When the ‘Original Six’ era of the National Hockey League is
mentioned, it gives the false impression that the league began with six teams
and that number wasn’t altered until the 1967-68 expansion season. This
couldn’t be further from the truth as franchises came and franchises went in
the early days of the NHL. At times, there were as many as ten teams in the
league. Test and broaden your hockey knowledge with the following four trivia
questions.
Q. The St. Louis Blues began play in the 1967-68 season but they are
not the first NHL franchise to play in the city. What is the name of the
original NHL team located in St. Louis?
A. For just one
season, 1934-35, the St. Louis Eagles played in the NHL. The Eagles were an
attempt to relocate the original Ottawa Senators franchise. The Eagles were
coached by Buck
Boucher and finished last overall in the nine team NHL with just 28 points
over 48 regular season games.
St. Louis was led in scoring by Carl Voss, member
of the Hockey Hall of Fame and Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year in
1932-33. Syd Howe was also on the roster and ended up in the Hockey Hall of
Fame after moving on to a stellar career with the Detroit Red Wings.
Q. When was the first season that the NHL was reduced to the ‘Original
Six’?
A. 1942-43 was
the first year the NHL was reduced to six teams. The league would remain with
the same six members until the 1967-68 season when the league would double in
size. In 1942-43, the Detroit Red Wings finished first overall with 61 points
over 50 regular season games, just four points ahead of the Boston Bruins.
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Detroit beat out the Toronto
Maple Leafs in six games while the Bruins ousted the Montreal Canadiens in
five. In the finals, it was no contest with the Red Wings sweeping the Bruins
in four, outscoring their opponents 16-5 on the series.
Doug Bentley of the Chicago Blackhawks led the NHL with 73
points, one ahead of Bill Cowley of the Boston Bruins. Interestingly, Cowley
started his career in 1934-35 with the St. Louis Eagles before spending the next
eleven years with Boston.
Q. What team left the NHL after the 1941-42 season to reduce the league
to six teams?
A. The Brooklyn
Americans called it quits after being in the league since 1925. Until that
season, they were known as the New York Americans. In the 17 seasons between
1925-26 and 1941-42, the Americans reached the Stanley Cup playoffs just five
times and won a series just twice. Ironically, the Americans came into the
National Hockey League a year before the New York Rangers.
Q. The Philadelphia Flyers are not the city’s first NHL team. What was
the name of the original team located in the City of Brotherly Love?
A. The Philadelphia
Quakers played just one season in the NHL, 1930-31. The franchise had been
located in Pittsburgh since the 1925-26 season and known as the Pirates. The
1930-31 Quakers won just four of 44 regular season games and tied four for 12
points. They finished dead last in the ten team NHL, 12 points behind ninth
place Ottawa.
Syd Howe
played this for this one season wonder, as well. It was Howe’s second year in
the league after playing 14 games for the Ottawa Senators in his rookie season.
