# 1939–40 Boston Bruins season

The 1939–40 Boston Bruins season was the Boston Bruins' 16th season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Bruins finished first over-all, but could not repeat as Stanley Cup champions, losing in the playoff semi-final to the New York Rangers.

## Regular season
### Final standings

National Hockey League :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PIM | Pts |
| Boston Bruins | 48 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 170 | 98 | 330 | 67 |
| New York Rangers | 48 | 27 | 11 | 10 | 136 | 77 | 520 | 64 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 48 | 25 | 17 | 6 | 134 | 110 | 485 | 56 |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 48 | 23 | 19 | 6 | 112 | 120 | 351 | 52 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 48 | 16 | 26 | 6 | 91 | 126 | 250 | 38 |
| New York Americans | 48 | 15 | 29 | 4 | 106 | 140 | 236 | 34 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 48 | 10 | 33 | 5 | 90 | 167 | 338 | 25 |
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalty Minutes, Pts = Points Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

1939–40 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYA | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 6–1–1 | 5–3 | 6–1–1 | 7–1 | 2–4–2 | 5–2–1 |
| Chicago | 1–6–1 | — | 6–0–2 | 5–2–1 | 3–4–1 | 4–4 | 4–3–1 |
| Detroit | 3–5 | 0–6–2 | — | 5–3 | 5–3 | 2–3–2 | 1–6–1 |
| Montreal | 1–6–1 | 2–5–1 | 3–5 | — | 2–4–2 | 1–6–1 | 1–7 |
| N.Y. Americans | 1–7 | 4–3–1 | 3–5 | 4–2–2 | — | 1–6–1 | 2–6 |
| N.Y. Rangers | 4–2–2 | 4–4 | 3–2–2 | 6–1–1 | 6–1–1 | — | 4–1–3 |
| Toronto | 2–5–1 | 3–4–1 | 6–1–1 | 7–1 | 6–2 | 1–4–3 | — |

## Schedule and results

Regular season schedule :
| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | November 4, 1939 | 0–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | L | November 12, 1939 | 1–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 0–2–0 |
| 3 | W | November 14, 1939 | 3–1 OT | Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 1–2–0 |
| 4 | T | November 16, 1939 | 3–3 OT | @ Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | W | November 19, 1939 | 2–0 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 2–2–1 |
| 6 | L | November 21, 1939 | 1–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | T | November 26, 1939 | 2–2 OT | New York Rangers (1939–40) | 2–3–2 |
| 8 | W | November 28, 1939 | 6–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 3–3–2 |
| 9 | W | December 3, 1939 | 6–2 | @ New York Americans (1939–40) | 4–3–2 |
| 10 | W | December 5, 1939 | 2–1 | New York Americans (1939–40) | 5–3–2 |
| 11 | W | December 8, 1939 | 3–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 6–3–2 |
| 12 | L | December 10, 1939 | 2–3 | @ New York Rangers (1939–40) | 6–4–2 |
| 13 | W | December 12, 1939 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 7–4–2 |
| 14 | T | December 14, 1939 | 1–1 OT | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 7–4–3 |
| 15 | W | December 17, 1939 | 4–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 8–4–3 |
| 16 | W | December 19, 1939 | 3–2 OT | Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 9–4–3 |
| 17 | W | December 21, 1939 | 3–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 10–4–3 |
| 18 | W | December 24, 1939 | 3–2 | @ New York Americans (1939–40) | 11–4–3 |
| 19 | W | December 25, 1939 | 6–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 12–4–3 |
| 20 | L | December 29, 1939 | 0–4 | @ New York Rangers (1939–40) | 12–5–3 |
| 21 | W | December 31, 1939 | 6–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 13–5–3 |
| 22 | L | January 2, 1940 | 4–6 | New York Rangers (1939–40) | 13–6–3 |
| 23 | W | January 7, 1940 | 6–2 | New York Americans (1939–40) | 14–6–3 |
| 24 | W | January 9, 1940 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 15–6–3 |
| 25 | W | January 11, 1940 | 5–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 16–6–3 |
| 26 | W | January 14, 1940 | 4–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 17–6–3 |
| 27 | W | January 16, 1940 | 6–1 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 18–6–3 |
| 28 | L | January 21, 1940 | 2–4 | @ New York Rangers (1939–40) | 18–7–3 |
| 29 | W | January 23, 1940 | 4–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 19–7–3 |
| 30 | T | January 25, 1940 | 2–2 OT | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 19–7–4 |
| 31 | L | January 28, 1940 | 2–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 19–8–4 |
| 32 | W | January 30, 1940 | 5–0 | Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 20–8–4 |
| 33 | W | February 4, 1940 | 7–1 | New York Americans (1939–40) | 21–8–4 |
| 34 | W | February 6, 1940 | 6–2 | New York Rangers (1939–40) | 22–8–4 |
| 35 | W | February 11, 1940 | 4–2 | @ New York Americans (1939–40) | 23–8–4 |
| 36 | W | February 13, 1940 | 10–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 24–8–4 |
| 37 | W | February 20, 1940 | 5–0 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 25–8–4 |
| 38 | L | February 24, 1940 | 1–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–40) | 25–9–4 |
| 39 | L | February 25, 1940 | 1–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 25–10–4 |
| 40 | W | February 27, 1940 | 6–0 | Chicago Black Hawks (1939–40) | 26–10–4 |
| 41 | W | February 29, 1940 | 4–2 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 27–10–4 |
| 42 | L | March 3, 1940 | 3–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 27–11–4 |
| 43 | W | March 5, 1940 | 7–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1939–40) | 28–11–4 |
| 44 | W | March 7, 1940 | 2–1 | @ New York Americans (1939–40) | 29–11–4 |
| 45 | L | March 9, 1940 | 2–4 | New York Americans (1939–40) | 29–12–4 |
| 46 | W | March 12, 1940 | 2–1 | New York Rangers (1939–40) | 30–12–4 |
| 47 | T | March 14, 1940 | 0–0 OT | @ New York Rangers (1939–40) | 30–12–5 |
| 48 | W | March 17, 1940 | 7–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1939–40) | 31–12–5 |

## Playoffs

The Boston Bruins lost the semi-finals to the New York Rangers 4–2

### Boston Bruins 2, New York Rangers 4

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 19 | Boston Bruins | 0–4 | New York Rangers | 0–1 |
| 2 | March 21 | New York Rangers | 3–4 | Boston Bruins | 1–1 |
| 3 | March 24 | New York Rangers | 2–4 | Boston Bruins | 2–1 |
| 4 | March 26 | Boston Bruins | 0–1 | New York Rangers | 2–2 |
| 5 | March 28 | New York Rangers | 1–0 | Boston Bruins | 2–3 |
| 6 | March 30 | Boston Bruins | 1–4 | New York Rangers | 2–4 |

## Player statistics
### Regular season
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Milt Schmidt | C/D | 48 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 37 |
| Woody Dumart | LW | 48 | 22 | 21 | 43 | 16 |
| Bobby Bauer | RW | 48 | 17 | 26 | 43 | 2 |
| Bill Cowley | C | 48 | 13 | 27 | 40 | 24 |
| Herb Cain | LW | 48 | 21 | 10 | 31 | 30 |
| Roy Conacher | LW | 31 | 18 | 12 | 30 | 9 |
| Dit Clapper | RW/D | 44 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 25 |
| Flash Hollett | D | 44 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 18 |
| Art Jackson | C | 46 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 6 |
| Mel Hill | RW | 38 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 19 |
| Red Hamill | LW | 30 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 16 |
| Gord Pettinger | C | 24 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Eddie Wiseman | RW | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Jack Shewchuk | D | 47 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 55 |
| Jack Crawford | D | 35 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 26 |
| Jack Portland | D | 28 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 16 |
| Des Smith | D | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 23 |
| Eddie Shore | D | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Frank Brimsek | G | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat McReavy | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| Frank Brimsek | 2950 | 48 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 98 | 1.99 | 6 |
| Team: | 2950 | 48 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 98 | 1.99 | 6 |

### Playoffs
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Herb Cain | LW | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Roy Conacher | LW | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Eddie Wiseman | RW | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Flash Hollett | D | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Art Jackson | C | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Dit Clapper | RW/D | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Bobby Bauer | RW | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Woody Dumart | LW | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bill Cowley | C | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Red Hamill | LW | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Terry Reardon | C/RW | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Frank Brimsek | G | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Crawford | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mel Hill | RW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milt Schmidt | C/D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Shewchuk | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Des Smith | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | SO |
| Frank Brimsek | 360 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 2.50 | 0 |
| Team: | 360 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 2.50 | 0 |
    Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
    Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

## Awards and records

| Lady Byng Trophy: (Excellence and sportsmanship) | Bobby Bauer |
| Prince of Wales Trophy: (Regular season champion) |

### All-Star teams

| First Team | Position |
| Dit Clapper | D |
| Milt Schmidt | C |
| Second Team | Position |
| Frank Brimsek | G |
| Bobby Bauer | RW |
| Woody Dumart | LW |

## Transactions

| October 10, 1939 | To Boston BruinsHerb Cain | To Montreal CanadiensRay Getliffe Charlie Sands |
| November 29, 1939 | To Boston BruinsGeorge Brown | To Montreal Canadienscash |
| January 25, 1940 | To Boston BruinsEd Wiseman $5,000 cash | To New York AmericansEddie Shore |
| January 27, 1940 | To Boston BruinsDes Smith | To Chicago Black HawksJack Portland |