1951-52 NHL season facts for kids
The 1951–52 NHL season was the 35th exciting year for the National Hockey League (NHL). Six teams played 70 games each, battling it out on the ice. The Detroit Red Wings had an amazing season, winning the top prize, the Stanley Cup. They beat the Montreal Canadiens in the finals, winning all four games!
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The 1951–52 NHL Season: A Look Back
This season was a big deal for ice hockey fans. Teams played many games to see who would make it to the playoffs and have a chance at the Stanley Cup.
How the Teams Stood
At the end of the regular season, here's how the teams ranked. The top four teams got to go to the playoffs! Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for (how many goals they scored), GA = Goals against (how many goals were scored on them), PIM = Penalties in minutes
| National Hockey League Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 44 | 14 | 12 | 100 | 215 | 133 | 694 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 78 | 195 | 164 | 661 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 29 | 25 | 16 | 74 | 168 | 157 | 841 |
| Boston Bruins | 70 | 25 | 29 | 16 | 66 | 162 | 176 | 601 |
| New York Rangers | 70 | 23 | 34 | 13 | 59 | 192 | 219 | 532 |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 17 | 44 | 9 | 43 | 158 | 241 | 627 |
Top Players and Their Points
These players were the best at scoring goals and helping their teammates score. Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Total Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 47 | 39 | 86 | 78 |
| Ted Lindsay | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 30 | 39 | 69 | 123 |
| Elmer Lach | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 15 | 50 | 65 | 36 |
| Don Raleigh | New York Rangers | 70 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 14 |
| Sid Smith | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 27 | 30 | 57 | 6 |
The Exciting Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs are where the best teams compete for the championship. The Detroit Red Wings were unstoppable this year!
Detroit's Amazing Playoff Run
The Detroit Red Wings had a perfect playoff run, winning all 8 of their games. This was the first time a team had gone undefeated in the playoffs since the 1934–35 season. They scored 24 goals, while their opponents only managed to score 5 goals combined!
- For more details, see 1952 Stanley Cup Finals
Playoff Bracket
Here's how the teams matched up in the playoffs:
| Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 4 | |||||||
| 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 4 | |||||||
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 0 | |||||||
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | |||||||
| 4 | Boston Bruins | 3 | |||||||
NHL Awards and Star Players
At the end of the season, special awards are given to the best players and teams for their achievements.
Who Won the Big Awards?
These are some of the most important awards in the NHL:
| Prince of Wales Trophy: | Detroit Red Wings (Awarded to the team that finishes first in the regular season) |
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings (For the player who leads the league in points) |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens (For the best rookie player) |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings (For the player judged most valuable to his team) |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs (For the player showing the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability) |
| Vezina Trophy: | Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings (For the best goaltender) |
The Best of the Best: All-Star Teams
The NHL also picks two "All-Star" teams, which are like dream teams made up of the best players at each position.
| First team | Position | Second team |
|---|---|---|
| Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings | G | Jim Henry, Boston Bruins |
| Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings | D | Hy Buller, New York Rangers |
| Doug Harvey, Montreal Canadiens | D | Jimmy Thomson, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Elmer Lach, Montreal Canadiens | C | Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins |
| Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings | RW | Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens |
| Ted Lindsay (ice hockey)|Ted Lindsay]], Detroit Red Wings | LW | Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs |
