1939 - 40 NHL season The 1939 - 40 NHL season was the 23rd season for the National Hockey League . Of the league ' s seven teams , the Boston Bruins were the best in the 48 - game regular season , but the Stanley Cup winners were the New York Rangers , who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the best - of - seven Finals 4 - 2 for their third Stanley Cup in 14 seasons of existence . It would be another 54 years before their fourth . Pre - Season . Training Camp Sites : Regular season . Tragedy struck the Montreal Canadiens when Babe Siebert , named coach of the struggling club , drowned along with his daughter in August . It put a big hole in the Habs defence and the team finished last under Pit Lepine . An all - star benefit was held in Siebert ' s memory . The New York Americans , in financial trouble , decided to trade their star left wing Sweeney Schriner to Toronto for Harvey " Busher " Jackson , Buzz Boll , Murray Armstrong , and minor - leaguer Jimmy Fowler . Late in the season , they traded Eddie Wiseman and $ 5000 to Boston for Eddie Shore . The Americans then managed to make the playoffs by finishing a poor sixth . They also obtained Charlie Conacher and used him as a defenceman . The first place Boston Bruins had a new coach in Cooney Weiland , their one - time captain , and were once again led by their " Kraut Line " , Milt Schmidt , Woody Dumart , and Bobby Bauer as they finished 1 - 2 - 3 in overall league scoring . Unfortunately , the potient three were unable to help the Bruins get past the first round of the playoffs as the Bruins lost in 6 to the Rangers . The New York Rangers were coasting in first place and went 19 consecutive games without a loss . They slumped in the second half , though , and Boston edged them out for first place . The New York Rangers - Montreal Canadiens 6 - 2 game on February 25 1940 was the first ice hockey game ever in the USA to be shown on TV . Final standings . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against , PIM = Penalties in minutes " < br > " Note : Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highligted in bold " Scoring leaders . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points " Stanley Cup playoffs . The Boston Bruins were expected to make the Stanley Cup finals after a first overall finish during the regular season riding the shoulders of the " Kraut Line " . But the New York Rangers were too much for the Bruins who lost in six and were out - scored 14 to 8 and shut - out twice in the first round . The third seed Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks en route to the Stanley Cup finals . " Note : All dates in 1940 " Quarterfinals and Semifinals . Series A : Boston Bruins vs . New York Rangers " Rangers win best of seven series 4 games to 2 " Series B : Chicago Black Hawks vs . Toronto Maple Leafs " Toronto wins best of three series 2 games to 0 " Series C : New York Americans vs . Detroit Red Wings " Detroit wins best of three series 2 games to 1 " Series D : Detroit Red Wings vs . Toronto Maple Leafs " Toronto wins best of three series 2 games to 0 " Finals . Toronto Maple Leafs vs . New York Rangers " New York wins best of seven series 4 games to 2 " Playoff scoring leaders . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points " 1940 New York Rangers roster . General Manager : Lester Patrick Head Coach : Frank Boucher Trainer : Harry Westerby Players : Art Coulter ( Captain ) , Mac Colville , Neil Colville , Ott Heller , Bryan Hextall , Dutch Hiller , Dave Kerr , Kilby MacDonald , Lynn Patrick , Muzz Patrick , Alf Pike , Babe Pratt , Alex Shibicky , Clint Smith , Phil Watson Debuts . The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1939 - 40 ( 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 1939 - 40 ( listed with their last team ) :