1939-40 NHL season

The 1939-40 NHL season was the 23rd season for the National Hockey League. Of the league's seven teams, the Boston Bruins were the best in the 48-game regular season, but the Stanley Cup winners were the New York Rangers, who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the best-of-seven Finals 4-2 for their third Stanley Cup in 14 seasons of existence. It would be another 54 years before their fourth.

Pre-Season

Training Camp Sites:

Boston Bruins - Hershey, Pennsylvania

Chicago Black Hawks - Hibbing, Minnesota

Detroit Red Wings - Detroit, Michigan

Montreal Canadiens - Montreal, Quebec

New York Americans - Port Arthur, Ontario

New York Rangers - Winnipeg, Manitoba

Toronto Maple Leafs - St. Catharines, Ontario

Regular Season

Tragedy struck the Montreal Canadiens when Babe Siebert, named coach of the struggling club, drowned along with his daughter in August. It put a big hole in the Habs defence and the team finished last under Pit Lepine. An all-star benefit was held in Siebert's memory.

The New York Americans, in financial trouble, decided to trade their star left wing Sweeney Schriner to Toronto for Harvey "Busher" Jackson, Buzz Boll, Murray Armstrong, and minor-leaguer Jimmy Fowler. Late in the season, they traded Eddie Wiseman and $5000 to Boston for Eddie Shore. The Americans then managed to make the playoffs by finishing a poor sixth. They also obtained Charlie Conacher and used him as a defenceman.

The first place Boston Bruins had a new coach in Cooney Weiland, their one-time captain, and were once again led by their "Kraut Line", Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart, and Bobby Bauer as they finished 1-2-3 in overall league scoring. Unfortunately, the potient three were unable to help the Bruins get past the first round of the playoffs as the Bruins lost in 6 to the Rangers.

The New York Rangers were coasting in first place and went 19 consecutive games without a loss. They slumped in the second half, though, and Boston edged them out for first place.

The New York Rangers-Montreal Canadiens 6-2 game on February 25 1940 was the first ice hockey game ever in the USA to be shown on TV.

Final Standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highligted in bold

National Hockey League	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Boston Bruins	48	31	12	5	67	170	98	330
New York Rangers	48	27	11	10	64	136	77	520
Toronto Maple Leafs	48	25	17	6	56	134	110	485
Chicago Black Hawks	48	23	19	6	52	112	120	351
Detroit Red Wings	48	16	26	6	38	90	126	250
New York Americans	48	15	29	4	34	106	140	236
Montreal Canadiens	48	10	33	5	25	90	167	338

Scoring Leaders

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

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Milt Schmidt	Boston Bruins	48	22	30	52
Woody Dumart	Boston Bruins	48	22	21	43
Bobby Bauer	Boston Bruins	48	17	26	43
Bill Cowley	Boston Bruins	48	13	27	40
Gordie Drillon	Toronto Maple Leafs	43	21	19	40
Bryan Hextall	New York Rangers	48	24	15	39
Neil Colville	New York Rangers	48	19	19	38
Syd Howe	Detroit Red Wings	48	14	23	37
Murray Armstrong	New York Americans	48	16	20	36
Toe Blake	Montreal Canadiens	48	17	19	36

Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Boston Bruins were expected to make the Stanley Cup finals after a first overall finish during the regular season riding the shoulders of the "Kraut Line". But the New York Rangers were too much for the Bruins who lost in six and were out-scored 14 to 8 and shut-out twice in the first round. The third seed Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks en route to the Stanley Cup finals.

Note: All dates in 1940

Playoff Bracket

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
						1	Boston Bruins	2
						2	New York Rangers	4
											2	New York Rangers	4
											3	Toronto Maple Leafs	2
	3	Toronto Maple Leafs	2
	4	Chicago Black Hawks	0
						3	Toronto Maple Leafs	2
						5	Detroit Red Wings	0
	5	Detroit Red Wings	2
	6	New York Americans	1

Series A: New York Rangers 4, Boston Bruins 2

The league's two best teams met in the second round of the playoffs, both teams having received byes in the first round. The Rangers held league leading scorer Milt Schmidt off the score sheet for the series and won 4-2, with goalie Dave Kerr posting three shutouts. The Rangers would go on to the beat the Leafs in the Finals.

Game 1 at Madison Square Garden was dominated by the Rangers. After Phil Watson put the Rangers up 1-0 in the second period, the "Bread Line" of Alex Shibicky, Neil Colville and Mac Colville took over. Combining for 7 points on a goal by Shibicky and two by Mac, the Rangers blanked the Bruins 4-0 with Dave Kerr earning the shutout.

Game 2 in Boston was special teams battle. A huge brawl in the first period saw seven players in the penalty box after which Mac Colville scored a Shorthanded goal. The Bruins special teams took over in the second period. Power play goals by Flash Hollett and Woody Dumart and a shorthanded goal by Herb Cain spotted them a 3-1 lead. The Rangers Dutch Hiller made it close at 9:56 of the third but Art Jackson sealed the Bruins 4-2 victory with a late goal. The Bruins Mel Hill was lost to injury for the remainder of the series.

Game 3 in Boston was a close affair with the team trading goals throughout the game. A pair by Eddie Wiseman, who opened the scoring at 7:21 of the first and netted the winner at 7:49 of the third period was the difference as the Bruins took game 3 by a 4-3 score and led in the series 2-1.

Game 4 in New York was a goaltending duel between Frank Brimsek and Kerr with the Rangers prevailing 1-0 on a 40 foot shot by Muzz Patrick at 10:40 of the third period to tie the series 2-2. The Bruins lost defenseman Des Smith to injury for the remainder of the series.

Game 5 in Boston was a repeat of Game 4 but with Babe Pratt scoring the game's only goal at 4:27 of the third period on a two on one with Alex Shibicky. The Bruins Art Jackson broke his ankle in the first period. With 20 seconds left, the Bruins pulled Brimsek for an extra attacker but to no avail. Dit Clapper hurt his ankle at the end of the game and wouldn't play in Game 6.

Game 6 in New York saw the Bruins go ahead 1-0 on a late first period goal by Roy Conacher assisted by Art Jackson's replacement Terry Reardon. But the shorthanded Bruins, playing without Jackson, Des Smith, Mel Hill and Clapper couldn't hold off the Rangers and Alf Pike tied it up in the second period. In the third, Alex Shibicky scored to make it 2-1 and in the process Robert "Red" Hamill took a major penalty for high-sticking and broke Shibicky's nose. The Rangers capitalized on the power play with goals by Clint Smith and Phil Watson to win the series with a 4-1 victory in front of their home town faithful.

Date	Home	Score	Away	Score	Notes
March 19	New York Rangers	4	Boston Bruins	0
March 21	Boston Bruins	4	New York Rangers	3
March 24	Boston Bruins	4	New York Rangers	2
March 26	New York Rangers	1	Boston Bruins	0
March 28	Boston Bruins	0	New York Rangers	1
March 30	New York Rangers	4	Boston Bruins	1

Rangers win best of seven series 4 games to 2

Series B: Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Chicago Black Hawks 0

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 19	Chicago Black Hawks	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	6:35 of OT
March 21	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	Chicago Black Hawks	1

Toronto wins best of three series 2 games to 0

Series C: Detroit Red Wings 2, New York Americans 1

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 19	New York Americans	1	Detroit Red Wings	2	0:25 of OT
March 22	Detroit Red Wings	4	New York Americans	5
March 24	New York Americans	1	Detroit Red Wings	3

Detroit wins best of three series 2 games to 1

Series D: Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Detroit Red Wings 0

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 26	Detroit Red Wings	1	Toronto Maple Leafs	2
March 28	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	Detroit Red Wings	1

Toronto wins best of three series 2 games to 0

Finals

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New York Rangers

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 2	Toronto Maple Leafs	1	New York Rangers	2	15:30 of OT
April 3	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	New York Rangers	6
April 6	New York Rangers	1	Toronto Maple Leafs	2
April 9	New York Rangers	0	Toronto Maple Leafs	3
April 11	New York Rangers	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	1	11:43 of OT
April 13	New York Rangers	3	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	2:07 of OT

New York wins best of seven series 4 games to 2

Playoff Scoring Leaders

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

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Phil Watson	New York Rangers	12	3	6	9
Neil Colville	New York Rangers	12	2	7	9

1940 New York Rangers Roster

General Manager: Lester Patrick
Head Coach: Frank Boucher
Trainer: Harry Westerby
Players: Art Coulter (Captain), Mac Colville, Neil Colville, Ott Heller, Bryan Hextall, Dutch Hiller, Dave Kerr, Kilby MacDonald, Lynn Patrick, Muzz Patrick, Alf Pike, Babe Pratt, Alex Shibicky, Clint Smith, Phil Watson

NHL Awards

O'Brien Trophy:	Toronto Maple Leafs
Prince of Wales Trophy:	Boston Bruins
Calder Memorial Trophy:	Kilby MacDonald, New York Rangers
Hart Memorial Trophy:	Ebbie Goodfellow, Detroit Red Wings
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:	Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
Vezina Trophy:	Dave Kerr, New York Rangers

All-Star Teams

First Team	Position	Second Team
Dave Kerr, New York Rangers	G	Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins
Dit Clapper, Boston Bruins	D	Art Coulter, New York Rangers
Ebbie Goodfellow, Detroit Red Wings	D	Earl Seibert, Chicago Black Hawks
Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins	C	Neil Colville, New York Rangers
Bryan Hextall, New York Rangers	RW	Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens	LW	Woody Dumart, Boston Bruins
Paul Thompson, Chicago Black Hawks	Coach	Frank Boucher, New York Rangers

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1939-40 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

• Doug Bentley, Chicago Black Hawks
• Johnny Mowers, Detroit Red Wings
• Nels Stewart, New York Americans
• Pat Egan, New York Americans
• Kilby MacDonald, New York Rangers

Last Games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1939-40 (listed with their last team):

• Tiny Thompson, Detroit Red Wings
• Cecil Dillon, Detroit Red Wings
• Hec Kilrea, Detroit Red Wings
• Cy Wentworth, Montreal Canadiens
• Earl Robinson, Montreal Canadiens
• Armand Mondou, Montreal Canadiens
• Marty Barry, Montreal Canadiens
• Doc Romnes, New York Americans
• Art Chapman, New York Americans
• Nels Stewart, New York Americans
• Eddie Shore, New York Americans
• Johnny Gagnon, New York Rangers
• Red Horner, Toronto Maple Leafs

Attendance

1. Chicago Blackhawks: 275,032
2. Toronto Maple Leafs: 271,031
3. Boston Bruins: 245,795
4. New York Rangers: 239,928
5. New York Americans: 170,905
6. Montreal Canadiens: 121,792
7. Detroit Red Wings: 107,512

Gallery

Mel Hill dressing in 1939, showing the paucity of equipment protection.

Mel Hill wearing the 1939-40 Bruins jersey.

Brimsek stops the Rangers #10 Clint Smith in a 1939 game.

Bruins Brimsek, #6 Jack Crawford and #18 Art Jackson defend against Bryan Hextall and #3 Ott Heller of the Rangers. Game 1 of the 1940 Semi-finals, March 19, 1940.

Bruins Brimsek, #6 Jack Crawford holds off Rangers #16 Alf Pike while #8 Des Smith defends against Lynn Patrick. Game 4 of the 1940 Semi-finals, March 26, 1940.

Video

A minute of highlights of the March 19, 1940 Semifinals Game 1 which the Rangers won over the Bruins 4-0 on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.

New York Rangers Defeat Boston Bruins in Stanley Cup Quarterfinal Game, Madison Square Garden (1940)

See Also

• List of Stanley Cup champions

References

• Hockey Database
• NHL.com