1954–55 NHL season

1954–55 NHL season
League National Hockey League
Sport Ice hockey
Duration October 7, 1954 – April 14, 1955
Number of games 70
Number of teams 6
Regular season
Season champion Detroit Red Wings
Season MVP Ted Kennedy (Maple Leafs)
Top scorer Bernie Geoffrion (Canadiens)
Stanley Cup
Champions Detroit Red Wings
  Runners-up Montreal Canadiens

The 1954–55 NHL season was the 38th season of the National Hockey League. The Detroit Red Wings were the Stanley Cup champions as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens four games to three in the best-of-seven final series. The Canadiens were without star forward Maurice 'Rocket' Richard who had been suspended for the playoffs, a suspension which led to the March 17, 1955 "Richard Riot" in Montreal.

League business

Art Ross announced at the league governors meeting that his connection with Boston would terminate at the end of September. As this would be his last appearance at a league meeting, he took the opportunity to thank the governors and others associated with the league during the 30 years of his being officer of the Boston club for the kindness, courtesy and cooperation he had received, and extended his good wishes for the continued success of the league. Conn Smythe and Frank Selke voiced the good wishes of all present to Ross on his retirement.

Prior to the season, Red Wings head coach Tommy Ivan left Detroit to become general manager of the Chicago Black Hawks, and Jimmy Skinner replaced him behind the bench in the Motor City. One of the first things Ivan did at Chicago was to establish an extensive farm system, something the Black Hawks never had.

Regular season

On December 18, Maurice Richard scored his 400th career goal against Chicago netminder Al Rollins in a 4–1 Canadiens victory over the Black Hawks. Montreal and Toronto played to a 1–1 tie on December 29, at Maple Leaf Gardens. Maurice Richard got a standing ovation when he scored his 401st goal late in the first period.

In a scoreless tie at the Montreal Forum on March 10, a new ice cleaner and resurfacer called a Zamboni was used for the first time. The fans were not appreciative of Toronto's defensive style in this game and threw garbage, including pig's feet, on the ice.

The Richard Riot took place on March 17, 1955. Maurice Richard had been suspended by league president Clarence Campbell after an incident in a game against Boston where Richard punched the referee. Richard was suspended for the rest of the season and the playoffs. Campbell's subsequent appearance at a Canadiens' game at the Montreal Forum incited a group of protesters and led to violence in the Forum and in downtown Montreal.

Final standings

National Hockey League[1]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1 Detroit Red Wings 70 42 17 11 204 134 +70 95
2 Montreal Canadiens 70 41 18 11 228 157 +71 93
3 Toronto Maple Leafs 70 24 24 22 147 135 +12 70
4 Boston Bruins 70 23 26 21 169 188 −19 67
5 New York Rangers 70 17 35 18 150 210 −60 52
6 Chicago Black Hawks 70 13 40 17 161 235 −74 43

Playoffs

Detroit won series 4–0
Montreal won series 4–1
Detroit won series 4–3


Playoff bracket

Semi-finals Stanley Cup Final
      
1 Detroit Red Wings 4
3 Toronto Maple Leafs 0
1 Detroit Red Wings 4
2 Montreal Canadiens 3
2 Montreal Canadiens 4
4 Boston Bruins 1

Awards

Award winners
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Regular season champion) 		Detroit Red Wings
Art Ross Trophy:
(Top scorer) 		Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens
Calder Memorial Trophy:
(Best first-year player) 		Ed Litzenberger, Chicago Black Hawks
Hart Trophy:
(Most valuable player) 		Ted Kennedy, Toronto Maple Leafs
James Norris Memorial Trophy:
(Best defenceman) 		Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:
(Excellence and sportsmanship) 		Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs
Vezina Trophy:
(Goaltender of team with the best goals-against average) 		Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings
All-Star teams
First team   Position   Second team
Harry Lumley, Toronto Maple Leafs G Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings
Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens D Bob Goldham, Detroit Red Wings
Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings D Fern Flaman, Boston Bruins
Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens C Ken Mosdell, Montreal Canadiens
Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens RW Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens
Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs LW Danny Lewicki, New York Rangers

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

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

Player Team GP G A PTS PIM
Bernie Geoffrion Montreal Canadiens 70 38 37 75 57
Maurice Richard Montreal Canadiens 67 38 36 74 125
Jean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens 70 37 36 73 58
Earl Reibel Detroit Red Wings 70 25 41 66 15
Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 64 29 33 62 68
George Sullivan Chicago Black Hawks 69 19 42 61 51
Bert Olmstead Montreal Canadiens 70 10 48 58 103
Sid Smith Toronto Maple Leafs 70 33 21 54 14
Ken Mosdell Montreal Canadiens 70 22 32 54 82
Danny Lewicki New York Rangers 70 29 24 53 8

Source: NHL[2]

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SO
Harry Lumley Toronto Maple Leafs 69 4140 133 1.93 23 24 22 8
Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings 68 4080 132 1.94 40 17 11 12
Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 52 3120 109 2.10 31 13 7 5
Charlie Hodge Montreal Canadiens 14 820 31 2.27 7 3 4 1
John Henderson Boston Bruins 45 2652 109 2.47 15 14 15 5
Lorne Worsley New York Rangers 65 3900 195 3.00 15 33 17 4
Jim Henry Boston Bruins 27 1548 79 3.06 8 12 6 1
Hank Bassen Chicago Black Hawks 21 1260 63 3.00 4 9 8 0
Al Rollins Chicago Black Hawks 44 2640 149 3.39 9 27 8 0

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1954–55 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1954–55 (listed with their last team):

See also

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "1954–1955 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.
  2. ↑ Dinger 2011, p. 149.
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