1942–43 NHL season

League business

The NHL and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) agreed in principle that a junior-aged player could become a professional whenever he wanted, to make a living under wartime conditions. They expected that NHL clubs would rely on junior-aged players as replacements due to military enlistments. In October 1942, a new professional-amateur agreement was reached by NHL president Frank Calder, and CAHA president Frank Sargent. NHL teams were permitted to sign junior-aged players if the junior club was contacted first, and agreed not to sign any other junior-eligible players who had not yet played for the CAHA. The NHL continued to pay the CAHA for developing players.

The Brooklyn Americans franchise was dropped, as Madison Square Garden turned down a lease agreement with team owner Red Dutton. Dutton argued that the other teams would be weakened by the war, but the other owners pointed out the number of American players serving in the armed forces was such that the Americans could not operate. A despondent Dutton left the league meeting, but was to return to the NHL sooner than he thought.

With the suspension of the Americans, this was the inaugural season of the so-called Original Six era, with the NHL consisting of six teams (the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs). This arrangement would last until the 1966–67 season, after which the league doubled in size.

Death of Frank Calder

The league's meeting of January 25, 1943, was to have been a non-event. The only news that was supposed to come out of the meeting was that the playoffs would begin on March 20, and that all series would be best-of-seven affairs. This was resolved in the morning session.

The afternoon session had just begun and Calder had informed Red Dutton of the reserve status of his suspended franchise, when Toronto coach Hap Day noticed that Calder appeared to be in pain. Two league governors came up to his aid, but he assured them he was all right. Then Calder's face contracted as if he were in pain. He took a few steps and exclaimed "My God, there IS something wrong!" He was taken to his hotel room and a doctor diagnosed a heart attack. A specialist convinced him, despite his protests, to check into St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, where he suffered a second heart attack. In a week, Calder felt well enough to return to Montreal and checked into Montreal General Hospital. After eating a light breakfast surrounded by his family and friends, he was looking over the league books when he slipped back on the pillows of his bed and died of a third heart attack. He died on February 4, 1943, at the age of 65 years. Red Dutton was chosen as the new president, on an "interim" basis.

Regular season

Due to war-time travel restrictions, the NHL ceased playing overtimes to decide tie games on November 21 partway through the season. The last regular season overtime game was November 10, 1942, between the Chicago Black Hawks and the New York Rangers, won by New York 5–3. Regular season overtime would not be re-introduced until the 1983–84 NHL season, with a slight change from playing out an entire 10-minute overtime period, to a 5-minute sudden death format.

Highlights

Detroit finished first, partly due to the six shutouts of goaltender Johnny Mowers, who won the Vezina Trophy. During the season, Jimmy Orlando got into a stick-swinging incident with Toronto rookie Gaye Stewart and came out of it on the short end, badly cut in the face and bleeding profusely. Both players were suspended for the incident.

The Montreal Canadiens were still making progress, and coach Dick Irvin put together the first "Punch Line" of Elmer Lach, Toe Blake and Joe Benoit. Maurice Richard showed promise, but broke his leg, and Canadiens' manager Tommy Gorman began to look at him as brittle. Benoit became the first Canadien to hit the 30 goal plateau since Howie Morenz did it in 1929–30 (40 goals) scoring an even 30. Gordie Drillon also added some scoring power. The Canadiens made the playoffs by one slim point and lost to Boston in the playoffs' first round.

In contrast to the 1941–42 season, the Rangers felt the full impact of World War II and lost Art Coulter, Alex Shibicky, the Colville brothers, and Bill Juzda to the Armed Forces. Only Ott Heller was left of their defence. Babe Pratt was traded to Toronto for Hank Goldup and Dudley "Red" Garrett. Garrett proved to be an excellent replacement for Pratt. However, he only played 21 games, then gave his life in the Armed Forces. Goaltending was the Rangers problem as Steve Buzinski, Jimmy Franks, and old veteran Bill Beveridge all had to face lots of rubber as the Rangers went from first to worst.

Final standings

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

With the reduction of the league to six teams, the number of teams qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs was reduced to four, and the quarterfinal round was eliminated. In the semifinals, the first-place team played the third-place team, while the second-place team faced the fourth-place team, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. In both rounds, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series).

This format would remain in place through the 1966–67 NHL season, after which expansion would increase the number of teams in the playoffs.

| RD1-seed1=1 | RD1-team1=Detroit | RD1-score1=4 | RD1-seed2=3 | RD1-team2=Toronto | RD1-score2=2 | RD1-seed3=2 | RD1-team3=Boston | RD1-score3=4 | RD1-seed4=4 | RD1-team4=Montreal | RD1-score4=1 | RD2-seed1=1 | RD2-team1=Detroit | RD2-score1=4 | RD2-seed2=2 | RD2-team2=Boston | RD2-score2=0

Semifinals

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

|1-1-1 =Mel Hill (1) – 13:18 |1-1-2 =17:24 – Carl Liscombe (1) |1-2-1 =No scoring |1-2-2 =No scoring |1-3-1 =Jack Hamilton (1) – 13:55 |1-3-2 =06:06 – Don Grosso (1) 06:43 – Eddie Wares (1) 11:00 – Les Douglas (1) |goalie1-1 =Turk Broda |goalie1-2 =Johnny Mowers

|2-1-1 =No scoring |2-1-2 =12:36 – Joe Carveth (1) |2-2-1 =Reg Hamilton (1) – 00:52 Lorne Carr (1) – pp – 16:27 |2-2-2 =No scoring |2-3-1 =No scoring |2-3-2 =12:47 – Joe Carveth (2) |2-4-1 =Jack McLean (1) – 10:18 |2-4-2 =No scoring |goalie2-1 =Turk Broda |goalie2-2 =Johnny Mowers

|3-1-1 =No scoring |3-1-2 =Cully Simon (1) – 01:04 Carl Liscombe (2) – pp – 09:21 Sid Abel (1) – pp – 17:30 |3-2-1 =No scoring |3-2-2 =No scoring |3-3-1 =14:41 – pp – Bud Poile (1) 16:12 – Billy Taylor (1) |3-3-2 =Eddie Wares (2) – pp – 09:56 |goalie3-1 =Turk Broda |goalie3-2 =Johnny Mowers

|4-1-1 =12:02 – pp – Bud Poile (2) 17:37 – Bucko McDonald (1) |4-1-2 =Carl Liscombe (3) – 02:15 Carl Liscombe (4) – pp – 13:50 |4-2-1 =02:27 – Billy Taylor (2) 17:12 – Bob Davidson (1) 19:48 – pp – Sweeney Schriner (1) |4-2-2 =Sid Abel (2) – pp – 07:58 |4-3-1 =17:50 – Mel Hill (2) |4-3-2 =No scoring |goalie4-1 =Turk Broda |goalie4-2 =Johnny Mowers

|5-1-1 =No scoring |5-1-2 =14:54 – Eddie Wares (3) |5-2-1 =Mel Hill (3) – 15:12 Babe Pratt (1) – 16:11 |5-2-2 =No scoring |5-3-1 =No scoring |5-3-2 =02:18 – Sid Abel (3) 08:13 – Mud Bruneteau (1) 19:59 – Sid Abel (4) |goalie5-1 =Turk Broda |goalie5-2 =Johnny Mowers

|6-1-1 =No scoring |6-1-2 =No scoring |6-2-1 =No scoring |6-2-2 =Mud Bruneteau (2) – 11:46 |6-3-1 =11:55 – Jack McLean (2) 19:47 – Sweeney Schriner (2) |6-3-2 =Joe Carveth (3) – 07:19 |6-4-1 =No scoring |6-4-2 =Adam Brown (1) – 09:21 |goalie6-1 =Turk Broda |goalie6-2 =Johnny Mowers

(2) Boston Bruins vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens

This was the last time that Boston defeated Montreal in a postseason series until 1988.

|1-1-1 =Toe Blake (1) – 18:19 |1-1-2 =No scoring |1-2-1 =Buddy O'Connor (1) – pp – 00:42 Toe Blake (2) – 01:52 |1-2-2 =03:51 – Don Gallinger (1) 08:06 – pp – Art Jackson (1) |1-3-1 =Dutch Hiller (1) – 07:40 |1-3-2 =08:37 – Oscar Aubuchon (1) 15:53 – pp – Bill Cowley (1) |1-4-1 =No scoring |1-4-2 =12:30 – Don Gallinger (2) |goalie1-1 =Paul Bibeault |goalie1-2 =Frank Brimsek

|2-1-1 =No scoring |2-1-2 =No scoring |2-2-1 =No scoring |2-2-2 =06:07 – Don Gallinger (3) 16:39 – Ab DeMarco (1) 18:02 – Art Jackson (2) |2-3-1 =Gordie Drillon (1) – 14:28 Toe Blake (3) – 15:02 Gordie Drillon (2) – 15:45 |2-3-2 =06:46 – Herb Cain (1) 18:56 – Art Jackson (3) |goalie2-1 =Paul Bibeault |goalie2-2 =Frank Brimsek

|3-1-1 =13:44 – Elmer Lach (1) |3-1-2 =No scoring |3-2-1 =05:14 – Gordie Drillon (3) |3-2-2 =Herb Cain (2) – 08:45 |3-3-1 =No scoring |3-3-2 =Dit Clapper (1) – 19:08 |3-4-1 =No scoring |3-4-2 =Busher Jackson (1) – sh – 03:20 |goalie3-1 =Paul Bibeault |goalie3-2 =Frank Brimsek

|4-1-1 =04:14 – Jack Portland (1) |4-1-2 =No scoring |4-2-1 =17:26 – Toe Blake (4) |4-2-2 =No scoring |4-3-1 =08:47 – Buddy O'Connor (2) 16:06 – Joe Benoit (1) |4-3-2 =No scoring |goalie4-1 =Paul Bibeault |goalie4-2 =Frank Brimsek

|5-1-1 =Elmer Lach (2) – 10:31 Buddy O'Connor (3) – 11:15 |5-1-2 =12:20 – Dit Clapper (2) |5-2-1 =Buddy O'Connor (4) – 08:51 Gordie Drillon (4) – 13:17 |5-2-2 =12:41 – Murph Chamberlain (1) 14:54 – Herb Cain (3) |5-3-1 =No scoring |5-3-2 =09:49 – Herb Cain (4) |5-4-1 =No scoring |5-4-2 =03:41 – Ab DeMarco (2) |goalie5-1 =Paul Bibeault |goalie5-2 =Frank Brimsek

Stanley Cup Finals

Main article: 1943 Stanley Cup Finals

|1-1-1 =Art Jackson (4) – 18:13 |1-1-2 =01:15 – Jack Stewart (1) |1-2-1 =No scoring |1-2-2 =01:12 – Mud Bruneteau (3) 15:43 – sh – Sid Abel (5) 19:06 – Joe Carveth (4) |1-3-1 =Ab DeMarco (3) – 17:53 |1-3-2 =01:21 – Mud Bruneteau (4) 16:24 – Mud Bruneteau (5) |goalie1-1 =Frank Brimsek |goalie1-2 =Johnny Mowers

|2-1-1 =No scoring |2-1-2 =No scoring |2-2-1 =Jack Crawford (1) – 10:16 Art Jackson (5) – 11:04 |2-2-2 =17:06 – Les Douglas (2) |2-3-1 =Art Jackson (6) – 16:38 |2-3-2 =05:55 – Joe Carveth (5) 06:21 – Carl Liscombe (5) 13:16 – Syd Howe (1) |goalie2-1 =Frank Brimsek |goalie2-2 =Johnny Mowers

|3-1-1 =No scoring |3-1-2 =Don Grosso (2) – 03:46 Don Grosso (3) – pp – 10:16 |3-2-1 =No scoring |3-2-2 =No scoring |3-3-1 =No scoring |3-3-2 =Les Douglas (3) – 08:03 Don Grosso (4) – 18:41 |goalie3-1 =Frank Brimsek |goalie3-2 =Johnny Mowers

|4-1-1 =No scoring |4-1-2 =Joe Carveth (6) – 12:09 |4-2-1 =No scoring |4-2-2 =Carl Liscombe (6) – 02:45 |4-3-1 =No scoring |4-3-2 =No scoring |goalie4-1 =Frank Brimsek |goalie4-2 =Johnny Mowers

Awards

All-Star teams

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

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

Source: NHL

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Coaches

• Boston Bruins: Art Ross
• Chicago Black Hawks: Paul Thompson
• Detroit Red Wings: Jack Adams
• Montreal Canadiens: Dick Irvin
• New York Rangers: Frank Boucher
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Hap Day

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1942–43 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

• Bep Guidolin, Boston Bruins (youngest rookie in NHL history)
• Glen Harmon, Montreal Canadiens
• Ted Kennedy, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Joe Klukay*, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Bobby Lee, Montreal Canadiens
• Bud Poile, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Bill Quackenbush, Detroit Red Wings
• Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1942–43 (listed with their last team):

• Ebbie Goodfellow, Detroit Red Wings
• Gordie Drillon, Montreal Canadiens

References

• {{cite book |last1=Fischler |first1=Stan |last2=Fischler |first2=Shirley

;Notes

References

1. (August 22, 1942). "Young Players For N.H.L. Clubs?". Winnipeg Tribune.
2. (October 26, 1942). "New Agreement Between Pros and Amateurs". Brandon Daily Sun.
3. Diamond(1994), p. 10