1923–24 NHL season


The 1923–24 NHL season was the seventh season of the National Hockey League. Four teams each played 24 games. The league champions were the Montreal Canadiens, who defeated the first-place Ottawa Senators in the league playoff. The Canadiens then defeated the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League and Vancouver Maroons of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association to win their second Stanley Cup championship.

League business

At the NHL meeting of February 9, 1924, the NHL discussed plans for expansion into the United States. The same meeting saw the introduction of the new Hart Trophy, to be awarded to the player judged most valuable to his team.
After the suspensions of their own players by the Canadiens, in 1922–23. the NHL decided to take a further role in discipline, as it redefined match fouls, changed fines and adds presidential review for possible further punishment.

Regular season

A newcomer that would become the NHL's first drawing card, Howie Morenz, started his career with the Montreal Canadiens this year. Morenz scored the first goal of his career on December 27, 1923, in the inaugural NHL game at the new Ottawa Auditorium. It was the first of a career 270 goals.
The Hamilton Tigers added Billy Burch and the Green brothers, Shorty and Redvers and now they had a team that could compete nicely with the rest of the league. On December 28, Shorty Green scored at 12:22 of overtime to give Hamilton its first ever road victory over the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa. However, the changes did not pay off this season. The Hamilton Tigers finished last for the fifth season in a row.
The NHL held a mid-season meeting to consider Sprague Cleghorn's suspension. Ottawa claimed he was deliberately injuring opponents, citing a spearing incident against Cy Denneny. The league rejected the charges, and in a game against Ottawa shortly thereafter, Cleghorn charged Lionel Hitchman into the boards and earned a one-game suspension.
A game between Ottawa and the Canadiens was postponed due to a bizarre incident near the end of the season. On their way to Montreal, the Ottawa's train got snowbound near Hawkesbury, Ontario. The team was stuck all night and so Cy Denneny decided to scrounge around for some food, and somehow fell down a well. He was not injured. The game was postponed until the next night and Georges Vezina shut out the Senators 3–0.

Final standings

Playoffs

This was the last season that three leagues competed for the Stanley Cup as, after the season, the PCHA folded. Two of its teams, the Vancouver Maroons and Victoria Cougars, joined the WCHL for the 1924–25 WCHL season.

NHL Championship

The Montreal Canadiens had finished second overall in the NHL regular season standings but in the playoffs, they would upset the first-place Ottawa Senators.

Stanley Cup playoffs

The second place Vancouver Maroons of the PCHA once again faced the first place Seattle Metropolitans and once again, Vancouver would come out on top winning the PCHA league championship. Meanwhile, in the Western Canada Hockey League, the Calgary Tigers won the regular season and the playoffs. The Canadiens owner, Leo Dandurand, wanted Calgary and Vancouver to face off against each other and then have the Canadiens play the winner for the Stanley Cup. Frank Patrick, the president of the PCHA, refused to go along with that idea.

Semi-final

Since Leo Dandurand's request to have Vancouver and Calgary face off first was denied, the first round match-up was the Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Maroons. The Canadiens swept the best-of-three series two games to none. Game one was played under eastern rules. Game two was played under western rules.

Finals

After sweeping Vancouver, Montreal's next opponent was the Calgary Tigers. Montreal swept them too in a best-of-three series. Howie Morenz scored a hat trick in game one and another goal in the game two, which was transferred to Ottawa because of the slushy ice at Mount Royal Arena. Morenz was body-checked by Cully Wilson of Calgary and suffered a chipped collarbone. The Canadiens swept all three teams they faced during the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup since their 1916 Cup win as a member of the NHA.

Playoff scoring leader

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Howie MorenzMontreal Canadiens67310

Awards

The league introduced its first individual award, the Hart Trophy, to the player judged to be "the most valuable player" to their team.
Note: The Prince of Wales Trophy was not in existence yet in 1924. The 1923–24 Canadiens were engraved onto the trophy in 1925–26.

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Cy DennenyOttawa Senators2122224
Billy BoucherMontreal Canadiens2316622
Aurel JoliatMontreal Canadiens2415520
Babe DyeToronto St. Patricks1917219
George BoucherOttawa Senators2114519
Billy BurchHamilton Tigers2416218
Jack AdamsToronto St. Patricks2213316
Howie MorenzMontreal Canadiens2413316
King ClancyOttawa Senators248816
Reg NobleToronto St. Patricks2312314

Source: NHL.

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games Played, GA = Goals Against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals Against Average
NameTeamGoals against average|
Georges VezinaMontreal Canadiens241459131104831.97
Clint BenedictOttawa Senators22135615704531.99
Jake ForbesHamilton Tigers24148391506812.75
John Ross RoachToronto St. Patricks231380101308013.48
Sammy HebertOttawa Senators2120110904.50
Source: NHL

Coaches

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1923–24 :
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1923–24 :

Transactions

December 14, 1923To Toronto St. Patricks
Amos Arbour
Bert Corbeau
George Carey 		To Hamilton Tigers
Ken Randall
Rights to Corbett Denneny
cash

December 18, 1923To Ottawa Senators
Leth Graham		To Hamilton Tigers
cash

January 16, 1924To Hamilton Tigers
Ganton Scott		To Toronto St. Patricks
cash