1907–08 ECAHA season



The 1907–08 Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA) season lasted from December 29, 1907 until March 7, 1908. Teams played a ten game schedule. The Montreal Wanderers would win the league championship with a record of eight wins, two losses.

Executive

 * Dr. George Cameron, Montreal (President)
 * Joe Power, Quebec (1st Vice-President)
 * Patrick J. Baskerville, Ottawa (2nd Vice-President)
 * W. P. Lunny, Shamrocks (Secretary-Treasurer)

The Nationals applied for a franchise but did not get three-fourths approval.

Mr. Baskerville demanded better protection be given visiting teams at Quebec, as stones had been thrown at the Senators on their last visit.

Rule Changes

 * Teams could now openly pay players. Players would have to declare their professional or amateur status. The Victorias would remain strictly amateur.

Hod Stuart Benefit All-Star Game
The first All-Star game in ice hockey was played on January 2, 1908 before 3,500 fans at the Montreal Arena between the Montreal Wanderers and a team of All-Stars players from the teams the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. It was held in memory of Montreal Wanderers player Hod Stuart, who had drowned three months after the Wanderers won the Stanley Cup in 1907. The sale of tickets, from 25 cents to $1, raised $2,000 for Mr. Stuart's widow and two children.

Source:

Regular Season
Marty Walsh of Ottawa and Russell Bowie of Victorias tied for the scoring championship with 28 goals apiece. This was the fifth time in ten seasons that Mr. Bowie would lead scorers.

There was a large amount of player turnover. For the Wanderers, Hod Stuart of Wanderers had died in the off-season, Lester Patrick had moved west, and new players would include Art Ross from Brandon, Tom Hooper of Kenora and Ernie Russell formerly of Montreal HC.

For Ottawa, Harry Smith and Hamby Shore moved to Winnipeg. This was Cyclone Taylor's first season for Ottawa and Tom Phillips and Marty Walsh joined the team.

Montreal Shamrocks signed up Didier Pitre and Jack Laviolette from the International League.

Quebec Bulldogs had three Power brothers in the lineup: Joe, Charles aka 'Chubby' and 'Rocket'.

Montreal Victorias signed Frank Patrick of McGill and Billy Gilmour of Ottawa.

On January 28, the Wanderers played Renfrew Creamery Kings of the Federal League in Brockville, Ontario for a bet of $400, (Wanderers expenses were provided). Wanderers played without three of their players from winning the Stanley Cup (Blatchford, Glass and Smail) and lost 11–5 to Renfrew.

Highlights
Ottawa opened their new Arena, hosting the Wanderers on January 11, 1908, overloading capacity with 7,100 attending. Ottawa defeated the Wanderers 12–2. Ottawa and Wanderers were tied for first going into their rematch on February 29th, when the Ottawa manager J. P. Dickson resigned in a dispute over which train to take to Montreal. At the time, two trains were available for the trip, and the two would race, with betting taking place on the winner. In the actual game, the two defense stars Ross and Taylor would lead end-to-end rushes, and the game would be tied until Mr. Taylor was injured, and Bruce Stuart and Walter Smaill would score for the Wanderers to win 4–2.

On January 18, Quebec would defeat Montreal 18–5, with Chubby Power scoring six.

Russell Bowie would score five in a game three times, Marty Walsh would have the biggest game, scoring seven, and six in another. Tom Phillips would score five twice, Herb Jordan would score six and five, and Jack Marshall would score five twice.

Results

 * 1907


 * 1908

Stanley Cup Challenges
Wanderers played in three challenges, during the season against Ottawa Victorias and after the season, against Winnipeg and Toronto.

Wanderers vs. Ottawa
During the season, Wanderers would play a challenge against the Ottawa Victorias of the Federal Amateur Hockey League. On January 9–13, the Wanderers would win 9–3, 13–1 (22–4).

Wanderers vs. Winnipeg
Wanderers defeated Winnipeg Maple Leafs in a two-game series 11–5, 9–3 (20–8) March 10–12.

Wanderers vs. Toronto
They would then play Toronto Professionals of the Ontario Professional Hockey League and defeat them 6–4 on March 14 on two late goals by Ernie Johnson and Bruce Stuart.