1916 - 17 NHA season The 1916 – 17 NHA season was the 8th and final season of the National Hockey Association . Teams were to play two half - seasons of 10 games each , though this was disrupted . The NHA franchise of the dormant Shamrocks was taken back from its owner Eddie Livingstone and used by the Toronto 228th Battalion , which had a number of NHA hockey players who had enlisted for military service . Also known as the Northern Fusiliers , the team played wearing khaki military uniforms and was the league ' s most popular and highest scoring club until the regiment was ordered overseas in February 1917 and the team was forced to withdraw . A scandal ensued when several stars were subsequently discharged , not having to fight and alleged they had been promised commissions solely to play hockey . The NHA would sue the 228th Battalion club for its withdrawal , though ultimately did not succeed . A dispute also erupted over the rest of the playing schedule . The Toronto Blueshirts club was suspended for the rest of the season by the league , and some of its players played for other clubs for the rest of the schedule . The league intended for the players to be returned at the end of the season to whomever would own the Toronto club then . As the sale did not take place , the league kept them . The owner of the Blueshirts would file several lawsuits over the league ' s actions , sparking the events that led to the founding of the NHL . League Business . Emmet Quinn resigned as president on October 18 , 1916 . The Ottawa club wanted to suspend play for the season due to the war , but was voted down . Executives . Directors : Rule Changes . A split - schedule of two halves would be used . The single - referee system would be reinstated . Throwing the stick to prevent a goal would mean the award of an automatic goal for the other team . Regular Season . Suspending the Blueshirts . On February 10 , 1917 , the Blueshirts played their final game , losing 4 – 1 at home to Ottawa . The following day , a meeting of the NHA executive in Montreal was held to deal with the 228th Battalion leaving for overseas . Toronto proposed continuing with a five - team league , but the other owners instead voted to suspend Toronto ' s team . The players were dispersed by a drawing of names . The following day , President Robinson was quoted as stating that the players would return to the club after the season , but he would not guarantee that the club would be allowed to return to play , stating that would be decided at the NHA annual meeting . Continuing the season . Ottawa , while not unhappy at the suspension of Toronto , nevertheless lost a game for the use of Cy Denneny in a game against the 228th , and saw the Wanderers and Quebec receive wins for games against the 228th . The club threatened to not play for the rest of the season . However , cooler heads prevailed and Ottawa went back to work . The following weekend , Harry Meeking and Eddie Oatman arrived in Montreal , after being discharged by the 228th after arriving in Saint John , New Brunswick . Oatman charged that the 228th owed him $ 700 for his commission for his play with the 228th . As Oatman had gotten out of being drafted into the PCHA by being a member of the 228th , this set the Ottawa on again to reverse the game decision , claiming that Oatman was ineligible . Final standings . " Note : W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , GF = Goals For , GA = Goals Against " After the 228th Battalion dropped out , and Toronto suspended , the schedule was revised so that the remaining teams would play a 20 game schedule of two halves containing 10 games each . Some of the games to that point were moved into the second half . The ' second half ' therefore included some games that the 228th and Toronto played . ‡ Ottawa lost game on use of ineligible Cy Denneny . Results . † Wanderers given win for this game in revised second half . & Quebec given win for this game in revised second half . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > 228th was ordered overseas . Toronto club was suspended by league . Leading Goaltenders . † Totals includes two 228th Battalion games played in second half , not counted in standings . Playoffs . The Montreal Canadiens won the O ' Brien Cup , but lost to the Seattle Metropolitans of the PCHA in the Stanley Cup Finals .