The 1930–31 NHL season was the 14th

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 sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

. Ten teams played 44 games each. 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 ...

beat the

Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

three games to two in the best-of-five

Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...

for their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory.

League business

Art Ross bitterly complained about the Stanley Cup final setup. His team had been vanquished in two consecutive games by the Montreal Canadiens in 1929–30. As a result, the Board of Governors decided to make the final a best-of-five series. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

was starting to take its toll on the NHL. In attempts to solve financial problems, the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

moved to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

and became the Philadelphia Quakers, but there was nothing about the team to win games or fans. It was intended that the team stay in Philadelphia only until a new arena was built in Pittsburgh. The arena was never built, and the team folded after only one season in the new city. The state of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

would be without an NHL team until the league doubled in size 36 years later. The

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

were in a similar financial boat but instead of relocating, they sold a star asset and future

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

King Clancy Francis Michael "King" Clancy (February 25, 1902 – November 8, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, referee, coach and executive. Clancy played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto ...

, to the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

for $35,000 and two players. Even after the sale of Clancy, the Senators' owners put the team up for sale for $200,000, although no bids approached anywhere near that figure. The team would suspend operations before the start of the next season. The Detroit Cougars changed the team name to the Detroit Falcons. The

Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...

(CAHA) sent

W. A. Fry William Alexander Fry (September 7, 1872 – April 21, 1944) was a Canadian sports administrator and newspaper publisher. Fry founded the ''Dunnville Chronicle'' in 1896, managed local hockey and baseball teams in the 1910s, then served as pres ...

and

W. A. Hewitt William Abraham Hewitt (May 15, 1875September 8, 1966) was a Canadian sports executive and journalist, also widely known as Billy Hewitt. He was secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1903 to 1966, and sports editor of the ''To ...

to the 1930 NHL general meeting to seek a better working agreement. The CAHA suggested that players remain as amateurs for one season after graduating from

junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

, and in return the CAHA would permit its amateurs to tryout and practice with professional teams. Hewitt subsequently met multiple times with NHL president

Frank Calder Frank Sellick Calder (November 17, 1877 – February 4, 1943) was a British-born Canadian ice hockey executive, journalist, and athlete. Calder was the first president of the National Hockey League (NHL), from 1917 until his death in 1943. He ...

, who saw merit in Hewitt's request to keep players in amateur hockey, and continued to discuss having a professional-amateur agreement.

Regular season

Howie Morenz Howard William Morenz (September 21, 1902 – March 8, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1923, he played centre for three National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Montreal Canadiens (in two stints), the Chicago Blac ...

led the league in scoring.

Dick Irvin James Dickinson "Dick" Irvin Jr. (or II) (July 19, 1892 – May 16, 1957) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played for professional teams in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, the Western Canada Hockey League, and th ...

started his career in coaching with

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and they finished second in the American Division. He resigned at season's end after having taken the Black Hawks to the finals.

Final standings

''GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against''
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Playoffs

On March 26, during the second game of the best-of-five series between the Bruins and Canadiens, coach-GM

Art Ross Arthur Howe Ross (January 13, 1885 – August 5, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck ...

of Boston pulled his goalie for an extra attacker while down 1–0 with 40 seconds left in the final period. The attempt was unsuccessful. This marked the first time in Stanley Cup play that a goalie was pulled for an extra attacker.

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

(C2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A2) Chicago Black Hawks

(A3) New York Rangers vs. (C3) Montreal Maroons

Semifinals

(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (C1) Montreal Canadiens

(A2) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (A3) New York Rangers

Stanley Cup Finals

In the final series, the Chicago Black Hawks took an early two games to one lead in the newly expanded best-of-five Stanley Cup finals but the Montreal Canadiens came back and won the series three games to two for their second consecutive

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

win.

Awards

won the Hart Trophy for the second time in his career.

Frank Boucher François Xavier Boucher (October 7, 1901 – December 12, 1977) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. Boucher played the forward position for the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) a ...

won the Lady Byng for the fourth consecutive year.

Roy Worters Roy Thomas "Shrimp" Worters (October 19, 1900 November 7, 1957) was a Canadian professional Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Canadiens and New York American ...

won the Vezina Trophy for the one and only time in his career.

All-Star teams

This was the first season that the NHL named its 'all-stars'. Although Roy Worters won the Vezina Trophy for "most valuable goaltender", Charlie Gardiner and

Tiny Thompson Cecil Ralph "Tiny" Thompson (May 31, 1903 – February 9, 1981) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), first for the Boston Bruins, and later for the Detroit Red Wings. ...

were named to the all-star teams at the goaltender position. Source: NHL.

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

''GP = Games Played, G =

Goals A goal is an objective that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve. Goal may also refer to: Sport * Goal (sports), a method of scoring in many sports, or the physical structure or area where scoring occurs ** Goals, the goal frame in ...

, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes'' Source: NHL.

Leading goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; SO =

Shutouts In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

; GAA =

Goals against average Goals against average (GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on s ...

'' Source: NHL.

Coaches

American Division

*Boston Bruins:

*Chicago Black Hawks:

Emil Iverson Emil Waldemar Iverson (November 2, 1892February 21, 1960) was a Danish-American ice hockey player and coach, and an anthropologist. The Minnesota Golden Gophers ice hockey team of the University of Minnesota won seven national championships whil ...

*Detroit Falcons:

Jack Adams John James Adams (June 14, 1894 – May 1, 1968) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League and Pacific Coast Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Arenas, Vancouver Millionair ...

*New York Rangers:

Lester Patrick Curtis Lester Patrick (December 31, 1883 – June 1, 1960) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (Western Hockey League after 1924), and t ...

*Philadelphia Quakers:

Cooper Smeaton James Cooper Smeaton (July 22, 1890 – October 3, 1978) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, referee and head coach. He served as the National Hockey League (NHL)'s referee-in-chief from 1917 until 1937. Smeaton served as a Stanley C ...

Canadian Division

*Montreal Canadiens:

Cecil Hart Cecil Mordecai Hart (November 28, 1883 – July 16, 1940) was a head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. Biography Cecil Hart was Jewish, a direct descendant of Aaron Hart who was Canada's first Jewish settler, and was born in Bedford, Queb ...

*Montreal Maroons:

Dunc Munro Duncan Brown Munro (January 19, 1901 – January 3, 1958) was a Canadian Olympic ice hockey player who played with and coached the Montreal Maroons. He was born in Moray, Scotland. When he was still a child his family moved to Toronto, Ontario, ...

and

George Boucher John Georges "Buck" Boucher (August 19, 1895 – October 17, 1960) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Ottawa Senators (original), Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey ...

*New York Americans:

Eddie Gerard Edward George Gerard (February 22, 1890 – August 7, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and manager. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, he played professionally for 10 seasons for his hometown Ottawa Senators. He spent the ...

*Ottawa Senators:

Newsy Lalonde Édouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde (October 31, 1887 – November 21, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and a professional lacrosse player. Lalonde is regarded as one of hockey's and lacrosse's ...

and

Dave Gill David Norman Gill (November 24, 1887 – March 30, 1959) was head coach of the original Ottawa Senators from 1926 to 1931 and a prominent Ottawa sportsman. He won the Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the ch ...

*Toronto Maple Leafs:

Art Duncan Captain William James Arthur Duncan (July 4, 1891 – April 13, 1975) was a Canadian aviator and a professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. In 1926 he served as the first team captain, head coach, and general manager of the ...

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1930–31 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): *

Art Chapman John Arthur Chapman (May 29, 1905 – December 31, 1962) was a Canadian ice hockey forward. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Chapman started his National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins in 1930. He would also play for the New York ...

, Boston Bruins *

Doc Romnes Elwin Nelson "Doc" Romnes (January 1, 1907 – July 21, 1984) was an American ice hockey player and coach. He played professionally in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Americans from ...

, Chicago Black Hawks * John Sorrell, Detroit Falcons *

Johnny Gagnon Jean Joseph "Black Cat" Gagnon (June 3, 1905 in Chicoutimi, Quebec – March 21, 1984) was a Canadian ice hockey forward. Johnny played in the National Hockey League from 1930 to 1940. During this time, he played for the New York Americans, B ...

, Montreal Canadiens * Paul Haynes, Montreal Maroons *

Dave Kerr David Alexander Kerr (January 11, 1909 – May 11, 1978) was a Canadian NHL goaltender who played for the Montreal Maroons, New York Americans and New York Rangers. Playing career He played amateur hockey before joining the NHL, winning the All ...

, Montreal Maroons *

Alex Levinsky Alexander "Mine Boy" Levinsky (February 2, 1910 – September 1, 1990) was an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey Defenseman who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks and New ...

, Toronto Maple Leafs *

Bob Gracie Robert John Gracie (November 8, 1910 – August 3, 1963) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New York Americans, Montreal Maroons, Mon ...

, Toronto Maple Leafs

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1930–31 (listed with their last team): *

Frank Fredrickson Sigurdur Franklin Fredrickson (Sigurður Franklín Friðriksson; June 3, 1895 – May 28, 1979) was an Icelandic-Canadian ice hockey player and aviator. As a player and coach, he was significant to both the amateur and professional ice hockey as ...

, Detroit Falcons *

Bert McCaffrey John Albert McCaffrey (April 12, 1893 — April 15, 1955) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto St. Pats, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Canadiens. McCa ...

, Montreal Canadiens * Joe Simpson, New York Americans *

Babe Dye Cecil Henry "Babe" Dye (c. 1898 — January 3, 1962) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto St. Patricks/Maple Leafs, Hamilton Tigers, Chicago Black Hawks, and the Ne ...