1926–27 Ottawa Senators season

Professional ice hockey team season of play

1926–27 Ottawa Senators
Stanley Cup champions
O'Brien Trophy winners
Canadian Division champions
Division1st Canadian
1926–27 record30–10–4
Home record16–5–1
Road record14–5–3
Goals for86
Goals against69
Team information
General managerDave Gill
CoachDave Gill
CaptainBuck Boucher
ArenaOttawa Auditorium
Team leaders
GoalsCy Denneny (17)
AssistsKing Clancy (10)
PointsCy Denneny (23)
Penalty minutesHooley Smith (125)
WinsAlec Connell (30)
Goals against averageAlec Connell (1.49)

The 1926–27 Ottawa Senators season was the club's tenth season of play in the NHL, 42nd overall. The Senators won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in seven years, and eleventh overall including the pre-NHL years.

Pre-season

Prior to the start of the season, the Senators relieved head coach Alex Currie from his duties. General Manager Dave Gill would step behind the bench and become the head coach. Buck Boucher would take over the team captaincy from Cy Denneny.

Regular season

The league expanded by three teams, as the Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Cougars and New York Rangers all joined to make it a ten-team league. The NHL also divided the ten teams into two divisions, and the Senators were placed in the Canadian Division. This was also the first season that the Stanley Cup was awarded to the champion of the NHL.

Black and white image of a hockey player wearing a horizontal-striped jersey, wearing hockey equipment, posing with a hockey stick
Frank Finnigan

On December 6, 1926, Frank Finnigan and Cy Denneny were injured in an automobile accident, when both were thrown through the windshield resulting in head injuries. Finnigan received a skull fracture, and both players missed the subsequent road trip.[1]

The Senators won 30 games and earn 64 points, both the highest in the NHL and capture the Prince of Wales Trophy, win the Canadian Division title, and earn a bye in the opening round of the playoffs.

Denneny led the club once again offensively, scoring 17 goals and 23 points, while Hooley Smith had a team record 125 penalty minutes. Alec Connell would lead the NHL in wins (30) and be among the league leaders in GAA (1.49) and shutouts (13).

Final standings

Canadian Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Ottawa Senators 44 30 10 4 86 69 64
Montreal Canadiens 44 28 14 2 99 67 58
Montreal Maroons 44 20 20 4 71 68 44
New York Americans 44 17 25 2 82 91 36
Toronto St. Patricks 44 15 24 5 79 94 35

[2]

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

Vs. Canadian Division

1926–27 NHL records[3]
Team MTL MTM NYA OTT TOR Total
M. Canadiens — 5–1 5–1 1–5 5–1 16–8–0
M. Maroons 1–5 — 4–2 1–3–2 5–1 11–11–2
N.Y. Americans 1–5 2–4 — 3–3 2–3–1 8–15–1
Ottawa 5–1 3–1–2 3–3 — 5–0–1 16–5–3
Toronto 1–5 1–5 3–2–1 0–5–1 — 5–17–2

Vs. American Division

1926–27 NHL records
Team BOS CHI DET NYR PIT Total
M. Canadiens 2–1–1 2–2 4–0 1–3 3–0–1 12–6–2
M. Maroons 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–2–1 1–2–1 9–9–2
N.Y. Americans 2–2 1–2–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 9–10–1
Ottawa 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–0–1 3–1 14–5–1
Toronto 3–1 2–2 2–1–1 1–2–1 2–1–1 10–7–3


Schedule and results

1926-27 Ottawa Senators (30-10-4)
November: 4–0–1 (home: 2–0–0; road: 2–0–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
1 November 18 Ottawa 2–1 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 1–0–0 2
2 November 20 Americans 1–2 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 2–0–0 4
3 November 25 Ottawa 2–2 Toronto OT Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 2–0–1 5
4 November 27 Maroons 0–1 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 3–0–1 7
5 November 30 Ottawa 2–1 Boston Connell N/A Boston Arena 4–0–1 9
December: 7–1–1 (home: 3–1–0; road: 4–0–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
6 December 4 Canadiens 1–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 5–0–1 11
7 December 7 Ottawa 3–2 Chicago Connell N/A Chicago Coliseum 6–0–1 13
8 December 9 Ottawa 3–1 Detroit Connell N/A Border Cities Arena 7–0–1 15
9 December 11 Toronto 1–2 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 8–0–1 17
10 December 14 Ottawa 2–0 Americans Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 9–0–1 19
11 December 16 Detroit 5–0 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 9–1–1 19
12 December 18 Ottawa 0–0 Maroons OT Connell N/A Montreal Forum 9–1–2 20
13 December 23 Rangers 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 10–1–2 22
14 December 28 Ottawa 3–2 Rangers OT Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 11–1–2 24
January: 7–3–1 (home: 5–1–0; road: 2–2–1)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
15 January 1 Canadiens 1–2 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 12–1–2 26
16 January 4 Ottawa 1–2 Boston OT Connell N/A Boston Arena 12–2–2 26
17 January 8 Ottawa 2–0 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 13–2–2 28
18 January 11 Toronto 1–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 14–2–2 30
19 January 13 Ottawa 3–1 Pittsburgh Connell N/A Duquesne Garden 15–2–2 32
20 January 15 Boston 4–5 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 16–2–2 34
21 January 18 Pittsburgh 6–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 16–3–2 34
22 January 22 Maroons 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 17–3–2 36
23 January 25 Ottawa 1–6 Americans Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 17–4–2 36
24 January 27 Detroit 1–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 18–4–2 38
25 January 29 Ottawa 0–0 Maroons OT Connell N/A Montreal Forum 18–4–3 39
February: 6–3–1 (home: 3–0–1; road: 3–3–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
26 February 1 Americans 4–2 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 18–5–3 39
27 February 5 Chicago 1–2 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 19–5–3 41
28 February 9 Ottawa 3–5 Chicago Connell N/A Chicago Coliseum 19–6–3 41
29 February 12 Ottawa 1–0 Toronto Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 20–6–3 43
30 February 15 Rangers 2–2 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 20–6–4 44
31 February 17 Ottawa 2–1 Detroit Connell N/A Border Cities Arena 21–6–4 46
32 February 19 Pittsburgh 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 22–6–4 48
33 February 22 Canadiens 1–2 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 23–6–4 50
34 February 24 Ottawa 1–0 Rangers Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 24–6–4 52
35 February 26 Ottawa 2–3 Americans OT Connell N/A Madison Square Garden 24–7–4 52
March: 6–3–0 (home: 3–2–0; road: 3–1–0)
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Record Pts
36 March 3 Ottawa 2–1 Pittsburgh Connell N/A Duquesne Garden 25–7–4 54
37 March 5 Chicago 2–1 Ottawa OT Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 25–8–4 54
38 March 10 Maroons 1–0 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 25–9–4 54
39 March 12 Americans 3–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 26–9–4 56
40 March 15 Ottawa 1–4 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 26–10–4 56
41 March 17 Boston 0–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 27–10–4 58
42 March 19 Ottawa 2–0 Toronto Connell N/A Mutual Street Arena 28–10–4 60
43 March 24 Toronto 0–4 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 29–10–4 62
44 March 26 Ottawa 3–2 Maroons Connell N/A Montreal Forum 30–10–4 64

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

Ottawa Senators 5, Montreal Canadiens 1

The Montreal Canadiens would defeat their cross town rivals, the Montreal Maroons and face the Senators in a two-game total-goal series, and Ottawa would win it by a score of 5–1, and match up against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Canadian Division final
Ottawa Senators 5, Montreal Canadiens 1
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Series
1 April 2 Ottawa 4–0 Canadiens Connell N/A Montreal Forum 4–0
2 April 4 Canadiens 1–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 5–1

Ottawa Senators 2, Boston Bruins 0

Led by Cy Denneny and Alec Connell, the Senators would win a tough four game series over the Bruins, winning the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in seven years.

Stanley Cup Finals
Ottawa Senators 2, Boston Bruins 0
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Arena Series
1 April 7 Ottawa 0–0 Boston Connell N/A Boston Arena 0–0–1
2 April 9 Ottawa 3–1 Boston Connell N/A Boston Arena 1–0–1
3 April 11 Boston 1–1 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 1–0–2
4 April 13 Boston 1–3 Ottawa Connell N/A Ottawa Auditorium 2–0–2

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Cy Denneny 42 17 6 23 16
King Clancy 43 9 10 19 78
Hec Kilrea 42 11 7 18 48
Frank Finnigan 36 15 1 16 52
Hooley Smith 43 9 6 15 125
Frank Nighbor 38 6 6 12 26
Georges Boucher 40 8 3 11 115
Jack Adams 40 5 1 6 66
Alex Smith 42 4 1 5 58
Ed Gorman 41 1 0 1 17
Milt Halliday 38 1 0 1 2
Alec Connell 44 0 0 0 2
Stan Jackson 8 0 0 0 2
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
Alec Connell 2782 44 30 10 4 69 1.49 13
Team: 2782 44 30 10 4 69 1.49 13

Playoffs

Scoring
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Cy Denneny 6 5 0 5 0
Frank Finnigan 6 3 0 3 0
King Clancy 6 1 1 2 14
Hec Kilrea 6 1 1 2 4
Frank Nighbor 6 1 1 2 0
Hooley Smith 6 1 0 1 16
Jack Adams 6 0 0 0 0
Georges Boucher 6 0 0 0 43
Alec Connell 6 0 0 0 0
Ed Gorman 6 0 0 0 0
Milt Halliday 6 0 0 0 0
Alex Smith 6 0 0 0 8
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SA SV SV% SO
Alec Connell 400 6 3 0 3 4 0.60 2
Team: 400 6 3 0 3 4 0.60 2

[4]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

Transactions

The Senators were involved in the following transactions during the 1926–27 season.[6]

Trades

August 1, 1926 To Ottawa Senators
Jack Adams 		To Toronto St. Patricks
Clint Benedict
Cash
January 18, 1927 To Ottawa Senators
Stan Jackson 		To Boston Bruins
Cash
February 1, 1927 To Ottawa Senators
Cash 		To London Panthers (Can-Pro)
Stan Jackson

Free agents signed

October 24, 1926 From Ottawa Gunners (OCHL)
Milt Halliday

Free agents lost

November 10, 1926 To Saskatoon Sheiks (PrHL)
Harry Helman

See also

References

  1. ^ "Players Hurt As Auto Skids Into Big Tree". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. December 6, 1926. p. 5.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  4. ^ "1926-27 Ottawa Senators Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  5. ^ See the team picture.
  6. ^ "Hockey Transactions Search Results".
  • SHRP Sports
  • The Internet Hockey Database
  • National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007