1955–56 NHL season

1955–56 NHL season
League	National Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	October 6, 1955 – April 10, 1956
Number of games	70
Number of teams	6
Regular season
Season champion	Montreal Canadiens
Season MVP	Jean Beliveau (Canadiens)
Top scorer	Jean Beliveau (Canadiens)
Stanley Cup
Finals champions	Montreal Canadiens
Runners-up	Detroit Red Wings
NHL seasons
← 1954–55 1956–57 →

The 1955–56 NHL season was the 39th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams each played 70 games. The Montreal Canadiens were the Stanley Cup champions as they beat the Detroit Red Wings four games to one in the best-of-seven final series.

League business

At a governors' meeting in December, a discussion took place concerning the uniforms worn by officials. It was contended that the present orange and black uniforms were confusing to players and fans, particularly when red uniforms are worn by either of the participating teams. Furthermore, it was pointed out that the existing uniforms showed up black on television. It was unanimously agreed that officials' uniforms should be changed to black and white vertical stripes. The black and white uniforms were first worn on December 29, 1955.

With Montreal frequently racking up two or three goals on any one power play, NHL President Clarence Campbell said he'd like the penalty rule revised to a penalized player returning to the ice when a power play goal is scored on a minor penalty. The Canadiens were the lone club to vote against the new legislation.

Regular season

The streak of seven straight seasons at the top of the NHL held by the Detroit Red Wings' dynasty came to an end as the Montreal Canadiens were tops. The Canadiens set a new record for wins in a season with 45. The Canadiens had a new coach, their one-time great former All-Star left-winger, Hector "Toe" Blake.

Dick Irvin, formerly the coach in Montreal, whom Habs' GM Frank Selke Sr. found a little truculent, took over as coach in Chicago, but could not get them out of the cellar, though they did improve. It was sort of a homecoming for Irvin as he started his coaching career with Chicago in 1930.

Highlights

When the Hawks went to the Montreal Forum on October 22, Irvin was presented with a set of silver flatware by William Northey, representing the Canadian Arena Company. In the game itself, rookie Henri Richard scored two goals as Montreal shut out Chicago 6-0.

On November 5, Jean Beliveau scored three goals in 44 seconds as Montreal beat Boston 4-3. The record for fastest hat trick still was held by Bill Mosienko with three goals in 21 seconds.

On January 11, a crowd of 15,570 delighted fans at Madison Square Garden watched the Rangers trounce the Canadiens 6-1. Pete Conacher was a star for the Rangers with two goals. Lou Fontinato and Maurice Richard had a gala fight and Fontinato knocked out Richard with a punch that required several stitches above Richard's eye.

Montreal routed the Rangers 9-4 on February 18 as Beliveau had the hat trick and Richard two. The Rocket was incensed when referee Louis Maschio gave his brother a misconduct penalty and his teammates had to cool him off.

Beliveau set a record for goals by a center when he scored his 45th goal on March 15. Maurice Richard was hurt in this game when he fell over Hawk defenceman Pierre Pilote's skate and went headlong into the goal. He required stitches and was taken to hospital for X-rays. The Rocket was back in the lineup on St. Patrick's Day as the Canadiens trounced the Rangers 7-2 and Richard had the hat trick.

Rookie Glenn Hall had a fabulous year with 12 shutouts and a 2.11 goals against average for the ever-powerful Detroit Red Wings. He received the Calder Memorial Trophy over Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard.

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

National Hockey League	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA	PIM
Montreal Canadiens	70	45	15	10	100	222	131	977
Detroit Red Wings	70	30	24	16	76	183	148	794
New York Rangers	70	32	28	10	74	204	203	911
Toronto Maple Leafs	70	24	33	13	61	153	181	1051
Boston Bruins	70	23	34	13	59	147	185	929
Chicago Black Hawks	70	19	39	12	50	155	216	826

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

	Semifinals					Finals
	1	Montreal Canadiens	4
	3	New York Rangers	1
						1	Montreal Canadiens	4
						2	Detroit Red Wings	1
	2	Detroit Red Wings	4
	4	Toronto Maple Leafs	1

Semifinals

Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Rangers Date Away Team Home Team 20. March NY Rangers 1 7 Montreal 22. March NY Rangers 4 2 Montreal 24. March Montreal 3 1 NY Rangers 25. March Montreal 5 3 NY Rangers 27. March NY Rangers 0 7 Montreal Montreal won series 4:1.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Date Away Team Home Team Notes 20. March Toronto 2 3 Detroit 22. March Toronto 1 3 Detroit 24. March Detroit 5 4 Toronto OT 27. March Detroit 0 2 Toronto 29. March Toronto 1 3 Detroit Detroit won series 4:1.

Final

The Canadiens, down 4–2 after two periods, scored four unanswered goals, in a 5:29 span, in the third period to win Game One 6–4 at the Forum. Jacques Plante held the Red Wings to just ten goals in the five games. This was the first finals for Henri Richard and former Habs player Toe Blake's first finals as coach.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 31	Detroit	4	Montreal	6
April 3	Detroit	1	Montreal	5
April 5	Montreal	1	Detroit	3
April 8	Montreal	3	Detroit	0
April 10	Detroit	1	Montreal	3

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1

Awards

First Half Winners

• Calder Memorial Trophy: Glenn Hall, Detroit Red Wings
• Hart Memorial Trophy: Gump Worsley, New York Rangers
• James Norris Memorial Trophy: Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Earl Reibel, Detroit Red Wings

Winners

• Prince of Wales Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
• Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
• Calder Memorial Trophy: Glenn Hall, Detroit Red Wings
• Hart Memorial Trophy: Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
• James Norris Memorial Trophy: Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Earl Reibel, Detroit Red Wings
• Vezina Trophy: Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens

All-Star teams

First team	Position	Second team
Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens	G	Glenn Hall, Detroit Red Wings
Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens	D	Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
Bill Gadsby, New York Rangers	D	Tom Johnson, Montreal Canadiens
Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens	C	Tod Sloan, Toronto Maple Leafs
Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens	RW	Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
Ted Lindsay, Detroit Red Wings	LW	Bert Olmstead, Montreal Canadiens

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
Jean Beliveau	Montreal Canadiens	70	47	41	88	143
Gordie Howe	Detroit Red Wings	70	38	41	79	100
Maurice Richard	Montreal Canadiens	70	38	33	71	89
Bert Olmstead	Montreal Canadiens	70	14	56	70	94
Tod Sloan	Toronto Maple Leafs	70	37	29	66	100
Andy Bathgate	New York Rangers	70	19	47	66	59
Bernie Geoffrion	Montreal Canadiens	59	29	33	62	66
Earl Reibel	Detroit Red Wings	68	17	39	56	10
Alex Delvecchio	Detroit Red Wings	70	25	36	51	24
Dave Creighton	New York Rangers	70	20	31	51	43

Source: NHL

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
Jacques Plant	Montreal Canadiens	64	3840	119	1.86	42	12	10	7
Glenn Hall	Detroit Red Wings	70	4200	147	2.10	30	24	16	12
Terry Sawchuk	Boston Bruins	68	4080	177	2.60	22	33	13	9
Harry Lumley	Toronto Maple Leafs	59	3527	159	2.70	21	28	10	3
Lorne Worsley	New York Rangers	70	4200	199	2.84	32	28	10	4
Al Rollins	Chicago Black Hawks	58	3480	172	2.97	17	30	11	3

Team Photos

• 

  Boston Bruins

• 

  Chicago Black Hawks

• 

  Detroit Red Wings

• 

  Montreal Canadiens

• 

  New York Rangers

• 

  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. 
• (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. 
• 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

External links

• Hockey Database
• NHL.com

National Hockey League seasons

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