The 1940–41 NHL season was the 24th

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 pol ...

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 ...

(NHL). Seven teams each played 48 games. The

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

were the Stanley Cup winners as they swept the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

four games to none in the final series.

League business

In September 1940,

International Ice Hockey Association The International Ice Hockey Association was a governing body for international ice hockey. It was established in 1940 when the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association wanted more control over international hockey, and was in disagreement with the ...

president

W. G. Hardy William George Hardy (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian professor, writer, and ice hockey administrator. He lectured on the Classics at the University of Alberta from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the Canadian Aut ...

announced a new one-year agreement was reached with the NHL, who agreed to pay $250 for signing an amateur and another $250 if the amateur played in the NHL. 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 ...

signed the new professional-amateur agreement in October 1940. The agreement also included allowing the NHL to sign a limited number of junior age players.

Regular season

The Montreal Canadiens had hit the bottom in 1939–40, and were in financial trouble. Frank Patrick decided to become an investor and governor for the team, and

Tommy Gorman Thomas Patrick Gorman (June 9, 1886 – May 15, 1961), known as "T.P." or "Tommy", was a Canadian ice hockey executive, sports entrepreneur and athlete. Gorman was a founder of the National Hockey League (NHL), a winner of seven Stanley Cups a ...

was hired as general manager. He hired recently released Toronto coach

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 ...

to run the team. One of the first things Gorman and Irvin did was scout for players, and the Canadiens came up with Johnny Quilty,

Joe Benoit Joseph Benoit (February 27, 1916 – October 19, 1981) was a National Hockey League right wing. He played for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1940s. He missed the 1943–44 season while serving with the Canadian Forces in World War II, and t ...

Elmer Lach Elmer James Lach (, January 22, 1918 – April 4, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). A centre, he was a member of the Punch line, along with Ma ...

and defenceman

Ken Reardon Kenneth Joseph Reardon (April 1, 1921 – March 15, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. Ken is the brot ...

Bert Gardiner Wilbert Homer Gardiner (March 25, 1913 – August 28, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 144 games in the National Hockey League between 1935 and 1944. He played with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, Boston ...

would be used in goal, replacing Claude Bourque and

Wilf Cude Wilfred Reginald Cude (July 4, 1906 – May 5, 1968) was a Welsh-Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played ten seasons as a goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Quakers, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, ...

Murph Chamberlain Erwin Groves "Murph" Chamberlain (February 14, 1915 in Shawville, Quebec – May 8, 1986) was a Canadian ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Brooklyn Americans and Boston Bru ...

was bought from Toronto to bolster the offence. Quilty and Benoit came through, as did

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 ...

, but the Habs had a long way to go, finishing sixth. Quilty won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. In fact, before the season started, Coach Irvin handed a sealed envelope to a reporter of his guess who would win the Calder Trophy, and when the season ended, the reporter opened the envelope: Johnny Quilty was the choice Irvin made. The Boston Bruins set a record 23 straight unbeaten games en route to a strong first place finish at the end of the schedule. The Rangers, finished fourth after the previous year's Stanley Cup win and

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 ...

was not up to his usual form in goal.

Final standings

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) New York Rangers

(5) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens

Semifinals

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (2) Toronto Maple Leafs

(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) Chicago Black Hawks

Stanley Cup Finals

Awards

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:

Cooney Weiland Ralph "Cooney" Weiland (November 5, 1904 – July 3, 1985) was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Weiland was part of the Bruins' 1928 "Dy ...

*Chicago Black Hawks: Paul Thompson *Detroit Red Wings:

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 ...

*Montreal Canadiens:

*New York Americans:

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 ...

*New York Rangers:

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) ...

*Toronto Maple Leafs:

Hap Day Clarence Henry "Happy" Day (June 14, 1901 – February 17, 1990), later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans. Day enjoye ...

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1940–41 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): *

Max Bentley Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley (March 1, 1920 – January 19, 1984) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of a pr ...

, Chicago Black Hawks *

John Mariucci John Mariucci (May 8, 1916 – March 23, 1987) was an American ice hockey player, administrator and coach. Mariucci was born in Eveleth, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota where he played for both the hockey and football teams. H ...

, Chicago Black Hawks *

Joe Carveth Joseph Gordon Carveth (March 21, 1918 – August 15, 1985) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings between 1940 and 1951. He was born in Regina ...

, Detroit Red Wings *

, Montreal Canadiens *

John Quilty John Francis Quilty (January 21, 1921 – September 12, 1969) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He played 125 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) playing for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. He was awarded the Calder M ...

, Montreal Canadiens *

Chuck Rayner Claude Earl "Chuck" Rayner (August 11, 1920 – October 6, 2002), nicknamed "Bonnie Prince Charlie", was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and New York Range ...

, New York Americans *

Bill Juzda William Juzda (October 29, 1920 – February 17, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1940 and 1952 ...

, New York Rangers

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1940–41 (listed with their last team): * Paul Haynes, Montreal Canadiens *

Georges Mantha Joseph Georges Leon Mantha (November 29, 1907 – January 25, 1990) was a Canadian ice hockey forward born in Lachine, Quebec. Mantha played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens. His career lasted from 1928 to 1941. His br ...

, Montreal Canadiens *

Hooley Smith Reginald Joseph "Hooley" Smith (January 7, 1903 – August 24, 1963) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins and New York Americans. He won the Stanley Cup twice, with ...

, New York Americans *

Charlie Conacher Charles William "The Big Bomber" Conacher, Sr. (December 20, 1909 – December 30, 1967) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New York Americans in the National Hockey Leagu ...

, New York Americans *

, New York Rangers

References

* * * * * ;Notes

External links

Hockey Database

NHL.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:1940-41 NHL season 1940–41 in Canadian ice hockey by league 1940–41 in American ice hockey by league

League business

Regular season

Final standings

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) New York Rangers

(5) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens

Semifinals

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (2) Toronto Maple Leafs

(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) Chicago Black Hawks

Stanley Cup Finals

Awards

All-Star teams

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Leading goaltenders

Coaches

Debuts

Last games

See also

References

External links