1926–27 Toronto St. Patricks season

Regular season

After being turned down by the St. Patricks as coach to start the season, Conn Smythe used the success of the New York Rangers team he had assembled, to get an invitation to take over the team. At first, Smythe turned down the offer, saying that he wanted to be an owner or part-owner of the club instead. The St. Pats were for sale, and partner J. P. Bickell offered Smythe a chance to become part-owner. The club had reached a tentative deal to sell the club for $200,000, making Bickell's share $40,000. Bickell offered to hold onto his share, if Smythe could raise $160,000 to pay of the other share-holders and take over the team. On February 14, 1927, Smythe and partners paid $85,000 with the final $75,000 to pay off the club due within 30 days. Smythe renamed the team the Maple Leafs, a name and insignia he felt would be popular, more popular than St. Patricks.

The club played its final game as the St. Patricks against Detroit in Windsor, Ontario on February 15, 1927, and their first as the Maple Leafs at Arena Gardens on February 17, 1927. The Leafs wore new white uniforms with a green maple leaf and Toronto written on the sweater. The Leafs won their first game 4–1, under new coach Alex Romeril. Smythe took over as governor, but did not assume the management and coaching of the Leafs until 1927–28. He had commitments to coach the University of Toronto team and the Varsity Grads, a team of former U of T students who had played for the U of T team. He would coach the Grads to the Allan Cup title.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|- |1||L||November 17, 1926||1–4 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1926–27) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||November 20, 1926||1–5 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1926–27) ||0–2–0 |- |3||T||November 25, 1926||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1926–27) ||0–2–1 |- |4||W||November 30, 1926||6–0 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Pirates (1926–27) ||1–2–1

| Legend:

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring

;Goaltending

Transactions

• September 7, 1926: Signed Free Agent Butch Keeling
• September 27, 1926: Acquired Corbett Denneny, Leo Bourgeault and Laurie Scott from the Saskatoon Shieks (PrHL) for cash
• October 13, 1926: Signed Free Agents Bill Brydge and Danny Cox
• October 15, 1926: Lost Free Agent Reg Reid to the Stratford Nationals of the CPHL
• October 16, 1926: Lost Mike Neville off Waivers to the Hamilton Tigers of the CPHL
• October 18, 1926: Lost Francis Cain off Waivers to the Hamilton Tigers of the CPHL
• October 18, 1926: Lost Norm Shay off Waivers to the New Haven Eagles of the Can-Am League
• October 18, 1926: Traded Babe Dye to the Chicago Black Hawks for $15,000
• October 28, 1926: Signed Free Agent Albert Pudas
• November 1, 1926: Lost Free Agent Chris Speyer to the Niagara Falls Cataracts of the CPHL
• November 3, 1926: Signed Free Agent Ace Bailey
• November 10, 1926: Traded Albert Pudas to the Windsor Hornets of the CPHL for cash
• November 12, 1926: Lost Free Agent Howard Lockhart to the Hamilton Tigers of the CPHL
• November 15, 1926: Acquired Jesse Spring from the New York Americans for Laurie Scott
• November 17, 1926: Lost Free Agent Gerry Munro to the Detroit Greyhounds of the AHA
• January 7, 1927: Acquired Haldor Halderson from the Victoria Cougars (PCHL) for Pete Bellefeuille
• February 1, 1927: Transaction from September 27, 1926, voided; Corbett Denneny, Leo Bourgeault and Laurie Scott returned to Saskatoon Sheiks (PrHL), cash returned to Toronto
• February 1, 1927: Acquired George Patterson from Hamilton Tigers of the CPHL for loan of Albert Pudas and $5,000
• March 7, 1927: Signed Free Agent Lloyd Gross
• March 17, 1927: Signed Free Agent Beattie Ramsay

References

References

1. "Toronto St. Patricks Final Game - Canada.com". Windsor Star.
2. (February 18, 1927). "Brilliant Victory for Local Hockey Team". Toronto Star.
3. "1926-27 Toronto Maple Leafs Schedule".
4. "1926-27 Toronto Maple Leafs Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com.