1945 NHL Season
6 teams competed during the regular season
Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Detroit Red Wings for the championship
League President
RetroSeasons
RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
National Hockey League (NHL)
1944-45 NHL Season Overview
The Montreal Canadiens were once again the class of the NHL during the regular season, leading the league in both scoring and defense and finishing with 7 more victories and 13 more points than the second-place Detroit Red Wings.
Montreal's Rocket Richard became the first player in history to score 50 goals, and he did in 50 games. Elmer Lach, his linemate, set a record with 54 assists and was the league's top scorer. And goalie Bill Durnan won the Vezina Trophy for the second year in a row.
But the Toronto Maple Leafs upset the Canadians in the playoffs and went on to win the Stanley Cup in a strange final series. Toronto's Frank McCool shut out the Detroit Red Wings in the first three games, but Detroit came back to win the next three. The Maple Leafs then squeaked through, 2-1, in the seventh game.