1951-52
OFF-SEASON
A few notable retirements led by Bobby Bauer and Doug Bentley. The 36 year old Bauer played 700 NHL games, all with the Boston Bruins. He had 270 goals and 610 points in his career. Last season Bauer appeared in just 13 games and had 2 goals and 2 assists. A 3-time first team all-star, Bauer played a key role on each of the Bruins 3 Stanley Cup winning teams.
Bentley endured some very bad Chicago teams as he suited up for the Black Hawks for 9 1/2 seasons before being dealt to the Leafs in 1948-49. He would play his first career playoff game that spring and win 2 Stanley Cups in his 3 years with the Leafs including this past season when he had a goal and 5 assists in 10 playoff games. In 636 career regular season games, Bentley scored 196 goals and had 529 career points. He was named NHL rookie of the year in 1942-43 when he had 57 points in 50 games for the Black Hawks.
Another Cup winning Leaf retired as 32 year old Billy Reay decided to call it a career. Reay played 506 career NHL games with Detroit and Toronto, scoring 135 times and recording 312 points. Injuries over the past 3 seasons greatly hindered Reay's career numbers.
The latest example as to why the Chicago Black Hawks have been so bad is this off-season trade. Chicago dealt 29 year old Bob Goldham, who anchored the Hawks blueline and was named a second team all-star this past season after scoring 8 goals and adding 24 assists, to the Detroit Red Wings. In return the Hawks get 22 year old Johnny Wilson. The third year pro had 19 goals and 37 points in 68 games this season - his third in the NHL. Goldham will replace the rapidly aging Jack Stewart on the Wings top defense pair with Bill Quackenbush. Wilson will challenge for first line minutes with the Black Hawks but Chicago really could have used Goldham to tutor youngsters Bill Gadsby and Pierre Pilote on their blueline.
Not a lot of big names entering the league this season. The best known are Claude Provost with Montreal, Don McKenney in Boston and goaltender Les Binkley with the Black Hawks.
REGULAR SEASON
All time scoring leader Syl Apps reached the 900 career point mark with an assist in a Leafs win over Detroit on November 5th. It was also his 750th career game. The 37 year old played just 37 games in the season and finished with 13 points, giving him 911 in his career.
Maurice Richard became the first to reach the 400 carere goal mark. His 400th came February 18th against Sugar Jim Henry and the New York Rangers. The Rocket finished the season with 46 goals, giving him 408 in 552 career games.
Injuries had a big impact as Detroit's Sid Abel suffered a knee injury in January that will sideline him for 12 months. The injury came just days after Abel recorded his 500th career assist. Abel ended up playing just 41 games during the season and finished with 50 points. The Wings also were without Ted Lindsay for much of the season as injuries limited the reigning Hart Trophy winner to 35 games.
Boston lost veteran Woody Dumart indefinately with a concussion that is possibly career ending. In 861 career games the 35 year old has 293 goals and 679 career points. Meanwhile, Montreal had to endure serious injuries late in the season to Elmer Lach and young Jean Beliveau.
Despite the injuries the Habs still finished with a record 117 points. With youngsters Jean Beliveau (28-35-63), Dickie Moore (42-61-103) and Bernie Geoffrion (28-41-69) joining an offense that already had veterans Maurice Richard (46-44-90), Toe Blake (22-38-60) and Elmer Lach (17-64-81) the Canadiens were unstoppable. Meanwhile, Jacques Plante (50-9-2, 2.05) took over from Turk Broda in the Montreal crease.
The Leafs and Detroit again finished second and third while the surprising Chicago Black Hawks earned their first playoff berth in 21 years. Goaltender Glenn Hall, just 20 years old, had a great season in the Chicago net.
Code:
GP W L T PTS
Montreal Canadiens 70 57 10 3 117
Toronto Maple Leafs 70 41 20 9 91
Detroit Red Wings 70 32 28 10 74
Chicago Black Hawks 70 21 36 13 55
Boston Bruins 70 17 45 8 42
New York Rangers 70 15 44 11 41
SCORING LEADERS TEAM GP G A PTS
Dickie Moore MON 70 42 61 103
Maurice Richard MON 70 46 44 90
Elmer Lach MON 65 17 64 81
Ted Kennedy TOR 70 31 46 77
Bernie Geoffrion MON 62 28 41 69
Fleming Mackell TOR 67 23 45 68
Jean Beliveau MON 56 28 35 63
Red Kelly TOR 70 17 46 63
Toe Blake MON 70 22 38 60
Tod Sloan TOR 70 27 32 59
PLAYOFFS
Injuries to Montreal's top two centres in Jean Beliveau and Elmer Lach made the playoff series with Toronto much closer than would have been expected when comparing their regular season records. The two clubs split the first six games setting the stage for Game Seven. After a scoreless opening frame regular season scoring leader Dickie Moore got the Habs on the board early in the second period but Sid Smith tied the game for Toronto 8 minutes later. 1-1 entering the third the Habs finally blew the game open with goals from Red Abbott and Pat Lundy 2 minutes apart midway through the stanza. Rocket Richard would seal the victory with an empty net goal. The 21 year old Moore, who was rookie of the year last season, led the Habs with 7 goals and 10 points in the series.
Glenn Hall would keep the Black Hawks in the other semi-final but eventually Detroit prevailed in 6 games.
Moore and Bernie Geoffrion scored for the Habs as Montreal took Game One of the finals by a 2-1 score. Chuck Rayner made 38 saves in the Detroit cage while rookie Jacques Plante stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced.
Moore was the hero of Game Two as he scored in overtime to give Montreal a 5-4 victory. Detroit rebounded with a 4-1 win in Game Three that featured 2 goals from Gordie Howe for the Wings. The now 23 year old Howe has been very slow to develop but did have a career best 14 goals and 35 points this season.
Moore continued to dominate the playoffs as he scored 3 times and added an assist in a 6-2 Game Four victory for the Canadiens. Montreal returns home leading the series 3 games to one.
The Canadiens would wrap up the series on home ice with a 5-3 victory in Game Five. Defeseman Doug Harvey and third line winger Floyd Curry each had a goal and an assist to pace Montreal to the win which would b the Canadiens 5th Cup title since the sim started.
With 12 goals and 6 assists for 18 points in 12 games Dickie Moore was the easy choice as the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Other Award winners:
HART TROPHY: Doug Harvey Montreal (70GP 18-36-54)
VEZINA TROPHY: Terry Sawchuk Toronto (41-20-9, 2.31)
NORRIS TROPHY: Doug Harvey Montreal (70GP 18-36-54)
ART ROSS TROPHY: Dickie Moore Montreal (70 GP 42-61-103)
CALDER TROPHY: Jacques Plante Montreal (50-9-2, 2.05)
The game does not select the all-star team but I will start naming first and second team all-stars
Code:
POS FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM
G Jacques Plante Montreal Terry Sawchuk Toronto
D Red Kelly Toronto Bob Goldham Chicago
D Doug Harvey Montreal Bill Barilko Toronto
C Fleming Mackell Toronto Elmer Lach Montreal
LW Dickie Moore Montreal Sid Smith Toronto
RW Maurice Richard Montreal Ted Kennedy Toronto