| TEAM |
GP
Games played - Number of games the team has played
|
W
Wins - Games the team has won, either in regulation or in overtime
|
L
Losses - Games the team has lost in regulation
|
T
Ties - Games that have ended in a tie
|
PTS
Points - Team points, calculated from W, L, T, OTL and SOL; used to determine standings
|
GF
Goals for - Number of goals the team has scored
|
GA
Goals against - Number of goals scored against the team
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 60 | 32 | 15 | 13 | 77 | 182 | 143 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 60 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 72 | 187 | 148 |
| Boston Bruins | 60 | 23 | 24 | 13 | 59 | 167 | 168 |
| New York Rangers | 60 | 21 | 26 | 13 | 55 | 176 | 201 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 60 | 20 | 29 | 11 | 51 | 147 | 169 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 60 | 20 | 34 | 6 | 46 | 195 | 225 |
| # | SKATERS |
GP
Games played - Number of games the player has set foot on the ice
|
G
Goals - Number of goals the player has scored
|
A
Assists - Number of goals the player has assisted in
|
PTS
Points - Scoring points, calculated as the sum of G and A
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Elmer Lach | 60 | 30 | 31 | 61 |
| 9 | Maurice Richard | 53 | 28 | 25 | 53 |
| 6 | Toe Blake | 32 | 9 | 15 | 24 |
| 17 | Ken Reardon | 58 | 7 | 15 | 22 |
| 14 | Billy Reay | 60 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
| # | #1 GOALIE |
GP
Games played - Number of games the player has set foot on the ice
|
RECORD
Record - Goalie record (W-L-T)
|
SO
Shutouts - Number of games where the goaltender has not allowed a goal
|
GAA
Goals against average - Mean goals-per-game scored on the goaltender
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Durnan | 59 | 20-28-10 | 5 | 2.77 |
| DATE | AWAY | HOME |
|---|
THE REGULAR SEASON
After winning four regular season titles and two Stanley Cups over the previous four years, the Canadiens are firing on all cylinders as they enter the 1947-48 season.
During the season, general manager Frank Selke trades forward Buddy O’Connor and defenseman Frank Eddolls to the New York Rangers in return for Hal Laycoe, Joe Bell and George Robertson. The trade proves costly for the Canadiens, who struggle to score goals on a consistent basis.
The Habs have to make do without Ken Mosdell early in the season as he recovers from a broken arm. Adding to the team’s problems, Maurice Richard plays with an injured knee and Murph Chamberlain breaks his leg. Even on one good knee, the Rocket manages to score 28 goals and records 53 points in 53 games to rank seventh overall in league scoring.
In a bid to bolster the offense, Selke trades young forward Jimmy Peters and Johnny Quilty to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Joe Carveth, but the deal fails to produce the desired results.
As if things weren’t bad enough, on January 11, 1948, the Canadiens lose not only their game against the New York Rangers but also the services of their captain and leader, Toe Blake. Bill Juzda delivers a crushing bodycheck into the boards and Blake breaks his ankle. The injury sidelines him for the rest of the season and ends his career.
It is the end of the legendary Punch Line. This turn of events diminishes the team’s offense to the point that the Canadiens finish the season with a league low 147 goals and the team misses the playoffs for the first time since 1940.
Elmer Lach still manages to lead the league in scoring with 61 points in 60 games. He becomes the first player to win the new Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who records the most points during the regular season.
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