1962-63 NHL season

The 1962-63 NHL season was the 46th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 70 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second Stanley Cup in a row as they defeated the Detroit Red Wings four games to one.
==League Business==
Due to forays by goalies Don Head and Glenn Hall into the offensive zone, the league passed a rule forbidding goaltenders from crossing the center red line.
==Regular Season==
Some diversionary news hit the sports pages the day of the All-star game when it was reported that Frank Mahovlich had been sold to Chicago for $1 million and James D. Norris produced a cheque for the amount. On the advice of Conn Smythe, Punch Imlach declined the deal, Imlach stating that a million dollars doesn't score goals, and Mahovlich would remain a Maple Leaf.
A serious incident took place October 23rd between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks. A vicious stick-swinging duel took place between Gilles Tremblay and Reg Fleming that was said to be the worst since the Geoffrion-Murphy incident in 1953. Both players received match penalties and $100 fines. Tremblay emerged with a bad cut on his head that required many stitches. Coach Toe Blake had some caustic remarks for Fleming when he was leaving the ice which almost resulted in another fight. The Canadiens and Back Hawks played to a 4-4 tie. President Campbell suspended Tremblay and Fleming for three games.
Glenn Hall's consecutive game streak came to an end on November 8 when he suffered a pinched nerve in his back and he was relieved by Denis DeJordy in the first period of a game Chicago tied Boston 3-3. DeJordy played well in the next game as the Black Hawks beat the Canadiens 3-1.
Chicago was improving and moved into a first place tie with Detroit when they blanked Boston 5-0 November 29th. Mikita scored two goals and Bobby Hull had one. The same night, the Rangers shut out the Red Wings 5-0 as Gump Worsley played a fine game. Worsley was unlucky in his next game as Chicago beat the Rangers 5-1. Worsley badly injured his shoulder and had to be replaced by Marcel Pelletier. Gump went to the hospital where he would have
his shoulder in traction for ten days.
Andy Hebenton had the hat trick on December 16 as the Rangers beat Detroit 5-2 at Madison Square Garden. The game was spoiled by a brawl, the chief participants being Dave Balon, Bill Gadsby, Doug Barkley and Terry Sawchuk. All were fined.
Andy Bathgate got both goals when they tied Montreal 2-2 at the Montreal Forum on January 5. This was the tenth consecutive game in which he had scored. The streak was terminated when Jacques Plante blanked the Rangers 6-0 in New York.
Jean Beliveau scored his 300th NHL goal January 26th when the Rangers beat the Canadiens 4-2 at the Forum. Goals had not come very fast this year, and he hinted that this might be his last season. The writers didn't take him seriously, however. The next night, the Canadiens beat the Black Hawks 3-1 at Chicago Stadium and Beliveau scored a spectacular goal, giving a beautiful exhibition of stick-handling.
Bernie Geoffrion and Don Marshall were back on January 31, but the Canadiens lost 6-3 to Toronto at the Forum. Coach Toe Blake was not pleased with the officiating and was quoted in a French newspaper that referee Eddie Powers handled the game as if he had bet on the outcome. This attracted the attention of NHL president Clarence Campbell who said the matter would be investigated. Later, Blake was fined $200 by Campbell. Powers considered
the fine inadequate and submitted his resignation as a referee. He cited Red Storey when Campbell wouldn't support decisions he made. Powers then sued Blake for libel.
Bobby Hull scored all three goals as Chicago beat Boston 3-1 February 17th. On the same night, Montreal beat Detroit 6-1 and Howie Young established a penalty record when he high-sticked a Canadiens player and then commenced a tantrum which drew him a minor, major, misconduct and game misconduct totalling 27 minutes. His season total was now 208 minutes in penalties. NHL president Campbell then tacked on a three game suspension.
Detroit ousted the Rangers from the playoffs March 3rd with a 3-2 win.
Bernie Geoffrion was in trouble for an incident during a game March 5th that Montreal won 4-3. Referee Vern Buffey had given Jacques Plante a penalty for slashing Howie Young and then a bench penalty when the Canadiens protested. Geoffrion threw his stick at Buffey and his gloves as well. Geoffrion was given a match penalty and president Campbell assessed Geoffrion a five game suspension.
Lou Fontinato's career came to a tragic end March 9th when he tried to check 
Vic Hadfield and instead was thrown headlong into the boards by the Ranger player. Fontinato lay motionless on the ice for some time before being carried off the ice on a stretcher and taken to Montreal General Hospital where the diagnosis was a fractured neck, a crushed cervical vertebra. He gradually recovered from his paralyzed condition, but would never play hockey again. Jacques Laperriere replaced Fontinato on the Canadiens defence.
It was quite a race for playoff positions as 5 points separated fourth and first. Gordie Howe lead the Red Wings and the NHL as he won his sixth and last Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy.
===Final Standings===
===Scoring Leaders===
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	PTS	PIM
Gordie Howe 	Detroit Red Wings 	70	38	48	86 	100
Andy Bathgate 	New York Rangers 	70	35	46	81 	54
Stan Mikita 	Chicago Black Hawks	65	31	45	76 	69
Frank Mahovlich	Toronto Maple Leafs	67	36	37	73 	56
Henri Richard 	Montreal Canadiens 	67	23	50	73 	57
===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
Jacques Plante	Montreal Canadiens 	56	3320	138	2.49	22	14	19	5
Don Simmons 	Toronto Maple Leafs	28	1680	70 	2.50	15	8 	5 	1
Glenn Hall 	Chicago Black Hawks	66	3910	166	2.52	30	20	15	5
Terry Sawchuk 	Detroit Red Wings 	48	2781	117	2.52	21	17	7 	3
Johnny Bower 	Toronto Maple Leafs	42	2520	109	2.60	20	15	7 	1
Hank Bassen 	Detroit Red Wings 	16	960 	52 	3.25	6 	5 	5 	0
Gump Worsley 	New York Rangers 	67	3980	217	3.27	22	34	10	2
Bob Perreault 	Boston Bruins 	22	1320	82 	3.73	3 	12	7 	1
Eddie Johnston	Boston Bruins 	50	2880	193	4.02	11	27	10	1
==Stanley Cup Playoffs==
: see 1963 Stanley Cup Finals
===Playoff Bracket===
==NHL Awards (Mid-Season)==
1962-63 NHL awards (Mid-Season)	1962-63 NHL awards (Mid-Season)
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: 	Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
Calder Memorial Trophy: 	Kent Douglas, Toronto Maple Leafs
Hart Memorial Trophy: 	Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings
James Norris Memorial Trophy: 	Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 	Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
Vezina Trophy: 	Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens
===All-Star Teams (Mid-Season)===
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks 	G 	Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings
Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks 	D 	Moose Vasko, Chicago Black Hawks
Carl Brewer, Toronto Maple Leafs 	D 	Jean Guy Talbot, Montreal Canadiens
Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks 	C 	Henri Richard, Montreal Canadiens
Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings 	RW 	Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs	LW 	Gilles Tremblay, Montreal Canadiens
==NHL Awards==
1962-63 NHL Awards 	1962-63 NHL Awards
Prince of Wales Trophy: 	Toronto Maple Leafs
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: 	Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
Calder Memorial Trophy: 	Kent Douglas, Toronto Maple Leafs
Hart Memorial Trophy: 	Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
James Norris Memorial Trophy:	Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 	Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
Vezina Trophy: 	Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks
==All-Star Teams==
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks 	G 	Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings
Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks 	D 	Tim Horton, Toronto Maple Leafs
Carl Brewer, Toronto Maple Leafs 	D 	Moose Vasko, Chicago Black Hawks
Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks 	C 	Henri Richard, Montreal Canadiens
Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings 	RW 	Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs	LW 	Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
==Debuts==
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1962-63 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
*Eddie Johnston, Boston Bruins
*Paul Henderson, Detroit Red Wings
*Claude Larose, Montreal Canadiens
*Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens
*Terry Harper, Montreal Canadiens
*Jim Neilson, New York Rangers
*Kent Douglas, Toronto Maple Leafs
==Last Games==
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1962-63 (listed with their last team):
*Bob Turner, Chicago Black Hawks
*Jack Evans, Chicago Black Hawks
*Vic Stasiuk, Detroit Red Wings
*Lou Fontinato, Montreal Canadiens
==Regular Season Attendance==
#Montreal: 499,756
#Toronto: 497,662
#Chicago: 482,770
#New York: 460,536
#Detroit: 404,000
#Boston: 380,792
==Gallery==
Bucyk_goal-13Oct1963.gif|John Bucyk scores on Johnny Bower, October 13, 1962.
25Oct1962-Johnston_save_Wings.jpg|Eddie Johnston makes a save in his first NHL game, October 25, 1962.
15Dec1962-Perreault-Keon-Topp.jpg|Bob Perreault and #21 Jerry Toppazzini battle Leafs Dave Keon, December 15, 1962.
Bucyk_goal-20Jan1963.gif|John Bucyk scores, January 20, 1963.
26Jan1963-Spencer_Shack_Gendron.jpg|Leafs Eddie Shack jumps between Bruins #22 Irv Spencer and Jean-Guy Gendron, January 26, 1963.
23Feb1963-Mohns_Oliver_Bower.jpg|Doug Mohns, Murray Oliver, Johnny Bower, February 23, 1963.
3Mar1963-Johnston_Stewart_Boivin.jpg|Bruins Eddie Johnston clears the puck away from Leafs #12 Ron Stewart while Leo Boivin watches, March 3, 1963.
==See Also==
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
==References==
*Hockey Database
*NHL.com