily by the Bruins and featured another display of fan abuse. Bobby Orr scored two goals, including the winner. Fans threw eggs and ball bearings on the ice, and when the outcome was no longer in doubt, set fires in the mezzanine of Madison Square Garden.
* Boston won series 4–2

#### (W1) St. Louis Blues vs. (W3) Minnesota North Stars

The St. Louis Blues finished first in the West Division with 86 points. The Minnesota North Stars earned 60 points to finish third in the West. This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams. Their only previous meeting was in the 1968 semi-finals which St. Louis won in seven games. St. Louis won this year's eight-game regular season series, earning ten of sixteen points.
The St. Louis Blues ousted the Minnesota North Stars in six games, with the home team winning the first five. The Blues won the first two games at the St. Louis Arena. Game three at the Metropolitan Sports Center featured Gump Worsley's sharp goaltending and Bill Goldsworthy scoring two goals in a 4–2 win for the North Stars. Cesare Maniago played in goal for Minnesota in game four and picked up a 4–0 shutout, tying the series. Game five at St. Louis Arena was tied 3–3 when St Louis scored three goals in the third period by Red Berenson, Terry Gray, and Jim Roberts and the Blues won 6–3. In game six, Ab McDonald scored two goals as the Blues eliminated the North Stars by a score of 4–2.
* St. Louis won series 4–2

#### (W2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (W4) Oakland Seals

Pittsburgh finished second in the West Division, earning 64 points. Oakland earned 58 points to finish fourth in the West. This was the first and only series between these two teams. Oakland won this year's eight-game regular season series, earning nine of sixteen points.
In game one, Nick Harbaruk's goal midway through the third period was the winner as Pittsburgh won 2–1. In game two, Gary Jarrett gave Oakland a 1–0 lead, but Pittsburgh came back to win 3–1. Game three at Oakland featured a hat trick by Ken Schinkel of the Penguins as Pittsburgh won 5–2. Game four saw Oakland holding 1–0 and 2–1 leads, but the Seals just couldn't hold on and the game was tied 2–2 at the end of regulation time, with Michel Briere scoring the series winning goal at 8:28 of overtime for Pittsburgh. It was the final time the Seals made the playoffs. The Stanley Cup playoffs did not return to the Bay Area until 1994 when the San Jose Sharks made the playoffs for the first time. This also marks only the second of three times ever a team in any of the four North American major sports have swept a team in their first playoff series.
* Pittsburgh won series 4–0

### Semifinals
#### (E1) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (E2) Boston Bruins

This was the third meeting between these two teams with Boston winning both of their meetings. They last met in the 1942 quarter-finals where Boston won the best-of-three series in three games. These two teams split their eight-game regular season series, each earning eight points.
Boston beat Chicago in four straight games to win the East Division final for the first time.
* Boston won series 4–0

#### (W1) St. Louis Blues vs. (W2) Pittsburgh Penguins

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. St. Louis won this year's eight-game regular season series, earning twelve of sixteen points.
The St. Louis Blues beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games to have won every West Division Final, as there were no Division Finals the following season. The Pens did not get to the semifinals again until their championship season in 1991.
* St. Louis won series 4–2

### Stanley Cup Finals

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This was St. Louis' third Stanley Cup Finals, having advanced to the round every season since entering the league. In both of their previous appearances, they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in four games. This was Boston's eleventh Stanley Cup Finals appearance, having won the championship three times previously. They last advanced to the Finals in 1958 where they lost to Montreal in six games. Boston won this year's six-game regular season series, earning eight of twelve points.
Phil Esposito of the Bruins led all playoff scorers with 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points, at the time a new NHL playoff record, followed by Orr with 20 points and Johnny Bucyk of the Bruins with 19 points. Gerry Cheevers of the Bruins led all goaltenders with twelve wins, while Jacques Plante of the Blues led all goaltenders in goals against average in the playoffs with 1.48.
* Boston won series 4–0

## Awards

1969–70 NHL awards :
| Prince of Wales Trophy: (East Division champion, regular season) | Chicago Black Hawks |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: (West Division champion, regular season) | St. Louis Blues |
| Art Ross Trophy: (Top scorer, regular season) | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: (Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication) | Pit Martin, Chicago Black Hawks |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: (Top first-year player) | Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: (Most valuable player, regular season) | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: (Best defenceman) | Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: (Excellence and sportsmanship) | Phil Goyette, St. Louis Blues |
| Vezina Trophy: (Goaltender(s) of team with best goaltending record) | Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks |

### All-Star teams

| First team | Position | Second team |
| Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks | G | Ed Giacomin, New York Rangers |
| Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins | D | Carl Brewer, Detroit Red Wings |
| Brad Park, New York Rangers | D | Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens |
| Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins | C | Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks |
| Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings | RW | John McKenzie, Boston Bruins |
| Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks | LW | Frank Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings |

## Player statistics
### Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 76 | 33 | 87 | 120 | 125 |
| Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 76 | 43 | 56 | 99 | 50 |
| Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 76 | 39 | 47 | 86 | 50 |
| Phil Goyette | St. Louis Blues | 72 | 29 | 49 | 78 | 16 |
| Walt Tkaczuk | New York Rangers | 76 | 27 | 50 | 77 | 38 |
| Jean Ratelle | New York Rangers | 75 | 32 | 42 | 74 | 28 |
| Red Berenson | St. Louis Blues | 67 | 33 | 39 | 72 | 38 |
| J. P. Parise | Minnesota North Stars | 74 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 72 |
| Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 76 | 31 | 40 | 71 | 58 |
| Frank Mahovlich | Detroit Red Wings | 74 | 38 | 32 | 70 | 59 |
| Dave Balon | New York Rangers | 76 | 33 | 37 | 70 | 100 |
| John McKenzie | Boston Bruins | 72 | 29 | 41 | 70 | 114 |
Source: NHL.

### 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 |
| Ernie Wakely | St. Louis Blues | 30 | 1651 | 58 | 2.11 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| Tony Esposito | Chicago Black Hawks | 63 | 3763 | 136 | 2.17 | 38 | 17 | 8 | 15 |
| Jacques Plante | St. Louis Blues | 32 | 1839 | 67 | 2.19 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 5 |
| Ed Giacomin | New York Rangers | 70 | 4148 | 163 | 2.36 | 35 | 21 | 14 | 6 |
| Roy Edwards | Detroit Red Wings | 47 | 2683 | 116 | 2.59 | 24 | 15 | 6 | 2 |
| Rogatien Vachon | Montreal Canadiens | 64 | 3697 | 162 | 2.63 | 31 | 18 | 12 | 4 |
| Roger Crozier | Detroit Red Wings | 34 | 1877 | 83 | 2.65 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| Gerry Cheevers | Boston Bruins | 41 | 2384 | 108 | 2.72 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers | 62 | 3680 | 171 | 2.79 | 13 | 29 | 20 | 3 |
| Ed Johnston | Boston Bruins | 37 | 2176 | 108 | 2.98 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 3 |

### Other statistics

* Plus-Minus leader: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins

## Coaches
### East

* Boston Bruins: Harry Sinden
* Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay
* Detroit Red Wings: Bill Gadsby and Sid Abel
* Montreal Canadiens: Claude Ruel
* New York Rangers: Emile Francis
* Toronto Maple Leafs: John McLellan

### West

* Los Angeles Kings: Hal Laycoe and Larry Regan
* Minnesota North Stars: Wren Blair and Charlie Burns
* Oakland Seals: Fred Glover
* Philadelphia Flyers: Vic Stasiuk
* Pittsburgh Penguins: Red Kelly
* St. Louis Blues: Scotty Bowman

## Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1969–70 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
* Keith Magnuson, Chicago Black Hawks
* Butch Goring, Los Angeles Kings
* Gilles Gilbert, Minnesota North Stars
* Guy Charron, Montreal Canadiens
* Marc Tardif, Montreal Canadiens
* Réjean Houle, Montreal Canadiens
* Don Luce, New York Rangers
* Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers

## Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1969–70 (listed with their last team):
* Ron Murphy, Boston Bruins
* Leo Boivin, Minnesota North Stars
* Moose Vasko, Minnesota North Stars
* Claude Provost, Montreal Canadiens
* Terry Sawchuk, New York Rangers
* Camille Henry, St. Louis Blues
* Johnny Bower, Toronto Maple Leafs
* Marcel Pronovost, Toronto Maple Leafs

## Broadcasting

Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games. HNIC also produced Wednesday night regular season game telecasts for CTV.
This was the fourth season under the U.S. rights agreement with CBS, airing Sunday afternoon regular season and playoff games.