[CaptainCrunch]

1936-37

There were lots of ways to describe Howie Morenz. Generational, legend, best ever, and we wouldn't be wrong, in his time with the Canadians he was a legend, one of the fastest players in the game on old tube skates, he was one of the first true generational players in an era where there were very few rules against acts of violence against your opponent. Its sad that in this day and age when we debate who is generational and who is not that Morenz's name doesn't come up more.

But his story is also one of tragedy and grief.

Morenz was the darling of the Canadians, but as he got older and his skills and speed started to decline the fans and the organization itself slowly turned on him. When he hit 32 he had already seen a sharp decline in his production going from 24 goals to 14 to 8. The Canadians finally had enough and traded him to the Black Hawks after the 1933-34 season in one of the first NHL blockbuster trades as Morenz and star goalie Lorne Chabot were traded to the Hawks for Lionel Conacher (was immediately sent to the Maroons) Leroy Goldsworthy and Roger Jenkins.

Once in a while a change of scenary can be a good one, but it wasn't for Morenz who faltered badly in a season and a half in Chicago and was dumped to the Rangers where he scored 2 goals in 19 games.

Eventually the Rangers gave up and Lester Patrick traded him back to his beloved Habs, and reunited with Aurel Joliat and Johnny Gagnon, and while he wasn't as fast, Morenz occasionally recaptured his magic and bought the forum to its feet.

On Jan 28, 1937 Morenz was caught by a stiff body check from Chicago defenseman Earl Siebert sending Morenz feet first into the boards, and with a snap heard around the arena the crowd went silent. Morenz was rushed to the hospital with a badly broken leg and many feared that it was the end of Morenz.

Once in the hospital Morenz started brooding and his condition got worse, he had a nervous breakdown and all visitors except for his wife were banned.

Then he started suffering from heart trouble.

Nobody really knew what happened in the hospital but the theory was that he was overwhelmed by visitors as Morenz was intensely shy and quiet. Then on March 8, 1937 after his doctor gave him a positive checkup, Howie Morenz was dead. Perhaps he was just tired out, or was heat broken about a future without hockey.

The funeral was held in a packed forum, and an allstar game featuring palayers from the Habs and Maroons facing off against the NHL allstars with the proceeds going to the Morenz family and his uniform being given to his son Howie Morenz Jr. Tragedy would follow the Morenz family as his wife would become so sick that Howie Jr and his brother Dan were sent to an orphanage and Dan would die not long after that. Howie Morenz Jr played on, though he never reached his fathers heights he did carve out a career in professional hockey refusing to play in the NHL on his fathers reputation.

Trivia

1. The NHL takes stewardship of the New York Americans who are in serious financial trouble (more on them in the upcoming days)
2. The NHL introduces the Calder trophy for the leagues best rookie, its named after NHL president Frank Calder.
3. Joe Primeau retires in Toronto at the age of 30.
4. The Red Wing repeat as the American division champions.
5. The Maple Leafs replace George Hainswoth with 21 year old Turk Broda in goal.
6. The Canadians rebound from disaster and take the Canadian division.
7. Detroit's Norm Smith wins the leagues GA title with a stingy 2.13 gaa.
8. Red Horner pounds his way to a 5th penalty crown with 124 minutes.
9. The NHL changes its playoff format as teams play a best of 3 series instead of a 2 game total goals series.
10. The Maroons beat the Bruins 3-2 in their opening series, The Rangers sweep the Leafs 2-0. In the semi finals the Rangers beat the Maroons as Ranger's goalie Dave Kerr puts up 2 shutouts.
11. Detroit and the Canadians battle in a best of 5 semi final. The Emotionally wrecked Canadians battle back from a 2 games to 0 deficit only to fall in game 5 to the Wings.
12. Red Wing's goalie Norm Smith is hurt in game 1 of the finals against the Rangers. Detroit turns to unknown Earl Robertson and he gets bombed in game 1 5-1. Detroit bounces back with Robertson in net in game 2 and win 4-2. Detroit and the Rangers then trade 1-0 games as Earl Robertson steals the show.
13. In game 5 Earl Robertson completes his dream as he blanks the Rangers 3-0 to win the Wings their 2nd straight cup. Robertson would go on to play for the American's for 5 years.
14. Sly Apps wins the Calder trophy.
15. The Canadians Babe Siebert wins the Hart Trophy.
16. Detroit's Marty Barry wins the Lady Byng and his team mate Norm Smith wins the Vezina.