1942–43 NHL season

The 1942–43 NHL season was the 26th season of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Brooklyn Americans were dropped, leaving six teams to play a schedule of 50 games. This is the first season of the "Original Six" era of the NHL. The league's long-time president Frank Calder died due to heart disease. The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Boston Bruins to win the Stanley Cup.
==League business==
The Brooklyn Americans franchise was dropped, as Madison Square Garden turned down a lease agreement with team owner Red Dutton. Dutton argued that the other teams would be weakened by the war, but the other owners pointed out the number of American players serving in the armed forces was such that the Americans could not operate. A despondent Dutton left the league meeting, but was to return to the NHL sooner than he thought.
With the suspension of the Americans, this was the inaugural season of the so-called Original Six era, with the NHL consisting of six teams (the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs). This arrangement would last until the 1966–67 season, after which the league doubled in size.
===Death of Frank Calder===
The league's meeting of January 25, 1943, was to have been a non-event. The only news that was supposed to come out of the meeting was that the playoffs would begin on March 20, and that all series would be best-of-seven affairs. This was resolved in the morning session.
The afternoon session had just begun and NHL president Frank Calder had informed Red Dutton of the reserve status of his suspended franchise, when Toronto coach Hap Day noticed that Calder appeared to be in pain. Two league governors came up to his aid, but he assured them he was all right. Then Calder's face contracted as if he were in pain. He took a few steps and exclaimed "My God, there IS something wrong!" He was taken to his hotel room and a doctor diagnosed a heart attack. A specialist convinced him, despite his protests, to check into St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, where he suffered a second heart attack. In a week, Calder felt well enough to return to Montreal and checked into Montreal General Hospital. After eating a light breakfast surrounded by his family and friends, he was looking over the league books when he slipped back on the pillows of his bed and died of a third heart attack. He died on February 4, 1943, at the age of 65 years. Red Dutton was chosen as the new president, on an "interim" basis.Diamond(1994), p. 10
==Regular season==
Due to war-time travel restrictions, the NHL ceased playing overtimes to decide tie games partway through the season. The last regular season overtime game was November 10, 1942, between the Chicago Black Hawks and the New York Rangers, won by New York 5–3. Regular season overtime would not be re-introduced until the 1983–84 NHL season.
===Highlights===
Detroit finished first, partly due to the six shutouts of goaltender Johnny Mowers, who won the Vezina Trophy. During the season, Jimmy Orlando got into a stick-swinging incident with Toronto rookie Gaye Stewart and came out of it on the short end, badly cut in the face and bleeding profusely. Both players were suspended for the incident.
The Montreal Canadiens were still making progress, and coach Dick Irvin put together the first "Punch Line" of Elmer Lach, Toe Blake and Joe Benoit. Maurice Richard showed promise, but broke his leg, and Canadiens' manager Tommy Gorman began to look at him as brittle. Benoit became the first Canadien to hit the 30 goal plateau since Howie Morenz did it in 1929–30 (40 goals) scoring an even 30. Gordie Drillon also added some scoring power. The Canadiens made the playoffs by one slim point and lost to Boston in the playoffs' first round.
In contrast to the 1941–42 season, the Rangers felt the full impact of World War II and lost Art Coulter, Alex Shibicky, the Colville brothers, and Bill Juzda to the Armed Forces. Only Ott Heller was left of their defence. Babe Pratt was traded to Toronto for Hank Goldup and Dudley "Red" Garrett. Garrett proved to be an excellent replacement for Pratt. However, he only played 21 games, then gave his life in the Armed Forces. Goaltending was the Rangers problem as Steve Buzinski, Jimmy Franks, and old veteran Bill Beveridge all had to face lots of rubber as the Rangers went from first to worst.
===Standings===
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold
National Hockey League	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA 	PIM
Detroit Red Wings 	50	25	14	11	61 	169	124	371
Boston Bruins 	50	24	17	9 	57 	195	176	364
Toronto Maple Leafs 	50	22	19	9 	53 	198	159	431
Montreal Canadiens 	50	19	19	12	50 	181	191	318
Chicago Black Hawks 	50	17	18	15	49 	179	180	361
New York Rangers 	50	11	31	8 	30 	161	253	352
==Playoffs==
=== First round ===
{| class="wikitable" 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Date 	Away Team 	Away Team 	Home Team 	Home Team 	Notes 	 	
March 21 	Toronto 	2 	4 	Detroit 	 	 	
March 23 	Toronto 	3 	2 	Detroit 	4OT 	 	
March 25 	Detroit 	4 	2 	Toronto 	 	 	
March 27 	Detroit 	3 	6 	Toronto 	 	 	
March 28 	Toronto 	2 	4 	Detroit 	 	 	
March 30 	Detroit 	3 	2 	Toronto 	OT 	 	
Detroit won the series 4:2.	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	Detroit won the series 4:2. 	
=== Stanley Cup Final ===
Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 	Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins
Date 	Away Team 	Away Team 	Home Team 	Home Team 	
April 1 	Boston 	2 	6 	Detroit 	
April 4 	Boston 	3 	4 	Detroit 	
April 7 	Detroit 	4 	0 	Boston 	
April 8 	Detroit 	2 	0 	Boston 	
Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.	Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.	Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.	Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.	Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.	Detroit won the series 4:0 and the Stanley Cup.
==Awards==
Calder Memorial Trophy:(Best first-year player) 	Gaye Stewart, Toronto Maple Leafs
Hart Trophy:(Most valuable player) 	Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins
Lady Byng Trophy:(Excellence and sportsmanship) 	Max Bentley, Chicago Black Hawks
O'Brien Cup:(Playoff runner-up) 	Boston Bruins
Prince of Wales Trophy:(Best regular-season record)	Detroit Red Wings
Vezina Trophy:(Fewest goals allowed) 	Johnny Mowers, Detroit Red Wings
==Player statistics==
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	PTS	PIM
Doug Bentley 	Chicago Black Hawks	50	33	40	73 	18
Bill Cowley 	Boston Bruins 	48	27	45	72 	10
Max Bentley 	Chicago Black Hawks	47	26	44	70 	2
Lynn Patrick 	New York Rangers 	50	22	39	61 	28
Lorne Carr 	Toronto Maple Leafs	50	27	33	60 	15
Billy Taylor 	Toronto Maple Leafs	50	18	42	60 	2
Bryan Hextall 	New York Rangers 	50	27	32	59 	28
Toe Blake 	Montreal Canadiens 	48	23	36	59 	26
Elmer Lach 	Montreal Canadiens 	45	18	40	58 	14
Buddy O'Connor	Montreal Canadiens 	50	15	43	58 	2
Source: NHL
===Leading goaltenders===
Note: GP = Games pPlayed; Mins – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
Player 	Team 	GP	Mins	GA 	W 	L 	T 	SO	GAA
Johnny Mowers 	Detroit Red Wings 	50	3010	124	25	14	11	6 	2.47
Turk Broda 	Toronto Maple Leafs	50	3000	159	22	19	9 	1 	3.18
Frank Brimsek 	Boston Bruins 	50	3000	176	24	17	9 	1 	3.53
Bert Gardiner 	Chicago Black Hawks	50	3020	180	17	18	15	1 	3.58
Paul Bibeault 	Montreal Canadiens 	50	3010	191	19	19	12	1 	3.81
Jimmy Franks 	New York Rangers 	23	1380	103	5 	14	4 	0 	4.48
Bill Beveridge	New York Rangers 	17	1020	89 	4 	10	3 	1 	5.24
==Team Photos==
42-43BosBru.jpg|Boston Bruins
42-43ChiBH.jpg|Chicago Black Hawks
42-43DetRW.jpg|Detroit Red Wings
42-43MtlCdn.jpg|Montreal Canadiens
42-43NYR.jpg|New York Rangers
42-43TorML.jpg|Toronto Maple Leafs
==References==
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;Notes
==External links==
*Hockey Database
*NHL.com
Category:1942 in ice hockey
Category:1943 in ice hockey