1907–08 ECAHA season

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The 1907–08 Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA) season lasted from December 29, 1907 until March 7, 1908. Teams played a ten game schedule. The Montreal Wanderers would win the league championship with a record of eight wins, two losses.

Contents

League Business

Executive

The Nationals applied for a franchise but did not get three-fourths approval.

Mr. Baskerville demanded better protection be given visiting teams at Quebec, as stones had been thrown at the Senators on their last visit.

Rule Changes

Hod Stuart Benefit All-Star Game

The first All-Star game in ice hockey was played on January 2, 1908 before 3,500 fans at the Montreal Arena between the Montreal Wanderers and a team of All-Stars players from the teams the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. It was held in memory of Montreal Wanderers player Hod Stuart, who had drowned three months after the Wanderers won the Stanley Cup in 1907. The sale of tickets, from 25 cents to $1, raised $2,000 for Mr. Stuart's widow and two children.[2]

Wanderers (10) All-Stars (7)
  • Riley Hern, goal,
  • Art Ross, point,
  • Walter Smaill, cover-point,
  • Frank Glass, rover,
  • Ernie Russell, centre,
  • Cecil Blatchford, right wing,
  • Ernie Johnson, left wing
  • Percy LeSueur, goal, (Ottawa)
  • Rod Kennedy, point (Victorias)
  • Frank Patrick, cover-point (Victorias)
  • Joe Power, rover (Quebec)
  • Grover Sargent, centre (Montreal)
  • Eddie Hogan, right wing (Quebec)
  • Jack Marshall, left wing (Shamrocks)

Regular season

Russell Bowie of Victorias led the scoring championship with 31 goals. This was the fifth time in ten seasons that Mr. Bowie would lead scorers.

There was a large amount of player turnover. For the Wanderers, Hod Stuart of Wanderers had died in the off-season, Lester Patrick had moved west, and new players would include Art Ross from Brandon, Tom Hooper of Kenora and Ernie Russell formerly of Montreal HC.

For Ottawa, Harry Smith and Hamby Shore moved to Winnipeg. This was Cyclone Taylor's first season for Ottawa and Tom Phillips and Marty Walsh joined the team.

Montreal Shamrocks signed up Didier Pitre and Jack Laviolette from the International League.

Quebec Bulldogs had three Power brothers in the lineup: Joe, Charles aka 'Chubby' and 'Rocket'.

Montreal Victorias signed Frank Patrick of McGill and Billy Gilmour of Ottawa.

On January 28, the Wanderers played Renfrew Creamery Kings of the Federal League in Brockville, Ontario for a bet of $400, (Wanderers expenses were provided). Wanderers played without three of their players from winning the Stanley Cup (Blatchford, Glass and Smail) and lost 11–5 to Renfrew.[3]

Highlights

Ottawa opened their new Arena, hosting the Wanderers on January 11, 1908, overloading capacity with 7,100 attending. Ottawa defeated the Wanderers 12–2. Ottawa and Wanderers were tied for first going into their rematch on February 29, when the Ottawa manager J. P. Dickson resigned in a dispute over which train to take to Montreal. At the time, two trains were available for the trip, and the two would race, with betting taking place on the winner. In the actual game, the two defence stars Art Ross and Cyclone Taylor would lead end-to-end rushes, and the game would be tied until Taylor was injured, and Bruce Stuart and Walter Smaill would score for the Wanderers to win 4–2.

On January 18, Quebec would defeat Montreal 18–5, with Chubby Power scoring six.

Russell Bowie would score five in a game three times, Marty Walsh would have the biggest game, scoring seven, and six in another. Tom Phillips would score five twice, Herb Jordan would score six and five, and Jack Marshall would score five twice.

Final standing

Team Games Played Wins Losses Ties Goals For Goals Against
Montreal Wanderers
10
8
2
0
63
52
Ottawa Hockey Club
10
7
3
0
86
51
Quebec Hockey Club
10
5
5
0
81
74
Montreal Shamrocks
10
5
5
0
53
49
Montreal Victorias
10
4
6
0
73
78
Montreal Hockey Club
10
3
7
0
58
83

Stanley Cup challenges

Wanderers played in three challenges, during the season against Ottawa Victorias and after the season, against Winnipeg and Toronto. All games were played at the Montreal Arena.

Wanderers vs. Ottawa

During the season, Wanderers would play a challenge against the Ottawa Victorias of the Federal Amateur Hockey League. On January 9–13, the Wanderers would win 9–3, 13–1 (22–4). Eddie Roberts broke his collarbone in the first game and was replaced by Gerard. Only 500 attended the second game.[4]

January 9
Victorias 3 at Wanderers 9
G P G
Hague G Riley Hern
Ross, C. P Art Ross 2
Milne CP Tom Hooper
Roberts 1 F Frank Glass 3
Young F Ernie Russell 4
Harrison 1 F Walter Smaill
Fraser 1 F Ernie Johnson
Referees - J. Power & D. Brown

[4]

January 13
Victorias 1 at Wanderers 13
G P G
Hague G Riley Hern
Ross, C. P Art Ross 1
Ryan CP Tom Hooper
Gerard F Frank Glass 1
Manson 1 F Ernie Russell 6
Harrison F Cecil Blachford 1
Fraser F Ernie Johnson 4
Referees - J. Power & D. Brown

[4]

Wanderers vs. Winnipeg

Wanderers defeated Winnipeg Maple Leafs in a two-game series 11–5, 9–3 (20–8) March 10–12.

March 10
Maple Leafs 5 at Wanderers 11
G P G
Winchester G Riley Hern
Forrester P Art Ross 1
Holden CP Walter Smaill 2
Shore F Frank Glass 1
Campbell F Bill Stuart 2
Kennedy 4 F Cecil Blachford 3
Lake 1 F Ernie Johnson 2
Referees - J. Power & Kirby

[5]

March 12
Maple Leafs 3 at Wanderers 9
G P G
Winchester G Riley Hern
Forrester P Art Ross
Holden CP Walter Smaill 1
Shore 2 F Frank Glass
Campbell F Bill Stuart 4
Kennedy F Cecil Blachford
Lake 1 F Ernie Johnson 4
Referees - Kirby & Henry

[5]

Wanderers vs. Toronto

They would then play Toronto Professionals of the Ontario Professional Hockey League and defeat them 6–4 on March 14 on two late goals by Ernie Johnson and Bruce Stuart.

March 14
Toronto 4 at Wanderers 6
G P G
Chuck Tyner G Riley Hern
Con Corbeau P Art Ross
Rowley Young 1 CP Walter Smaill
Bert Morrison F Frank Glass 2
Newsy Lalonde 2 F Ernie Russell 1
Bruce Ridpath 1 F Cecil Blachford 1
Wally Mercer F Ernie Johnson 1
Jack Marks sub Bruce Start 1
Referees - F. Patrick & R. Bowie

[6]

Schedule and results

1907
Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Dec. 29 Shamrocks 10 Victorias 4
1908
Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Jan. 4 Ottawa 1 Quebec 8
4 Victorias 8 Shamrocks 6
8 Wanderers 7 Montreal 3
11 Wanderers 2 Ottawa 12
11 Quebec 6 Victorias 12
15 Victorias 5 Wanderers 7
18 Ottawa 3 Shamrocks 4 (2' overtime)
18 Montreal 5 Quebec 18
22 Shamrocks 1 Wanderers 3
25 Victorias 9 Ottawa 14
25 Quebec 8 Wanderers 13
29 Victorias 13 Montreal 7
Feb. 1 Ottawa 14 Montreal 7
5 Wanderers 5 Victorias 6 (10' overtime)
8 Quebec 5 Ottawa 11
8 Montreal 3 Shamrocks 9
12 Victorias 4 Shamrocks 7
13 Shamrocks 3 Quebec 7
15 Ottawa 10 Victorias 4
15 Wanderers 8 Quebec 6
19 Montreal 5 Wanderers 8
22 Shamrocks 2 Ottawa 5
22 Quebec 8 Montreal 6
26 Montreal 7 Victorias 4
29 Ottawa 2 Wanderers 4
29 Victorias 8 Quebec 9 (3' overtime)
Mar. 4 Wanderers 6 Shamrocks 4
7 Ottawa 14 Montreal 6
7 Quebec 6 Shamrocks 7

Player statistics

Goalkeeper Averages

Name Club GP GA SO Avg.
Billy Nicholson Shamrocks 10 49 4.9
Percy LeSueur Ottawa 10 51 5.1
Riley Hern Wanderers 10 52 5.2
Nathan Frye Victorias 1 7 7.0
Paddy Moran Quebec 10 74 7.4
Robinson Victorias 9 71 7.9
Tyner Montreal 1 9 9.0
Dave Finnie Montreal 5 48 9.6
Archie Lockerby Montreal 4 48 12.0

Leading scorers

Name Club GP G
Bowie, Russell Victorias 10 31
Walsh, Marty Ottawa 9 28
Phillips, Tom Ottawa 10 26
Power, Charles Quebec 10 23
Jordan, Herb Quebec 8 22
Russell, Ernie Wanderers 9 21
Marshall, Jack Shamrocks 9 19
Eveleigh, Joe Montreal 8 16
Power, Joe Quebec 10 13
Smith, Alf Ottawa 9 13

Montreal Wanderers 1908 Stanley Cup Champions

Roster

  Centres
  Wingers
  Defencemen
  Goaltenders


  Non-players
  • James Strachan (President), Clarence McKerrow (Hon. President)
  • Dickie Boon (Manager), George Guile (Secretary/Treasurer)
  • Tom Hodges (Hon. Secretary/Treasurer), William Jennings (Vice President)
  • Bob Stephanson (Vice President), Bob Ahern (Hon. Vice President)
  • George Hodges, Bert Strachan, Fred Strachan, H. Watson†† (Directors)
  • Walter Dorion (Club Doctor), Paul Lefebvre (Trainer)


  • † Jimmy Gardner and Harry Smith were not members of Montreal Wanderers during their January, and March 1908 Stanley Cup defenses. However they played in Dec 1908 when the Wanderers defeated Edmonton.
  • †† unknown first name.
  • ‡ Tom Hooper left the Wanderers after the challenge game of January 13.

Stanley Cup engraving

After engraving 20 member names in the bowl of Stanley Cup in 1907, Wanderers did not even bother including their team name on the Stanley Cup in 1908. It was not until the trophy was redesigned in 1948 that the words "1908 Montreal Wanderers" was put onto its then-new collar.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Coleman, p. 151
  2. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (2000). The NHL All-Star Game: 50 years of the great tradition. Toronto: HarperCollins. pp. 1–4. ISBN 0-00-200058-X. 
  3. ^ "Renfrew beat Wanderers". The Globe: p. 9. January 29, 1908. 
  4. ^ a b c Coleman, p. 161
  5. ^ a b Coleman, p. 162
  6. ^ Coleman, p. 163
  7. ^ Podnieks 2004, p. 48.
Bibliography
Preceded by
Montreal Wanderers
March 1907
Montreal Wanderers
Stanley Cup Champions

1908
Succeeded by
Ottawa HC
1909
Preceded by
1907 ECAHA season
ECAHA seasons
1907–08
Succeeded by
1909 ECHA season