| 1926–27 Detroit Cougars | |
| Division | 5th American |
|---|---|
| 1926–27 record | 12–28–4 |
| Home record | 6–15–1 |
| Road record | 6–13–3 |
| Goals for | 76 |
| Goals against | 105 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Art Duncan |
| Coach | Art Duncan |
| Captain | Art Duncan |
| Arena | Border Cities Arena |
| Average attendance | 4,400 |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | John Sheppard (13) |
| Assists | John Sheppard (8) Gordon "Duke" Keats (8) |
| Points | John Sheppard (21) |
| Penalty minutes | John Sheppard (60) |
| Wins | Hap Holmes (11) |
| Goals against average | Herb Stuart (1.67) |
The 1926–27 Detroit Cougars season was the first season of National Hockey League (NHL) hockey in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Cougars finished at the bottom of the American Division as well as the league and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Founding[]
On May 15, 1926, the city of Detroit was granted a license to start an NHL franchise and begin play for the upcoming season. A group of investors from Detroit led by Charles A. Hughes, decided to purchase one of the most successful teams from the bankrupt Western Canada Hockey League. The Victoria Cougars had won the Stanley Cup in 1925, breaking the six year reign of only NHL teams winning the cup. (As of 2008, the 1925 Cougars are the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.) The investment group decided to buy the team on September 25, 1926 and keep the Cougars name, while relocating to Detroit.
Ad for the opening game.
Regular Season[]
Olympia Stadium wasn't finished being built in time for the 1926–27 season, so the Cougars began play in Border Cities Arena right across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. The team struggled as the players adjusted to the style of play in the NHL and the team finished with only twelve wins on the season and over $80,000 in debt. The team's total of 28 points is the lowest total points for a season in the Detroit Red Wings' franchise history.
Final Standings[]
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Rangers | 44 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 95 | 72 | 56 |
| Boston Bruins | 44 | 21 | 20 | 3 | 97 | 89 | 45 |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 44 | 19 | 22 | 3 | 115 | 116 | 41 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 44 | 15 | 26 | 3 | 79 | 108 | 33 |
| Detroit Cougars | 44 | 12 | 28 | 4 | 76 | 105 | 28 |
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
For complete final standings, see 1926–27 NHL season
Game Log[]
November[]
Record: 3–2–0; Home: 1–1–0; Road: 2–1–0
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Record | Pts |
| 1 | November 18 | Boston | 2 – 0 | Detroit | 0–1–0 | 0 | |
| 2 | November 20 | Detroit | 1 – 4 | Pittsburgh | 0–2–0 | 0 | |
| 3 | November 24 | Detroit | 1 – 0 | Chicago | 1–2–0 | 2 | |
| 4 | November 27 | NY Americans | 2 – 4 | Detroit | 2–2–0 | 4 | |
| 5 | November 30 | Detroit | 4 – 0 | Mtl. Maroons | 3–2–0 | 6 |
December[]
Record: 2–6–1; Home: 1–4–0; Road: 1–2–1
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Record | Pts |
| 6 | December 4 | NY Rangers | 0 – 1 | Detroit | 4–2–0 | 8 | |
| 7 | December 9 | Ottawa | 3 – 1 | Detroit | 4–3–0 | 8 | |
| 8 | December 11 | NY Americans | 4 – 2 | Detroit | 4–4–0 | 8 | |
| 9 | December 14 | Detroit | 2 – 7 | Boston | 4–5–0 | 8 | |
| 10 | December 16 | Detroit | 5 – 0 | Ottawa | 5–5–0 | 10 | |
| 11 | December 19 | Detroit | 1 – 1 | NY Rangers | OT | 5–5–1 | 11 |
| 12 | December 23 | Mtl. Canadiens | 3 – 2 | Detroit | 5–6–1 | 11 | |
| 13 | December 25 | Detroit | 0 – 2 | Chicago | 5–7–1 | 11 | |
| 14 | December 30 | Mtl. Maroons | 2 – 0 | Detroit | 5–8–1 | 11 |
January[]
Record: 3–8–1; Home: 1–2–0; Road: 2–6–1
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Record | Pts |
| 15 | January 1 | Pittsburgh | 3 – 2 | Detroit | 5–9–1 | 11 | |
| 16 | January 4 | Toronto | 2 – 1 | Detroit | 5–10–1 | 11 | |
| 17 | January 6 | Detroit | 3 – 1 | Pittsburgh | 6–10–1 | 13 | |
| 18 | January 9 | Detroit | 1 – 4 | NY Rangers | 6–11–1 | 13 | |
| 19 | January 11 | Detroit | 1 – 0 | NY Americans | OT | 7–11–1 | 15 |
| 20 | January 13 | Boston | 2 – 3 | Detroit | 8–11–1 | 17 | |
| 21 | January 15 | Detroit | 1 – 1 | Toronto | OT | 8–11–2 | 18 |
| 22 | January 18 | Detroit | 3 – 5 | Mtl. Canadiens | 8–12–2 | 18 | |
| 23 | January 22 | Detroit | 0 – 1 | Pittsburgh | 8–13–2 | 18 | |
| 24 | January 25 | Detroit | 1 – 2 | Mtl. Maroons | 8–14–2 | 18 | |
| 25 | January 27 | Detroit | 1 – 3 | Ottawa | 8–15–2 | 18 | |
| 26 | January 29 | Detroit | 0 – 2 | NY Rangers | 8–16–2 | 18 |
February[]
Record: 2–6–0; Home: 2–4–0; Road: 0–2–0
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Record | Pts |
| 27 | February 1 | Chicago | 3 – 4 | Detroit | OT | 9–16–2 | 20 |
| 28 | February 8 | Detroit | 0 – 2 | Boston | 9–17–2 | 20 | |
| 29 | February 12 | Mtl. Canadiens | 4 – 1 | Detroit | 9–18–2 | 20 | |
| 30 | February 15 | Toronto | 1 – 5 | Detroit | 10–18–2 | 22 | |
| 31 | February 17 | Ottawa | 2 – 1 | Detroit | 10–19–2 | 22 | |
| 32 | February 19 | Chicago | 4 – 1 | Detroit | 10–20–2 | 22 | |
| 33 | February 22 | Detroit | 2 – 3 | Boston | 10–21–2 | 22 | |
| 34 | February 24 | Mtl. Maroons | 2 – 0 | Detroit | 10–22–2 | 22 |
March[]
Record: 2–6–2; Home: 1–4–1; Road: 1–2–1
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Record | Pts |
| 35 | March 1 | Detroit | 0 – 3 | Mtl. Canadiens | 10–23–2 | 22 | |
| 36 | March 5 | Detroit | 2 – 4 | Toronto | 10–24–2 | 22 | |
| 37 | March 8 | Chicago | 4 – 1 | Detroit | 10–25–2 | 22 | |
| 38 | March 10 | Pittsburgh | 1 – 7 | Detroit | 11–25–2 | 24 | |
| 39 | March 13 | NY Rangers | 2 – 2 | Detroit | OT | 11–25–3 | 25 |
| 40 | March 15 | Detroit | 1 – 0 | NY Americans | 12–25–3 | 27 | |
| 41 | March 17 | NY Rangers | 2 – 0 | Detroit | 12–26–3 | 27 | |
| 42 | March 19 | Boston | 3 – 1 | Detroit | 12–27–3 | 27 | |
| 43 | March 22 | Detroit | 3 – 3 | Chicago | OT | 12–27–4 | 28 |
| 44 | March 26 | Pittsburgh | 6 – 4 | Detroit | OT | 12–28–4 | 28 |
- Green background indicates win.
- Red background indicates regulation loss.
- Yellow background indicates tie.
Playoffs[]
- The Detroit Cougars did not qualify for the post season.
Player Stats[]
Scoring Leaders[]
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| Johnny Sheppard | F | 43 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 60 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Gordon "Duke" Keats* | C | 25 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 42 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Frank Foyston | C | 41 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Clem Loughlin | D | 34 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 40 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Fred Gordon | RW | 36 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Frank Fredrickson* | C | 16 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Archie Briden* | LW | 32 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 36 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Jack Walker | F | 37 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Pete Bellefeuille* | RW | 18 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 14 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Jack Arbour | D | 37 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 46 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Art Duncan | D | 34 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Russell Oatman* | LW | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Harold "Slim" Halderson* | D | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Chapman "Hobie" Kitchen | F | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 42 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| James Riley* | D | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Harold "Gizzy" Hart* | LW | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Harry Meeking* | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
*Stats reflect games played with Detroit only.
Goaltending[]
Note: GP = Games olayed; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | GAA | ||
| Hap Holmes | 41 | 2685 | 11 | 26 | 4 | 100 | 6 | 2.23 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Herb Stuart | 3 | 180 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1.67 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Awards and Records[]
- The Cougars did not receive any awards this season.
Transactions[]
The Cougars were involved in the following transactions during the 1926–27 season.
| October 18, 1926 | To Detroit Cougars Art Duncan |
To Montreal Canadiens Gord Fraser Art Gagne |
| October 27, 1926 | To Detroit Cougars Fred Gordon |
To Saskatoon Crescents (WHL) Cash |
| December 12, 1926 | To Detroit Cougars Cash |
To Montreal Canadiens Harold "Gizzy" Hart |
| January 6, 1927 | To Detroit Cougars Cash |
To Montreal Maroons Russell Oatman |
| January 7, 1927 | To Detroit Cougars Archie Briden Gordon "Duke" Keats |
To Boston Bruins Frank Fredrickson Harry Meeking |
| January 7, 1927 | To Detroit Cougars Pete Bellefeuille |
To Toronto St. Pats Harold "Slim" Halderson |
Roster[]
| 1926–27 Detroit Red Wings Roster | |
|---|---|
|
Goaltenders: Defensemen 2 Loughlin • 3 Halderson • 4 Meeking • 8 Duncan • 11 Riley • 15 Arbour • Forwards 3 Bellefeuille • 4 Briden • 5 Fredrickson • 5 Keats • 6 Walker • 7 Oatman • 9 Sheppard • 10 Foyston • 11 Kitchen • 12 Gordon • 13 Hart • General Manager: Art Duncan • Coach: Art Duncan | |
See Also[]
External Links[]
- Player stats: Detroit Red Wings player stats on hockeydb.com
- Game log: Detroit Red Wings game log on detroithockey.net
- Team standings: NHL standings on hockeydb.com
| Detroit Red Wings | |
|---|---|
| Team | Franchise • Players • Coaches • GMs • Seasons • Draft Picks • Little Caesars Arena |
| Stanley Cups | 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008 |
| Affiliates | Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), Toledo Walleye (ECHL) |
| 1926–27 NHL season by team | |
|---|---|
| Canadian Division | Mtl Canadiens • Mtl Maroons • NY Americans • Ottawa • Toronto |
| American Division | Boston • Chicago • Detroit • NY Rangers • Pittsburgh |
| See also | Stanley Cup Finals |
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