1931-32 NHL SEASON

The '1931-32 NHL season' was the fifteenth season of the National Hockey League. Eight teams played 48 games each. The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the New York Rangers in three games for the Stanley Cup.

Contents
League Business
Regular season
Final standings
Leading scorers
Stanley Cup playoffs
Stanley Cup Finals
Playoff bracket
NHL awards
All-Star teams
Debuts
Last games
See also
References

League Business


Due to financial reasons, the Philadelphia Quakers and Ottawa Senators franchises were suspended for the season, bringing the total number of teams in the NHL down from ten to eight. (The Quakers would not return) The players went to other teams, but their contracts were intended to revert to the original clubs. The Detroit Falcons were bankrupt and went into receivership.
Meanwhile, the American Hockey Association, which had become the AHL in 1930-31 and declared itself a major league, was condemned as an outlaw league by NHL president Frank Calder. Among the reasons Calder cited for his actions was that the AHL had put a franchise in Chicago, which had an NHL franchise, and a franchise in Buffalo where the NHL had a minor league affiliate. However, the Buffalo team collapsed and Calder entered into negotiations to merge the Chicago Shamrocks, owned by James Norris, with the Detroit Falcons, now bankrupt.

Regular season


Howie Morenz was as effective as ever for the Montreal Canadiens and won the Hart Trophy
again, as the Habs once again finished first. The Rangers finished first in the American
Division. But it was to be the year of Toronto, with the NHL's leading scorer Harvey "Busher"
Jackson leading the way. Maple Leaf Gardens opened, and its story was harrowing. At one point, the whole project was near collapse, but when Conn Smythe and Frank Selke convinced the unions to accept stock in the Gardens as partial payment of wages, Maple Leaf Gardens was built. Chicago spoiled the home opener with a 3-1 win and it was the Black Hawks Mush March who scored the Gardens first goal.
The Montreal Maroons were very interested in obtaining Eddie Shore from Boston.
James Strachan, president of the Maroons, said he was willing to pay up to $40,000
for his contract. However, there was no deal. As Boston had fallen to the bottom of the
league, it was doubtful that the Bruins would part with their ace defenceman.
Final standings

''Note: 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''
Canadian Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
'Montreal Canadiens' 48 25 16 7 57 128 111 450
'Toronto Maple Leafs' 48 23 18 7 53 155 127 625
'Montreal Maroons' 48 19 22 7 45 142 139 593
New York Americans 48 16 24 8 40 95 142 596

American Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
'New York Rangers' 48 23 17 8 54 134 112 511
'Chicago Black Hawks' 48 18 19 11 47 86 101 464
'Detroit Falcons' 48 18 20 10 46 95 108 415
Boston Bruins 48 15 21 12 42 122 117 373

Leading scorers

''Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes''
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS PIM
Busher Jackson Toronto Maple Leafs 48 28 25 53 63
Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs 46 13 37 50 25
Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens 48 24 25 49 46
Charlie Conacher Toronto Maple Leafs 44 34 14 48 66
Bill Cook New York Rangers 48 33 14 47 33

Stanley Cup playoffs


The Montreal Canadiens were favored for a third straight Cup, but injuries to Pit Lepine and Aurel Joliat dashed that dream. With Joliat half throttle and Lepine out, the Canadiens were
no match for the speedy Rangers. Toronto broke through Chuck Gardiner's goaltending to polish Chicago off, then they beat the Montreal Maroons.
Stanley Cup Finals

The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the best-of-five series against the New York Rangers three games to none. The first two games were to be played in New York City but because the circus was in town, the second game was played in Boston. The third and final game was played in Toronto. It was called the "Tennis Series", because the Leafs scored 6 goals in each game. The Rangers scored 4 times in their own building, twice at Boston Garden, and four more in TO.
Playoff bracket

NHL awards


1931-32 NHL awards
O'Brien Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
Prince of Wales Trophy: New York Rangers
Hart Memorial Trophy: Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Trophy: Joe Primeau, Toronto Maple Leafs
Vezina Trophy: Chuck Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks

All-Star teams

First Team   Position   Second Team
Chuck Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks GRoy Worters, New York Americans
Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins DSylvio Mantha, Montreal Canadiens
Ching Johnson, New York Rangers DKing Clancy, Toronto Maple Leafs
Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens CHooley Smith, Montreal Maroons
Bill Cook, New York Rangers RWCharlie Conacher, Toronto Maple Leafs
Aurel Joliat, Montreal Canadiens LWBun Cook, New York Rangers
Lester Patrick, New York Rangers CoachDick Irvin, Toronto Maple Leafs

Debuts


The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1931-32 (listed with their first team, asterisk(
★ ) marks debut in playoffs):

Art Coulter, Chicago Black Hawks

Earl Seibert, New York Rangers

Ott Heller, New York Rangers

Last games


The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1931-32 (listed with their last team):

Georges Boucher, Chicago Black Hawks

Art Gagne, Detroit Falcons

Carson Cooper, Detroit Falcons

See also



List of Stanley Cup champions

Ice hockey at the 1932 Winter Olympics

1931 in sports

1932 in sports

References



Hockey Database

NHL.com

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