I thought it might be fun to look at the history of hockey. A looong time ago I did a day in history thread and had some fun finding interesting pieces of History so I thought, why not hockey might be fun to try. I don't guarantee a daily update or anything. This will truly be in bite sized pieces. As always addons and comments are always welcome. So lets get err started.
1917-1918
The NHL is formed when all of the owners in the NHA had decided that they had had enough of Toronto owner Edward Livingstone. Widely regarded as a complete jerkface, they decided they didn't want to deal with him and concocted a brilliant plan to get rid of him.
- A meeting was called by the owners of the Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadians and Wanderers and the Toronto Arenas,but Livingstone was somehow kept from the meeting. The owners created a new league the National Hockey League with Quebec deciding to take a sabatical. The NHA still existed but was an empty shell.
- The Wanderers didn't make it through the season as their arena burnt down and they withdrew from the league.
- Frank Calder was named the first NHL president.
- The Toronto Areanas qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs and played a five game series against Vancouver of the PCHL, the Toronto's won the series in 5 games being lead by Corbett Denneny to win the Stanley Cup.
Trivia
The NHL played a 22 game season
- Montreal Wanderers' Harry Hyland scored 5 goals on the opening night.
- Joe Malone one of the leagues first generational players switched from Quebec to the Canadians and scored 3 5 goal games in the first year and 44 goals in 20 games
- The NHL changes a key rule from the NHA and decides that goalies will be allowed to leave their feet. This was formerly a $2.00 fine in the NHA and the penalty was called "Flopping"
- Ottawa goalie Clint Benedict caused this rule change because he ignored the rule in the NHA and he was so darned entertaining.
- George Vezina was the leagues best goalie with a 3.93 gaa.
- The Habs are the first half of the season league champions and finish with a 13-9 record.
- The Arenas won the second half and finished with a 13-9 record as well, Ottawa finishes last with a 9-13 record.
- The Arenas beat the Canadians in a 2 game total goal series 10-7.