1926–27 Detroit Cougars season

The 1926–27 Detroit Cougars season was the first season of National Hockey League (NHL) hockey in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Cougars scored 28 points, finished at the bottom of the American Division as well as the league and failed to make the playoffs in their inaugural year.

1926–27 Detroit Cougars (NHL)
Division5th American
1926–27 record12–28–4
Home record6–15–1
Road record6–13–3
Goals for76
Goals against105
Team information
General ManagerArt Duncan
CoachArt Duncan
Duke Keats
CaptainArt Duncan
ArenaBorder Cities Arena
Average attendance4,400
Team leaders
GoalsJohn Sheppard (13)
AssistsJohn Sheppard (8)
Gordon "Duke" Keats (8)
PointsJohn Sheppard (21)
Penalty minutesJohn Sheppard (60)
WinsHap Holmes (11)
Goals against averageHerb Stuart (1.67)

Founding

On May 15, 1926, the Townsend syndicate of investors was granted a conditional expansion NHL franchise, to begin play in the upcoming season if their arena was ready. For players, the syndicate decided to purchase one of the most successful teams from the bankrupt Western Canada Hockey League, the Victoria Cougars, who had won the Stanley Cup in 1925. On September 25, 1926, the NHL made the franchise purchase permanent, although the arena was not ready. The expansion club kept the Cougars name. The club played in Windsor for the entire season.

Regular season

Olympia Stadium wasn't finished being built in time for the 1926–27 season, so the Cougars began play in Border Cities Arena right across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. The team struggled as the players adjusted to the style of play in the NHL and the team finished with only twelve wins on the season and over 80,000 USD in debt.[1][2][3] The team's total of 28 points is the lowest total points for a season in the Detroit Red Wings' franchise history.

The team's first game, a "home" game in Windsor, was played on November 18 before a sell-out crowd of 6,000. Starting goaltender Hap Holmes took ill two hours before game time and substitute Herb Stuart gave up two goals in the first three minutes before shutting down the Boston Bruins for the rest of the game. However, Detroit could not score on Doc Stewart in the Boston net and lost 2–0.[4]

Haldor "Slim" Halderson scored the first goal in franchise history in the third period of a loss to Pittsburgh on November 20.[5] The team won its first game on November 24, defeating expansion cousins Chicago Black Hawks, 1–0, in Chicago. Frank Frederickson scored the game's only goal.[6] On November 30, Russell Oatman had the first multiple goal game in franchise history, scoring two goals in a 4–0 victory over the Maroons. In the same game, Hap Holmes recorded the first shutout in franchise history.[7]

On January 1, 1927, the Cougars suspended Oatman and Hobie Kitchen for "breaking training." The Cougars then shook up their line-up that week by selling Oatman to the Maroons and trading Frank Fredrickson and Harry Meeking to the Bruins for Duke Keats and Archie Briden.[8]

After 33 games, the Cougars replaced Duncan as coach with Keats. Duncan has a record of 10–21–2. Keats record was 2–7–2.[9]

Final standings
American Division
GP W L T GF GA PTS
New York Rangers4425136957256
Boston Bruins4421203978945
Chicago Black Hawks441922311511641
Pittsburgh Pirates44152637910833
Detroit Cougars44122847610528

[10]

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold. For complete final standings, see 1926–27 NHL season

Record vs. opponents
1926-27 NHL Records
Team BOS CHI DET MON MTM NYA NYR OTT PIT TOR
Boston —3–2–15–11–2–12–22–22–3–11–34–21–3
Chicago 2–3–1—3–2–12–22–22–1–12–42–22–42–2
Detroit 1–52–3–1—0–41–33–11–3–21–32–41–2–1
M. Canadiens 2–1–12–24–0—5–15–11–31–53–0–15–1
M. Maroons 2–22–23–11–5—4–21–2–11–3–21–2–15–1
N.Y. Americans 2–21–2–11–31–52–4—1–33–34–02–3–1
N.Y. Rangers 3–2–14–23–15–13–1–23–3—0–3–15–12–1–1
Ottawa 3–12–23–15–13–1–23–33–0–1—3–15–0–1
Pittsburgh 2–44–24–20–3–12–1–10–41–51–3—1–2–1
Toronto 3–12–22–1–11–51–53–2–11–2–20–5–12–1–1—

Schedule and results

November

Record: 3–2–0; Home: 1–1–0; Road: 2–1–0

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTRecordPts
1November 18Boston2–0Detroit0–1–00
2November 20Detroit1–4Pittsburgh0–2–00
3November 24Detroit1–0Chicago1–2–02
4November 27NY Americans2–4Detroit2–2–04
5November 30Detroit4–0Mtl. Maroons3–2–06

December

Record: 2–6–1; Home: 1–4–0; Road: 1–2–1

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTRecordPts
6December 4NY Rangers0–1Detroit4–2–08
7December 9Ottawa3–1Detroit4–3–08
8December 11NY Americans4–2Detroit4–4–08
9December 14Detroit2–7Boston4–5–08
10December 16Detroit5–0Ottawa5–5–010
11December 19Detroit1–1NY RangersOT5–5–111
12December 23Mtl. Canadiens3–2Detroit5–6–111
13December 25Detroit0–2Chicago5–7–111
14December 30Mtl. Maroons2–0Detroit5–8–111

January

Record: 3–8–1; Home: 1–2–0; Road: 2–6–1

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTRecordPts
15January 1Pittsburgh3–2Detroit5–9–111
16January 4Toronto2–1Detroit5–10–111
17January 6Detroit3–1Pittsburgh6–10–113
18January 9Detroit1–4NY Rangers6–11–113
19January 11Detroit1–0NY AmericansOT7–11–115
20January 13Boston2–3Detroit8–11–117
21January 15Detroit1–1TorontoOT8–11–218
22January 18Detroit3–5Mtl. Canadiens8–12–218
23January 22Detroit0–1Pittsburgh8–13–218
24January 25Detroit1–2Mtl. Maroons8–14–218
25January 27Detroit1–3Ottawa8–15–218
26January 29Detroit0–2NY Rangers8–16–218

February

Record: 2–6–0; Home: 2–4–0; Road: 0–2–0

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTRecordPts
27February 1Chicago3–4DetroitOT9–16–220
28February 8Detroit0–2Boston9–17–220
29February 12Mtl. Canadiens4–1Detroit9–18–220
30February 15Toronto1–5Detroit10–18–222
31February 17Ottawa2–1Detroit10–19–222
32February 19Chicago4–1Detroit10–20–222
33February 22Detroit2–3Boston10–21–222
34February 24Mtl. Maroons2–0Detroit10–22–222

March

Record: 2–6–2; Home: 1–4–1; Road: 1–2–1

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTRecordPts
35March 1Detroit0–3Mtl. Canadiens10–23–222
36March 5Detroit2–4Toronto10–24–222
37March 8Chicago4–1Detroit10–25–222
38March 10Pittsburgh1–7Detroit11–25–224
39March 13NY Rangers2–2DetroitOT11–25–325
40March 15Detroit1–0NY Americans12–25–327
41March 17NY Rangers2–0Detroit12–26–327
42March 19Boston3–1Detroit12–27–327
43March 22Detroit3–3ChicagoOT12–27–428
44March 26Pittsburgh6–4DetroitOT12–28–428
  • Green background indicates win.
  • Red background indicates regulation loss.
  • Yellow background indicates tie.

Playoffs

The Detroit Cougars failed to make the playoffs.

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
John SheppardF431382160–––––
Gordon "Duke" Keats*C251181942–––––
Frank FoystonC411051516–––––
Clem LoughlinD34731040–--–––
Fred GordonRW36551028–––––
Frank Fredrickson*C16461012–––––
Archie Briden*LW3252736–––––
Jack WalkerF373476–––––
Pete Bellefeuille*RW1860614–––––
Jack ArbourD3741546–––––
Art DuncanD3432526–––––
Russell Oatman*LW1430312–––––
Harold "Slim" Halderson*D1820229–––––
Chapman "Hobie" KitchenF1702242–––––
James Riley*D20000–––––
Harold "Gizzy" Hart*LW60000–––––
Harry Meeking*D60004–––––

*Stats reflect games played with Detroit only.

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

    Regular season   Playoffs
Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
Hap Holmes4126851126410062.23–––––––
Herb Stuart3180120501.67–––––––

Awards and records

Trophies and awards

Records

Milestones

Transactions

The Cougars were involved in the following transactions during the 1926–27 season.

Trades
October 18, 1926 To Detroit Cougars
Art Duncan		 To Chicago Black Hawks
Gord Fraser
Art Gagne
October 27, 1926 To Detroit Cougars
Fred Gordon		 To Saskatoon Crescents (WHL)
Cash
December 12, 1926 To Detroit Cougars
Cash		 To Montreal Canadiens
Harold "Gizzy" Hart
January 6, 1927 To Detroit Cougars
Cash		 To Montreal Maroons
Russell Oatman
January 7, 1927 To Detroit Cougars
Archie Briden
Gordon "Duke" Keats		 To Boston Bruins
Frank Fredrickson
Harry Meeking
January 7, 1927 To Detroit Cougars
Pete Bellefeuille		 To Toronto St. Pats
Harold "Slim" Halderson

Roster
1926–27 Detroit Red Wings Roster

Goaltenders:

1 – Holmes • 14 – Stuart 

Defensemen

2 – Loughlin • 3 – Halderson • 4 – Meeking • 8 – Duncan • 11 – Riley • 15 – Arbour •

Forwards

3 – Bellefeuille • 4 – Briden • 5 – Fredrickson • 5 – Keats • 6 – Walker • 7 – Oatman • 9 – Sheppard • 10 – Foyston • 11 – Kitchen • 12 – Gordon • 13 – Hart •

General Manager: Art Duncan •  Coach: Art Duncan(Nov–Feb), Duke Keats(Feb–Mar)

See also

References
  • Hahn, John; Beam, Todd, eds. (2008). Detroit Red Wings 2008–09 Media Guide. Detroit Reed Wings.
Notes
  1. "Red Wings History". DetroitHockey.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  2. "Detroit Red Wings Historical Moments". SportsEcyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  3. "Detroit Red Wings Written History". Detroit Red Wings.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  4. "Early Attack Won For Boston 2 To 0". Montreal Gazette. November 19, 1926. p. 18.
  5. "Detroit Cougars Are Beaten By Pittsburgh Pirates". Detroit Free Press. November 21, 1926. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Cougars Hand Chicago Team First Defeat: Frederickson Scores Only Goal of Game to Give Detroit Initial Victory". Detroit Free Press. November 25, 1926. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Cougars Gain Easy Victory Over Maroons". Detroit Free Press. December 1, 1926. pp. 20–21 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Trade Is Announced". Montreal Gazette. January 7, 1927. p. 15.
  9. Hahn, Beam(2008), p.212
  10. Standings: NHL Public Relations Department (2008). Dave McCarthy; et al. (eds.). THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Official Guide & Record Book/2009. National Hockey League. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-894801-14-0.
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