Montreal Maroons

The Montreal Maroons were a professional ice hockey team from Montreal, Quebec. They played from 1924 to 1938 in the National Hockey League. 1926 and 1935 they won the Stanley Cup.

• 2.1 Sporting achievements
• 2.2 Franchise Records 2.2.1 career
• 2.2.2 season

History

Founding and stadium

After the Montreal Wanderers in 1918 had set the game mode, the English Hockey fans of the city the Montreal Canadiens joined, although this had hitherto been the Association of French-speaking society. When the Canadiens had brought in 1924 after eight years of the Stanley Cup once again to Montreal, the city celebrated together the title, but behind the scenes planning the officials who praised the commonality in their speeches, even the establishment of a new team for the English-speaking population.

Along with the planning of the new team was to build a new ice rink in Montreal the plan. With envy you looked to Ottawa, where they already played on artificial ice. The initiator of the project was William Northey, formerly president of former Stanley Cup winner was the Montreal AAA. He was influential Donat Raymond win for the idea that had the relationships that were necessary for the financing of the project. Already in March 1922, the two spoke with the Canadian Pacific Railway. The President of the CPR Edward Beatty could be obtained for the project and made it within a year with Herbert Molson of Molson Brewery and his cousin William Molson, founder of the Molson Bank to include two additional cash strong supporters with. In the spring of 1923 were discussed for the first time the plans of the famous architect in Montreal John Smith Archibald. With Léo Dandurand also a member of the Canadiens was involved in what was withheld from the public for tactical reasons. The Canadiens had just completed a six years applicable contract with the Mount Royal Arena, but even they realized that this was not a permanent solution. The obligation of Cecil Hart, a close friend of Dandurand as manager of the new team said that the Canadiens were also involved in the sporting planning.

In June 1924 there was $ 400,000 for the construction of the Montreal Forum together and so the implementation could begin. The sporty line had been transferred James Strachan, who had and held a similar role already at the Montreal AAA the Wanderers. Officially a franchise has been requested from the NHL. The League dealt at this time also with expansion ideas for the United States. From Ottawa came the requirement that the new team would have to pay an admission fee, with the Canadiens expressed it openly hostile. The new stadium operators found an agreement in which they paid the Canadiens $ 15,000 for the division of territory rights. An amount you could hardly refuse. In early October we received commitments jointly with the Boston Bruins.

The first season

As the first player, the new team Dunc Munro, a 18 -year-old defender, who had become the pre-season Olympic champion committed. Ottawa was offered $ 20,000 for Frank Nighbor, King Clancy and Hooley Smith, but the senator refused. With the goalie Clint Benedict and the former top scorer in the league, Punch Broadbent, but there were two other players from Ottawa. From the Toronto St. Patricks could get the defensively strong Reg Noble for the new team. These players formed the backbone of the team that officially Montreal Professional Hockey Club said. Gladly would have been the team again called Wanderers, but you could not acquire the naming rights. Due to the jersey color, the team had the nickname Maroons and during the season it was also the official name.

With much optimism, the Maroons started in the first season, and as expected no more sympathetic to large parts of the English-speaking citizens of Montreal, with the Canadiens but now with the new team. Back in February, there had been between the club management and Cecil Hart disagreements about the skills, Hart returned to the Canadiens and Eddie Gerard took over the task after the gang. Due to their defensive play they made life difficult for their opponents, but the low goal tally brought only nine wins in 30 games. Six times they met the Canadiens. These games, especially in the forum were attended by over 11,000 spectators and was at that time the sporting highlight in Montreal. The Maroons get only two draws, but no victory.

First Stanley Cup victory

For the 1925/26 season the team had reinforced particularly in attack. With the 22 -year-old Nels Stewart and the 21 year old Babe Siebert, the club was able to win two strong young attacker for the team. Before start of the season Lester Patrick came with his Victoria Cougars to Montreal. The reigning Stanley Cup winner gave the Canadiens, who were inferior in the finals, a rematch. The Maroons competed against the Cougars. The first half of the game was played according to the rules of the NHL, the second half they played after the offensive rules that were common on the west coast. This change paved the Maroons problems and the team was defeated 3-1.

During the season, things went better. Soon, the team was able for the first time win against the Canadiens. The local rival was weakened by the tragic end of his career goalkeeper Georges Vézina, and throughout the season we were not able to Maroons, in which the two young New Items furiously smashing to defy. Nels Stewart was with 34 goals and eight assists best scorer of the NHL and led his team to second place after the regular season.

The play-offs were then played with one home and away game. Then the gates of both games were tallied to determine the winner. In the first round the team the Pittsburgh Pirates faced that were trained by Sprague Cleghorn. After a 3-1 win in Pittsburgh, presented in the second game, a 3-3 draw to reach the next round. Here they played against the Ottawa Senators at the NHL championship and a place in the finals series for the Stanley Cup. In the first game in Montreal the Senators succeeded seconds before the end of the balance at 1-1. In the second game, which was played in Ottawa, Babe Siebert was only a hit, so that the Maroons made ​​the NHL champions. Together with about 600 traveling fans celebrated in Ottawa and after their arrival in Montreal, the team was received at the station of the same enthusiastic crowds.

After the Stanley Cup final series had been held on the West Coast last year, had this time to travel to Montreal, the Victoria Cougars as representatives of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and defending champion. The journey then took five days. The first game, which was played according to the rules of the NHL, won the Maroons 3-0. In the second game then were the offensive rule from the West. The Cougars were fighting with the referee, the rule with the change obviously had bigger problems than the players. Also, this game decided the Maroons 3-0 for itself. In the third game Victoria succeeded not only the first hit. With a 3-2 victory, they brought themselves back into the series. Unlike in the previous games, the Maroons use in the fourth game of the possibilities offered them the more aggressive rules and so surprised the Cougars. Two goals by Nels Stewart, they won the fourth game and the Stanley Cup.

In the night of 24 to 25 March 1936, the Maroons played against the Detroit Red Wings, the longest playoff game ever. It was decided in the sixth extension thirds and lasted 176 minutes and 30 seconds.

Achievements and honors

Sporting successes

In the years 1926 and 1935, the Montreal Maroons won the Stanley Cup, the most coveted trophy in the Hockey world. In 1928 she stood unsuccessfully in the final.

Franchise Records

The following players selected records of the franchise will be listed on both the entire career as well as on individual seasons.

Career

Season

Individual Awards

Calder Trophy: When Frank Calder for the second time the best rookie honored with the trophy donated by him, was a player of the Maroons of the winners with Russ Blinco.

Hart Memorial Trophy: Old Poison Nels Stewart was awarded to his time with the Maroons twice as most valuable player in the NHL.

NHL Top Scorer: In his first year in the NHL, he was the top scorer of the league and helped to win the Stanley Cup. As of 1999, the Maurice Richard Trophy was awarded for this.

NHL Top Scorer: Most goals were also the basis for the title of best scorers. From 1948 Art Ross Trophy this the decision has been taken.

Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame

• Clint Benedict
• Buck Boucher
• Punch Broadbent
• King Clancy ( Trainer)
• Sprague Cleghorn ( Trainer)
• Lionel Conacher
• Alex Connell
• Red Dutton
• Eddie Gerard ( Trainer)
• Reg Noble
• Hooley Smith
• Nels Stewart