1925-26 NHL season facts for kids

The 1925-26 NHL season was a really exciting time for ice hockey! This was the ninth season for the National Hockey League (NHL). It was also the last season where the Stanley Cup was decided in a challenge series. This means the NHL champion played against a team from a different league to win the Cup.

The 1925-26 NHL Season: A Look Back

The 1925-26 NHL season saw seven teams battling it out on the ice. Each team played 36 games during the regular season. Teams worked hard to earn points for wins and ties. The top teams then moved on to the playoffs.

Regular Season Highlights

The Ottawa Senators had an amazing regular season. They finished at the top of the standings! The Senators won 24 games, lost only 8, and had 4 ties. This gave them a total of 52 points. They were a very strong team that year.

The Montreal Maroons also had a great season. They finished second in the league. The Maroons won 20 games and earned 45 points. Both the Senators and the Maroons were ready for the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Pirates also made it to the playoffs.

Top Players of the Season

Many players showed off their skills during the 1925-26 season. Nels Stewart from the Montreal Maroons was the top scorer. He scored an incredible 34 goals and had 8 assists, totaling 42 points!

Other top scorers included Cy Denneny of the Ottawa Senators. He scored 24 goals and had 12 assists. Carson Cooper and Jimmy Herberts from the Boston Bruins also scored many goals.

Goalie Superstars

Goalies are super important in hockey, and some really stood out. Alex Connell from the Ottawa Senators was a star. He had an amazing 15 shutouts! A shutout means the goalie didn't let any pucks into the net during a whole game. His goals against average (GAA) was only 1.2 goals per game. This shows how tough he was to score against.

Roy Worters of the Pittsburgh Pirates also had a strong season. He had 7 shutouts.

Playoffs: The Road to the Stanley Cup

The playoffs were full of exciting games as teams fought for the championship.

NHL Championship Series

First, the Pittsburgh Pirates played against the Montreal Maroons. The Maroons won this series by scoring more goals overall. They beat the Pirates 6 goals to 4.

Next, the Montreal Maroons faced the top team, the Ottawa Senators. This was a close series! The Maroons won by a total of 2 goals to 1. This victory made the Montreal Maroons the NHL champions for the season.

The Stanley Cup Finals

After winning the NHL championship, the Montreal Maroons played for the ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup. They faced the Victoria Cougars. The Cougars were champions of a different league called the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL).

The Maroons played incredibly well in the finals. They won the series 3 games to 1. This meant the Montreal Maroons were the 1925-26 Stanley Cup champions!

Playoff Scoring Leader

Nels Stewart from the Montreal Maroons continued his amazing scoring in the playoffs. He was the top playoff scorer. He played in 8 games and scored 6 goals with 3 assists, totaling 9 points.

NHL Awards

At the end of the season, several players and teams received special awards for their achievements:

• Hart Memorial Trophy: This award goes to the most valuable player. It was won by Nels Stewart of the Montreal Maroons.
• Lady Byng Trophy: This award is for the player who shows the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with high playing ability. It was given to Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators.
• O'Brien Cup: This trophy was awarded to the NHL champions, the Montreal Maroons.
• Prince of Wales Trophy: This trophy was given to the Montreal Canadiens for winning their first game in Madison Square Garden. It was also given to the Montreal Maroons for winning the NHL championship.

Images for kids

• Georges Vezina.jpg

  Georges Vezina was a legendary goalie for the Montreal Canadiens. He played his last NHL game in the 1925-26 season.