1959–60 NHL season

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1959–60 NHL season
League National Hockey League
Sport Ice hockey
Duration October 7, 1959 – April 14, 1960
Number of games 70
Number of teams 6
Regular season
Season champion Montreal Canadiens
Season MVP Gordie Howe (Red Wings)
Top scorer Bobby Hull (Black Hawks)
Stanley Cup
Finals champions Montreal Canadiens
  Runners-up Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL seasons

The 1959–60 NHL season was the 43rd season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens were the Stanley Cup winners as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs four games to none for their fifth straight Stanley Cup.

Regular season

The year was marked by important changes in the NHL. Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante, like Clint Benedict before him, began to wear a mask in hockey games. Plante, who had asthma-related problems throughout his career, began wearing a mask in practice shortly after a sinus operation in 1957. His first appearance with a mask in a game was on November 1, 1959, against the New York Rangers. Although many in the NHL disapproved of Plante's decision, due to traditions of the NHL at the time, many followed suit after Plante went undefeated in ten games with the mask on.

Phil Watson suffered an ulcer and was quietly dismissed as Ranger coach and replaced by Alf Pike. Gump Worsley was demoted to Springfield of the AHL and Worsley screamed he was finished with hockey. But he reported to Springfield anyway. Eddie Shore, known for his criticism of his players, gave Worsley a surprise vote of confidence. Gump played well for the Indians.

There was trouble brewing for Rangers right-winger sniper Andy Bathgate, who'd ripped open Plante's nose on the night of the goalie mask's official NHL debut, when, in an article in True Magazine, ghosted by Dave Anderson, he listed the names of players whom he considered guilty of the dangerous act of spearing. This was brought to the attention of NHL President Clarence Campbell, who then fined Bathgate $500 and Ranger general manager Muzz Patrick $100 on the grounds the article was prejudicial to and against the welfare of the league.

Gump Worsley, demoted to Springfield of the AHL, was brought back up as Marcel Paille was even worse in goal. Gump and the Rangers beat the Canadiens 8-3 in his first game back. Then a week later, Gump got bombed 11-2. Nothing had changed. Later against Chicago, Worsley suffered an injury that finished him for the season. Hawks' winger Bobby Hull skated over his catching glove and severed two tendons in his fingers. Al Rollins was called up to replace him. Later, Olympic hero Jack McCartan played a few games for the Rangers and played very well.

This regular season, like the two preceding it and the two following it, belonged to the Montreal Canadiens as they were in the midst of five straight first overall finishes and at the tail end of five straight Stanley Cup victories. The Detroit Red Wings, who were dead last and missed the playoffs the previous season, squeaked into the playoffs riding a Hart Memorial Trophy performance by their ageless star right-winger Gordie Howe.

This season marked the first season of the Original Six era during which every active player had played for Original Six teams only. Ken Mosdell, the last player to play for another team, retired the previous season.

Final standings

National Hockey League GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Montreal Canadiens 70 40 18 12 92 255 178 756
Toronto Maple Leafs 70 35 26 9 79 199 195 859
Chicago Black Hawks 70 28 29 13 69 191 180 970
Detroit Red Wings 70 26 29 15 67 186 197 538
Boston Bruins 70 28 34 8 64 220 241 932
New York Rangers 70 17 38 15 49 187 247 850

Stanley Cup playoffs

All dates in 1960

The momentum did not stop for the Habs as they played the minimum number of games to win the Stanley Cup. Montreal, in the process, became the last Cup winners in NHL history to go undefeated in the playoffs to date. After winning the Stanley Cup, Maurice Richard retired from the NHL as a champion.

Playoff bracket

  Semifinals Finals
                 
1 Montreal Canadiens 4  
3 Chicago Black Hawks 0  
    1 Montreal Canadiens 4
  2 Toronto Maple Leafs 0
2 Toronto Maple Leafs 4
4 Detroit Red Wings 2  

Semifinals

Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks had lead the league in scoring, but the well-oiled machine called the Montreal Canadiens managed to hold him to only one goal as the Canadiens swept the Black Hawks in four. The Toronto Maple Leafs, though, had a slightly tougher time against the Gordie Howe led Detroit Red Wings as it took the Leafs 6 games, including one in triple overtime, to win the series.

Chicago Black Hawks vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
March 24 Chicago Black Hawks 3 Montreal Canadiens 4
March 26 Chicago Black Hawks 3 Montreal Canadiens 4 (OT)
March 29 Montreal Canadiens 4 Chicago Black Hawks 0
March 31 Montreal Canadiens 2 Chicago Black Hawks 0

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
March 23 Detroit Red Wings 2 Toronto Maple Leafs 1
March 26 Detroit Red Wings 2 Toronto Maple Leafs 4
March 27 Toronto Maple Leafs 5 Detroit Red Wings 4 (3OT)
March 29 Toronto Maple Leafs 1 Detroit Red Wings 2 (OT)
April 2 Detroit Red Wings 4 Toronto Maple Leafs 5
April 3 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 Detroit Red Wings 2

Toronto wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2

Final

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 7 Toronto Maple Leafs 2 Montreal Canadiens 4
April 9 Toronto Maple Leafs 1 Montreal Canadiens 2
April 12 Montreal Canadiens 5 Toronto Maple Leafs 2
April 14 Montreal Canadiens 4 Toronto Maple Leafs 0

Montreal wins best-of-seven series four games to none

Awards

  • Prince of Wales Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
  • Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
  • Calder Memorial Trophy: Bill Hay, Chicago Black Hawks
  • Hart Memorial Trophy: Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
  • James Norris Memorial Trophy Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens
  • Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Don McKenney, Boston Bruins
  • Vezina Trophy: Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens

All-Star teams

First team   Position   Second team
Glenn Hall, Chicago Black Hawks G Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens
Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens D Allan Stanley, Toronto Maple Leafs
Marcel Pronovost, Detroit Red Wings D Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks
Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens C Bronco Horvath, Boston Bruins
Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings RW Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens
Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks LW Dean Prentice, New York Rangers

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Bobby Hull Chicago Black Hawks 70 39 42 81
Bronco Horvath Boston Bruins 68 39 41 80
Jean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens 60 34 40 74
Andy Bathgate New York Rangers 70 26 48 74
Henri Richard Montreal Canadiens 70 30 43 73
Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 70 28 45 73
Bernie Geoffrion Montreal Canadiens 59 30 41 71
Don McKenney Boston Bruins 70 20 49 69
Vic Stasiuk] Boston Bruins 69 29 39 68
Dean Prentice New York Rangers 70 32 34 66

[1]

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; MIN = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; SO = Shut outs; AVG = Goals against average

Player Team GP MINS GA SO AVG
Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens 69 4140 175 3 2.54
Glenn Hall Chicago Black Hawks 70 4200 179 6 2.56
Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings 58 3480 155 5 2.67
Johnny Bower Toronto Maple Leafs 66 3960 177 5 2.68
Don Simmons Boston Bruins 28 1680 91 2 3.25
Harry Lumley Boston Bruins 42 2520 146 2 3.48
Gump Worsley New York Rangers 39 2301 135 0 3.52

Team Photos

  • Boston Bruins

    Boston Bruins

  • Chicago Black Hawks

    Chicago Black Hawks

  • Detroit Red Wings

    Detroit Red Wings

  • Montreal Canadiens

    Montreal Canadiens

  • New York Rangers

    New York Rangers

  • Toronto Maple Leafs

    Toronto Maple Leafs

References

  • Coleman, Charles L. (1976), Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol III, Sherbrooke, QC: Progressive Publications 
  • (1994) in Diamond, Dan: Years of glory, 1942–1967: the National Hockey League's official book of the six-team era. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart. ISBN 0-7710-2817-2. 
  • (2000) in Diamond, Dan: Total Hockey. Kingston, NY: Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X. 
  • (2011) The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5. 
  • Dowbiggin, Bruce (2008), The Meaning Of Puck: How Hockey Explains Modern Canada, Toronto: Key Porter Books,  
  • (2000) Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd.. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9. 
  • Duplacey, James (2008), Hockey’s Book of Firsts, North Dighton, MA: JG Press,  
  • (2003) The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Inc.. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1. 
  • (1970) The Complete Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey. Prentice-Hall Inc.. ISBN 0-13-159905-4. 
  • McFarlane, Brian (1969), 50 Years Of Hockey, Winnipeg, MAN: Greywood Publishing, ISBN B000GW45S0 
  • McFarlane, Brian (1973). The Story of the National Hockey League. New York, NY: Pagurian Press. ISBN 0-684-13424-1. 
Notes
  1. ↑ Dinger 2011, p. 149.

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