1954–55 NHL season

National Hockey League season

Sports 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
TV partner(s)| CBC, SRC (Canada)
None (United States)
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
NHL seasons

← 1953–54

1955–56 →

The 1954–55 NHL season was the 38th season of the National Hockey League. Six teams played 70 games each. 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

On December 18, 1954, 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

[edit]

National Hockey League[1]

* v
* t
* e

|  | 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

[edit]

### Playoff bracket

[edit]

The top four teams in the league qualified for the playoffs. In the semifinals, the first-place team played the third-place team, while the second-place team faced the fourth-place team, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. In both rounds, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series).

| Semifinals | | | Stanley Cup Finals |

|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| 1 | Detroit | 4 | |
| 3 | Toronto | 0 |
| | 1 | Detroit | 4 |
|  |
| | | 2 | Montreal | 3 |
| 2 | Montreal | 4 |

| 4 | Boston | 1 |

### Semifinals

[edit]

#### (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (3) Toronto Maple Leafs

[edit]

March 22  | Toronto Maple Leafs  |  | 4–7 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Brian Cullen (1) – pp – 07:00
George Armstrong (1) – 13:01  | First period | 11:54 – Vic Stasiuk (1)
19:06 – Dutch Reibel (1)
No scoring | Second period | 01:36 – Glen Skov (1)
09:48 – pp – Dutch Reibel (2)
Sid Smith (1) – 02:53
Ted Kennedy (1) – pp – 12:38  | Third period | 03:54 – Gordie Howe (1)
07:40 – pp – Gordie Howe (2)
15:07 – pp – Ted Lindsay (1)
Harry Lumley | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
March 24  | Toronto Maple Leafs  |  | 1–2 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Sid Smith (2) – 00:17  | First period | 08:09 – pp – Gordie Howe (3)
08:54 – pp – Alex Delvecchio (1)
No scoring | Second period | No scoring
No scoring | Third period | No scoring
Harry Lumley | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
March 26  | Detroit Red Wings |  | 2–1 |  | Toronto Maple Leafs  | Maple Leaf Gardens | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Ted Lindsay (2) – pp – 01:36
Dutch Reibel (3) – 11:46  | First period | 07:29 – pp – Sid Smith (3)
No scoring | Second period | No scoring
No scoring | Third period | No scoring
Terry Sawchuck | Goalie stats | Harry Lumley
March 29  | Detroit Red Wings |  | 3–0 |  | Toronto Maple Leafs  | Maple Leaf Gardens | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
Vic Stasiuk (2) – 05:38
Gordie Howe (4) – 09:20  | Second period | No scoring
Tony Leswick (1) – 19:33  | Third period | No scoring
Terry Sawchuck | Goalie stats | Harry Lumley
Detroit won series 4–0 |

|

#### (2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) Boston Bruins

[edit]

March 22  | Boston Bruins  |  | 0–2 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
No scoring | Second period | 06:23 – pp – Bernie Geoffrion (1)
12:35 – pp – Jean Beliveau (1)
No scoring | Third period | No scoring
Jim Henry | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge
March 24  | Boston Bruins  |  | 1–3 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
Real Chevrefils (1) – 16:43  | Second period | 01:31 – Floyd Curry (1)
11:08 – Calum MacKay (1)
13:43 – Jean Beliveau (2)
No scoring | Third period | No scoring
Jim Henry | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge
March 27  | Montreal Canadiens  |  | 2–4 |  | Boston Bruins | Boston Garden | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | 13:53 – Leo Labine (1)
18:25 – Fern Flaman (1)
18:45 – Real Chevrefils (2)
No scoring | Second period | 18:47 – Hal Laycoe (1)
Ken Mosdell (1) – 00:30
Jack LeClair (1) – sh – 18:46  | Third period | No scoring
Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge | Goalie stats | Jim Henry
March 29  | Montreal Canadiens |  | 4–3 | OT | Boston Bruins  | Boston Garden | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
Tom Johnson (1) – 03:51
Floyd Curry (2) – pp – 12:43  | Second period | 06:15 – pp – Don McKenney (1)
09:55 – Leo Labine (2)
Bernie Geoffrion (2) – 12:40  | Third period | 08:52 – Ed Sandford (1)
Don Marshall (1) – sh – 03:05  | First overtime period | No scoring
Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge | Goalie stats | Jim Henry
March 31  | Boston Bruins  |  | 1–5 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | 03:43 – Jack LeClair (2)
14:43 – pp – Dickie Moore (1)
Lorne Ferguson (1) – pp – 15:52  | Second period | 07:55 – Floyd Curry (3)
11:18 – Jack LeClair (3)
No scoring | Third period | 08:14 – Jean Beliveau (3)
Jim Henry | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante
Montreal won series 4–1 |

|

### Stanley Cup Finals

[edit]

Main article: 1955 Stanley Cup Finals

April 3  | Montreal Canadiens  |  | 2–4 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
Floyd Curry (4) – 05:09  | Second period | 14:00 – pp – Alex Delvecchio (2)
Floyd Curry (5) – 08:57  | Third period | 13:05 – Vic Stasiuk (3)
17:07 – sh – Marty Pavelich (1)
19:42 – Ted Lindsay (3)
Jacques Plante | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
April 5  | Montreal Canadiens  |  | 1–7 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | 02:15 – sh – Marcel Pronovost (1)
09:57 – Ted Lindsay (4)
16:00 – Alex Delvecchio (3)
17:11 – Gordie Howe (5)
No scoring | Second period | 08:10 – Ted Lindsay (5)
15:48 – pp – Ted Lindsay (6)
19:37 – Ted Lindsay (7)
Ken Mosdell (2) – 12:32  | Third period | No scoring
Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
April 7  | Detroit Red Wings  |  | 2–4 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Red Kelly (1) – pp – 18:13  | First period | 08:30 – pp – Bernie Geoffrion (3)
08:42 – pp – Bernie Geoffrion (4)
Vic Stasiuk (4) – 16:16  | Second period | 14:23 – Bernie Geoffrion (5)
No scoring | Third period | 07:50 – Jack LeClair (4)
Terry Sawchuck | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante
April 9  | Detroit Red Wings  |  | 3–5 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Dutch Reibel (4) – 12:38  | First period | 00:40 – Calum MacKay (2)
No scoring | Second period | 03:41 – Bernie Geoffrion (6)
08:25 – Jean Beliveau (4)
09:07 – Tom Johnson (2)
Dutch Reibel (5) – 03:40
Jim Hay (1) – 12:000  | Third period | 02:33 – Floyd Curry (6)
Terry Sawchuck | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante
April 10  | Montreal Canadiens  |  | 1–5 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Jean Beliveau (5) – pp – 08:01  | First period | 12:59 – Glen Skov (2)
18:59 – Gordie Howe (6)
No scoring | Second period | 12:29 – pp – Gordie Howe (7)
16:20 – pp – Gordie Howe (8)
No scoring | Third period | 02:09 – Vic Stasiuk (5)
Jacques Plante | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
April 12  | Detroit Red Wings  |  | 3–6 |  | Montreal Canadiens | Montreal Forum | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Alex Delvecchio (4) – 13:36  | First period | 07:30 – Jean Beliveau (6)
Alex Delvecchio (5) – pp – 15:54  | Second period | 03:45 – pp – Jack LeClair (5)
05:21 – pp – Bernie Geoffrion (7)
18:18 – Bernie Geoffrion (8)
Red Kelly (2) – 16:23  | Third period | 00:19 – Floyd Curry (7)
18:55 – Calum MacKay (3)
Terry Sawchuck | Goalie stats | Jacques Plante
April 14  | Montreal Canadiens  |  | 1–3 |  | Detroit Red Wings | Olympia Stadium | Recap |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

No scoring | First period | No scoring
No scoring | Second period | 07:12 – Alex Delvecchio (6)
19:49 – Gordie Howe (9)
Floyd Curry (8) – pp – 14:35  | Third period | 02:59 – Alex Delvecchio (7)
Jacques Plante | Goalie stats | Terry Sawchuck
Detroit won series 4–3 |

|

## Awards

[edit]

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

[edit]

### Scoring leaders

[edit]

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
Red 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

[edit]

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

## Coaches

[edit]

* Boston Bruins: Milt Schmidt
* Chicago Black Hawks: Frank Eddolls
* Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Skinner
* Montreal Canadiens: Dick Irvin
* New York Rangers: Muzz Patrick
* Toronto Maple Leafs: King Clancy

## Debuts

[edit]

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):

* Don McKenney, Boston Bruins
* Don Cherry*, Boston Bruins (only NHL game of career)
* Charlie Hodge, Montreal Canadiens
* Jean-Guy Talbot, Montreal Canadiens
* Lou Fontinato, New York Rangers
* Dick Duff, Toronto Maple Leafs

## Last games

[edit]

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):

* Gus Bodnar, Boston Bruins
* Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins
* Jim Henry, Boston Bruins
* Bill Mosienko, Chicago Black Hawks
* Paul Ronty, Montreal Canadiens
* Edgar Laprade, New York Rangers
* Bill Ezinicki, New York Rangers
* Don Cherry, Boston Bruins (Only NHL game of his career)

## Broadcasting

[edit]

This was the third season of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television. Coverage included selected Stanley Cup playoff games. Both regular season and playoff games were not broadcast in their entirety until the 1968–69 season, and were typically joined in progress, while the radio version of HNIC aired games in their entirety.

## See also

[edit]

* 1954–55 NHL transactions
* 1954 NHL Intra-League Draft
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* 8th National Hockey League All-Star Game
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
* 1954 in sports
* 1955 in sports

## References

[edit]

* Coleman, Charles L. (1976), Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol III, Sherbrooke, Quebec: Progressive Publications
* Diamond, Dan, ed. (1994). 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.
* Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Kingston, New York: Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
* Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
* Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
* Duplacey, James (2008), Hockey's Book of Firsts, North Dighton, Massachusetts: JG Press, ISBN 978-1-57215-037-9
* Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003). The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International Inc. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
* McFarlane, Brian (1969), 50 Years Of Hockey, Winnipeg, MAN: Greywood Publishing, ASIN B000GW45S0
* McFarlane, Brian (1973). The Story of the National Hockey League. New York: Pagurian Press. ISBN 0-684-13424-1.

Notes

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

## External links

[edit]

* Hockey Database
* NHL.com

* v
* t
* e

1954–55 NHL season

Teams|

* Boston
* Chicago
* Detroit
* Montreal
* New York
* Toronto

See also|

* All-Star Game
* Intra-League Draft
* Richard Riot
* Topps Hockey
* Stanley Cup Finals

* v
* t
* e

NHL seasons

1910s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  1917–18 |  1918–19 |  1919–20

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1920s|

|  1920–21 |  1921–22 |  1922–23 |  1923–24 |  1924–25 |  1925–26 |  1926–27 |  1927–28 |  1928–29 |  1929–30

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1930s|

|  1930–31 |  1931–32 |  1932–33 |  1933–34 |  1934–35 |  1935–36 |  1936–37 |  1937–38 |  1938–39 |  1939–40

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1940s|

|  1940–41 |  1941–42 |  1942–43 |  1943–44 |  1944–45 |  1945–46 |  1946–47 |  1947–48 |  1948–49 |  1949–50

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1950s|

|  1950–51 |  1951–52 |  1952–53 |  1953–54 |  1954–55 |  1955–56 |  1956–57 |  1957–58 |  1958–59 |  1959–60

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1960s|

|  1960–61 |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69 |  1969–70

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1970s|

|  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79 |  1979–80

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1980s|

|  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89 |  1989–90

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990s|

|  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99 |  1999–00

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2000s|

|  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  ~~2004–05~~ |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09 |  2009–10

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2010s|

|  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19 |  2019–20

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020s|

|  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  2024–25 |  2025–26 |  |  |  |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

The 2004–05 season was not played due to a lockout.
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[GP]: Games played
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[DIFF]: Goal Differential
*[Pts]: Points