The 1964–65 NHL season was the
48th season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. Six teams each played 70 games.
Jean Beliveau
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* J ...
was the winner of the newly introduced
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
as the most valuable player during the playoffs. The
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
won their first
Stanley Cup since
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Jan ...
as they were victorious over the
Chicago Black Hawks
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, coordinates =
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, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
in a seven-game final series.
League business
The
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) wanted to end the NHL's system of sponsoring
junior ice hockey teams and replace it with an
NHL Amateur Draft of players who had graduated from junior hockey. The CAHA felt that the current system concentrated talent on a small number of teams and sought for the NHL to spread out that money it invested equally among the junior leagues and branches in Canada. CAHA president
Lionel Fleury
Lionel Fleury (December 25, 1912July 12, 1997) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator who served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1964 to 1966. Under his leadership, the Canada men's national ice hockey team trans ...
wanted a junior-aged player to complete an education, rather than be encouraged to quit schooling to focus on playing hockey. In December 1964, he presented the CAHA's proposal to the NHL for a new draft system which would allow players remain in junior hockey until age 20 instead of the NHL obtaining the player's rights at age 18. Discussions remained unresolved until a new agreement with the requested changes was reached in August 1966.
Regular season
Important new additions by Chicago were Bobby Hull's brother
Dennis Hull
Dennis William Hull (born November 19, 1944) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played most of his career for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League. He is the brother of Bobby Hull and uncle of Brett Hull ...
and defenceman
Doug Jarrett
Douglas William Jarrett (April 22, 1944 – February 10, 2014) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers.
After his playing career, Jarrett periodically ...
, and they traded
Reg Fleming
Reginald Stephen "Reggie, The Ruffian" Fleming (April 21, 1936 – July 11, 2009) was a professional hockey player in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers ...
,
Ab McDonald
Alvin Brian McDonald (February 18, 1936 – September 4, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward.
Career
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, McDonald began his professional hockey career with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hoc ...
and
Murray Balfour
Murray Gordon Louis Balfour (August 24, 1936 — May 30, 1965) was a Canadian ice hockey right wing in the National Hockey League from 1956 to 1965, with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins. Balfour won the Stanley Cup ...
to Boston in exchange for
Doug Mohns
Douglas Allen "Diesel" Mohns (December 13, 1933 – February 7, 2014) was a professional ice hockey player who played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1953–54 until 1974–75. Mohns twice won the most coveted prize in junior hocke ...
.
Frank Selke
Francis Joseph Aloysius Selke (; May 7, 1893 – July 3, 1985) was a Canadian professional ice hockey executive in the National Hockey League. He was a nine-time Stanley Cup champion with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens and a Hock ...
had retired as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, and a man who was showing all the signs of being more capable than Selke,
Sam Pollock
Samuel Patterson Smyth Pollock, OC, CQ (December 15, 1925 – August 15, 2007) was a Canadian sports executive who was general manager of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens for 14 years during which they won 9 Stanley Cups. Pollock ...
, took over as general manager. Pollock had been doing an outstanding job as director of the Canadiens farm system the past few seasons and the Habs were deep in talent.
Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay (born Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay; July 29, 1925 – March 4, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Linds ...
decided to make a comeback with Detroit and though Toronto beat Detroit in the opener 5–3, the Olympia fans gave him an ovation.
This was the first season the
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
was awarded for the most valuable player in the
Stanley Cup playoffs.
Muzz Patrick
Frederick Murray "Muzz" Patrick (June 28, 1915 – July 27, 1998) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers from 1938 to 1941, and then from 1945 to 1946. He was ...
resigned as general manager of the New York Rangers and
Emile Francis
Emile Percival Francis (September 13, 1926 – February 19, 2022), nicknamed "The Cat", was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and general manager in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers f ...
, assistant general manager, took his place. On January 27, 1965, Ulf Sterner, the first European trained player, made his debut in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers in a game versus the Boston Bruins.
Ron Ellis Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
was proving to be a find and he scored two goals when the Leafs downed Chicago 5–1 on October 31.
Frank Mahovlich
Francis William Mahovlich CM (born January 10, 1938) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and a former Liberal Senator in the Canadian Senate. He played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams and is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fa ...
entered a hospital for psychiatric treatment under great stress from fans and his manager
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach (March 15, 1918 – December 1, 1987) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and general manager best known for his association with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and ...
who expected more of him than he was delivering. He could not stand the pressure of playing.
After stopping a shot with his foot,
Marcel Pronovost missed a few games and Detroit sorely missed him, as on December 5, Toronto clobbered the Red Wings 10–2.
Bob Pulford
Robert Jesse Pulford (born March 31, 1936) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League. He later served as head coach of the Kings before spe ...
was clipped by
Gordie Howe
Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
's club when it was knocked upward and it hit Pulford in the eye.
Frank Mahovlich was back on December 9 when Montreal downed Toronto 3–2. Three nights later, he had two goals and two assists when Toronto beat Boston 6–3.
Chicago defeated Boston 7–5 on December 16 and
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high veloc ...
got two goals. He now had 25 goals in 26 games. The Black Hawks were now alternating
Glenn Hall
Glenn Henry Hall (born October 3, 1931) (aka Gunner Hall) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed ...
and
Denis DeJordy
Joseph Denis Emile DeJordy (born November 15, 1938), is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played goal for four National Hockey League teams, most notably the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1966–67, he and Glenn Hall won the Vezina ...
in goal.
On December 22, Montreal traded
Bill Hicke
William Lawrence Hicke (March 31, 1938 – July 18, 2005) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Hicke played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, New York R ...
and
Jean-Guy Morissette to New York in exchange for
Dick Duff
Terrance Richard Duff (born February 18, 1936) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 18 seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers in the National H ...
and Dave McComb.
On December 26,
Bill Thoms
William David Thoms (March 5, 1910 – December 26, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 548 games in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks and Boston Bruins between 1932 and 1945.
...
, who played 12 years with Toronto and Chicago, died of a heart attack, aged 54.
Toronto's Punch Imlach ruled with an iron hand and was really upset with the Leafs play. Wholesale demotions were threatened if the team's play did not improve. Toronto snapped out of its decline when they beat Detroit 3–1 on January 2.
Tim Horton
Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton (January 12, 1930 – February 21, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburg ...
scored two goals playing as a forward instead of his usual defence position.
Roger Crozier
Roger Allan Crozier (March 16, 1942 – January 11, 1996) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals. During ...
was struck in the eye by
Jim Pappin
James Joseph Pappin (September 10, 1939 – June 29, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, California G ...
's stick late in the game and was replaced by
Carl Wetzel
Carl David Wetzel (born December 12, 1938) is an American retired professional ice hockey goaltender who played 7 games in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota North Stars between 1964 and 1968. He also played 1 game ...
in goal. Ted Lindsay got into a heated argument with referee
Vern Buffey over whether a penalty should be called against Pappin and received a ten-minute misconduct penalty and a game misconduct. Lindsay stated to the press after the game that his advice to coach
Sid Abel
Sidney Gerald Abel (February 22, 1918February 8, 2000) was a Canadian Hall of Fame hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Detroit Red Wings, and was a member of three Stanley Cup-winning team ...
was not to pay the fines and that he would not sit still for NHL president
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell, (July 9, 1905 – June 24, 1984) was a Canadian ice hockey executive, referee, and soldier. He refereed in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1930s, served in the Canadian Army during World War II, th ...
's kangaroo court. All this was reported to Campbell who said Lindsay would pay the fines or not play. In due course, an appropriate signed apology and a cheque in the amount of the fines were handed over by Lindsay and he was reinstated January 6.
Bill Hicke, who had been traded to the Rangers by the Canadiens, turned on his ex-teammates with a hat trick at the
Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum (french: Le Forum de Montréal) is a historic building located facing Cabot Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by '' Sporting News'', it was an indoor arena which served as the ...
on January 9 as the Rangers won 6–5. However, the Rangers lost defenceman
Jim Neilson
James Anthony Neilson (November 28, 1941 – November 6, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, California Golden Seals, and Cleveland Barons and complete ...
with a shoulder separation. The Rangers got walloped by the Leafs 6–0 the next night as Tim Horton had two goals. Despite the win, the fans were still chanting "We want Shack!" (meaning
Eddie Shack
Edward Steven Phillip Shack (February 11, 1937July 25, 2020), also known by his nicknames "the Entertainer" and "the Nose", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player of Ukrainian descent who played for six National Hockey League (NHL) teams ...
).
George Hayes, who had been an official in the NHL for 19 years, was suspended for refusing to take an eye test. Later, he had his contract terminated when he still refused. Referee-in-chief
Carl Voss announced his intention to resign at the end of the season, and Hayes and ex-referee Eddie Powers greeted this with approval.
Chicago moved into first place with a 4–1 win on February 3 over the New York Rangers right at Madison Square Garden. Bobby Hull did not score, but the highlight of the game was his fight with
Bob Plager.
Chicago beat Toronto 6–3 on February 6 and Bobby Hull's chances of reaching 50 goals was in trouble when he was checked heavily by
Bobby Baun
Robert Neil Baun (born September 9, 1936) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for 17 seasons from 1956 to 1973. His nickname is "Boomer".
Playing career
Baun played junior hockey with t ...
, and he limped from the ice with strained knee ligaments. On the same weekend, Detroit moved into first place, beating Montreal twice.
The Leafs pulled into a tie with Montreal for second place when they pasted Montreal 6–2 in Toronto on February 10. This was the fifth straight loss for the Habs. Referee Bill Friday had a busy time with a bench-clearing brawl that delayed the game for 20 minutes. The trouble began when
John Ferguson hooked Frank Mahovlich.
Terry Harper,
Ted Harris,
Pete Stemkowski
Peter David Stemkowski (born August 25, 1943) is a former centre and forward in the National Hockey League. Over fifteen seasons, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Los Angeles Kings. Stemkowski is b ...
and
Kent Douglas
''For the American actor sometimes known as Kent Douglass see Douglass Montgomery.''
Kent Gemmell Douglas (February 6, 1936 – April 12, 2009) was a professional ice hockey defenceman and coach.
Playing career Early career
Douglas started his ca ...
moved in and then the benches emptied. Referee Friday assessed 66 minutes in penalties, including ten minute misconducts to Mahovlich and Ted Harris. President Campbell later assessed $925 in fines. Ten Leafs were fined $50 each and six Canadiens players were fined $50.
Red Kelly had the hat trick on March 21 when Toronto pummeled the Rangers 10–1.
The Rangers beat the Black Hawks on March 23 3–2. A great many fans were upset at plans for a closed circuit telecast of Chicago games and during the game there were shouts of "Norris is a fink!" (referring to
James D. Norris
James Dougan Norris (November 6, 1906 – February 25, 1966) was an American sports businessman, with interests in boxing, ice hockey, and horse racing. He was the son of James E. Norris (whom the James Norris Memorial Trophy is named after) an ...
, part owner of the Black Hawks).
Detroit finished first for the first time since
1956–57 when they beat the Rangers 7–4 on March 25.
Alex Delvecchio
Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio (born December 4, 1931) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager who spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings. In a playing caree ...
had the hat trick and
Norm Ullman
Norman Victor Alexander Ullman (born December 26, 1935) is a former ice hockey forward. He previously played for the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in ...
scored two goals.
Final standings
Playoffs
The NHL required all teams to carry two goaltenders for the playoffs.
Playoff bracket
Semifinals
For the third straight year, it was
Montreal vs. Toronto and
Detroit vs. Chicago in the first round. The Canadiens came out on top over the defending champion Leafs in six games, while the Hawks beat the Wings in seven.
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (3) Chicago Black Hawks
(2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) Toronto Maple Leafs
Stanley Cup Finals
In the Finals, the Canadiens defeated the Black Hawks in seven games.
Awards
The NHL changed its criteria for the Vezina Trophy, allowing multiple goaltenders to be named the winner of the trophy.
Johnny Bower
John William Bower (né Kiszkan; November 8, 1924 – December 26, 2017), nicknamed "The China Wall", was a Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender who won four Stanley Cups during his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 2017 he was named one ...
and
Terry Sawchuk
Terrance Gordon Sawchuk (December 28, 1929 – May 31, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kin ...
of the Maple Leafs were named the winners. Neither made the all-star team.
Pierre Pilote
Joseph Albert Pierre Paul Pilote (December 11, 1931 – September 9, 2017) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and perennial All-Star, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL), for which he served ...
won the Norris Trophy for the third consecutive year.
Stan Mikita won the Art Ross trophy (scoring champion) for the second consecutive year.
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high veloc ...
won the Hart Trophy as most valuable player for the first time, and the Lady Byng.
Roger Crozier
Roger Allan Crozier (March 16, 1942 – January 11, 1996) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals. During ...
won the Calder for best first-year player, and was named the First All-Star team goaltender.
All-Star teams
Player statistics
Scoring leaders
''Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes''
Source: NHL.
Leading goaltenders
''Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts''
Coaches
*Boston Bruins:
Milt Schmidt
Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals which reproduce by spraying this fluid, which contains the sperm, onto roe (fish eggs). It can also refer to the sperm sacs or testes that contain the semen. ...
*Chicago Black Hawks:
Billy Reay
*Detroit Red Wings:
Sid Abel
Sidney Gerald Abel (February 22, 1918February 8, 2000) was a Canadian Hall of Fame hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Detroit Red Wings, and was a member of three Stanley Cup-winning team ...
*Montreal Canadiens:
Toe Blake
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being ''digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being ''plant ...
*New York Rangers:
Red Sullivan
George James "Red" Sullivan (December 24, 1929 – January 19, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1949 to 1961. After finishing his playing career Sullivan became a coach, servi ...
*Toronto Maple Leafs:
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach (March 15, 1918 – December 1, 1987) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and general manager best known for his association with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and ...
Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1964–65 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
*
Joe Watson, Boston Bruins
*
Bill Goldsworthy
William Alfred Goldsworthy (August 24, 1944 – March 29, 1996) was a professional ice hockey right winger who played for three teams in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons between 1964 and 1978, mostly with the Minnesota North Stars. He r ...
, Boston Bruins
*
Wayne Cashman
Wayne Cashman (born June 24, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played seventeen seasons for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) and helped them win the Stanley Cup twice, and was the last ac ...
, Boston Bruins
*
Dennis Hull
Dennis William Hull (born November 19, 1944) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played most of his career for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League. He is the brother of Bobby Hull and uncle of Brett Hull ...
, Chicago Black Hawks
*
Ken Hodge
Kenneth Raymond Hodge, Sr. (born 25 June 1944) is an English-born Canadian former hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He was born in Birmingham, England, b ...
, Chicago Black Hawks
*
Bob Plager, New York Rangers
*
Brit Selby
Robert Briton Selby (born March 27, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues. He also played in the World Ho ...
, Toronto Maple Leafs
Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1964–65 (listed with their last team):
*
Tom Johnson, Boston Bruins
*
Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay (born Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay; July 29, 1925 – March 4, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Linds ...
, Detroit Red Wings
See also
*
1964-65 NHL transactions
*
List of Stanley Cup champions
The Stanley Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the playoff champion club of the National Hockey League (NHL) ice hockey league. It was donated by the Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, and is the oldest professional sp ...
*
1964 NHL Amateur Draft
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...
*
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
*
1964 in sports
*
1965 in sports
Citations
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Hockey DatabaseNHL.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:1964-65 NHL season
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