Hockey

NHL Background & Foundation

NHL Background & Foundation

The first attempts to stage competitive ice hockey games came in the late 1880s. Prior to that, teams competed in rare tournaments and challenge competitions that prevailed in the Canadian sports world at the time. In 1887, four clubs from Montreal formed the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) and developed a structured schedule. In 1892, Lord Stanley donated the Stanley Cup as a symbol of the Canadian Championship and was appointed by Philip Danskin Ross and Sheriff John Sweetland as its guardians. It was awarded to the AHAC champion of the Montreal Hockey Club and thereafter to the champions of the league, or to any pre-certified team that won it in the challenge. In 1904, the International Hockey League (IHL), based on Lake Michigan, was created as the first fully professional league, which ran for two seasons. In recruiting players, international humanitarian law caused a “sports war” that drained amateur clubs of top players, especially in the Ontario Hockey Association (oh). In the 1905-06 season, he was the Hockey Association of Eastern Canada (ECAHA), which brought amateur players together and wages on its rosters, leading to the demise of international humanitarian law. Bidding offers for players led to several ECAHA teams losing money, eventually ending up on November 25, 1909. As a result of the dissolution of ECAHA, two federations were formed – the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) and the National Hockey Association (NHA). [4] Because NHA owners were prominent and wealthy businessmen, CHA did not complete a season, with the NHA recruiting the best players easily, and interest in CHA teams faded. By 1914, the rival Pacific Coast Hockey League was launched (PCHA) The NHA Champion would play every season against the PCHA Champion for the Stanley Cup, ending the era of challenge.

The NHL appeared with the NHA suspension in 1917. After resolving disputes with Eddie Livingstone, owner of Toronto Blosherts, and executives of the other three NHA franchises – Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers and Ottawa Senators – the NHA suspended and formed the NHL, to resolve The NHL adopted the NHA Constitution, its rules, playing with six men alongside instead of the traditional seven at the time and the split schedule in the NHA. The owners originally intended the NHL to work for only one season. However, the NHA was permanently suspended in 1918 and ceased to be an organization in 1920. in 1921, the NHA Championship Cup O’Brien Cup was adopted as the NHL Championship Cup.

1917-1942: NHL Establishment

One of the first NHL stars was prolific scorer Joe Malone National Hockey League “, which has scored 44 goals in 20 games in the NHL season, Five of them were scored on the opening night of the NHL. It also set the record for the most goals in a game that season with seven goals. Six games of the season And the Montreal Wanderers had to withdraw permanently from the league, As the fire left them without a yard. In the 1918-1919 season, the Montreal Canadiens faced the Seattle Metropolitan of PCHA for the Stanley Cup amid the Spanish flu pandemic. The series was canceled after five games when several players fell ill; One Joe Hall Canadians, died a few weeks later.

During the early 1920s, the NHL faced competition for players from two other major leagues: the PCHA and the Western Canadian Hockey League (WCHL). As a result, ice hockey players were among the best-paid athletes in North America. By the mid-1920s, the NHL emerged as the only major league in North America. PCHA and WCHL were merged in 1924, to be dissolved two years later. The Victoria Cougars are the last team from outside the NHL to win the Stanley Cup, having defeated the Canadians in 1925, and lost to the Montreal Maroons in 1926, respectively. The NHL continued to expand, adding the Maroons and their first American team, The Bruins Boston in 1924, the number of teams reached 10 by 1926. The defense dominated the NHL, In the 1928-29 season Canadian goalkeeper George Hensworth set what remains a league record with 22 closures in 44 games. In response the NHL began to allow forward passage in the attack zone, resulting in an increase in crime of about 2.5 times; To stop the tide, the NHL introduced an offside base, which prevents attacking players from entering the opposition zone before the disc crosses the “blue line.”

Livingstone continued to file proceedings in court throughout the 1920s, until he reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. England. In early 1927, the Toronto franchise was sold to Con Smith, who renamed it maple leaves, promised to successfully win the Stanley Cup in five years. built Maple Leaf Gardens, which included the famous broadcaster Foster Hewitczk, affectionately referred to as “Gondola.” On 13 December 1933, Eddie Shore accused Ace Bailey caused a severe fracture of the skull, after what Shore thought was an examination of Billy, but was actually performed King Clancy. Despite grim speculation The Maple Leafs hosted the Ace Bailey All-Star Benefit, which raised more than $20,000 for Billy and his family.

Great Frustration

While Conn Smythe has successfully built a new arena, many other teams have experienced financial difficulties. With folding Philadelphia Quakers (originally Pittsburgh Pirates) and the St Louis Eagles (Originally Ottawa senators), the NHL was reduced to eight teams starting in the 1935-36 season. The Montreal Canadiens narrowly survived the move to Cleveland, Ohio, before the Montreal Business Union bought the team. Montreal financial problems forced them to sell famous player Howie Morenz. When Morenz scored against the Canadians on the last day of the 1935 season, The Montreal fans expressed their opinion, giving him a warm welcome. Montreal eventually re-acquired Morenz, On 28 January 1937, Morenz’s skate got stuck in the ice during a play. He fractured his leg in four places, and died on 8 March of a coronary artery blockage. 50000 person lifted Morenz’s casket in the middle of the ice Montreal Forum to pay their last respects. The November 1937 benefit game raised $ 20000 for the Morenz family as the NHL All-Stars defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-5.

In the mid-1930s, Chicago Blackhawks owner and loyal American nationalist Frederick McLaughlin ordered his general manager to assemble only a team of American players; At the time, Taffy Abel was the only American-born player to be a regular in the league. With eight out of 14 American players, The Blackhawks have won only 14 of 48 games. But in qualifying In the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals, Canadian hawks, Americans from New York, and the Maple Leafs were disturbed to become the only team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup despite losing the regular season. Heavily favored Toronto Maple Leafs were facing an upset, having fallen 3-0 in the seven-game series to fifth place Detroit Red Wings. Toronto rebounded, winning the next four games to capture the Stanley Cup, becoming the first of four NHL teams to return from a 3-0 series deficit and the only team to achieve it in the Stanley Cup finals.

Before the 1938-39 season, Montreal Maroons folded due to financial difficulties, while the Americans of New York suffered the same fate before the 1942-43 season. With the league reduced to six teams, the “Original Six” era began. The league was almost reduced to five teams before the following season, such as World War II. It destroyed the rosters of so many teams that teams fought with each other for players. With only five players returning from the previous season, New York Rangers general manager Leicester Patrick suggested suspending his team’s play for the duration of the war but was persuaded otherwise.

For more information please visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_National_Hockey_League

 

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