1916–17 NHA Season
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The 1916–17 NHA season was the eighth and final season of the
National Hockey Association The National Hockey Association (NHA), initially the National Hockey Association of Canada Limited, was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor of today's National Hockey Leagu ...
. Six teams were to play two half-seasons of ten games each, but this was disrupted and only four teams finished the season. The
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
defeated the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
in a playoff to win the NHA championship. The NHA franchise of the dormant Shamrocks was taken back from its owner Eddie Livingstone and used by the Toronto 228th Battalion, which had a number of NHA hockey players who had enlisted for military service. Also known as the Northern Fusiliers, the team played wearing khaki military uniforms and was the league's most popular and highest scoring club until the regiment was ordered overseas in February 1917 and the team was forced to withdraw. A scandal ensued when several stars were subsequently discharged, not having to fight and alleged they had been promised commissions solely to play hockey. The NHA would sue the 228th Battalion club for its withdrawal, though ultimately did not succeed. A dispute also erupted over the playing schedule. After the 228th suspended play, the
Toronto Blueshirts The Toronto Hockey Club, known as the Torontos and the Toronto Blueshirts, were a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They were a member of the National Hockey Association (NHA). The club was founded in 1911 and began operations in 191 ...
club was suspended for the rest of the season by the league, and some of its players played for other clubs for the rest of the schedule. The league intended for the players to be returned at the end of the season to whoever would own the Toronto club then. As the sale did not take place, the league kept them. The owner of the Blueshirts would file several lawsuits over the league's actions, sparking the events that led to the founding of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL).


League business

The Ottawa club wanted to suspend play for the season due to the war, but was voted down.


Executives

Emmet Quinn resigned as president on October 18, 1916. * Frank Robinson, Montreal (president) * Frank Calder, (secretary-treasurer) Directors: * S. E. Lichtenhein, Wanderers, * G. W. Kennedy, Canadiens * Martin Rosenthal, Ottawa * E. J. Livingstone, Toronto * Capt. L. W. Reade, 228th * Mike J. Quinn, Quebec


Rule changes

A split-schedule of two halves would be used. The single-referee system would be reinstated. Throwing the stick to prevent a goal would mean the award of an automatic goal for the other team.


Regular season


Suspending the Blueshirts

On February 10, 1917, the Blueshirts played their final game, losing 4–1 at home to Ottawa. The following day, a meeting of the NHA executive in Montreal was held to deal with the 228th Battalion leaving for overseas. Toronto proposed continuing with a five-team league, but the other owners instead voted to suspend Toronto's team. The players were dispersed by a drawing of names. The following day, President Robinson was quoted as stating that the players would return to the club after the season, but he would not guarantee that the club would be allowed to return to play, stating that would be decided at the NHA annual meeting. On February 13, Livingstone issued a statement that he was through with the NHA and that the Blueshirts franchise was available to the highest bidder. Livingstone was going to work on the opening of several arenas and a new hockey league in the United States.


Continuing the season

Ottawa, while not unhappy at the suspension of Toronto, nevertheless lost a game for the use of Cy Denneny in a game against the 228th, and saw the Wanderers and Quebec receive wins for games against the 228th. The club threatened to not play for the rest of the season. However, cooler heads prevailed and Ottawa went back to work. The following weekend, Harry Meeking and Eddie Oatman arrived in Montreal, after being discharged by the 228th after arriving in Saint John, New Brunswick. Oatman charged that the 228th owed him $700 for his commission for his play with the 228th. As Oatman had gotten out of being drafted into the PCHA by being a member of the 228th, this set the Ottawa on again to reverse the game decision, claiming that Oatman was ineligible.


Livingstone lawsuits

On March 3, the Blueshirts were reinstated, with the instruction that the club must be sold within 60 days. On March 9, Livingstone filed lawsuits against the NHA and its clubs, seeking damages, the prevention of the other teams employing his players, forfeiture of the NHA club bonds, the declaration that his team suspension was illegal and the dissolution of the NHA, over its actions. Livingstone served one of the notices to Martin Rosenthal of the Ottawa Senators during the final game of the Montreal-Ottawa playoff. Livingstone asked Rosenthal to 'look them over when he had the chance' and Rosenthal left the envelope unopened until NHA Secretary Frank Calder called Rosenthal to ask if they had received any notices of Livingstone's legal actions. On March 18, Livingstone was granted a restraining order against the other teams to prevent the sale of the team. Livingstone also sent a statement to newspapers claiming that the Wanderers had 'tampered' with the Toronto players by offering them employment in Montreal in the coming season for the Wanderers. Wanderers' president Sam Lichtenheim challenged Livingstone to come up with proof or he would seek libel charges against Livingstone.


Final standings


Results

;First half ;Second half ‡ Ottawa lost game on use of ineligible Cy Denneny.
† Wanderers given win for this game in revised second half.
& Quebec given win for this game in revised second half.
* 228th was ordered overseas. Toronto club was suspended by league.


Player statistics


Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes


Goaltending averages

Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA =
Goals against average Goals against average (GAA), also known as average goals against (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 spo ...
† Totals includes two 228th Battalion games played in second half, not counted in standings.


Playoff

Montreal qualified for the two-game total-goal playoff by winning the first half of the schedule. Ottawa defeated Quebec 16–1 in the final game of the schedule to take the second half title on the basis of goals, as both teams finished with 8–2 records for the second half. In the first game, held in Montreal, Bert Corbeau scored in the first to put Montreal ahead. The teams traded goals in the second period on goals by Frank Nighbor of Ottawa and
Didier Pitre Joseph George Didier "Cannonball" Pitre (September 1, 1883 – July 29, 1934) was a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey player. Nicknamed "Cannonball," he was renowned for having one of the hardest shots during his playing career. One of t ...
of Montreal. Eddie Gerard scored early in the third for Ottawa to tie the game again, but former Quebec player Tommy Smith scored 20 seconds later to put Montreal back in the lead. Montreal's Pitre and
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 ...
then scored in the next three minutes to clinch the game for Montreal. Nighbor was knocked out by Smith in the second period and he remained out until the third period. He was knocked out again after Smith's goal but returned after the Canadiens had taken their three-goal lead. Nighbor was slashed across the face by Lalonde with one minute to go and was carried off for the third time. It was Lalonde's second match foul of the season and he was suspended for the second match of the playoff. In the second game, held in Ottawa before 7,500 fans, Nighbor played despite the injuries of the first playoff game. Jack Darragh of Ottawa scored a power-play goal to open the scoring in the first period. Darragh broke in on a breakaway but was driven wide by Montreal's goaltender Georges Vezina. Darragh then shot the puck out front of the net off a Canadiens' player and into the net. In the second, Bert Corbeau scored to put Montreal two goals ahead on the playoff. George Boucher scored before the second period ended to bring Ottawa back within a goal. In the third, Cy Denneny replaced Eddie Gerard and from a pass by Nighbor scored on Vezina to tie the playoff. With three minutes to play, Nighbor and Darragh broke in on Vezina, who stopped the shot and passed it out to Reg Noble. Noble brought it to the Ottawa line and shot it wide of the net. Ottawa goaltender
Clint Benedict Clinton Stevenson "Praying Benny" Benedict (September 26, 1892 – November 12, 1976) was a Canadian professional lacrosse goalie, ice hockey goaltender who played for the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Maroons. He played on four Stanley Cup-win ...
then set up the puck for an Ottawa player to pick up, but it was instead taken by Montreal's Smith. Benedict attempted to clear the puck, but Smith was able to poke it into the net to put Montreal ahead again to stay on the playoff. The Montreal Canadiens won the O'Brien Cup, but lost to the
Seattle Metropolitans The Seattle Metropolitans were a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle, playing in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) from 1915 to 1924. During their nine seasons, the Metropolitans were the PCHA's most successful franchise, a ...
of the PCHA in the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
.


See also

*
National Hockey Association The National Hockey Association (NHA), initially the National Hockey Association of Canada Limited, was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor of today's National Hockey Leagu ...
* List of pre-NHL seasons *
List of Stanley Cup champions The Stanley Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the Season structure of the NHL, playoff champion club of the National Hockey League (NHL). It was donated by the Governor General of Canada Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley of Pr ...


References


Bibliography

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Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:1916-17 Nha Season NHA National Hockey Association seasons