1916–17 Ottawa Senators season

The 1916–17 Ottawa Senators season was the Ottawa Hockey Club's 32nd season of play. This was the 8th and final season of the National Hockey Association. Teams were to play two half-seasons of 10 games each, though this was disrupted. Ottawa won the second half and played off against first-half winner Montreal Canadiens for the NHA title, but lost.

1916–17 Ottawa Senators
League1st (2nd half) NHA
1916–17 record7–3–0, 8–2–0
Goals for78
Goals against72
Team information
General managerTed Dey
CoachAlf Smith,
Eddie Gerard
ArenaThe Arena
Team leaders
GoalsFrank Nighbor (41)
Goals against averageClint Benedict (2.8)

Team business

The Ottawa club wanted to suspend play for the season due to the war, but was voted down.

Regular season

Suspending the Blueshirts

On February 10, 1917, the Blueshirts played their final game, losing 4–1 at home to Ottawa. The following day, a meeting of the NHA executive in Montreal was held to deal with the 228th Battalion leaving for overseas. Toronto proposed continuing with a five-team league, but the other owners instead voted to suspend Toronto's team. The players were dispersed by a drawing of names.[1] The following day, President Robinson was quoted as stating that the players would return to the club after the season, but he would not guarantee that the club would be allowed to return to play, stating that would be decided at the NHA annual meeting.[2]

Continuing the season

Ottawa, while not unhappy at the suspension of Toronto, nevertheless lost a game for the use of Cy Denneny in a game against the 228th, and saw the Wanderers and Quebec receive wins for games against the 228th. The club threatened to not play for the rest of the season.[3] However, cooler heads prevailed and Ottawa went back to work.[4]

Final standings

National Hockey Association
First Half GP W L T GF GA
Montreal Canadiens107305838
Ottawa Senators107305641
Toronto 228th Battalion106407057
Toronto Hockey Club105505045
Montreal Wanderers103705672
Quebec Bulldogs102804380
Second Half GP W L T GF GA
Ottawa Senators 108206322
Quebec Bulldogs108205446
Montreal Canadiens103703142
Montreal Wanderers102803865

[5]

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against
After the 228th Battalion dropped out, and Toronto suspended, the schedule was revised so that the remaining teams would play a 20 game schedule of two halves
containing 10 games each. Some of the games to that point were moved into the second half. The 'second half' standings therefore include some games that the
228th and Toronto played.

Results

First half
Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Dec. 27Ottawa7228th10
30Canadiens1Ottawa7
Jan. 3Ottawa10Wanderers5
6Toronto2Ottawa3
10Ottawa4Quebec5
13228th1Ottawa1
17Ottawa3Canadiens2
20Wanderers5Ottawa8
24Ottawa5Toronto8
27Quebec2Ottawa7
Second half
Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Jan. 31228th0Ottawa‡8
Feb. 3Ottawa2Canadiens1
7Wanderers5Ottawa8
10Ottawa4Toronto1
14Canadiens1Ottawa4
17Ottawa2Quebec3 (16' OT)
21Ottawa5Wanderers3
24Wanderers6Ottawa11
28Ottawa3Canadiens1
Mar. 3Quebec1Ottawa16

‡ Ottawa lost game on use of ineligible Cy Denneny.
† Wanderers given win for this game in revised second half.
* 228th was ordered overseas. Toronto club was suspended by league.

Scoring

Player Team GP G
Frank NighborOttawa1941
Jack DarraghOttawa2026
Corb DennenyToronto / Ottawa2019
Eddie GerardOttawa1917
Hamby ShoreOttawa1911
George BoucherOttawa1810
Ed LowreyOttawa193
Cy DennenyOttawa103
Horace MerrillOttawa181
Ernie StaveneauOttawa30
Jack FournierOttawa80

Leading goaltenders

Name Club GP GA SO Avg.
Clint Benedict Ottawa185012.8
Ossie Lang Ottawa155.0
Sam Hebert Quebec/Ottawa15845.6

Playoffs

Game-by-Game Winning team Score Losing team Location
1March 7Montreal Canadiens5–2Ottawa SenatorsMontreal Arena
2March 10Ottawa Senators4–2Montreal CanadiensThe Arena, Ottawa
Canadiens win two-game playoff 7–6

The Montreal Canadiens won the O'Brien Cup, but lost to the Seattle Metropolitans of the PCHA in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Awards and records

See also

References

  • Coleman, Charles (1966). The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1, 1893–1926 inc. NHL.
  1. "Torontos Out of Pro League". The Globe. February 12, 1917. p. 9.
  2. "NHA Asks $3,000 from 228th Battalion". The Globe. February 13, 1917. p. 9.
  3. "Ottawa to Quit, Too, if NHA Ruling "Goes"". The Globe. February 13, 1917. p. 9.
  4. "Ottawa Club Decides to Finish the Season". The Globe. February 14, 1917. p. 9.
  5. Standings: Coleman, Charles (1966). Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol. 1, 1893-1926 inc. National Hockey League. p. 315.
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