New York Americans
Encyclopedia
The New York Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) were a professional ice hockey
team based in New York
, New York
from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team
in the history of the National Hockey League
(NHL) and the second to play in the United States
. The team never won the Stanley Cup
, but reached the semifinals twice. While it was the first team in New York, it was eclipsed by the second, the New York Rangers
, which arrived in 1926 under the ownership of the Amerks' landlord, Madison Square Garden
. The team operated as the Brooklyn Americans during the 1941–42 season before suspending operations in 1942 due to the twin strains of World War II
and longstanding financial difficulties. The demise of the club marked the beginning of the NHL's so-called Original Six
era from 1942 to 1967, though the Amerks' franchise was not formally canceled until 1946.
The team's overall regular season record was 255-402-127.
In 1923, Thomas Duggan
received options on three NHL franchises for the United States. After selling one to Boston
grocery magnate Charles Adams, Duggan arranged with Tex Rickard to have a team in Madison Square Garden
. Rickard agreed, but play was delayed until the new Garden was built in 1925. In April of that year, Duggan and Bill Dwyer, New York
's most-celebrated prohibition bootlegger, were awarded the franchise for New York. Somewhat fortuitously given the shortage of players, the Hamilton Tigers, who had finished first the season before, had been suspended from the league after they struck for higher pay. Dwyer duly bought the collective rights to the Tiger players for $
75,000 and moved them to the newly built Garden. The Tigers franchise was suspended and never returned; the NHL does not consider the Americans to be a continuation of the Tigers--or for that matter, of the Tigers' predecessors, the Quebec Bulldogs
.
The New York Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates
became the second and third American-based teams in the NHL. They followed Adams' Boston Bruins
, who began the previous season. As with the Pirates, the choice of "Americans" as a nickname
may have been influenced by a local strong baseball
team, specifically the New York Yankees
, but Rickard also wanted to market the American character of the team, which was playing a sport acknowledged as Canadian.
Success didn't come easily for the Americans. Even though their roster was substantively the same that finished first the previous year, in the Americans' first season, 1925–26, they finished fifth overall with a record of 12-22-4. However, they did prove a success at the box office; so much so that the following season Garden management landed a team of its own, the New York Rangers
, despite promising Dwyer that the Amerks would be the sole hockey team in the Garden. The Amerks were forced to support the bid due to a clause in their lease with the Garden.
The 1926–27 season saw the Americans continue to struggle, finishing 17-25-2. Part of the problem was that they were placed in the Canadian Division, resulting in a large number of train trips to Montreal
, Toronto
and Ottawa
. Meanwhile, the Rangers won the American Division title. The next season saw the Americans fall even further from grace by finishing last in their division (ninth overall) with a record of 11-27-6, while the Rangers captured the Stanley Cup
in only their second year of existence.
The 1927–28 NHL season saw the Amerks sign star goaltender
Roy Worters
from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He led the team to a 19-13-12 record in the 1928–29 NHL season, good enough for second in the Canadian Division (fourth overall). Worters had an incredible 1.21 goals-against average, becoming the first goaltender to win the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player in the league. Standing on Worters' shoulders, the Americans made the playoffs for the first time, but were unable to beat the Rangers in a total-goals series. The Rangers had extreme difficulty scoring against Worters, but the futile Americans were equally unable to score against the Rangers. The Rangers ended up winning the series in the second game, 1-0 in overtime
.
The next season saw the Americans plunge to fifth place in the division (ninth overall). Worters had an atrocious 3.75 goals-against and the team ended up with a 14-25-5 record. Worters would rebound for the next season, with a 1.68 goals-against average. That was good enough to give the Americans a winning record. However, they missed out on a playoff berth since the Montreal Maroons
had two more wins; wins are the NHL's first tiebreaker for playoff seeding.
The following season (1931–32) saw some developments that would change the way the NHL played the game. In a game against the Bruins, the Americans iced the puck 61 times. At that time, there was no rule against icing. Adams was so angry that he pressed, to no avail, for the NHL to make a rule against icing. So, the next time the two teams met, the Bruins iced the puck 87 times in a scoreless game. It wasn't until a few years later that the NHL made a rule prohibiting icing, but those two games were the catalyst for change.
Overall, the Americans were struggling on and off the ice. With the end of Prohibition
, Dwyer was finding it difficult to make ends meet. After the 1933–34 NHL season, having missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year, the Americans attempted a merger with the equally strapped Senators, only to be turned down by the NHL Board of Governors. During the 1935–36 NHL season, Dwyer finally decided to sell the team. As fortunes would have it, the Americans made the playoffs for the first time in six years that season, but bowed out in the second round against Toronto. No buyers were found for the team, and Dwyer abandoned it, causing the NHL to assume control for the 1936–37 NHL season. Dwyer sued the NHL, saying it had no authority to seize his team. A settlement was reached whereby Dwyer could resume control provided he could pay off his debts. After the 1936-37 season, Dwyer could not do so, and the NHL took full control of the franchise. The team fared no better under the league's operation than before, finishing last with a record of 15-29-4. The only bright spot was Sweeney Schriner
, who led the league in scoring that year.
With Red Dutton
running the team for the 1937–38 season
, the Americans signed veterans Ching Johnson and Hap Day
and acquired goalie Earl Robertson
. These new acquisitions greatly helped the team as they finished the season with a 19-18-11 record and made the playoffs. In the playoffs, they beat the Rangers in three games, but went on to lose against the Chicago Black Hawks
in three.
The next two seasons (1938–39 and 1939–40) saw the Americans make the playoffs for the second and third straight times. These times, though, they would not make it past the first round. The following season, 1940–41, they missed the playoffs with a horrible record of 8-29-11. Canada had entered World War II
in September, 1939, and many of the team's Canadian players left for military service. While the league's other teams were similarly hard-hit, Dutton was still bogged down by lingering debt from the Dwyer era. This debt, combined with the depletion of talent and wartime travel restrictions, forced Dutton to sell off his best players for cash. The Amerks were clearly living on borrowed time; it was only a matter of when, not if, they would fold.
At wit's end, Dutton changed the team's name for the 1941–42 NHL season to the Brooklyn Americans. He had every intent on moving the team to Brooklyn
, but due to a lack of a decent arena, the Brooklyn Americans continued to play their home games in Manhattan
at Madison Square Garden while practicing in Brooklyn. They barely survived the season, finishing with a record of 16-29-3. After the season, the Amerks suspended operations for the war's duration. In 1945, a group emerged willing to build a sports arena in Brooklyn, which could house the Americans. However, in 1946, the NHL reneged on promises to reinstate the Amerks and canceled the franchise. Although Dutton had every intention of returning the Amerks to the ice after World War II, NHL records list the Amerks as having "retired" from the league in 1942.
The NHL would not expand beyond its remaining six teams until the 1967–68 season. Dutton, however, blamed the owners of Madison Square Garden (who also owned the Rangers) for pressuring the NHL to not reinstate the Americans. Dutton was so bitter that he purportedly swore the Rangers would never win a Stanley Cup again in his lifetime. This "curse
" became reality as for more than fifty years, the Rangers went without a Cup. The Rangers wouldn't win another Cup until 1994, seven years after Dutton's death.
The last active New York Americans player was Pat Egan
, who retired in 1951. The last active Brooklyn Americans player was Ken Mosdell
, who retired in 1959.
The New York Metropolitan Area would not have a second NHL team again until the establishment of the New York Islanders
in nearby Uniondale, New York
, on Long Island
, in the 1972–73 season.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
in the history of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) and the second to play in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The team never won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, but reached the semifinals twice. While it was the first team in New York, it was eclipsed by the second, the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, which arrived in 1926 under the ownership of the Amerks' landlord, Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
. The team operated as the Brooklyn Americans during the 1941–42 season before suspending operations in 1942 due to the twin strains of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and longstanding financial difficulties. The demise of the club marked the beginning of the NHL's so-called Original Six
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
era from 1942 to 1967, though the Amerks' franchise was not formally canceled until 1946.
The team's overall regular season record was 255-402-127.
Franchise history
Thomas Duggan
Thomas Joseph Duggan was a sports promoter with interests in horse racing, hockey, dog racing and arena management...
received options on three NHL franchises for the United States. After selling one to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
grocery magnate Charles Adams, Duggan arranged with Tex Rickard to have a team in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
. Rickard agreed, but play was delayed until the new Garden was built in 1925. In April of that year, Duggan and Bill Dwyer, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's most-celebrated prohibition bootlegger, were awarded the franchise for New York. Somewhat fortuitously given the shortage of players, the Hamilton Tigers, who had finished first the season before, had been suspended from the league after they struck for higher pay. Dwyer duly bought the collective rights to the Tiger players for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
75,000 and moved them to the newly built Garden. The Tigers franchise was suspended and never returned; the NHL does not consider the Americans to be a continuation of the Tigers--or for that matter, of the Tigers' predecessors, the Quebec Bulldogs
Quebec Bulldogs
The Quebec Bulldogs were a men's senior-level ice hockey team officially known as the Quebec Hockey Club, later as the Quebec Athletic Club. Their recorded play goes back as far as the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in 1889, although the Quebec Hockey Club is known to have played since 1880...
.
Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)
The Pittsburgh Pirates were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League , based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1925–26 to 1929–30. The nickname comes from the baseball team also based in the city...
became the second and third American-based teams in the NHL. They followed Adams' Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, who began the previous season. As with the Pirates, the choice of "Americans" as a nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
may have been influenced by a local strong baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, specifically the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, but Rickard also wanted to market the American character of the team, which was playing a sport acknowledged as Canadian.
Success didn't come easily for the Americans. Even though their roster was substantively the same that finished first the previous year, in the Americans' first season, 1925–26, they finished fifth overall with a record of 12-22-4. However, they did prove a success at the box office; so much so that the following season Garden management landed a team of its own, the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, despite promising Dwyer that the Amerks would be the sole hockey team in the Garden. The Amerks were forced to support the bid due to a clause in their lease with the Garden.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Ottawa
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
. Meanwhile, the Rangers won the American Division title. The next season saw the Americans fall even further from grace by finishing last in their division (ninth overall) with a record of 11-27-6, while the Rangers captured the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in only their second year of existence.
The 1927–28 NHL season saw the Amerks sign star goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Roy Worters
Roy Worters
Roy "Shrimp" Worters was a Canadian professional Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Canadiens and New York Americans, and was notable for recording 66 shutouts in his career and being, at 5'3" tall, the...
from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He led the team to a 19-13-12 record in the 1928–29 NHL season, good enough for second in the Canadian Division (fourth overall). Worters had an incredible 1.21 goals-against average, becoming the first goaltender to win the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player in the league. Standing on Worters' shoulders, the Americans made the playoffs for the first time, but were unable to beat the Rangers in a total-goals series. The Rangers had extreme difficulty scoring against Worters, but the futile Americans were equally unable to score against the Rangers. The Rangers ended up winning the series in the second game, 1-0 in overtime
Overtime (ice hockey)
Overtime is a method of determining the winner and loser of an ice hockey match when the scores are tied after regulation. The two main methods are the overtime period and the shootout.-Overtime periods:...
.
The next season saw the Americans plunge to fifth place in the division (ninth overall). Worters had an atrocious 3.75 goals-against and the team ended up with a 14-25-5 record. Worters would rebound for the next season, with a 1.68 goals-against average. That was good enough to give the Americans a winning record. However, they missed out on a playoff berth since the Montreal Maroons
Montreal Maroons
The Montreal Maroons was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey League . They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935...
had two more wins; wins are the NHL's first tiebreaker for playoff seeding.
The following season (1931–32) saw some developments that would change the way the NHL played the game. In a game against the Bruins, the Americans iced the puck 61 times. At that time, there was no rule against icing. Adams was so angry that he pressed, to no avail, for the NHL to make a rule against icing. So, the next time the two teams met, the Bruins iced the puck 87 times in a scoreless game. It wasn't until a few years later that the NHL made a rule prohibiting icing, but those two games were the catalyst for change.
Overall, the Americans were struggling on and off the ice. With the end of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, Dwyer was finding it difficult to make ends meet. After the 1933–34 NHL season, having missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year, the Americans attempted a merger with the equally strapped Senators, only to be turned down by the NHL Board of Governors. During the 1935–36 NHL season, Dwyer finally decided to sell the team. As fortunes would have it, the Americans made the playoffs for the first time in six years that season, but bowed out in the second round against Toronto. No buyers were found for the team, and Dwyer abandoned it, causing the NHL to assume control for the 1936–37 NHL season. Dwyer sued the NHL, saying it had no authority to seize his team. A settlement was reached whereby Dwyer could resume control provided he could pay off his debts. After the 1936-37 season, Dwyer could not do so, and the NHL took full control of the franchise. The team fared no better under the league's operation than before, finishing last with a record of 15-29-4. The only bright spot was Sweeney Schriner
Sweeney Schriner
David "Sweeney" Schriner was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1935 and was the NHL scoring leader in 1935–36 and 1936–37...
, who led the league in scoring that year.
With Red Dutton
Red Dutton
Norman Alexander "Mervyn" "Red" Dutton was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. He played for the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League and the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
running the team for the 1937–38 season
1937–38 NHL season
-European tour:After the Stanley Cup final finished, the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens played a nine-game exhibition series in Europe, becoming the first NHL teams to play outside North America. Six games were played in England, three in France...
, the Americans signed veterans Ching Johnson and Hap Day
Hap Day
Clarence Henry "Happy" Day , later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans...
and acquired goalie Earl Robertson
Earl Robertson
Earl Cooper "Robbie" Robertson was a professional ice hockey goaltender who played 190 games in the National Hockey League...
. These new acquisitions greatly helped the team as they finished the season with a 19-18-11 record and made the playoffs. In the playoffs, they beat the Rangers in three games, but went on to lose against the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in three.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in September, 1939, and many of the team's Canadian players left for military service. While the league's other teams were similarly hard-hit, Dutton was still bogged down by lingering debt from the Dwyer era. This debt, combined with the depletion of talent and wartime travel restrictions, forced Dutton to sell off his best players for cash. The Amerks were clearly living on borrowed time; it was only a matter of when, not if, they would fold.
At wit's end, Dutton changed the team's name for the 1941–42 NHL season to the Brooklyn Americans. He had every intent on moving the team to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, but due to a lack of a decent arena, the Brooklyn Americans continued to play their home games in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at Madison Square Garden while practicing in Brooklyn. They barely survived the season, finishing with a record of 16-29-3. After the season, the Amerks suspended operations for the war's duration. In 1945, a group emerged willing to build a sports arena in Brooklyn, which could house the Americans. However, in 1946, the NHL reneged on promises to reinstate the Amerks and canceled the franchise. Although Dutton had every intention of returning the Amerks to the ice after World War II, NHL records list the Amerks as having "retired" from the league in 1942.
The NHL would not expand beyond its remaining six teams until the 1967–68 season. Dutton, however, blamed the owners of Madison Square Garden (who also owned the Rangers) for pressuring the NHL to not reinstate the Americans. Dutton was so bitter that he purportedly swore the Rangers would never win a Stanley Cup again in his lifetime. This "curse
Curse of 1940
The Curse of 1940, also called Dutton's Curse, was a superstitious explanation for why the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League did not win the league's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, from 1940 to 1994.-Popular theories:...
" became reality as for more than fifty years, the Rangers went without a Cup. The Rangers wouldn't win another Cup until 1994, seven years after Dutton's death.
The last active New York Americans player was Pat Egan
Pat Egan
Martin Joseph "Pat" Egan was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman, most notably for the Boston Bruins and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
, who retired in 1951. The last active Brooklyn Americans player was Ken Mosdell
Ken Mosdell
Kenneth "Kenny" Mosdell was a Canadian ice hockey forward.Ken played in the National Hockey League from 1941 to 1942, and 1944 to 1959. He played his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Brooklyn Americans, and Chicago Black Hawks...
, who retired in 1959.
The New York Metropolitan Area would not have a second NHL team again until the establishment of the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in nearby Uniondale, New York
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:...
, on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, in the 1972–73 season.
Season-by-season record
| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–26 1925–26 New York Americans season The 1925–26 New York Americans season was the first season of the New York Americans ice hockey team of the National Hockey League. Despite having the roster of the previous season's top club, the Hamilton Tigers, the club finished in last place.-Offseason:... |
36 | 12 | 20 | 4 | 28 | 68 | 89 | 361 | fifth, NHL | Out of Playoffs |
| 1926–27 1926–27 New York Americans season The 1926–27 New York Americans season was the second season of the New York Americans. The club added coach Newsy Lalonde and defenceman Red Dutton... |
44 | 17 | 25 | 2 | 36 | 82 | 91 | 349 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1927–28 1927–28 New York Americans season The 1927–28 New York Americans season was the American's third season of play. The team finished in last place in the Canadian Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-References:... |
44 | 11 | 27 | 6 | 28 | 63 | 128 | 563 | fifth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1928–29 1928–29 New York Americans season The 1928–29 New York Americans season was the fourth season of play of the Americans. After finishing out of the playoffs in the first three seasons, the team placed second in its division to make the playoffs for the first time. The team met the New York Rangers for a two-game total-goals series... |
44 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 50 | 53 | 53 | 486 | second, Canadian | Lost Quarterfinals (NY Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... ) |
| 1929–30 1929–30 New York Americans season The 1929–30 New York Americans season was the fifth season of play of the Americans. After making the playoffs in 1929, the team slid to last-place in the Canadian Division and did not qualify for the playoffs.-Offseason:... |
44 | 14 | 25 | 5 | 33 | 113 | 161 | 372 | fifth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1930–31 1930–31 New York Americans season The 1930–31 New York Americans season was the sixth season of play. The Americans improved their record to escape last-place in the Canadian Division, but did not qualify for the playoffs.-Offseason:... |
44 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 46 | 76 | 74 | 495 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1931–32 1931–32 New York Americans season The 1931–32 New York Americans season was the Americans' seventh season of play. The team again finished out of the playoffs, finishing fourth in the Canadian Division.-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-References:... |
48 | 16 | 24 | 8 | 40 | 95 | 142 | 596 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1932–33 1932–33 New York Americans season The 1932–33 New York Americans season was the Americans' eighth season of play. The Americans again did not qualify for the playoffs. This was the fourth-straight season that they missed the playoffs and the seventh time out of eight seasons.-Game log:... |
48 | 15 | 22 | 11 | 41 | 91 | 118 | 460 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1933–34 1933–34 New York Americans season The 1933–34 New York Americans season was the Americans' ninth season of play. The Americans again did not qualify for the playoffs. This was the fifth-straight season that they missed the playoffs and the eighth time out of nine seasons.-Game log:... |
48 | 15 | 23 | 10 | 40 | 104 | 132 | 365 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1934–35 1934–35 New York Americans season -Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-External links:... |
48 | 12 | 27 | 9 | 33 | 100 | 142 | 250 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1935–36 1935–36 New York Americans season The 1935–36 New York Americans season was the Americans' 11th season of play. Under coach Red Dutton, the team improved to third place in the Canadian Division and qualified for the playoffs, for only the second time in the team's history... |
48 | 16 | 25 | 7 | 39 | 109 | 122 | 392 | third, Canadian | Won Quarterfinals (Chicago) Lost Semifinals (Toronto Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... ) |
| 1936–37 1936–37 New York Americans season The 1936–37 New York Americans season was the Americans' twelfth season of play. After qualifying for the playoffs in 1936, the Americans again placed last in the Canadian Division to miss qualifying for the playoffs. The Americans had now failed to qualify in ten of the franchise's twelve seasons... |
48 | 15 | 29 | 4 | 34 | 122 | 161 | 481 | fourth, Canadian | Out of Playoffs |
| 1937–38 1937–38 New York Americans season -Offseason:The team played an exhibition game against the New York Rangers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 30 October to open the new Saskatoon Arena.-Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-Playoffs:ScoringGoaltending-External links:... |
48 | 19 | 18 | 11 | 49 | 110 | 111 | 327 | second, Canadian | Won Quarterfinals (NY Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... ) Lost Semifinals (Chicago) |
| 1938–39 1938–39 New York Americans season -Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-Playoffs:ScoringGoaltending-References:... |
48 | 17 | 21 | 10 | 44 | 119 | 157 | 276 | fourth, NHL | Lost Quarterfinals (Toronto Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... ) |
| 1939–40 1939–40 New York Americans season -Game log:-Playoffs:The American met the Detroit Red Wings in a best-of-three quarter-final series. The Americans lost the series 2–1. The home team won all games in the series.-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-Playoffs:ScoringGoaltending... |
48 | 15 | 29 | 4 | 34 | 106 | 140 | 236 | sixth, NHL | Lost Quarterfinals (Detroit Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... ) |
| 1940–41 1940–41 New York Americans season -Game log:-Regular season:ScoringGoaltending-References:... |
48 | 8 | 29 | 11 | 27 | 99 | 186 | 231 | seventh, NHL | Out of Playoffs |
| 1941–42 1941–42 Brooklyn Americans season The 1941–42 Brooklyn Americans season was the last season of the Bulldogs/Tigers/Americans NHL franchise. After the season, the Americans franchise was suspended... |
48 | 16 | 29 | 3 | 35 | 133 | 175 | 425 | seventh, NHL | Out of Playoffs |
| Totals | 784 | 255 | 402 | 127 | 637 | 1643 | 2182 | 6665 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Hall of Famers
- Billy BurchBilly BurchHarry Wilfred Burch was an Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Hamilton Tigers, New York Americans, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
- Charlie ConacherCharlie ConacherCharles William "The Big Bomber" Conacher, Sr. was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New York Americans in the National Hockey League. An early power forward, Conacher was nicknamed "The Big Bomber," for his size, powerful...
- Lionel ConacherLionel ConacherLionel Pretoria Conacher, MP , nicknamed "The Big Train", was a Canadian athlete and politician. Voted the country's top athlete of the first half of the 20th century, he won championships in numerous sports. His first passion was football; he was a member of the 1921 Grey Cup champion Toronto...
- Red DuttonRed DuttonNorman Alexander "Mervyn" "Red" Dutton was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. He played for the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League and the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
- Chuck RaynerChuck RaynerClaude Earl "Charlie, Chuck" Rayner was a Canadian professional hockey goaltender who played 9 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and New York Rangers...
- Sweeney SchrinerSweeney SchrinerDavid "Sweeney" Schriner was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1935 and was the NHL scoring leader in 1935–36 and 1936–37...
- Bullet Joe SimpsonBullet Joe SimpsonHarold Edward Joseph "Bullet Joe" Simpson was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Edmonton Eskimos and New York Americans. In 1932 Simpson was a member of the Winnipeg Hockey Club which won the World Championships and Olympic gold medal for Canada.He was born in...
- Hooley SmithHooley SmithReginald "Hooley" Smith was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins and New York Americans. He won the Stanley Cup twice, with Ottawa and Montreal...
- Nels StewartNels StewartRobert Nelson "Old Poison" Stewart was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Maroons, New York Americans and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
- Roy WortersRoy WortersRoy "Shrimp" Worters was a Canadian professional Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Canadiens and New York Americans, and was notable for recording 66 shutouts in his career and being, at 5'3" tall, the...
- Busher JacksonBusher JacksonHarvey "Busher" Jackson was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and defenceman who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New York Americans in the National Hockey League....
Team captains
- Billy BurchBilly BurchHarry Wilfred Burch was an Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Hamilton Tigers, New York Americans, Chicago Black Hawks, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
(1925–32) - Red DuttonRed DuttonNorman Alexander "Mervyn" "Red" Dutton was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. He played for the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League and the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
(1932–36) - Sweeney SchrinerSweeney SchrinerDavid "Sweeney" Schriner was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1935 and was the NHL scoring leader in 1935–36 and 1936–37...
(1936–39) - Charlie ConacherCharlie ConacherCharles William "The Big Bomber" Conacher, Sr. was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New York Americans in the National Hockey League. An early power forward, Conacher was nicknamed "The Big Bomber," for his size, powerful...
(1939–41) - Tommy Anderson (1941–42)
Coaches
Head Coaches for the New York Americans:- Tommy GormanTommy GormanThomas Patrick "T. P." Gorman was a founder of the National Hockey League , a winner of seven Stanley Cups as a general manager with four teams, and an Olympic gold medal-winning lacrosse player for Canada....
, 1925–26 - Newsy LalondeNewsy LalondeÉdouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League and a professional lacrosse player, regarded as one of hockey's and lacrosse's greatest players of the first half of the 20th century and one of sport's most colourful characters...
, 1926–27 - Shorty GreenShorty GreenWilfred Thomas "Shorty" Green was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played four seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hamilton Tigers and New York Americans. As captain of the Tigers in 1925, he led the team on a strike with the demand that the players be paid an additional...
, 1927–28 - Tommy GormanTommy GormanThomas Patrick "T. P." Gorman was a founder of the National Hockey League , a winner of seven Stanley Cups as a general manager with four teams, and an Olympic gold medal-winning lacrosse player for Canada....
, 1928–29 - Lionel ConacherLionel ConacherLionel Pretoria Conacher, MP , nicknamed "The Big Train", was a Canadian athlete and politician. Voted the country's top athlete of the first half of the 20th century, he won championships in numerous sports. His first passion was football; he was a member of the 1921 Grey Cup champion Toronto...
, 1929–30 - Eddie GerardEddie GerardEdward George Gerard was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada he played professionally for 10 seasons for the hometown Ottawa Senators and was member of several Stanley Cup-winning teams before retiring as a player in 1923...
, 1930–31,1931–32 - Bullet Joe SimpsonBullet Joe SimpsonHarold Edward Joseph "Bullet Joe" Simpson was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Edmonton Eskimos and New York Americans. In 1932 Simpson was a member of the Winnipeg Hockey Club which won the World Championships and Olympic gold medal for Canada.He was born in...
, 1932-33 to 1934-35 - Red DuttonRed DuttonNorman Alexander "Mervyn" "Red" Dutton was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. He played for the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League and the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans of the National Hockey League...
, 1935-36 to 1941-42
See also
- List of New York Americans players
- List of NHL seasons
- List of NHL players
- List of defunct NHL teams
- Hamilton Tigers
- Curse of 1940Curse of 1940The Curse of 1940, also called Dutton's Curse, was a superstitious explanation for why the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League did not win the league's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, from 1940 to 1994.-Popular theories:...