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 final series 4–2 for their third Stanley Cup in 14 seasons of existence. It would be another 54 years before their fourth.

League business

In June 1939, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association notified the NHL of the request for development fees when signing amateur players to contracts, after the existing professional-amateur deal expired in 1940.

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 potent three were unable to help the Bruins get past the first round of the playoffs as the Bruins lost in six games 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 first NHL game broadcast on television was between the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens on February 25, 1940. The game was seen by only 300 people in a small area in the United States. This, though, was not the first ice hockey game broadcast on television, as a broadcast had been made in England in 1938. The CBC's first hockey broadcast was in 1952 between the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings.

Final standings

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 games, out-scored 14 to 8 and shut-out twice, in the Semifinals. The third seed Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Rangers Cup win would begin the 54 Year Curse, and they would not win another Cup until 1994.

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

(3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Chicago Black Hawks

(5) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) New York Americans

Semifinals

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (2) New York Rangers

(3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

Stanley Cup Finals

Awards

All-Star teams

Player statistics

;Regular season

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Milt SchmidtBoston Bruins48223052
Woody DumartBoston Bruins48222143
Bobby BauerBoston Bruins48172643
Gordie DrillonToronto Maple Leafs43211940
Bill CowleyBoston Bruins48132740
Bryan HextallNew York Rangers48241539
Neil ColvilleNew York Rangers48191938
Syd HoweDetroit Red Wings46142337
Toe BlakeMontreal Canadiens48171936
Murray ArmstrongNew York Americans48162036

Source: NHL

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
PlayerTeamGPMINGAGAAWLTSO
Dave KerrNew York Rangers483000771.542711108
Paul GoodmanChicago Black Hawks311920621.94161054
Frank BrimsekBoston Bruins482950981.99311256
Turk BrodaToronto Maple Leafs4729001082.23251754
Cecil "Tiny" ThompsonDetroit Red Wings4628301202.54162463
Earl RobertsonN.Y. Americans4829601402.84152946
Claude BourqueMontreal Canadiens3622101213.2992432
Mike KarakasChicago Black Hawks171050583.317910

;Playoffs

Playoff scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes
PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Phil WatsonNew York Rangers1236916
Neil ColvilleNew York Rangers1227918
Syl AppsToronto Maple Leafs105272
Bryan HextallNew York Rangers1243711
Alex ShibickyNew York Rangers112574
Hank GoldupToronto Maple Leafs105164
Wilbert HillerNew York Rangers122462
Mac ColvilleNew York Rangers123256
Mud BruneteauDetroit Red Wings53250
Alf PikeNew York Rangers123146

Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
PlayerTeamGPMinWLTSOGAA
Dave KerrNew York Rangers1277084031.56
Turk BrodaToronto Maple Leafs1065764011.74
Frank BrimsekBoston Bruins636024002.50
Tiny ThompsonDetroit Red Wings530023002.40
Earl RobertsonNew York Americans318012003.00
Paul GoodmanChicago Black Hawks212702002.36

Coaches

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1939–40 :
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1939–40 :