Keys To The 1931-32 NHL Season

1931-32 marked the fifteenth season of the National Hockey League. A long, long way from the game that is played in thirty NHL cities today, 1931-32 still leaves us with some timeless names like Howie Morenz, King Clancy, Babe Siebert and Busher Jackson. What follows are seven keys to the 1931-32 NHL season.

The Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Quakers left the league after the 1930-31 season, reducing the NHL to eight teams for 1931-32. The league was divided into two divisions of four teams, the Canadian and American. Ottawa returned the following season but the Quakers were not to rise again.

1931-32 was the last time the Detroit franchise would be nicknamed the Falcons. Following bankruptcy at the end of the season, the team was re-organized and came out as the Red Wings for the 1932-33 season.

The Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s most valuable player went to Howie Morenz of the Montreal Canadiens. Morenz led the Canadiens with 49 points in 48 games as the team finished atop the Canadian Division. Morenz was third in points behind the Toronto duo of Busher Jackson and Joe Primeau.

The Canadiens finished first overall in the league. After winning the Stanley Cup the previous two seasons, Montreal was a heavy favourite to repeat. However, due to injuries, the Canadiens lost to the New York Rangers in the semi-finals.

The Toronto Maple Leafs enjoyed their first season in their new home, Maple Leaf Gardens. MLG was built in under six months at the start of 1931 and was ready for the November start to the 1931-32 season. Maple Leaf Gardens remained the home of the Maple Leafs until 1999.

Toronto christened their new home with a Stanley Cup victory. The Maple Leafs finished third overall and second in the Canadian Division during the regular season. They took out the Chicago Black Hawks and Montreal Maroons to earn a berth in the finals against the New York Rangers. Toronto swept New York in the best of five series. The first game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York. The second was on neutral ground at the Boston Garden and the final game was played at Maple Leaf Gardens.

It was fifteen years before the Art Ross Trophy was first given to the NHL’s top point getter. Busher Jackson was the NHL’s leader in 1931-32 with 53 points. Teammate Charlie Conacher led the league in goals with 34. Uncharacteristic of many defensive minded Toronto teams to come, the Maple Leafs led the league in total goals scored with 155.