1966 Stanley Cup playoffs

	1965–66 NHL season
League	National Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	October 23, 1965 – May 5, 1966
Number of games	70
Number of teams	6
Draft
Top draft pick	Andre Veilleux
Picked by	New York Rangers
Regular season
Season champion	Montreal Canadiens
Season MVP	Bobby Hull (Black Hawks)
Top scorer	Bobby Hull (Black Hawks)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVP	Roger Crozier (Red Wings)
Stanley Cup
Champions	Montreal Canadiens
Runners-up	Detroit Red Wings
NHL seasons
	← 1964–65 1966–67 →

The 1965–66 NHL season was the 49th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 70 games. The Montreal Canadiens won their second consecutive Stanley Cup as they defeated the Detroit Red Wings four games to two in the final series.

League business[]

A new trophy was introduced for this season. Jack Adams won the first Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States.

February saw the momentous announcement that six conditional franchises had been awarded to Los Angeles, San Francisco, St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, all to begin play in 1967. The St. Louis franchise was surprising, as no formal application from the city had been tendered. It was awarded to fulfill the wishes of James D. Norris and Arthur Wirtz, owners of the Chicago Black Hawks, who also owned the St. Louis Arena, which they wanted to sell.

On the debit side, a strong bid from Vancouver was rejected, much to the anger of many Canadians and the protest of their Prime Minister Lester Pearson. A rumor was widely spread — fuelled by a corroborating statement from Leafs' general manager Punch Imlach that the Toronto and Montreal owners had vetoed the bid out of a dislike for sharing the proceeds from television broadcasts of the games. Vancouver would eventually get an NHL franchise in 1970.

Rule changes[]

The only significant rule change for this season was a requirement that the teams suit up two goaltenders for each game.^[1]

Regular season[]

Among notable players to debut during this season were Ed Giacomin for the Rangers, Bill Goldsworthy for the Bruins, Ken Hodge for Chicago and Mike Walton for Toronto. In the meantime, however, the career of future Hockey Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay was over, as his request for reinstatement as an active player was vetoed by the Toronto ownership.

Gordie Howe scored his 600th NHL goal in Montreal on November 27 in a 3–2 loss to the Canadiens to the cheers of the local fans. Among lesser milestones in the season were Frank Mahovlich's 250th goal and Johnny Bucyk's and Claude Provost's 200th.

In an unusual incident, the Red Wings' jerseys were stolen from the visitors' dressing room in Montreal the night before a January game, and Detroit was compelled to play in the uniforms of their junior farm team in Hamilton, which were express shipped to Montreal in time for the match.

James D. Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, died of a heart attack in late February.

Final standings[]

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

National Hockey League
	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Montreal Canadiens	70	41	21	8	90	239	173	884
Chicago Black Hawks	70	37	25	8	82	240	187	815
Toronto Maple Leafs	70	34	25	11	79	208	187	811
Detroit Red Wings	70	31	27	12	74	221	194	804
Boston Bruins	70	21	43	6	48	174	275	787
New York Rangers	70	18	41	11	47	195	261	894

Playoffs[]

Playoff bracket[]

Semifinals			Finals

1	Montreal	4

3	Toronto	0
			1	Montreal	4

			4	Detroit	2
2	Chicago	2

4	Detroit	4

Semifinals[]

The second game of the semifinal series between Detroit and Chicago on April 10, was nationally televised in the United States.^[2]

For the fourth straight year, it was Montreal vs. Toronto and Detroit vs. Chicago in the first round. The Canadiens were victorious over the Leafs in four straight games, while the Wings beat the Hawks in six.

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (3) Toronto Maple Leafs[]

April 7	Toronto Maple Leafs		3–4	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
Eddie Shack (1) – 02:12 Frank Mahovlich (1) – pp – 18:08		First period		12:08 – pp – J.C. Tremblay (1)
No scoring		Second period		03:05 – John Ferguson (1) 08:13 – pp – Bobby Rousseau (1)
Bob Pulford (1) – 10:35		Third period		17:48 – Jean Beliveau (1)
Terry Sawchuck		Goalie stats		Gump Worsley

April 9	Toronto Maple Leafs		0–2	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
No scoring		First period		No scoring
No scoring		Second period		No scoring
No scoring		Third period		09:30 – pp – Claude Provost (1) 16:07 – Bobby Rousseau (2)
Terry Sawchuck		Goalie stats		Gump Worsley

April 12	Montreal Canadiens		5–2	Toronto Maple Leafs	Maple Leaf Gardens	Recap
No scoring		First period		01:26 – pp – Eddie Shack (2) 17:32 – Tim Horton (1)
Ralph Backstrom (1) – 08:16 Bobby Rousseau (3) – pp – 11:00 Terry Harper (1) – 11:26		Second period		No scoring
John Ferguson (2) – 00:16 Jean Beliveau (2) – 19:50		Third period		No scoring
Gump Worsley		Goalie stats		Johnny Bower

April 14	Montreal Canadiens		4–1	Toronto Maple Leafs	Maple Leaf Gardens	Recap
No scoring		First period		05:40 – Larry Hillman (1)
Gilles Tremblay (1) – pp – 09:32 Gilles Tremblay (2) – pp – 13:28		Second period		No scoring
Jimmy Roberts (1) – sh – 04:04 Dick Duff (1) – pp – 07:16		Third period		No scoring
Gump Worsley		Goalie stats		Johnny Bower

Montreal won series 4–0

(2) Chicago Black Hawks vs. (4) Detroit Red Wings[]

Chicago held a record of 11–1–2 versus Detroit in the regular season.

April 7	Detroit Red Wings		1–2	Chicago Black Hawks	Chicago Stadium	Recap
Dean Prentice (1) – pp – 18:28		First period		06:08 – Kenny Wharram (1) 11:54 – pp – Bobby Hull (1)
No scoring		Second period		No scoring
No scoring		Third period		No scoring
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Glenn Hall

April 10	Detroit Red Wings		7–0	Chicago Black Hawks	Chicago Stadium	Recap
Floyd Smith (1) – pp – 04:10 Gordie Howe (1) – 12:11 Floyd Smith (2) – pp – 19:50		First period		No scoring
Andy Bathgate (1) – pp – 13:27		Second period		No scoring
Dean Prentice (2) – 03:39 Andy Bathgate (2) – pp – 05:38 Bert Marshall (1) – 06:00		Third period		No scoring
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Glenn Hall, Dave Dryden

April 12	Chicago Black Hawks		2–1	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
No scoring		First period		15:01 – Bryan Watson (1)
Chico Maki (1) – pp – 06:19 Eric Nesterenko (1) – 18:43		Second period		No scoring
No scoring		Third period		No scoring
Glenn Hall		Goalie stats		Roger Crozier

April 14	Chicago Black Hawks		1–5	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
Stan Mikita (1) – pp – 08:04		First period		03:15 – pp – Paul Henderson (1)
No scoring		Second period		02:59 – Paul Henderson (2)
No scoring		Third period		01:06 – pp – Andy Bathgate (3) 01:55 – Bryan Watson (2) 08:08 – pp – Gordie Howe (2)
Glenn Hall		Goalie stats		Roger Crozier

April 17	Detroit Red Wings		5–3	Chicago Black Hawks	Chicago Stadium	Recap
Norm Ullman (1) – 08:14 Val Fonteyne (1) – sh – 15:08		First period		No scoring
Andy Bathgate (4) – pp – 01:19		Second period		03:05 – Doug Mohns (1) 14:51 – pp – Pat Stapleton (1)
Gordie Howe (3) – 11:41 Norm Ullman (2) – 15:43		Third period		16:28 – Bobby Hull (2)
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Glenn Hall

April 19	Chicago Black Hawks		2–3	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
No scoring		First period		02:51 – pp – Andy Bathgate (5)
Phil Esposito (1) – pp – 14:24 Pat Stapleton (2) – 17:54		Second period		No scoring
No scoring		Third period		16:25 – Dean Prentice (3) 17:28 – Dean Prentice (4)
Glenn Hall		Goalie stats		Roger Crozier

Detroit won series 4–2

Stanley Cup Finals[]

Main article: 1966 Stanley Cup Finals

Behind the skilled goaltending of Roger Crozier, who had missed parts of the regular season with illness, the Red Wings won the first two games of the Finals. However, Crozier was injured in the fourth game and the Canadiens won the Cup four games to two. Roger Crozier won the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team.

April 24	Detroit Red Wings		3–2	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
Floyd Smith (3) – 13:25		First period		No scoring
Bill Gadsby (1) – 05:14		Second period		04:23 – Ralph Backstrom (2)
Paul Henderson (3) – 02:14		Third period		02:36 – Terry Harper (2)
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Gump Worsley

April 26	Detroit Red Wings		5–2	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
Andy Bathgate (6) – pp – 18:39		First period		06:55 – pp – J.C. Tremblay (2)
No scoring		Second period		No scoring
Bruce MacGregor (1) – 01:51 Ab McDonald (1) – 02:45 Floyd Smith (4) – 12:28 Dean Prentice (5) – 16:25		Third period		12:00 – Yvan Cournoyer (1)
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Gump Worsley

April 28	Montreal Canadiens		4–2	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
Dave Balon (1) – 15:40 Jean Beliveau (3) – 19:12		First period		04:20 – Norm Ullman (3)
No scoring		Second period		No scoring
Gilles Tremblay (3) – 01:45 Gilles Tremblay (4) – pp – 03:21		Third period		19:59 – Gordie Howe (4)
Gump Worsley		Goalie stats		Roger Crozier

May 1	Montreal Canadiens		2–1	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
No scoring		First period		No scoring
Jean Beliveau (4) – pp – 19:51		Second period		11:24 – Norm Ullman (4)
Ralph Backstrom (3) – 13:37		Third period		No scoring
Gump Worsley		Goalie stats		Roger Crozier, Hank Bassen

May 3	Detroit Red Wings		1–5	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
No scoring		First period		01:06 – Claude Provost (2) 19:21 – pp – Yvan Cournoyer (2)
Norm Ullman (5) – 14:22		Second period		01:05 – Dave Balon (2) 11:22 – Bobby Rousseau (4)
No scoring		Third period		05:31 – Dick Duff (2)
Roger Crozier		Goalie stats		Gump Worsley

May 5	Montreal Canadiens		3–2	OT	Detroit Red Wings	Olympia Stadium	Recap
Jean Beliveau (5) – 09:08		First period			No scoring
Leon Rochefort (1) – 10:11		Second period			11:55 – pp – Norm Ullman (6)
No scoring		Third period			10:30 – Floyd Smith (5)
Henri Richard (1) – 02:20		First overtime period			No scoring
Gump Worsley		Goalie stats			Roger Crozier

Montreal won series 4–2

Awards[]

Bobby Hull set a new record for goals in a season with 54 and a new record for points in a season with 97, earning him the Art Ross Trophy and his second straight Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player. No left-winger would pace the NHL in points again until Alexander Ovechkin in 2007–08. Jacques Laperriere of Montreal won the Norris Trophy as best defenceman.

1965–66 NHL awards
Prince of Wales Trophy: (Regular season champion)	Montreal Canadiens
Art Ross Trophy: (Top scorer)	Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
Calder Memorial Trophy: (Best first-year player)	Brit Selby, Toronto Maple Leafs
Conn Smythe Trophy: (Most valuable player, playoffs)	Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings
Hart Trophy: (Most valuable player, season)	Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
James Norris Memorial Trophy: (Best defenceman)	Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: (Excellence and sportsmanship)	Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
Vezina Trophy: (Goaltender(s) of team with the best goals-against average)	Gump Worsley & Charlie Hodge, Montreal Canadiens
Lester Patrick Trophy: (Outstanding service to U.S. hockey)	J. J. "Jack" Adams

All-Star teams[]

First team	Position	Second team
Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks	G	Gump Worsley, Montreal Canadiens
Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens	D	Allan Stanley, Toronto Maple Leafs
Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks	D	Pat Stapleton, Chicago Black Hawks
Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks	C	Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings	RW	Bobby Rousseau, Montreal Canadiens
Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks	LW	Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs

Player statistics[]

Scoring leaders[]

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Bobby Hull	Chicago Black Hawks	65	54	43	97	70
Stan Mikita	Chicago Black Hawks	68	30	48	78	56
Bobby Rousseau	Montreal Canadiens	70	30	48	78	20
Jean Beliveau	Montreal Canadiens	67	29	48	77	50
Gordie Howe	Detroit Red Wings	70	29	46	75	83
Norm Ullman	Detroit Red Wings	70	31	41	72	35
Alex Delvecchio	Detroit Red Wings	70	31	38	69	16
Bob Nevin	New York Rangers	69	29	33	62	10
Henri Richard	Montreal Canadiens	62	22	39	61	47
Murray Oliver	Boston Bruins	70	18	42	60	30

Source: NHL.^[3]

Leading goaltenders[]

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player	Team	GP	MIN	GA	GAA	W	L	T	SO
Johnny Bower	Toronto Maple Leafs	35	1998	75	2.25	18	10	5	3
Lorne Worsley	Montreal Canadiens	51	2899	114	2.36	29	14	6	2
Charlie Hodge	Montreal Canadiens	26	1301	56	2.58	12	7	2	1
Glenn Hall	Chicago Black Hawks	64	3747	164	2.63	34	21	7	4
Roger Crozier	Detroit Red Wings	64	3734	173	2.78	27	24	12	7
Dave Dryden	Chicago Black Hawks	11	453	23	3.05	3	4	1	0
Terry Sawchuk	Toronto Maple Leafs	27	1521	80	3.16	10	11	3	1
Cesare Maniago	N.Y. Rangers	28	1613	94	3.50	9	16	3	2
Ed Giacomin	N.Y. Rangers	36	2096	128	3.66	8	19	7	0
Bernie Parent	Boston Bruins	39	2083	128	3.69	11	20	3	1
Eddie Johnston	Boston Bruins	33	1744	108	3.72	10	19	2	1

Coaches[]

Boston Bruins: Milt Schmidt
Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay
Detroit Red Wings: Sid Abel
Montreal Canadiens: Toe Blake
New York Rangers: Emile Francis
Toronto Maple Leafs: Punch Imlach

Debuts[]

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1965–66 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

J. P. Parise, Boston Bruins
Derek Sanderson, Boston Bruins
Bernie Parent, Boston Bruins
Barry Ashbee, Boston Bruins
Pete Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings
Danny Grant, Montreal Canadiens
Ed Giacomin, New York Rangers

Last games[]

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1965–66 (listed with their last team):

Bill Gadsby, Detroit Red Wings

References[]

(1994) in Diamond, Dan: Years of glory, 1942–1967: the National Hockey League's official book of the six-team era. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart. ISBN 0-7710-2817-2.
(2000) in Diamond, Dan: Total Hockey. Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
(2011) The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
(2000) Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd.. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
Duplacey, James (1996). The annotated rules of hockey. New York, NY: Lyons & Burford, Publishers. ISBN 1-55821-466-6.
(2003) The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Inc.. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
McFarlane, Brian (1973). The Story of the National Hockey League. New York, NY: Pagurian Press. ISBN 0-684-13424-1.

Notes

↑ Duplacey 1996, p. 33.
↑ "Red Wings Jar Black Hawks, 7–0." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1966 Apr 11.
↑ Dinger 2011, p. 150.

NHL Seasons
1961-62 \| 1962-63 \| 1963-64 \| 1964-65 \| 1965-66 \| 1966-67 \| 1967-68 \| 1968-69 \| 1969-70

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at 1966 Stanley Cup playoffs. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).

[FOOTNOTEDuplacey199633-1] Duplacey 1996, p. 33.

[2] "Red Wings Jar Black Hawks, 7–0." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1966 Apr 11.

[FOOTNOTEDinger2011150-3] Dinger 2011, p. 150.

[1]

[2]

[3]

1965–66 NHL season by team
Teams	Boston • Chicago • Detroit • Montreal • New York • Toronto
See also	1965 NHL Amateur Draft • All-Star Game • 1966 Stanley Cup Finals


Structure	Playoffs (Streaks • Droughts • All-time playoff series) • Conference Finals • Finals
Annual events	Seasons • Stanley Cup (Champions • Winning players • Traditions and anecdotes) • Presidents' Trophy • All-Star Game • Draft • Awards • All-Star Teams
Players	List of players • Association • Retired jersey numbers • Captains
History	Lore • Organizational changes :: • Defunct teams • NHA • Original Six • 1967 Expansion • WHA Merger • Lockouts
Others	Outdoor games (Winter Classic • Heritage Classic • Stadium Series) • Potential expansion • Hall of Fame (Members) • Rivalries • Arenas • Rules • Fighting • Violence : International games • Kraft Hockeyville • Collective bargaining agreement • Television and radio coverage
Category • 2020–21 Season • 2021–22 Season • 2022–23 Season