1964-65 NHL season facts for kids
The 1964–65 NHL season was an exciting time in the National Hockey League (NHL). It was the 48th season for this famous ice hockey league. Six teams played 70 games each, battling for the top spots.
A new award, the Conn Smythe Trophy, was given out for the first time. This award goes to the most valuable player during the playoffs. Jean Beliveau from the Montreal Canadiens was the first player to win it. The Canadiens had a fantastic season, winning their first Stanley Cup since 1960. They beat the Chicago Black Hawks in a thrilling seven-game final series.
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Regular Season Highlights
The regular season is where teams play many games to see who is the best. Teams earn points for winning or tying games. The teams with the most points get to go to the playoffs.
Final Team Standings
Here's how the teams finished the regular season. The top four teams made it to the playoffs.
| National Hockey League Team | GP (Games Played) | W (Wins) | L (Losses) | T (Ties) | Pts (Points) | GF (Goals For) | GA (Goals Against) | PIM (Penalties in Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 40 | 23 | 7 | 87 | 224 | 175 | 1121 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 36 | 23 | 11 | 83 | 211 | 185 | 1033 |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 34 | 28 | 8 | 76 | 224 | 176 | 1051 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 30 | 26 | 14 | 74 | 204 | 173 | 1068 |
| New York Rangers | 70 | 20 | 38 | 12 | 52 | 179 | 246 | 760 |
| Boston Bruins | 70 | 21 | 43 | 6 | 48 | 166 | 253 | 946 |
Top Scorers
These players scored the most points during the regular season. Points are given for goals and assists.
| Player | Team | GP (Games Played) | G (Goals) | A (Assists) | PTS (Points) | PIM (Penalties in Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 28 | 59 | 87 | 154 |
| Norm Ullman | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 42 | 41 | 83 | 70 |
| Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 29 | 47 | 76 | 104 |
| Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 61 | 39 | 32 | 71 | 32 |
| Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings | 68 | 25 | 42 | 67 | 16 |
Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs are a special tournament after the regular season. Teams play against each other in a series of games. The team that wins four games in a series moves on. The last team standing wins the Stanley Cup!
For the third year in a row, the first round of the playoffs featured the same exciting matchups. The Montreal team played against the Toronto team. Meanwhile, the Detroit team faced off against the Chicago team. The Canadiens beat the Leafs in six games. The Black Hawks won their series against the Red Wings in seven games.
Playoff Path to the Cup
This chart shows how the teams played in the playoffs. The winner of each series moved closer to the Stanley Cup.
| Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 3 | |||||||
| 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4 | |||||||
| 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3 | |||||||
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | |||||||
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | |||||||
| 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 | |||||||
NHL Awards and Honors
At the end of the season, the NHL gives out special awards to players and teams for their amazing achievements.
| 1964–65 NHL Awards | |
|---|---|
| Prince of Wales Trophy: | This award goes to the team that finishes first in the regular season. The winner was the Detroit Red Wings. |
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | This award is for the player who scores the most points (goals + assists) in the regular season. It was won by Stan Mikita from the Chicago Black Hawks. |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | This trophy is given to the best rookie player (a player in their first year) in the NHL. Roger Crozier from the Detroit Red Wings won it. |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: | This new award goes to the most valuable player during the playoffs. The first winner was Jean Beliveau from the Montreal Canadiens. |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | This award is for the player judged to be the most valuable to his team. Bobby Hull from the Chicago Black Hawks won this honor. |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: | This trophy is given to the best defense player in the league. Pierre Pilote from the Chicago Black Hawks was the winner. |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | This award goes to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and plays fairly. Bobby Hull from the Chicago Black Hawks also won this one. |
| Vezina Trophy: | This trophy is for the best goaltender (or goaltenders) who played for the team that allowed the fewest goals. It was shared by Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk from the Toronto Maple Leafs. |
All-Star Teams
At the end of the season, the best players at each position are chosen to be on the "All-Star Teams." There's a First Team and a Second Team.
| First Team | Position | Second Team |
|---|---|---|
| Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings | G | Charlie Hodge, Montreal Canadiens |
| Pierre Pilote, Chicago Black Hawks | D | Bill Gadsby, Detroit Red Wings |
| Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens | D | Carl Brewer, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Norm Ullman, Detroit Red Wings | C | Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks |
| Claude Provost, Montreal Canadiens | RW | Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings |
| Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks | LW | Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs |
