The 1917–18 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's ninth season and first as a member of the new National Hockey League (NHL). The Canadiens sided with other members of the National Hockey Association (NHA) and voted to suspend the NHA and start the NHL to expel the Toronto Blueshirts ownership. The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs by winning the first half of the season, but lost the playoff to the temporary Toronto franchise, made up of Blueshirts players.

Team business

The club changed its name to "Club de Hockey Canadien Ltd." from "Club Athletic Canadien". The logo on the jersey was changed to reflect this, substituting the "A" within the "C" with an "H".

Regular season Quebec did not ice a team for the season. Quebec's players were dispersed by draft and Montreal chose Joe Hall, Joe Malone and Walter Mummery. Georges Vezina led the league in goals against average of 4 per game and Joe Malone had 44 goals in 20 games to lead the league in goals.

The team was forced to return to its former arena the Jubilee Rink after the Montreal Arena burned down on January 2, 1918. The rival Montreal Wanderers folded after the fire, leaving only three teams (Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto) to continue the season. The Wanderers' players were dispersed and the Canadiens picked up Billy Bell and Jack McDonald.

On January 28, 1918, when Canadiens visited Toronto, Toronto's Alf Skinner and Montreal's Joe Hall got into a stick-swinging duel. Both players received match penalties, $15 fines and were arrested by the Toronto Police for disorderly conduct, for which they received suspended sentences.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

| 1 || December 19 || Ottawa || 4 || Canadiens || 7

| 2 || December 22 || Canadiens || 11 || Wanderers || 2

| 3 || December 26 || Canadiens || 5 || Toronto || 7

| 4 || December 29 || Toronto || 2 || Canadiens || 9

| 5 || January 2 || Wanderers || – || Canadiens || –

| 6 || January 5 || Ottawa || 5 || Canadiens || 6 (27' OT)

| 7 || January 9 || Canadiens || 4 || Toronto || 6

| 8 || January 12 || Ottawa || 4 || Canadiens || 9

| 9 || January 19 || Toronto || 1 || Canadiens || 5

| 10 || January 21 || Canadiens || 5 || Ottawa || 3

| 11 || January 23 || Ottawa || 4 || Canadiens || 3

| 12 || January 28 || Canadiens || 1 || Toronto || 5

| 13 || January 30 || Canadiens || 5 || Ottawa || 2

| 14 || February 2 || Toronto || 2 || Canadiens || 11 |- | colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| Notes: Montreal Wanderers forfeit game on January 2.

| 15 || February 6 || Canadiens || 3 || Ottawa || 6

| 16 || February 9 || Toronto || 7 || Canadiens || 3

| 17 || February 16 || Ottawa || 4 || Canadiens || 10

| 18 || February 18 || Canadiens || 9 || Toronto || 0

| 19 || February 20 || Toronto || 4 || Canadiens || 5

| 20 || February 25 || Canadiens || 0 || Ottawa || 8

| 21 || February 27 || Ottawa || 3 || Canadiens || 1 (at Quebec)

| 22 || March 2 || Canadiens || 3 || Toronto || 5

Legend:

Playoffs The Canadiens played the Torontos in a playoff to decide the league championship. In a two-game, total-goals series, Toronto won the first game 7–3 and Montreal won the second game 4–3. Toronto won the series 10–7 and proceeded to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Date Away Score Home Score NotesMarch 11Montreal Canadiens3Toronto7March 13Toronto3Montreal Canadiens4 Toronto wins total goals series 10–7 for the O'Brien Cup

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 Joe Malone7 20444483021010 Newsy Lalonde4 142373051242617 Didier Pitre5 201762329201113 Bert Corbeau2 21881641211211 Joe Hall3 218715100201113 Jack McDonald†11 891101221010 Billy Coutu9 202244920000 Jack Laviolette6 18213620000 Louis Berlinguette8 202131220000 Evariste Payer12 10000----- Billy Bell†10 60006-----

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Montreal. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.

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 GA SO GAA Georges Vezina1 21128212908413.932120111005.00

Transactions acquired Joe Hall, Joe Malone and Walter Mummery from Quebec Bulldogs in Dispersal Draft, November 26, 1917 acquired Billy Bell, Jack Marks and Jack McDonald from Montreal Wanderers in Dispersal Draft, January 4, 1918 loaned Jack Marks to Toronto Arenas, January 4, 1918 signed Evariste Payer as a free agent, January 29, 1918

References

Works cited

See also 1917–18 NHL season List of Stanley Cup champions