Jean Béliveau played two games for the Habs in 1950-51, and scored two points. Then he had to be sent down because he was still an amateur and the Canadiens did not have him under contract.
In 1952-53, the Habs called on Béliveau again. He played three games this time, and scored five goals. Again they had to send him down, much against their wishes.
There's a story behind this, and it grows out of that sponsorship system I mentioned earlier.
In those days, when an NHL team could control hundreds of young players through a complex web of sponsored clubs, the instrument of control was called the ‘C’ form. Every time a kid showed unusual talent, an NHL scout was all over him (and his parents or legal guardians) to sign this form. The ‘C’ form gave the NHL club an ironclad option to sign the player after a certain date and at a set salary.
Arthur Béliveau would not sign a ‘C’ form for his son. He knew what a fleeting and uncertain thing a hockey career is, and did not want young Jean (15 at the time) to be forced to commit to it. The most he would do was to sign a ‘B’ form, which gave the Habs rights to the player if he turned pro.
Time went by. Apart from his two brief callups, young Jean was a star attraction for the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League. The QSHL paid its players, but for technical reasons it was still counted as an amateur league. That meant Béliveau still had amateur status and his ‘B’ form did not require him to report to the Habs. He liked it that way, and preferred to stay in the QSHL.
In 1953, Frank Selke, the GM of the Canadiens, decided he had had enough. He got his bosses at the Canadian Arena Company (which owned the Canadiens at that time) to do the one thing that would absolutely compel Béliveau to turn pro.
They bought the QSHL.
All of it.
The entire league.
And when they had bought it, they officially turned it into a professional league. Now Béliveau was a professional player, whether he liked it or not, and he had to report to the Habs.
This time he stayed with the Habs for 18 years, during which he played 1,125 games, scored 507 goals and 1,219 points, and won the Stanley Cup ten times (plus seven in management). I'm sure the Montreal Canadiens and their owners thought he was worth the trouble they took to get him.
Thanks. My favourite player prior to the Flames coming to Calgary.
Jean Béliveau played two games for the Habs in 1950-51, and scored two points. Then he had to be sent down because he was still an amateur and the Canadiens did not have him under contract.
In 1952-53, the Habs called on Béliveau again. He played three games this time, and scored five goals. Again they had to send him down, much against their wishes.
[...]
In 1953, Frank Selke, the GM of the Canadiens, decided he had had enough. He got his bosses at the Canadian Arena Company (which owned the Canadiens at that time) to do the one thing that would absolutely compel Béliveau to turn pro.
They bought the QSHL.
All of it.
The entire league.
And when they had bought it, they officially turned it into a professional league. Now Béliveau was a professional player, whether he liked it or not, and he had to report to the Habs.
The only other notable player I know of who plied his trade in the QSHL, signed a 'B' form, and similarly refused to turn pro was a kid named Jacques Plante. However, the Habs convinced him to turn pro in 1952, months before taking over the QSHL and turning the entire league pro.
Plante made his NHL debut in the '52-'53 season in a three-game try-out, similar to Beliveau. He went 2-0-1, allowing only four goals. In the 1953 playoffs the Habs were down 3-2 in their semi-finals series against the Black Hawks and they called on Plante to replace their regular starter, Gerry McNeil. Plante shut the Hawks out in game six, and let only one goal in in game seven to take the Habs to the finals.
In the finals Dick Irvin kept playing Plante, who won game one allowing only two (powerplay) goals, but lost game two 4-1. The Canadiens went back to Gerry McNeil and with three straight victories he finished out the series and won the Cup.
Plante backed up McNeil in the '53-'54 regular season but when McNeil went down with injury in February he took over as starter, right up through game four of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Red Wings. Down 3-1 in the series Dick Irvin went back to McNeil, who shut out the Wings in game five and held them to only one goal in game six to force the winner-take-all game seven. The game went to OT tied 1-1 and unfortunately for Gerry McNeil one of the flukiest Cup-winning goals of all time went past him at 4:29 when the puck took a goofy bounce off teammate Doug Harvey's glove. The goal, credited to Tony Leswick, clinched the Red Wings' sixth Stanley Cup; their third in five years.
McNeil said his nerves had become so frayed playing hockey that he couldn't sleep at night, and given that anxiety and a desire to spend more time with his family he officially retired at Canadiens' training camp in September of '54, aged only 28. He was convinced to return to hockey at a lower level, playing in the QHL for the Royals and in the '57-'58, '58-'59 and '60-'61 seasons in the AHL for the Rochester Americans and Quebec Aces, but only ever played in the NHL again for nine games at the beginning of the '56-'57 season, in relief of an injured Plante. Though he was only nominally carried as a "spare" goalie, McNeil had his name engraved on the Cup in '57 and '58 (Charlie Hodge was by then Plante's regular backup).
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When teams looked at the Red Wings lineup heading into the 1951-52 season teams looked up and down their lineup with admiration and fear. Lets be honest in the day and age of the 6 team league most teams were fairly loaded because there were very few NHL teams. But the Wings were a different type of beast, they'd been hovering at the top of the league and fighting for the Cup for quite a while, but their road usually went through the Leafs.
This year thought the Wings were loaded. With Terry Sawchuk in goal, and
Red Kelly on defence things were bad enough, but what struck fear into every other team in the league when they looked down the ice at the Wings was one of the if not the greatest line in NHL history in the Production Line.
A line that combined nasty physical play with offensive Savvy the trio of Gordie Howe, "Terrible" Ted Lindsay and Sid Abel terrorized the league.
The Wings had finished first four straight times but this years team was the one where everything finally really came together.
Sid Abel was mean, but he was also supremely skilled wracking up goals and assists, Gordie was Gordie and unstoppable and remorseless hockey machine, and Lindsay was one of the toughest and most uncompromising players in NHL history with a list of 760 stitches over his career to testify to that.
But Howe was the heart beat, the unquestioned toughest man in the league in what at the time was a gigantic 6'1 200 lb frame (Lindsay we 5'7) Howe had an uncanny shot, owned the front of the net, was one of the only players in the NHL that could shoot right or left handed and would switch mid rush.
The Production line reached its peak in 1951-52 and they lead the Wings to a 1st place finish with a 44-14-12 season. Howe lead the league in goals with 47 and points with 86 as he walked away with the Hart Trophy. Lindsay finished second in the league with 67 and Abel finished 8 with 53 points.
The Wings finished 22 points ahead of the second place Habs and marched into the playoffs, and steam rolled the Leafs in a 4-0 laugher in round one, and then left skate treads up the back of the Canadians sweeping them as well going 8-0 in the playoffs the Cup.
This was a fitting end to this version of the Wings as in the offseason, Adams sold Abel to the Chicago Black Hawks and talented young Alex Delvecchio stepped into his stop to create a just as dominant new Production line.
Trivia
The NHL rules that visiting teams will ward white jerseys while home teams wear dark jersey's
The crease is expanded to 4x8 feet and the face off circles are expanded to 15 foot radius.
Guy Lafleur is born on Sept 20 in Thurso, Quebec. upon being born, Guy calmly lit a cigarette and looked cool for the next 18 years.
Detroit scores the most goals in the NHL with 215 and allows the least on the way to a dominant 100 point season.
The feud between Howe and Richard is suspended as Richard suffers through a injury riddled season.
On March 23 Chicago's Bill Mosienko sets and NHL record scoring 3 goals in 21 seconds against New York.
Bernie "Boom Boom "Geoffrion scores 20 goals in his first full NHL season.
The Canadians add Dickie Moore the line of Richard and Elmer Lach and it instantly becomes dominant.
The Bruins replace Jack Gelineau in net with Sugar Jim Henry who returns to the NHL after a 2 year hiatus.
Terry Sawchuck wins 44 games and leads the league in gaa with a 1.90 gaa.
Toronto goalie Turk Broda only plays one game in his last NHL season as Al Rollins cements himself as the Leaf's starter.
Boston and Montreal engage in a battle of wills as the Habs outscore the Bruins 9-1 in game 1 and game 2 before the Bruins roar back to win in a row. The Habs win game 6 in double OT.
In game 7 Maurice Richard in knocked unconscious in the first period. But still dazed he breaks a 1-1 tie late in the game skating through the entire Bruins team to score the greatest goal that he doesn't remember to this day.
The Wings destroy the Leafs in 4 straight games without breaking a sweat and sit back for 9 days while they wait for the finals.
In the finals the Wings romp over the exhausted and battered Habs 4-0. Terry Sawchuk allows 2 goals over the whole series and ends the playoffs with 4 shutouts and a .63 gaa.
Terry Sawchuck takes the Vezina home.
Gordie Howe takes the first of his 6 Hart Trophies.
Sid Smith of the Leafs wins the Lady Byng.
Bernie Geoffrion of the Habs wins the Calder.
Canada wins the Olympic Gold Medal in Oslo, they won't win another Gold Medal until 2002 (IGGY).
Michigan wins its 2nd straight NCAA Hockey Title with a 4-1 win over Colorado College.
Apparently Howe's ambidexterity was so effortless that he didn't even realize he was doing anything unusual until one of his early coaches asked what in the world he was doing.
Sidebar, has everyone read Gordie Howe's autobiography? I remember it being very good.
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A little sidelight on the way NHL teams were run in those days:
In 1946, when Gordie Howe first made the Red Wings, he wore number 17. All road trips were by train then, and the players spent a lot of nights in sleeper cars. Players were assigned their berths in numerical order, with the smallest numbers getting the more comfortable lower berths. There were fewer players on a team then, so 17 was one of the highest numbers and had to climb into an upper berth.
Early in Howe's rookie year, number 9 became available, and the Red Wings offered to let him switch. He wasn't inclined to change numbers at first, but when they pointed out to him that number 9 got a lower berth on the train, he took it gladly.
That's why we remember Howe as number 9, and not 17. Blame it on the trains.
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Everyone expected the Red Wings to waltz to a Stanley Cup in 1953. They had the best superstars in the NHL with the production line and Terry Sawchuk and Red Kelly. But they were just an outright deep, they had Marty Pavelich and Glen Skov up front as checkers. On the blueline besides Red Kelly They had Marcel Pronovost and Bob Goldham.
It was likely that any player on another team when telling stories would include the phrase "And then we played the Red Wings".
Nobody came close to the Wings, they finished 15 points ahead of the 2nd place Habs. Gordie Howe fell 1 goal short of 50 goals. but score a record 95 points and captured the triple crown.
So don't blame the fans and reporters for looking at their opening series against the Bruins who finished a game below .500, for yawning. And the Red Wings using the villain line, "Don't worry, we'll make this quick".
The Bruins had plugged in Jim Henry into goal who was aging and coming off of a two year hiatus from the NHL. Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart were well passed their prime. This would be brutal and short.
And game 1 reflected that as the Wings crushed the Bruins 7-0. But in the second game the Wings completely outplayed the Wings, and the production line was shut down by Schmidt and Durmart and Joe Klackey.
The third game was 1-1 going into overtime and the Bruins threw a defensive blanket over the Wings and scored 12 minutes into overtime.
The Bruins had stunned the Wings.
Game 4 was on Gordie Howe's birthday and the Bruins wrapped up a 6-2 beatdown of the Wings in a bow. The Wings rebounded to win 6-4 in game 5 but they were shaken. In game 6 the Bruins completed the upset with a 4-2 win.
But like most upsets, the Bruins who had ridden an emotional wave into the finals couldn't upset the Canadians and bowed out in 5 games.
As for the Wings, they'd be back and wouldn't be denied.
Trivia
The Hockey Hall of Fame inducts 5 players including Moose Johnson, Mickey MacKay and Bill Cook.
Cleveland applies for a NHL franchise but the request is denied.
Sid Abel is sold to the Hawks and becomes their player coach. Alex Delvecchio joins the production line between Lindsay and Howe.
Detroit wins the regular season crown with a 36-16-18 record good for 90 points.
Toronto misses the playoffs for only the 3rd time in 23 years while the Rangers miss for the 3rd time in 3 years.
Gordie Howe wins the triple crown with 49 goals and 95 points.
Ted Lindsay of the wings finishes 2nd in the league with 71 points.
Rocket Richard leads the league in penalties with 112 minutes
The Red Wings debut another great young goalie in Glen Hall, but Terry Sawchuk remains Detroits number 1 man posting a league leading 1.90 gaa.
The Hawks and Leafs swap goalies as Al Rollins goes to the Hawks and Harry Lumley heads to Toronto.
Chuck Rayner the goalie for the Rangers loses his job to hilarious character Lorne "Gump" Worsley.
Red Kelly leads all defensemen with 46 points.
On November 8, Rocket Richard scores his 325th goal passing Nels Stewart for the all time NHL lead.
The Habs played the Red Wings on Oct 11th in the first televised broadcast of an NHL game in Canada, its a French Language broadcast. On Nov 1st the first English broadcast features the Leafs with Foster Hewitt calling the action. The broadcast starts in the second period as Conn Smyth was concerned about attendance.
The playoffs feature first round matchups of the Bruins vs the Red Wings, and the Habs facing the Hawks.
The Bruins pull off the major upset knocking the Wings out of the playoffs in 6 games.
The Hawks fall behind 2 games to nothing, but storm back to win three in a row. Canadian rookie goalie Jacque Plante shuts out Chicago in game 6 and Montreal closes out the series with a 4-1 win in game 7.
Montreal and Boston face off in the finals and win the cup in game 5.
Gordie Howe takes home the Hart Trophy.
Terry Sawchuk wins his second of four vezina trophies.
Detroits Red Kelly wins the Lady Byng.
Its Gump, Its Gump, Lorne "Gump" Worsley wins the Calder Trophy.
Michigan wins its 3rd straight NCAA title beating Minnesota in the finals.
The two best teams in the NHL were the Canadians and the Red Wings, it was getting to be old hat. the Red Wings were cruising towards their 6th straight first place finish, but the Habs were right behind them. Most fans felt in their bones that they were looking at a Red Wings vs Habs Stanley Cup matchup.
The Habs were on the verge of greatness, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion had won the Calder Trophy two years ago, and he had gained his name through the mastery of the newest fan in the NHL which was the slap shot. Rookie Jean Beliveau had joined the team after a long contract negotiation. Dickie Moore was becoming the best Left Winger in the NHL, and Maurice Richard had never looked better.
Bealiveau was a different type of player, he looked effortless when he was going full speed, but unlike his linemates Moore and Richard, Bealiveau was a gentleman and because of that he became the target of every player in the NHL to the point that he missed 26 games of his rookie season due to injury.
Of course the Red Wings were still the most stacked team in the NHL. Red Kelly became the first defenseman to win the Norris Trophy, and he also took home the Lady Byng. Gordie Howe was still a beast in his prime leading the NHL in scoring for the fourth straight year, so its no surprise that the Wings won the regular season title again with 88 points 7 points clear of the second place Canadians.
As expected there was a Habs-Wings final. The Wings beat the Leafs in 5 games, while the Habs turfed the Bruins in 4 games leading to Boston's only ever GM Art Ross to retire so Lynn Patrick could take his place.
In the finals Montreal's coach Dick Irwin decided to go with young goalie Jacques Plante, but the move backfired as the Wings roared out to a 3-1 lead. Irwin made a goalie switch starting Gerry McNeil and the Habs roared back to tie the series at 3 games a apiece on the back of a 1-0 and a 4-1 win.
Game 7 was a barn burner between two evenly matched team and the game went into overtime tied at 1 apiece.
Remember the old saying you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. We know the Red Wings were good, but in overtime they got lucky. Tony Leswick entered the Habs zone and released a long slow and fluttering shot that should have been easy for McNeil to catch, but Doug Harvey who was also a top baseball player decided to reach out and deflect the puck into the corner. Harvey only got a piece of the puck, and it took a sharp right turn off of his glove and past McNeil at 4:29 of the first overtime. A fluke goal had given the Wings their 3rd Stanley Cup in 5 years.
Trivia
A new award is established named after the former owner of the Red Wings Jame Norris.
The NHL intraleague draft is revamped allowing teams to protect 20 instead of 30 players with the claiming price reduced from $25,000 to $15,000 per player.
Denis Potvin is born on Oct 29 in Ottawa Ontario. He promptly hip checks an intern out of the hospital room and into row three of the waiting room.
The Rangers make several roster moves including demoting last years Calder Trophy winner to the minors and replacing him with career minor leaguer Johnny Bower.
Frank Boucher signs Max Bentley.
The Rangers sign 135 pond left winger Camille Henry to an NHL contract.
The Rangers win their 6th straight league title.
Harry Lumley of the Leafs leads all goalies with a 1.86 gaa with 13 shutouts.
The Black Hawks finish in the basement again, rumors swril that the Hawks are going to fold. The Rangers miss the playoffs for the 5th time in 6 season.
Gordie Howe captures a fourth straight scoring title with 81 points.
Maurice leads the league in goals with 37.
On Oct 5th Detroit rookie scores 4 assists in his debut game setting an NHL record.
On Oct 9th, Montreal's Bert Olmstead scores 8 points in a game including 4 goals against the Wings.
On New Years day the Rangers convince Doug Bentley into joining his brother Max in a comeback attempt, he scores in his first game as a Ranger.
Detroit whips the Leafs in 5 games in their semi final series.
The Habs crush Detroit in 4 games.
In the finals the Red Wings leap towards a 3-1 series league, but the Habs bounce back to tie the series.
In game 7, the game goes into extra time knotted at one before Tony Leswick ends the series when Doug Harvey tips the puck into his own net.
Even though Chicago was terrible and gave up 60 more goals then any other team, the NHL awards Al Rollins with the Hart Trophy.
Detroits Red Kelly wins his third Lady Byng trophy and takes home the first Norris Trophy.
Toronto Goalie Harry Lumley wins the Vezina trophy
Emile "The Eel" Henry scores 24 goals and wins the Calder Trophy.
Rennsselaer Politechnic Institute wins the NCAA championship beating Minnesota 5-4 in overtime.
The Soviet Union wins its first World Championship.
Around this time, outside interests in the hockey world were pushing the NHL to expand again. The Cleveland Barons (no relation of the 1970s NHL team) were the class of the AHL. Their stars received higher salaries than most NHL players, and they had a farm system bigger than some of the NHL clubs, too. Led by their superstar, centre Fred Glover, and Hall of Fame goalie Johnny Bower, the Barons were looking for a bigger challenge than merely dominating a minor league.
The Barons' owners proposed to buy up the dormant franchise of the Montreal Maroons, relocate it to Cleveland, and bring the Barons into the NHL. Other groups were also looking for an NHL franchise, and the idea of reviving the New York Americans franchise (either in New York or a new location) was also considered, since it was easier to draw up a schedule for eight teams than seven. But nothing came of these schemes, thanks to the Norris family.
James E. Norris got his start in hockey early, as a defenceman at McGill University in the 1890s. After graduating, he played a few games for the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, known as the ‘Winged Wheelers’ for their distinctive logo: the amateur team that had been the very first winners of the Stanley Cup.
Norris then moved to Chicago, following his father and the family business, Norris Grain. He became president of the company at age 28, and invested in many other businesses. One of these was the syndicate that built the Chicago Stadium, which opened in 1929. Norris wanted to put a second NHL team in Chicago, but Major McLaughlin, owner of the Black Hawks, refused permission.
So Norris involved himself in the American Hockey Association, an ‘outlaw league’ with teams across the Midwest, one of which was owned by the indefatigable Eddie Livingstone. A bitter war ensued between the NHL and AHA. Frank Calder still held a grudge against Livingstone, and would not hear of recognizing any league that included the former Toronto owner. For several years the AHA and NHL competed for players and turf on even terms. Calder knew there was just one thing that kept the battle equal: James Norris's money.
Calder began putting out feelers to Norris, enticing him to ditch the outlaw league and become an NHL owner. What Norris really wanted was that second Chicago franchise, or, failing that, one in St. Louis. Instead, he wound up buying the bankrupt Detroit Falcons, which he renamed the Red Wings after his old amateur team, the M.A.A.A. Winged Wheelers.
In 1944, Major McLaughlin died, and Norris (now the sole owner of the Chicago Stadium) became a silent partner in the syndicate that bought the Black Hawks from McLaughlin's estate. He was also the largest shareholder in Madison Square Gardens, and held a mortgage on the Boston Bruins, which he had bailed out of financial trouble during the Depression. That gave him effective control of all four American clubs in the NHL, which began to be known as the ‘Norris House League’.
When Norris died, his son James D. Norris became co-owner of the Black Hawks, his son Bruce inherited the Red Wings, and his daughter Marguerite became the Red Wings' president – and the first female executive in NHL history. The ‘Norris House League’ entered its second generation.
It was against this background that the Cleveland Barons tried to gain admittance to the NHL. The Norris family were opposed to any expansion, because that would weaken their control over the league. The Barons were turned down flat; so was every other bidder for an expansion franchise until the mid-sixties. After so many years fighting against it, James D. Norris finally accepted the need for the league to expand. In fact, he himself received the rights to an expansion franchise in St. Louis, though no one from St. Louis had put in a bid for an expansion team. Soon after that he died, aged 59, of the heart disease he had inherited along with his father's fortune.
The NHL had done well putting its games on television in the 1950s. But as other leagues expanded into different regions of the U.S., the six-team NHL could not keep up. The league lost its national TV contract in 1960, and has been playing catch-up ever since. Call that the dark shadow of the Norris family's legacy.
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Last edited by Jay Random; 03-26-2024 at 09:37 PM.
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The two best teams in the NHL were the Canadians and the Red Wings, it was getting to be old hat. the Red Wings were cruising towards their 6th straight first place finish, but the Habs were right behind them. Most fans felt in their bones that they were looking at a Red Wings vs Habs Stanley Cup matchup.
The Habs were on the verge of greatness, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion had won the Calder Trophy two years ago, and he had gained his name through the mastery of the newest fan in the NHL which was the slap shot. Rookie Jean Beliveau had joined the team after a long contract negotiation. Dickie Moore was becoming the best Left Winger in the NHL, and Maurice Richard had never looked better.
Bealiveau was a different type of player, he looked effortless when he was going full speed, but unlike his linemates Moore and Richard, Bealiveau was a gentleman and because of that he became the target of every player in the NHL to the point that he missed 26 games of his rookie season due to injury.
Of course the Red Wings were still the most stacked team in the NHL. Red Kelly became the first defenseman to win the Norris Trophy, and he also took home the Lady Byng. Gordie Howe was still a beast in his prime leading the NHL in scoring for the fourth straight year, so its no surprise that the Wings won the regular season title again with 88 points 7 points clear of the second place Canadians.
As expected there was a Habs-Wings final. The Wings beat the Leafs in 5 games, while the Habs turfed the Bruins in 4 games leading to Boston's only ever GM Art Ross to retire so Lynn Patrick could take his place.
In the finals Montreal's coach Dick Irwin decided to go with young goalie Jacques Plante, but the move backfired as the Wings roared out to a 3-1 lead. Irwin made a goalie switch starting Gerry McNeil and the Habs roared back to tie the series at 3 games a apiece on the back of a 1-0 and a 4-1 win.
Game 7 was a barn burner between two evenly matched team and the game went into overtime tied at 1 apiece.
Remember the old saying you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. We know the Red Wings were good, but in overtime they got lucky. Tony Leswick entered the Habs zone and released a long slow and fluttering shot that should have been easy for McNeil to catch, but Doug Harvey who was also a top baseball player decided to reach out and deflect the puck into the corner. Harvey only got a piece of the puck, and it took a sharp right turn off of his glove and past McNeil at 4:29 of the first overtime. A fluke goal had given the Wings their 3rd Stanley Cup in 5 years.
…[*] Detroits Red Kelly wins his third Lady Byng trophy and takes home the first Norris Trophy.[*] Toronto Goalie Harry Lumley wins the Vezina trophy[*] Emile "The Eel" Henry scores 24 goals and wins the Calder Trophy.[*] Rennsselaer Politechnic Institute wins the NCAA championship beating Minnesota 5-4 in overtime.[*] The Soviet Union wins its first World Championship.[/LIST] Debut
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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Quote:
In the 1940s, some teams had begun voluntarily to wear contrasting colours (including Montreal’s now odd-looking original white uniform), but at the NHL meetings in 1950 the use of contrasting uniforms became mandatory. The reason was due to the increasing number of motion picture newsreels being made of the action (which would soon become black and white television), that the NHL required each team should wear contrasting colours to make it easier for viewers to distinguish the teams during the black and white broadcasts.'
The home team would wear dark, the visitor white. It was Hockey Night In Canada that suggested that the NHL switch in 1970 to the home team wearing white jerseys in order to show off visiting team’s away jerseys (which were deemed more interesting) for colour broadcasts. Which team wears the dark jerseys has changed back and forth in the forty years since, with currently the home team now wearing the dark.
When one looks back on Maurice "Rocket" Richard you have to credit him as the first power forward in the NHL. He was highly skilled, tough, non compromising. He could deke you out, put you on your ass, or carry you on his back on the way to a goal. But he also was also a player with a tremendous player. He was once suspended for braining players with his stick. He once confronted a referee and linesman in a hotel lobby.
You see the problem was that Richard had never won a scoring title, and it frankly pissed him off, and he blamed the NHL referees for not calling penalties when he was being assaulted on the ice.
But 1954-55 looked like his year to finally win the scoring championship. He was having his greatest season ever, with 3 games left in the season he had 74 points and was ahead of his team mate Bernie Geoffrion. At the same time the Canadians were battling Detroit for first place in the NHL.
With the season winding down the Canadians took to the ice against the Boston Bruins at the Gardens. The game was a rough one and at one point Richard and Bruins defenseman Hal Laycoe went at it.
When linesman Cliff Thompson intervened in the fight Richard thought it was one sided and floored Thompson. He was ejected from the game and NHL President Clarence Campbell ordered a hearing two days later.
Campbell and Richard were not friends, would never exchange Christmas cards and Richard was convinced that Campbell had it out for him. Campbell also often listened to the advice of league power brokers like Conn Smyth and they insisted that Richard's attack of an official had to be punished severely. So Campbell dropped the hammer and suspended Richard for the final three games of the year and the playoffs.
The News quickly spread across Montreal leaving the populous of Montreal in a state of Rage. It didn't help that the Habs were playing the Red Wings that night and first place was on the line.
Despite warnings from the police, both Richard and Campbell attended the game that night. Campbell entered the game late and the fans noticed him and began to pelt him with fruit and vegetables, one fan raced up the stairs and punched Campbell in the face and a tear gas canister exploded in the crowd near ice level.
Richard and his wife fled to safety in the arena clinic, to their surprise Campbell had also been rushed there to protect him. Richard was warned not to talk to him, and they glared at each other until Campbell left.
A riot broke out outside of the forum and things spiralled out of control. By the time Richard and his wife had gotten home Canadians Frank Selke called him and convinced Richard to go on TV and Radio to try to calm things down. Richard spoke to the Canadian fans and told them that he deserved the suspension though he thought it was too long, and with that the riot slowly subsided.
The Red Wings were given the win by forfeit costing the Habs first place. Bernie Geoffrion was soundly boo'd out of the building by Habs fans as he overtook Richard and won the scoring title by a single point.
Without Richard, the Habs still made the finals but they lost to the Red Wings in 7 games. Richard would never win the scoring title that he coveted for so long.
Trivia
The NHL begins the practice of maintaining an out of town scoreboard in every arena.
The NHL rules that the referee and linesmen have to wear the Zebra stripped shirts.
Teams begin to wear coloured sweaters at home and white sweaters on the road.
In Detroit Tommy Ivan steps down as coach after seven dominant seasons and is replaced by Jimmy Skinner.
after a slow start the Bruins bring in recently retired Milt Schmidt as coach.
Sid Abel is fired by Chicago after a terrible season and is replaced by Frank Eddolls.
Canadian's goalie Gerry McNeil retires at 28 years of age opening the door for Jacques Plante.
The Red Wings win the regular season title with 95 points finishing two ahead of Montreal.
Bernie Geoffrion ties Maurice Richard for the goal scoring lead with 38.
Bernie Geoffrion wins the scoring crown with 75 points one ahead of Richard.
Toronto goalie Harry Lumley has the leagues best Gaa for the second year in a row with a 1.94 gaa.
The Wall of Misery Terry Sawchuk leads all goalies with 40 wins and takes the Vezina.
Gump Worsley takes back his job in New York.
Canadian's defenseman Doug Harvey breaks an NHL record for defensemen with 43 breaking Babe Pratts old record.
The Zamboni makes its debut on March 10th at the Montreal forum.
Detroit faces Toronto in one semifinal while Montreal takes on Boston.
Even without Richard the Habs lay a beating down on the Bruins outscoring them 16-9 in a five game series.
Detroit lays a whooping down on the Leafs winning 4-0.
In the finals, the Habs take a 2-1 lead into the third period of game one but the Wings roar back to win 4-2.
The Wings lay a beating on the Habs in game 2 7-1 as Ted Lindsay scores 4 goals.
In game 3 the Habs win 4-3 and follow it up with a 5-3 win in game 4.
Detroit beats the Canadians in game 5 5-1, but the Canadians send the series to 7th heaven with a 6-3 win.
Alex Delvecchio scores twice as the Wings take their 4th Cup in 6 years.
Gordie Howe who scored the cup winning goal sets a NHL record for playoff points with 20 in 11 games.
Toronto's Ted Kennedy wins the Hart Trophy and announces his retirement.
Toronto's Sid Smith wins the Lady Byng Trophy.
Chicago rookie Ed Litzenberger scores 51 points and wins the Calder.
Doug Harvey wins the Norris Trophy.
Michigan wins its fifth NCAA title beating Colorado College in the finals.
In the 1940s, some teams had begun voluntarily to wear contrasting colours (including Montreal’s now odd-looking original white uniform), but at the NHL meetings in 1950 the use of contrasting uniforms became mandatory. The reason was due to the increasing number of motion picture newsreels being made of the action (which would soon become black and white television), that the NHL required each team should wear contrasting colours to make it easier for viewers to distinguish the teams during the black and white broadcasts.'
The home team would wear dark, the visitor white. It was Hockey Night In Canada that suggested that the NHL switch in 1970 to the home team wearing white jerseys in order to show off visiting team’s away jerseys (which were deemed more interesting) for colour broadcasts. Which team wears the dark jerseys has changed back and forth in the forty years since, with currently the home team now wearing the dark.
Your source is wrong about the rules. Or at least not entirely right, not telling the full story.
Prior to '51 there were no rules, other than that the two competing teams couldn't wear the same colour. As such the Leafs had white sweaters to wear when playing the Rangers when they switched to blue uniforms in 1927 (from the St. Pats' green ones). The Red Wings originally wore white with red trim when they were still the Cougars and Falcons, but after they changed name to Red Wings in '32 they went to red. In '34 they added a white sweater to use in games against the Habs. In '35 likewise the Habs and the Americans added white sweaters to their get-up, and in 1940 the Black Hawks started wearing a white alternate too. The Bruins wore predominantly white to begin with, and so by the time the Original Six era began in '42 the only holdouts without white sweaters were the Rangers. (The Bruins added a yellow alternate in 1940, and a black one in 1948.)
The rule as instituted in '51 was whites at home, darks on the road, and the Rangers finally had to capitulate and added their white sweater design that's mostly unchanged today. But rest assured that was the rule—whites at home.
This famous photo of a bloodied Rocket Richard shaking a bruised Sugar Jim Henry's hand after game 7 of their series in '52:
The Canadiens were the higher seed; that game was played at the Forum in Montreal, and Richard & Co. wore WHITE!
The rule changed in 1955 to darks at home, and back to whites at home in 1970, and then back to darks at home in 2003.
(Trivia: the Bruins added a yellow jersey as their primary home one in 1955. Until the rules flip-flopped again in 2003 the Bruins only (predominantly) wore black sweaters at home from 1967 to 1970!)
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One of the cool things about being a sports fan is once in a while you will see the game evolve based on one or two players.
Bobby Orr and Eddie Shore changed the position of defense. Wayne Gretzky changed puck pursuit. Connor McDavid bought whining to a whole new level.
We rarely talk about goalies as generational players. I mean frankly they are never in the discussion. But the the 50's, the NHL gave witness to two players that should be recognized as generational. Terry Sawchuk came in and dominated the league for years. Jacque Plante was generational for a different reason, I would argue that he was mentally generational. He evolved the game, go on buy his book, its not an autobiography but gives keen insight to how he thought the game and in his career how much he changed the position. This wouldn't occur again until Tony Esposito joined the NHL.
Now Plante was a unique individual, in his spare time he loved to knit wool caps. He was cocky and had a bizarre style of play that made it hard for shooters to figure things out. But Jacques Plante became the first goalie to leave the crease and chase down the puck, because in his mind it made it easier on his defence. He was the first goalie to head behind the net on shoot ins.
Purists hated him because he disrupted how teams played offensively.
Plante introduced this in 1953 as a rookie, he was battling Gerry McNeil for the starting position, and in the semifinals Dick Irwin took the risk and put Plante in.
Montreal came back from a 3-2 deficit to the Hawks, and then mowed down the Bruins in the finals on the back of Plante's 1.75 gaa.
In 1953-54, Plante remained a back up, but it was clear that when he took the net his antics and puck retrieval bothered other teams who wanted rules put in to keep the goalies in their creases.
When Gerry McNeil finally retired Plante became the starter and by 1955-56 he was considered to be the best goalie in the game and he remained that way for more then 5 seasons.
Lets be clear the Canadians were an excellent hockey team, but with Plante's goaltending they finished 24 points ahead of the 2nd place Bruins with a 45-15-10 record. Plante won his first of his 5 straight Vezina Trophies.
The Habs then cake walked past the Rangers and then the Bruins wining 8 games and losing 2, while Plante posted a 1.80 gaa.
Because of that, other goalies began to emulate Plante's wandering ways changing the NHL forever.
Then in 1959 after suffering a brutal cut, Jacque Plante donned a mask and made it part of his standard equipment. And the the goalies and league followed him.
Trivia
With Montreal scoring 2 or 3 goals per power play, Clarence Campbell proposes a rule where a penalized player returns to the ice after a goal is scored. Only Montreal votes against he rule change. Maurice Richard hen punches out Campbell (That didn't happen).
On June 3 the Wings and Bruins engage in a mega trade. Detroit sends Terry Sawchuk, Vic Stasiuk, Marcel Bonin and Lorne Davis to the Bruins for Gilles Boisvert, Real Chevrefils, Norm Corconran, Warren Godfrey and Ed Sandford.
The Wings trade Tong LEswich, Glen Skov, Johnny Wilsona and Benny Woit to Chicago for Dave Creighton, Bucky Hollingworth and Jerry Toppazzini.
The Wings trade Real Chevrefils and Jerry Toppazzini to Boston for Murray Costello and Lorne Ferguson.
On Aug 18th Detroit trades Dave Chreighton and Bronco Horvath to New York for Billy Dra and Aggie Kukulowicz
Eight games into the season Detroit reacquires Metro Pystai from Chicago for Ed Sandford.
Dick Irvin leaves the Habs after 15 years to rebuild the Hawks. Toe Blake takes over behind the bench in Montreal.
The Rangers promote Muzz Patrick to the GM spot and hire Phil Watson as their head coach.
Detroit's 7 year streak of first place ends as they finish 2nd to the Habs.
Jean Beliveau leads the league in goals with 47 and points with 88.
Jacques Plante leads all goalies with 42 wins and a 1.86 gaa.
Terry Sawchuk struggles with Boston leading the league in losses.
Detroit rookie Glenn Hall posts 12 shutouts.
Henri Richard joins his brother in Montreal and gains the nickname "Pocket Rocket", millions of Canadians snicker at the nickname.
The Rangers end their playoff drought with a 3rd place finish. They are lead by sophomore defenseman Lou Fontinato who takes the penalty crown with 202 minutes in penalties.
The playoffs feature the Habs taking on the Rangers and Detroit against Toronto.
Montreal crushes the Rangers in 5 games outscoring then 24-9.
The Red Wings dispatch the Leafs in 5 games.
The finals match up the Wings and Canadians for the 4th time in 5 years. But its not close as the Habs clinch the cup in game 5.
Jean Beliveau wins the Hart Trophy.
Jaques Plante wins the Vezina Trophy.
Dutch Reibel of the Wings wins the Lady Byng.
Detroit goalie Glenn Hall wins the Calder.
Canadians' Doug Harvey wins his 2nd Norris Trophy.
The Toronto Marlboros win their second straight Memorial Cup and celebrate with a road trip to flavor country.
In a massive upset the Soviets win their first Olympic Gold Medal in their first appearance in the Olympics starting a long period of dominance. The Untied States finished 2nd and Canada third. Probably prompting a House of Common's investigation.
Michigan wins its 6th NCAA title beating Michigan Tech in the finals.
Although Conn Smythe was never NHL president, he might as well should have been. His best stooge was NHL President Clarence Campbell, and part of the reason for the lengthy suspension of Maurice Richard was by direction of Smythe. But every league decision went through the owners and especially Conn Smythe.
But he was starting to lose power, mainly because his Leaf's team was sinking rapidly, and on the league front a new threat had formed against the NHL and their powerful owners.
At the 1956 NHL All Star game several players including Leaf's Captain Jim Thomson, Ted Lindsy, Dough Harvey, Chicago's Gus Mortson, the Ranger's Bill Gadsby and the Bruins; Fernie Flaman talked about forming a player union and in on Feb 11th 1957 the NHLPA was unveiled.
The League and Smythe instantly went to war with the Union. Smythe branded Thomson as a traitor, and then bought every one of his players in for a 3rd degree threatening them if they joined the union.
The other teams joined in on the inquisition, but the Union wouldn't go away. Smythe ordered the benching of his Captain and order Leaf's GM Hap Day to leave him at home for the teams final road trip.
The mutiny at Maple Leaf Garden's got worse. Day became an outcast when he innocently backed the idea of a Union and Smythe turned on him as well as coach Howie Meeker.
Day left the Leafs fracturing a 20 year friendship with Smythe, Meeker was promoted temporarily to the GM seat, but the Leafs were terrible and nothing was going well for Smythe. Meanwhile he was facing a palace revolt lead by his son Stafford and his six partners including JOhn Basset, Harold Ballard, George Mara, George Amell, George Gardiner and Bill Hatch.
Conn respected people that were willing to stand up to him, and this backfired as his son decided to fight his dad for control of the Leafs.
The NHL and Clarence Campbell jumped into the fight with the Union as Campbell threatened to terminate the pensions of Union players, but the NHLPA and their lawyer Milton Mound pushed forward and the Union survived the season.
but the fall out for the players that formed the NHLPA was horrendous. Ted Lindsay was sent to the Black Hawks as was Thomson. Montreal's Doug Harvey's relationship with the Habs suffered but he was bullet proof because he helped the Leafs to the Stanley Cup the year before.
Although the players attempted to maintain their solidarity. The League owners pressured and threatened players that were with the Union and cracks started to form and players started defecting which undermined the Union. The first NHLPA disbanded in the 1957-58 season and it would be more then a decade before they would try again.
Trivia
The new penalty rule where the penalized player would return to the ice after a power play goal was enacted thanks to Montreal's awesome pp.
King Clancy is replaced behind the Leaf's bench by Howie Meeker.
Black Hawks coach Dick Irvin steps down due to poor health, as the Hawks have 6 consecutive last last finishes. He's replaced by General Manager Tommy Ivan.
The Red Wings finish first in the NHL with a 38-20-12 record finishing 6 points ahead of the Habs.
Norm Ullman takes the center position on Detroit's production line.
Gordie Howe leads the league with 44 goals and 89 points.
Boom Boom Geoffrion replaces Maurice Richard on Montreal's top line with Bert Olmstead and Jean Beliveau.
Rocket Richard despite his demotion ties Jean Beliveau for the goal scoring lead on the Habs with 33 goals and then receives a 2 minute penalty for looking so good.
Andy Bathgate sets a Ranger's record with 77 points.
Terry Sawchuk plays erratically in net for Boston,
Montreal's Doug Harvey leads all defensemen with 50 points.
Jacques Plant win's the gaa crown with a 2.02 gaa he also leads all goalies with 9 shutouts.
Chicago's Gus Mortson leads the league in penalties with 147 pim.
Mike Bossy is born on Jan 22, 1957 in Montreal. His dad does a fist pump and brags about nailing the corner.
The playoffs feature Detroit vs Boston and Montreal vs the Rangers.
The Bruins upset the Wings in 5 games.
Montreal sends the Rangers golfing in 5 games as well.
With Don Simmons replacing a ill Terry Sawchuk in net for the Bruins, the Habs win game one of the finals with a walk away 5-1 victory.
Montreal wins the Stanley Cup with a 5-1 win in game 5.
Gordie Howe wins the Art Ross for scoring and the Hart Trophy.
Jacques Plant wins his second straight Vezina Trophy.
Andy Hebenton of the Rangers wins the Lady Byng.
Larry Regan of the Bruins who scored 14 of his career 41 goals in his rookie campaign wins the Calder.
Doug Harvey of the Canadians wins his 3rd of 7 Norris Trophies.
Colorado College ends Michigans dynasty for good crushing the Wolverines 13-6 in the NCAA finals.
The Flin Flon bombers win the Memorial Cup.
Dick Irwin succumbs to Bone Cancer on May 15, 1957.
The Canadians had won two Cups in a row, and now wanted to tie the Leaf's record of 3 Stanley Cups in a row. The Canadians were still a powerhouse despite the aging Maurice Richard slipping into a lower gear.
Richard even admitted that he had trouble keeping up with his line mates Dickie Moore and Henri Richard.
Moore was at the time considered to be the greatest Canadians. He wasn't flashy like the Rocket of Geoffrion. Nor was he natural like Jean Beliveau. But Moore was a great combination of tenacity and skill and had lead the NHL in scoring for the next two seasons.
During the Habs record run of 5 straight cups. from 1956 through 1960 Moore was the engine of the Canadians, if Beliveau or Geoffrion or Richard were injured it didn't matter because they had Moore. As Harvey and Richard faded Moore lead the way.
Moore was also underrated tough. He feuded with "Terrible" Ted Lindsay which is like fighting a Tiger.
Up until 1956 Moore was a disappointment until he finally played a 70 game schedule and took off. But his personal mission was to win the scoring title in 1957-58 when he was locked in a 3 way battle with Henri Richard and Andy Bathgate of the Rangers. Then Moore broke his wrist and the Habs feared they would lose him for the season. But Moore had other ideas, he had a custom cast made and then took care of the rest.
Moore managed to play in every game with a bulky cast that took away his ability to stick handle and shoot the puck but he still scored 36 goals and 84 points.
The Canadians finished the season 19 points ahead of the 2nd place Rangers. Then the Habs blew out the Wings in the first round and the flew past the Bruins in the finals with Moore leading the way as the Habs won their 3rd straight cup.
Trivia
After two terrible years with the Bruins, Terry Sawchuk is traded back to the Wings for Jonny Bucyk.
The Red Wings trade Glenn Hall and Ted Lindsay to Chicago for Johnny Wilson, Hank Bassen, Forbes Kennedy and Bill Preston.
Johnny Wilson takes the Left Wing spot on the production line.
Willie O'ree the first black man to play in the NHL is signed for the Bruins and plays 2 games.
Maurice Richard scores his 500th goal on Oct 19, 1957 against Chicago.
Detroit replaces Johnny Skinner with Sid Abel.
The Hawks are revitalized with Glenn Hall and rookie Left Winger Bobby Hull, but they still miss the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 years.
Dickie Moore wins the scoring Championship with 84 points.
During a practice mid season Boom Boom Geoffrion collides with a team mate and ruptures his bowel. He is given last rights, but survives his injury after major surgery.
Jacques Plante leads all goalies with 9 shutouts and a 2.11 gaa.
Dickie Moore leads the league with 36 goals and 84 points.
The Rangers climb to second place despite the team feuding with coach Phil Watson.
Ranger's Bill Gadsby leads all defensemen with 46 points.
New York's Lou Fontinato leads the league with 152 penalty minutes.
The playoffs feature Montreal vs Detroit and New York vs Boston.
The Bruins beat the Rangers in a lopsided 6 game series.
Montreal blows the doors off of Detroit in 4 games.
Montreal outclasses the Bruins in 5 games to win their 3rd straight Cup.
Gordie Howe wins his fourth Hart Trophy.
Jacques Plante claims his third straight Vezina.
Camile "The Eel" Henry wins the Lady Byng Trophy.
Frank Mahovlich of the Leafs wins the Calder Trophy.
Montreal's Dough Harvey wins his 4th straight Norris Trophy.
Denver University beats North Dakota in the NCAA finals.
Ottawa-Hull Junior Canadians win the Memorial Cup.
Debuts
Willie O'Ree, Boston Bruins (first-ever black player to play in the NHL)
