The 1918–19 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's tenth season and second as a member of the new National Hockey League (NHL). The Canadiens would win the NHL title and go to Seattle to face off for the Stanley Cup. However, a Spanish flu outbreak occurred in Seattle and both teams would abandon the series after several Canadiens fell ill. Montreal defenceman Joe Hall would die from the flu.
Team business Prior to the season, another attempt was made by Eddie Livingstone to revive the National Hockey Association. Livingstone did not wish to sell his team for less than $20,000, more than the Arena Company was willing to pay. On September 20, 1918, the NHA owners, including the Canadiens, voted to permanently suspend the NHA. Livingstone forced another meeting on December 11, 1918, hoping to get Canadiens' minority shareholder Brunswick to vote with him, but at the meeting, Brunswick officials affirmed their loyalty to the Canadiens and the meeting ended with the Canadiens, Brunswick, Ottawa and Wanderers simply leaving the meeting.Coleman (1966), pp. 348–350.
Regular season Georges Vezina came second in the league in goals against average of 4.3 per game. Odie Cleghorn returned to professional play and he had an outstanding 24 goals in 17 games to lead the league in goals for the Canadiens.
The Toronto Arenas folded on March 20, 1919, leaving only Montreal and Ottawa in the league. The teams proceeded to play off for the league title.
Finals
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|1||L||December 21, 1918||2–5 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||0–1–0
|2||W||December 23, 1918||4–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||1–1–0
|3||W||December 28, 1918||6–3 || align="left"| Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||2–1–0
|4||L||January 2, 1919||2–7 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||2–2–0
|5||W||January 4, 1919||5–2 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||3–2–0
|6||W||January 7, 1919||7–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||4–2–0
|7||W||January 11, 1919||13–4 || align="left"| Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||5–2–0
|8||W||January 16, 1919||10–6 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||6–2–0
|9||W||January 18, 1919||5–3 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||7–2–0
|10||L||January 21, 1919||3–11 || align="left"| @ Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||7–3–0
|11||L||January 25, 1919||0–1 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||0–1–0
|12||L||January 30, 1919||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||0–2–0
|13||W||February 1, 1919||10–0 || align="left"| Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||1–2–0
|14||L||February 4, 1919||3–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||1–3–0
|15||W||February 8, 1919||4–3 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||2–3–0
|16||L||February 11, 1919||4–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||2–4–0
|17||L||February 13, 1919||0–7 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1918–19) ||2–5–0
|18||W||February 15, 1919||8–2 || align="left"| Toronto Arenas (1918–19) ||3–5–0
Legend:
Playoffs They went against Ottawa for the championship and won it 13 goals to 7, or 13–7.
Finals
Montreal Canadiens vs. Seattle Metropolitans Date Away Score Home Score NotesMarch 19Montreal Canadiens0Seattle Metropolitans7March 22Seattle Metropolitans2Montreal Canadiens4March 24Montreal Canadiens2Seattle Metropolitans7March 26Seattle Metropolitans0Montreal Canadiens020:00 OTMarch 30Montreal Canadiens4Seattle Metropolitans315:57 OT Series ended 2–2–1 and no winner awarded – playoffs were curtailed due to the influenza epidemic
Player statistics
Skaters Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes Regular season Playoffs Player # GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM Newsy Lalonde4 1723103342101711818 Odie Cleghorn6 182162733108199 Didier Pitre5 171441815102686 Jack McDonald101784129101456 Joe Malone7 8729355163 Joe Hall3 167291351000026 Louis Berlinguette8 1854912101349 Bert Corbeau2 16235541011220 Billy Coutu9 1712321100228 Amos Arbour12 10000----- Billy Bell11 10000----- Fred Doherty11 20000-----
Goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Regular season Playoffs Player # GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA Georges Vezina1 18111710807814.19106366313713.49
Awards and records NHL champions (O'Brien Cup not awarded)
Transactions traded Tommy Smith to Ottawa for cash, November 28, 1918 signed Odie Cleghorn as a free agent, December 9, 1918 signed Fred Doherty as a free agent, December 13, 1918 signed Amos Arbour as a free agent, January 23, 1919
See also 1918–19 NHL season List of Stanley Cup champions
References