1927-28 NHL season

The 1927-28 NHL season was the eleventh season of the National Hockey League. Ten teams played 44 games each. The New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup beating the Montreal Maroons becoming the first United States based team since the formation of the NHL to win it and first since the Seattle Metropolitans won in 1917. This season saw the reintroduction of the O'Brien Trophy, which used to go to the NHL league champion. It was originally retired in favour of the Prince of Wales Trophy. The O'Brien Trophy went to the winner of the Canadian Division while the Prince of Wales Trophy went to the winner of the American division.

League Business

 * The Ross goal, developed by Boston Bruins General Manager Art Ross is adopted as the official net of the league.
 * The O'Brien Trophy is first awarded to the winner of the Canadian Division and the Prince of Wales Trophy is first awarded to the winner of the American Division.

Regular Season
The Ottawa Senators, by far the smallest market in the league, were affected by franchises in the U.S., escalating salaries, and were in financial trouble as a result and requested a bigger road receipt from the other teams. They also sold their star right wing Hooley Smith to the Montreal Maroons for $22,500 plus the return of right wing Punch Broadbent, followed by the sale of defenceman Edwin Gorman to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Part of the problem was that fans in Ottawa tended to only attend games with Canadian opponents.

During the December 3, 1927 New York Americans-Montreal Canadiens game, goalie Joe Miller was injured with the Canadiens ahead 4-0. Miller was replaced for the last 19 minutes by forward Normie Himes who held the Habs scoreless.

Howie Morenz, the NHL's top drawing card, dominated the scoring race and was runaway winner of the Hart Trophy. He scored 33 goals and led the league in assists as well. Despite Ottawa's financial difficulties, Alex Connell, Ottawa goalkeeper, set an all-time record with six consecutive shutouts or a period of 460 minutes and 59 seconds without being scored on.

Toronto, now the Maple Leafs, showed power early on and it looked like they would make the playoffs. However, injuries to Hap Day and Bill Carson doomed the team, and the Leafs sagged to fourth, out of the playoffs.

Thanks to the great play of Eddie Shore and goaltender Hal Winkler, who tied with Connell for the leader in shutouts with 15, the Boston Bruins finished won the American Division for the first time, while the Canadiens, who were running away with the Canadian Division at mid-season, slumped after an injury to Pit Lepine but managed to hold onto first place at season's end.

Scoring Leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Leading Goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; SO = Shut outs; GAA = Goals against average

Playoff Bracket
In the Canadian Division, the Montreal Maroons beat the Ottawa Senators and then went to the limit against the Canadiens before Russell Oatman put the Maroons into the finals with a goal in overtime.

New York Rangers 5 Goals, Boston Bruins 2 Goals
The Bruins gained a first-round bye by virtue of winning the division, and played the New York Rangers in the second round in a two-game, total goal series. Their scoring problems of the regular season continued, exacerbated by a flu bug going through the dressing room and various minor injuries. Eddie Shore, Dit Clapper, Dutch Gainor and Harry Connor were particularly affected.

Boston tied the first game 1-1 in New York, the Rangers' final home game of the playoffs - this was the first of perennial disruptions to the Rangers' playoff schedule due to Madison Square Garden hosting the circus in the spring. The Bruins lost the second match in Boston 4-1, on three Ranger third-period goals as the weakened Brown-and-Gold folded at last, to drop the total-goal series five goals to two. Harry Oliver, who scored a goal in each game, was the sole offensive threat.

Attendance

 * 1) Montreal Canadiens: 219,000
 * 2) Montreal Maroons: 192,000
 * 3) New York Rangers: 163,000
 * 4) Boston Bruins: 149,000
 * 5) Detroit Falcons: 142,000
 * 6) New York Americans: 125,000
 * 7) Toronto Maple Leafs: 101,000
 * 8) Ottawa Senators: 99,000
 * 9) Chicago Blackhawks: 73,000
 * 10) Pittsburgh Pirates: 40,000

Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1927-28 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
 * Dit Clapper, Boston Bruins
 * Norman Gainor, Boston Bruins
 * Cy Wentworth, Chicago Black Hawks
 * Charlie Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks
 * Larry Aurie, Detroit Cougars
 * Marty Burke, Montreal Canadiens
 * Jimmy Ward, Montreal Maroons
 * Joe Lamb, Montreal Maroons
 * Marty Barry, New York Americans
 * Allan Shields, Ottawa Senators
 * Joe Primeau, Toronto Maple Leafs

Last Games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1927-28 (listed with their last team):
 * Sprague Cleghorn, Boston Bruins
 * Corb Denneny, Chicago Black Hawks
 * Frank Foyston, Detroit Cougars
 * Jack Walker, Detroit Cougars
 * Billy Boucher, New York Americans
 * Odie Cleghorn, Pittsburgh Pirates