1939 Off-Season
August 1st 1939 – Frank Patrick, not wanting to continue with owning the Montreal Canadiens sells the team to player Babe Siebert, who also is to take on coaching roles for the season.
August 25th 1939 – Babe Siebert, coach and brand new owner of the Montreal Canadiens drowns in Lake Huron along with his daughter. The team rushes to find a new owner, but because the team is struggling, there are no local buyers.
September 1st 1939 – The New York Americans, in financial trouble, do a fire sale of their players in order to save some money.
October 5th 1939 – Just days before the season is to begin, Cleveland is awarded with the struggling Montreal Canadians Franchise. They rename it after the former club, the Barons. The Barons would go on to fight with the Americans, not to be last in the league, they were able to squeak into the playoffs but not see a win in the post season.
1939-40 Season
March 26th 1940 – The Detroit Red Wings would win their second straight game against the Barons, blanking the infant team in their first post season appearance.
April 11th 1940 – The New York Rangers win the Stanley cup, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games.
1940 Off-Season
July 1st 1940 – Dick Irvin is released from the Toronto Maple Leafs as a coach after ranking second two years in a row, he is promptly picked up by the Cleveland Barons.
August 1st 1940 – Coach Irvin hands a reporter a sealed envelope with instructions on not to open it until the end of the season.
August 5th 1940 – The night of the Riot de Rue St. Catherine. The league denies Quebec another team after losing the Canadiens, the former Canadiens fans are irate and make it a race relations issue. The league's response is the they will “consider” another team in the provence.
August 29th 1940 – The New York Americans attempt another fire sale in order to not go bankrupt.
September 1st, 1940 – New York Rangers net minder Dave Kerr injures himself on a fishing trip. He complains of a sore back all season. He hangs up his skates for good at the end of the season.
1940-41 Season
During the season, the Boston Bruins go on a record setting 25 game unbeaten streak.
March 14th 1941 - With the Ranger's injury woes, they did not make the playoffs leaving space for the Barons and Americans.
April 12th 1941 – After sweeping the Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins continue their momentum and sweep the Detroit Red Wings in the finals, winning the coveted cup.
1941 Off-Season
April 15th 1941 – The envelope that Dick Irvin handed to the reporter is opened, inside was the correct pick for the Calder Trophy – Johnny Quilty.
June 29th 1941 – Frank Patrick's dream of another team in Quebec nearly dies with him as he surcomes to a heart attack. As was his dying wish, his brother, Lester Patrick pushes hard for the team to market to anglophone fans as the NHL was francophobic. And thus, the Ville de Quebec Voyageurs were born.
July 1st 1941 – Losing fans in their abysmal season, the Rangers hold a fire sale, with many players going to the the Americans, they also decide to rebrand themselves as Brooklyn in order to go into that niche.
1941-42 Season
December 7th 1941 – The Japanese attack Pearl Harbour sending the Americans into war with Germany, many players are lost in volunteering to fight. There is talk of cancelling the season, but the team owners decide that fans needed to be entertained during this period.
April 9th 1942 – The Toronto Maple Leafs drop the first three games of the series and are on the verge of being swept.
April 18th 1942 – The Toronto Maple Leafs make an improbable comeback to win the Stanley cup.
1942 Off-Season
June 1st 1942 – The Rangers and the Americans merge to take on the name “New York Americans”, his merger stems from both team's financial troubles.
June 2nd 1942 – The Status of the league is in limbo when president Frank Calder suffers a heart attack. He would die the next morning.
September 1st 1942 – In a desperate attempt for more fans, the Barons decides to split their games between Cleveland and Erie, PA. Erie proves to be a successful venture.
September 5th 1942 – Hap Day is chosen over the interim Red Dutton to replace the late Calder as president.
1942-43 Season
January 25th 1943 – It is decided that the playoffs are to start on March 20th and every series is to be best of 7. There are also more tributes to Calder planned.
April 10th 1943 – The Red wings drop one game, instead of sweeping the Bruins, in order for them to win at home.
1943 Off-Season
July 1st 1943 – Red Dutton suggests that a red line should be placed on the ice to increase scoring, President Hap Day doesn't like the idea and vetoes it.
July 14th 1943 – Erie's fans are so devoted, that the Barons decide it is more profitable to play in Pennsylvania then it is in Ohio. The team moves permanently.
1943-44 Season
March 19th 1944 – The playoffs mark a lot of firsts, it is the first playoff birth of the Montreal Voyageurs, it is also the first time the Barons reach the finals.April 13th 1944 – The Barons may have made it into the finals with a victory over the Maple Leafs, but they were no match for the Chicago Black Hawks, being swept in four games.
1944 Off-Season
May 24th 1944 – Hap Day is forced to resign due to business concerns, Red Dutton takes control of the NHL as president once again.
September 1st 1944 – Machinist Maurice Richard is talked out of trying out for the Voyageurs. He remains in his factory job.
1944-45 Season
December 25th 1944 – The arena in Erie PA burns down, some games are played outdoors, while others are played back in Cleveland.
April 21st 1945 – The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red wings in six games in order to win the Stanley cup
1945 Off-Season
April 30th 1945 – The reconstruction of the Erie gardens continues, however it is halted when a Rochester firm purchases the team.
May 5th 1945 – A bid in St. Louis to revive the Eagles is turned down by Red Dutton, stating that travel costs would be too much. With world war two ending there is a surplus of players, Dutton promises to create some more teams to accommodate them. However he became busy and the promise wasn't fulfilled in that year.
July 4th 1945 – The Boston Bruins wanted to appeal to a larger audience, so they became the New England Bruins
July 5th 1945 – Upon hearing the news of the name change in Boston, Chicago management jokingly declared that they will change their name to the Midwest Black Hawks, fans were not amused.
September 28th 1945 – Machinist Maurice Richard tries out for the Montreal Voyageurs, however he separates his shoulder in a practice and never plays the same way again, he returns to factory work.
1945-46 Season
January 26th 1946 – A betting scandal forces the Toronto Maple Leafs to cease operations for the season, the fines related to this scandal nearly bankrupt the team.
March 30th 1946 – The Barons and Voyageurs meet each other in the post season for the first time, the Montreal side does not take well to their former team and continued to dole out punishing hits, this is to become a very bloody series.
April 7th 1946 – Under the watchful eye of Goalie Bill Durnam, the Voyageurs went 11-0 in scoring over the bloodied and bruised Barons, four consecutive shutouts in a playoff sweep is a feat that has never been accomplished again in quite some time.
1946 Off-Season
May 1st 1946 – The Toronto Maple Leafs ban in the NHL is officially lifted, but they are still liable to pay their fines, if they do not pay their fees by the beginning of the next season, then they will no longer be allowed in the NHL.
May 5th 1946 – The league stated that they did not like the size of the facilities offered in Rochester, the Barons would have to move for the fifth time in their volatile existence. Owners try and appeal the decision without any luck.
June 2nd 1946 – Albany offers to house the Barons, and the team agrees tentatively. The city gets underway renovating their facilities.
July 14th 1946 – In a surprising turn of events Buffalo is awarded the Barons, Albany feels let down by the situation. The mayor and local businessmen petition for a new team, but they fall among deaf ears. The NHL claims that it is too late to consider a new team this season, although Dutton had promised more teams.
August 21st 1946 – Unable to find a new owner, the Toronto Maple Leafs announce that they will not be playing this season. The NHL confirmed that defenceman Babe Pratt, and others involved in the gambling ring would not be able to step foot on to NHL ice again, stripping the team, even if they were to field one this season.
August 29th 1946 – There was some discussion about extending the season to 60 games, but it was decided that since there were only six teams now, that the extension was no longer needed.
1946-47 Season
October 16th 1946 – Gordie Howe played his first game in the NHL starting with an impressive performance, he netted a hat trick in his first outing.
April 8th 1947 – The Montreal Voyageurs reached the finals after beating the New England Bruins in five games. They were to face the Detroit Red Wings who defeated the Buffalo Barons in the same amount of games.
April 21st 1947 – In a hard fought series that took every single game, the Detroit Red Wings came out victorious. Although it was a team effort, the NHL put all the praise onto the back of their star rookie Gordie Howe. The league had finally have found someone to market.
1947 Off-Season
May 1st 1947 – After being out for one and a half seasons Toronto is back in the NHL, in order to get around the fines the owners folded the team and promptly started another hockey team in the same city. The one caveat is that they cannot use the same nickname for their team so they go back to older days and go by the “Saints” after the Toronto St. Pats.
May 6th 1947– The NHL head office does not like the trickery which Toronto did in order to get out of paying their fines, they attempt to brainstorm ways to keep them out of the league. One idea was to revive the Hamilton Tigers to compete with them for fans, another is to somehow give them limited status.
May 8th 1947 – Albany is awarded a team after being out bid for the barons. Fans in St. Louis are outraged as the head office says that a team in that city will still be impossible.
September 12th 1947 – Lester Patrick markets harder to the french market in order to gain more talent, he opens more slots up on his training roster for French Canadians, this doesn't sit well with head office. Red Dutton goes on record saying “This sport was built by the English for the English, it is our heritage as well as the heritage of men and boys all across America. This league is no place for pea soups.”
September 13th 1947 – The league acts quickly and creates divisions, the Toronto Saints, the Montreal Voyageurs and the upstart Albany Emperors are placed into a 'b' division and will play for a lesser trophy.
August 1st 1939 – Frank Patrick, not wanting to continue with owning the Montreal Canadiens sells the team to player Babe Siebert, who also is to take on coaching roles for the season.
August 25th 1939 – Babe Siebert, coach and brand new owner of the Montreal Canadiens drowns in Lake Huron along with his daughter. The team rushes to find a new owner, but because the team is struggling, there are no local buyers.
September 1st 1939 – The New York Americans, in financial trouble, do a fire sale of their players in order to save some money.
October 5th 1939 – Just days before the season is to begin, Cleveland is awarded with the struggling Montreal Canadians Franchise. They rename it after the former club, the Barons. The Barons would go on to fight with the Americans, not to be last in the league, they were able to squeak into the playoffs but not see a win in the post season.
1939-40 Season
March 26th 1940 – The Detroit Red Wings would win their second straight game against the Barons, blanking the infant team in their first post season appearance.
April 11th 1940 – The New York Rangers win the Stanley cup, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games.
1940 Off-Season
July 1st 1940 – Dick Irvin is released from the Toronto Maple Leafs as a coach after ranking second two years in a row, he is promptly picked up by the Cleveland Barons.
August 1st 1940 – Coach Irvin hands a reporter a sealed envelope with instructions on not to open it until the end of the season.
August 5th 1940 – The night of the Riot de Rue St. Catherine. The league denies Quebec another team after losing the Canadiens, the former Canadiens fans are irate and make it a race relations issue. The league's response is the they will “consider” another team in the provence.
August 29th 1940 – The New York Americans attempt another fire sale in order to not go bankrupt.
September 1st, 1940 – New York Rangers net minder Dave Kerr injures himself on a fishing trip. He complains of a sore back all season. He hangs up his skates for good at the end of the season.
1940-41 Season
During the season, the Boston Bruins go on a record setting 25 game unbeaten streak.
March 14th 1941 - With the Ranger's injury woes, they did not make the playoffs leaving space for the Barons and Americans.
April 12th 1941 – After sweeping the Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins continue their momentum and sweep the Detroit Red Wings in the finals, winning the coveted cup.
1941 Off-Season
April 15th 1941 – The envelope that Dick Irvin handed to the reporter is opened, inside was the correct pick for the Calder Trophy – Johnny Quilty.
June 29th 1941 – Frank Patrick's dream of another team in Quebec nearly dies with him as he surcomes to a heart attack. As was his dying wish, his brother, Lester Patrick pushes hard for the team to market to anglophone fans as the NHL was francophobic. And thus, the Ville de Quebec Voyageurs were born.
July 1st 1941 – Losing fans in their abysmal season, the Rangers hold a fire sale, with many players going to the the Americans, they also decide to rebrand themselves as Brooklyn in order to go into that niche.
1941-42 Season
December 7th 1941 – The Japanese attack Pearl Harbour sending the Americans into war with Germany, many players are lost in volunteering to fight. There is talk of cancelling the season, but the team owners decide that fans needed to be entertained during this period.
April 9th 1942 – The Toronto Maple Leafs drop the first three games of the series and are on the verge of being swept.
April 18th 1942 – The Toronto Maple Leafs make an improbable comeback to win the Stanley cup.
1942 Off-Season
June 1st 1942 – The Rangers and the Americans merge to take on the name “New York Americans”, his merger stems from both team's financial troubles.
June 2nd 1942 – The Status of the league is in limbo when president Frank Calder suffers a heart attack. He would die the next morning.
September 1st 1942 – In a desperate attempt for more fans, the Barons decides to split their games between Cleveland and Erie, PA. Erie proves to be a successful venture.
September 5th 1942 – Hap Day is chosen over the interim Red Dutton to replace the late Calder as president.
1942-43 Season
January 25th 1943 – It is decided that the playoffs are to start on March 20th and every series is to be best of 7. There are also more tributes to Calder planned.
April 10th 1943 – The Red wings drop one game, instead of sweeping the Bruins, in order for them to win at home.
1943 Off-Season
July 1st 1943 – Red Dutton suggests that a red line should be placed on the ice to increase scoring, President Hap Day doesn't like the idea and vetoes it.
July 14th 1943 – Erie's fans are so devoted, that the Barons decide it is more profitable to play in Pennsylvania then it is in Ohio. The team moves permanently.
1943-44 Season
March 19th 1944 – The playoffs mark a lot of firsts, it is the first playoff birth of the Montreal Voyageurs, it is also the first time the Barons reach the finals.April 13th 1944 – The Barons may have made it into the finals with a victory over the Maple Leafs, but they were no match for the Chicago Black Hawks, being swept in four games.
1944 Off-Season
May 24th 1944 – Hap Day is forced to resign due to business concerns, Red Dutton takes control of the NHL as president once again.
September 1st 1944 – Machinist Maurice Richard is talked out of trying out for the Voyageurs. He remains in his factory job.
1944-45 Season
December 25th 1944 – The arena in Erie PA burns down, some games are played outdoors, while others are played back in Cleveland.
April 21st 1945 – The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red wings in six games in order to win the Stanley cup
1945 Off-Season
April 30th 1945 – The reconstruction of the Erie gardens continues, however it is halted when a Rochester firm purchases the team.
May 5th 1945 – A bid in St. Louis to revive the Eagles is turned down by Red Dutton, stating that travel costs would be too much. With world war two ending there is a surplus of players, Dutton promises to create some more teams to accommodate them. However he became busy and the promise wasn't fulfilled in that year.
July 4th 1945 – The Boston Bruins wanted to appeal to a larger audience, so they became the New England Bruins
July 5th 1945 – Upon hearing the news of the name change in Boston, Chicago management jokingly declared that they will change their name to the Midwest Black Hawks, fans were not amused.
September 28th 1945 – Machinist Maurice Richard tries out for the Montreal Voyageurs, however he separates his shoulder in a practice and never plays the same way again, he returns to factory work.
1945-46 Season
January 26th 1946 – A betting scandal forces the Toronto Maple Leafs to cease operations for the season, the fines related to this scandal nearly bankrupt the team.
March 30th 1946 – The Barons and Voyageurs meet each other in the post season for the first time, the Montreal side does not take well to their former team and continued to dole out punishing hits, this is to become a very bloody series.
April 7th 1946 – Under the watchful eye of Goalie Bill Durnam, the Voyageurs went 11-0 in scoring over the bloodied and bruised Barons, four consecutive shutouts in a playoff sweep is a feat that has never been accomplished again in quite some time.
1946 Off-Season
May 1st 1946 – The Toronto Maple Leafs ban in the NHL is officially lifted, but they are still liable to pay their fines, if they do not pay their fees by the beginning of the next season, then they will no longer be allowed in the NHL.
May 5th 1946 – The league stated that they did not like the size of the facilities offered in Rochester, the Barons would have to move for the fifth time in their volatile existence. Owners try and appeal the decision without any luck.
June 2nd 1946 – Albany offers to house the Barons, and the team agrees tentatively. The city gets underway renovating their facilities.
July 14th 1946 – In a surprising turn of events Buffalo is awarded the Barons, Albany feels let down by the situation. The mayor and local businessmen petition for a new team, but they fall among deaf ears. The NHL claims that it is too late to consider a new team this season, although Dutton had promised more teams.
August 21st 1946 – Unable to find a new owner, the Toronto Maple Leafs announce that they will not be playing this season. The NHL confirmed that defenceman Babe Pratt, and others involved in the gambling ring would not be able to step foot on to NHL ice again, stripping the team, even if they were to field one this season.
August 29th 1946 – There was some discussion about extending the season to 60 games, but it was decided that since there were only six teams now, that the extension was no longer needed.
1946-47 Season
October 16th 1946 – Gordie Howe played his first game in the NHL starting with an impressive performance, he netted a hat trick in his first outing.
April 8th 1947 – The Montreal Voyageurs reached the finals after beating the New England Bruins in five games. They were to face the Detroit Red Wings who defeated the Buffalo Barons in the same amount of games.
April 21st 1947 – In a hard fought series that took every single game, the Detroit Red Wings came out victorious. Although it was a team effort, the NHL put all the praise onto the back of their star rookie Gordie Howe. The league had finally have found someone to market.
1947 Off-Season
May 1st 1947 – After being out for one and a half seasons Toronto is back in the NHL, in order to get around the fines the owners folded the team and promptly started another hockey team in the same city. The one caveat is that they cannot use the same nickname for their team so they go back to older days and go by the “Saints” after the Toronto St. Pats.
May 6th 1947– The NHL head office does not like the trickery which Toronto did in order to get out of paying their fines, they attempt to brainstorm ways to keep them out of the league. One idea was to revive the Hamilton Tigers to compete with them for fans, another is to somehow give them limited status.
May 8th 1947 – Albany is awarded a team after being out bid for the barons. Fans in St. Louis are outraged as the head office says that a team in that city will still be impossible.
September 12th 1947 – Lester Patrick markets harder to the french market in order to gain more talent, he opens more slots up on his training roster for French Canadians, this doesn't sit well with head office. Red Dutton goes on record saying “This sport was built by the English for the English, it is our heritage as well as the heritage of men and boys all across America. This league is no place for pea soups.”
September 13th 1947 – The league acts quickly and creates divisions, the Toronto Saints, the Montreal Voyageurs and the upstart Albany Emperors are placed into a 'b' division and will play for a lesser trophy.
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