Toronto Blueshirts
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Hockey Club, known as the Torontos and the Toronto Blue Shirts were a professional National Hockey Association
team that played in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. The club won the Stanley Cup
in 1914, before becoming the centre of controversy amongst National Hockey Association
owners leading to the NHA suspending operations and the owners forming the National Hockey League
. The franchise was taken away from its owner in 1917, and its players competed in the NHL in 1917–18 as the Torontos, winning the Stanley Cup again under the temporary ownership of the Toronto Arena Company, the Blue Shirts' former landlord. The Arena Company was then granted a permanent franchise for the 1918–19 season that evolved into today's Toronto Maple Leafs
.
The NHA was founded in 1909 without any teams from Toronto, Ontario because there wasn't an arena in the city that was large enough to sustain a franchise. In 1911, a new arena
was being built in Toronto and a franchise was awarded to the Toronto Hockey Club, and a group affiliated with the Tecumseh Lacrosse Club applied for a second franchise. The Tecumsehs bought a franchise from Ambrose O'Brien, paying $500 cash and promissory notes for $2,000.
In 1911 National Hockey Association
(NHA) owner Ambrose O'Brien, who had operated four franchises including Cobalt, Haileybury, Montreal Canadiens and Renfrew decided not to operate hockey franchises any longer. Three of the four franchises had been suspended by O'Brien before the previous season and now Renfrew would fold as well. Quebec and Montreal Canadiens had bought two of the franchises from O'Brien, and the final two were sold to Toronto interests. The Toronto franchise was bought by Percy Quinn
, who was also president of the Dominion Lacrosse Association, a Canadian professional lacrosse league that had patterned itself after the NHA.
Although the NHA franchise was bought from O'Brien who had operated a team with it, no other assets came with the franchise. According to Coleman, the franchise for the Torontos was that used by the Les Canadiens
. Other books quote O'Brien as selling the Canadiens to George Kennedy
, leaving the case of which franchise was sold in dispute. In any case, the Toronto team was built from scratch and did not include any players from Les Canadiens. The first manager was Toronto native and former Ottawa Senators
player Bruce Ridpath
, who had intended to be a playing-coach but was no longer able to play due to an injury suffered when he was struck by an automobile the previous year.
Toronto had not previously had an arena with artificial ice that would be large enough for an NHA team, but in 1911, work began on Arena Gardens, which was planned to be the largest indoor arena in Canada. Two teams were scheduled to use the rink for NHA play. The Tecumseh Club
in Toronto also received an NHA franchise in 1911 and the schedule for the 1911–12 season was drawn up with two Toronto teams. No games were scheduled to be played in Toronto until the end of January, when the new arena was supposed to be ready. It soon became clear that construction of Arena Gardens would not be finished in time, and in mid-December it was announced that the two Toronto teams had been dropped from the schedule and the league would play with only four teams that season.
The Torontos played their first game on December 25, 1912 before 4,000 fans at Arena Gardens. The Toronto Hockey Club was owned by Quinn, managed by Ridpath, and initially coached by Tom Humphrey who was soon replaced by player-coach Jack Marshall. The team Ridpath put on the ice included Cully Wilson and future hall-of-famers Hap Holmes
, Harry Cameron
, Frank Foyston
, and Frank Nighbor
. The Torontos finished the year in a tie for third place.
Before the 1913–14 season, the club faced some upheaval. Ridpath resigned as manager in October 1913, and the club was sold to Frank Robinson
. Despite the changes, the Torontos won the Stanley Cup
in 1914, defeating the Montreal Canadiens
in a playoff to decide the NHA champion.
After the season, the team then played a series with the Victoria Aristocrats
of the Pacific Coast Hockey League
. A controversy erupted when a letter arrived from the Stanley Cup trustees on March 17, that the trustees would not let the Stanley Cup travel west, as they did not consider Victoria a proper challenger because they had not formally notified the trustees. However, on March 18, Trustee William Foran stated that it was a misunderstanding. PCHA president Frank Patrick had not filed a challenge, because he had expected Emmett Quinn of the NHA to make all of the arrangements in his role as hockey commissioner, whereas the trustees thought they were being deliberately ignored. In any case, all arrangements had been ironed out and the Victoria challenge was accepted. Nevertheless, the Torontos defeated Victoria in a best-of-five series played in Toronto in three straight games.
At the same time, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
—upset over the NHA's efforts to bring Cyclone Taylor
back east—broke all ties with the NHA and conducted a player raid. The PCHA created a new team in Seattle
and stocked it with the Torontos' two leading scorers in Wilson and Foyston, their goaltender, Hap Holmes, and two other key members of the Toronto team in Jack Walker and Eddie Carpenter
. The only regular Blue Shirt player to remain in Toronto was Cameron. To make up for the players lost in the raid, Livingstone transferred Shamrocks players to the Blueshirts and allowed the Shamrock franchise to go dormant. The Torontos, composed mostly of former Shamrock players, skated to a record of 9 wins, 14 losses and 1 tie in the 1915–16 NHA season, finishing in last place in the five-team league.
Livingstone was frequently at odds with his fellow owners, particularly Sam Lichtenhein
of the Montreal Wanderers
. Tempers boiled over when the NHA added a second Toronto team in 1916–17, representing the 228th Battalion
of the Canadian army. The 228th was forced to withdraw its team in mid-season when the unit was called overseas. That left the NHA with an odd number of teams, and the team owners—at a meeting that did not include Livingstone—decided to even-up the number of teams by suspending operations of the Torontos for the rest of the season. All players were given to other NHA teams for the rest of the season. At the time, the plan was to return the players to the Toronto franchise, but the rest of the league wanted Livingstone out.
. Livingstone was not invited to participate in the new league. However, the other teams wished to continue a team in Toronto, and also needed a fourth team to balance the schedule due to the Quebec Bulldogs
' decision to sit out the season. Accordingly, Livingstone's landlord, the Toronto Arena Company, was given a temporary Toronto franchise
in the NHL and took Livingstone's Torontos players for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season. At the time, Frank Calder
, the NHA and NHL president, was demanding that Livingstone sell his franchise, and promised to pay Livingstone the proceeds. The NHA/NHL claimed the $5000 franchise fee from the 1919 St. Patricks was to 'buy' Livingstone's hockey club. The proceeds appear to have gone into Mr. Calder's pocket.
To Toronto fans, it would have looked like little had changed. Although the team had no official name, it was made up mostly of former Blue Shirts. As a result, the newspapers still called the team the Blue Shirts or the Torontos, as they always had. Led by general manager Charlie Querrie and coach Dick Carroll
, the team won the Stanley Cup
in 1918. In fitting fashion, no winner was engraved on the Stanley Cup. However, in 1947, the NHL added the name of the Toronto Arenas
for 1918.
The Arena Company had originally promised to return the Toronto players to Livingstone. Instead, before the 1918–19 season, it formed a new club, the Toronto Arena Hockey Club
. This new franchise was separated from the Arena Company because it was due money to Livingstone from the players and the Stanley Cup revenues (fixed later by court at $20,000). The NHL readily admitted this new team as a member in good standing. Charlie Querrie remained as general manager. It had a dismal five-win season, and blamed Livingstone for interference.
By 1919, the NHA owners had established that there would be no revival of the NHA. However, the dispute with Livingstone forced the Arena Company into bankruptcy. The Arenas were sold to a group headed by Querrie, who renamed them the Toronto St. Patricks
. This team became the Toronto Maple Leafs
midway through the 1926–27 season.
Despite the ties to the Torontos, the Maple Leafs do not claim the Blue Shirts' history as their own, although the team includes the history of the "temporary" Toronto NHL franchise of 1917–18.
Source: NHL.com
:
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
team that played in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The club 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...
in 1914, before becoming the centre of controversy amongst National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
owners leading to the NHA suspending operations and the owners forming 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...
. The franchise was taken away from its owner in 1917, and its players competed in the NHL in 1917–18 as the Torontos, winning the Stanley Cup again under the temporary ownership of the Toronto Arena Company, the Blue Shirts' former landlord. The Arena Company was then granted a permanent franchise for the 1918–19 season that evolved into today's Toronto Maple Leafs
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...
.
Founding to Cup winners
Mutual Street Arena
Mutual Street Arena, initially called Arena Gardens or just the Arena, was an ice hockey arena and sports and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario...
was being built in Toronto and a franchise was awarded to the Toronto Hockey Club, and a group affiliated with the Tecumseh Lacrosse Club applied for a second franchise. The Tecumsehs bought a franchise from Ambrose O'Brien, paying $500 cash and promissory notes for $2,000.
In 1911 National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
(NHA) owner Ambrose O'Brien, who had operated four franchises including Cobalt, Haileybury, Montreal Canadiens and Renfrew decided not to operate hockey franchises any longer. Three of the four franchises had been suspended by O'Brien before the previous season and now Renfrew would fold as well. Quebec and Montreal Canadiens had bought two of the franchises from O'Brien, and the final two were sold to Toronto interests. The Toronto franchise was bought by Percy Quinn
Percy Quinn
John Purcell Quinn was a Canadian athlete, businessman, sports promoter and politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the owner and president of the Toronto Blueshirts, winners of the Stanley Cup in 1914. He was a member of the world champion Montreal Shamrocks lacrosse team in 1896...
, who was also president of the Dominion Lacrosse Association, a Canadian professional lacrosse league that had patterned itself after the NHA.
Although the NHA franchise was bought from O'Brien who had operated a team with it, no other assets came with the franchise. According to Coleman, the franchise for the Torontos was that used by the Les Canadiens
Les Canadiens
Les Canadiens was the original name of the Montreal Canadiens Canadian ice hockey team in the National Hockey Association, as used in the 1910 season...
. Other books quote O'Brien as selling the Canadiens to George Kennedy
George Kennedy
George Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
, leaving the case of which franchise was sold in dispute. In any case, the Toronto team was built from scratch and did not include any players from Les Canadiens. The first manager was Toronto native and former Ottawa Senators
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...
player Bruce Ridpath
Bruce Ridpath
David Bruce Ridpath was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and general manager. He was a member of the 1911 Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Senators before an automobile accident ended his playing career....
, who had intended to be a playing-coach but was no longer able to play due to an injury suffered when he was struck by an automobile the previous year.
Toronto had not previously had an arena with artificial ice that would be large enough for an NHA team, but in 1911, work began on Arena Gardens, which was planned to be the largest indoor arena in Canada. Two teams were scheduled to use the rink for NHA play. The Tecumseh Club
Toronto Tecumsehs
The Tecumseh Hockey Club, also known as the Toronto Tecumsehs and nicknamed the Indians, were a team in the National Hockey Association in 1912-13. They then became the Toronto Ontarios....
in Toronto also received an NHA franchise in 1911 and the schedule for the 1911–12 season was drawn up with two Toronto teams. No games were scheduled to be played in Toronto until the end of January, when the new arena was supposed to be ready. It soon became clear that construction of Arena Gardens would not be finished in time, and in mid-December it was announced that the two Toronto teams had been dropped from the schedule and the league would play with only four teams that season.
The Torontos played their first game on December 25, 1912 before 4,000 fans at Arena Gardens. The Toronto Hockey Club was owned by Quinn, managed by Ridpath, and initially coached by Tom Humphrey who was soon replaced by player-coach Jack Marshall. The team Ridpath put on the ice included Cully Wilson and future hall-of-famers Hap Holmes
Hap Holmes
Harry George "Hap" Holmes was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. As a professional, Holmes won the Stanley Cup four times, with four different teams. He tied the record of his 1914 Stanley Cup winning Toronto Blueshirts teammate Jack Marshall, who also has won Cups with four different...
, Harry Cameron
Harry Cameron
Harold Hugh "Cammie" Cameron was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played professionally for the Toronto Blueshirts, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Toronto St. Pats and Montreal Canadiens. Cameron won three Stanley Cups in his career...
, Frank Foyston
Frank Foyston
Frank Corbett "The Flash" Foyston was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward.Born in Minesing, Ontario, Foyston played for the Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA, the Seattle Metropolitans in the PCHA, the Victoria Cougars in the WCHL/WHL and Detroit Cougars in the NHL.He won the Stanley Cup with...
, and Frank Nighbor
Frank Nighbor
Julius Francis "Pembroke Peach" Nighbor was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and National Hockey Association and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA and Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific...
. The Torontos finished the year in a tie for third place.
Before the 1913–14 season, the club faced some upheaval. Ridpath resigned as manager in October 1913, and the club was sold to Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
. Despite the changes, the Torontos 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...
in 1914, defeating the Montreal Canadiens
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 ...
in a playoff to decide the NHA champion.
After the season, the team then played a series with the Victoria Aristocrats
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
of the Pacific Coast Hockey League
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.-PCHL 1928-1931:...
. A controversy erupted when a letter arrived from the Stanley Cup trustees on March 17, that the trustees would not let the Stanley Cup travel west, as they did not consider Victoria a proper challenger because they had not formally notified the trustees. However, on March 18, Trustee William Foran stated that it was a misunderstanding. PCHA president Frank Patrick had not filed a challenge, because he had expected Emmett Quinn of the NHA to make all of the arrangements in his role as hockey commissioner, whereas the trustees thought they were being deliberately ignored. In any case, all arrangements had been ironed out and the Victoria challenge was accepted. Nevertheless, the Torontos defeated Victoria in a best-of-five series played in Toronto in three straight games.
The Livingstone era
The next season, the team fell to fourth place in the six-team NHA with a record of 8 wins and 12 losses (down from 13 wins and 7 losses). Robinson joined the Canadian military in 1915, leaving the Torontos effectively rudderless. Sensing an opportunity, Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Shamrocks, purchased the Torontos from Robinson and owned two NHA teams.At the same time, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
—upset over the NHA's efforts to bring Cyclone Taylor
Cyclone Taylor
Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor, OBE, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and civil servant. Taylor was one of the earliest professional players. He played professionally for the Portage Lakes Hockey Club, the Ottawa Hockey Club and the Vancouver Millionaires from 1905 to 1923...
back east—broke all ties with the NHA and conducted a player raid. The PCHA created a new team in Seattle
Seattle Metropolitans
The Seattle Metropolitans were a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle, Washington which played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1915 to 1924. They won the Stanley Cup in 1917, becoming the first American team to do so...
and stocked it with the Torontos' two leading scorers in Wilson and Foyston, their goaltender, Hap Holmes, and two other key members of the Toronto team in Jack Walker and Eddie Carpenter
Eddie Carpenter
Everard Lorne Carpenter was an Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played two seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Bulldogs and Hamilton Tigers....
. The only regular Blue Shirt player to remain in Toronto was Cameron. To make up for the players lost in the raid, Livingstone transferred Shamrocks players to the Blueshirts and allowed the Shamrock franchise to go dormant. The Torontos, composed mostly of former Shamrock players, skated to a record of 9 wins, 14 losses and 1 tie in the 1915–16 NHA season, finishing in last place in the five-team league.
Sam Lichtenhein
Samuel "Sam" Edward Lichtenhein was a businessman and sports executive. He was the owner and president of the Montreal Wanderers ice hockey team of the National Hockey Association , later National Hockey League and the owner of the Montreal Royals baseball team.-Personal life:Lichtenhein was born...
of the Montreal Wanderers
Montreal Wanderers
The Montreal Wanderers were a Canadian amateur, and later becoming a professional men's ice hockey team. The team played in the Federal Amateur Hockey League , the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association , the National Hockey Association and briefly the National Hockey League . The Wanderers are...
. Tempers boiled over when the NHA added a second Toronto team in 1916–17, representing the 228th Battalion
Toronto 228th Battalion (NHA)
The Toronto 228th Battalion was an ice hockey team, composed entirely of troops in the 228th Battalion, CEF of the Canadian Army, in the National Hockey Association for the 1916–17 season....
of the Canadian army. The 228th was forced to withdraw its team in mid-season when the unit was called overseas. That left the NHA with an odd number of teams, and the team owners—at a meeting that did not include Livingstone—decided to even-up the number of teams by suspending operations of the Torontos for the rest of the season. All players were given to other NHA teams for the rest of the season. At the time, the plan was to return the players to the Toronto franchise, but the rest of the league wanted Livingstone out.
1917–19: Arena era
Before the start of the 1917–18 season, the NHA owners announced that the league would not operate in the 1917–18 season. About two weeks later, all of the owners except Livingstone announced that they were creating a new league, the National Hockey LeagueNational 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...
. Livingstone was not invited to participate in the new league. However, the other teams wished to continue a team in Toronto, and also needed a fourth team to balance the schedule due to 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...
' decision to sit out the season. Accordingly, Livingstone's landlord, the Toronto Arena Company, was given a temporary Toronto franchise
Toronto Arenas
The Toronto Arenas, Toronto Blueshirts or Torontos was a professional men's ice hockey team that played in the first two seasons of the National Hockey League . It was operated by the owner of the Arena Gardens, the Toronto Arena Company...
in the NHL and took Livingstone's Torontos players for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season. At the time, Frank Calder
Frank Calder
-External links:*...
, the NHA and NHL president, was demanding that Livingstone sell his franchise, and promised to pay Livingstone the proceeds. The NHA/NHL claimed the $5000 franchise fee from the 1919 St. Patricks was to 'buy' Livingstone's hockey club. The proceeds appear to have gone into Mr. Calder's pocket.
To Toronto fans, it would have looked like little had changed. Although the team had no official name, it was made up mostly of former Blue Shirts. As a result, the newspapers still called the team the Blue Shirts or the Torontos, as they always had. Led by general manager Charlie Querrie and coach Dick Carroll
Dick Carroll
Richard Leo "Dick" Carroll was a Canadian ice hockey coach, leading the Toronto team in the National Hockey League to the Stanley Cup championship in 1918 and the Toronto Canoe Club junior hockey team to the Memorial Cup in 1920....
, the team 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...
in 1918. In fitting fashion, no winner was engraved on the Stanley Cup. However, in 1947, the NHL added the name of the Toronto Arenas
Toronto Arenas
The Toronto Arenas, Toronto Blueshirts or Torontos was a professional men's ice hockey team that played in the first two seasons of the National Hockey League . It was operated by the owner of the Arena Gardens, the Toronto Arena Company...
for 1918.
The Arena Company had originally promised to return the Toronto players to Livingstone. Instead, before the 1918–19 season, it formed a new club, the Toronto Arena Hockey Club
Toronto Arenas
The Toronto Arenas, Toronto Blueshirts or Torontos was a professional men's ice hockey team that played in the first two seasons of the National Hockey League . It was operated by the owner of the Arena Gardens, the Toronto Arena Company...
. This new franchise was separated from the Arena Company because it was due money to Livingstone from the players and the Stanley Cup revenues (fixed later by court at $20,000). The NHL readily admitted this new team as a member in good standing. Charlie Querrie remained as general manager. It had a dismal five-win season, and blamed Livingstone for interference.
By 1919, the NHA owners had established that there would be no revival of the NHA. However, the dispute with Livingstone forced the Arena Company into bankruptcy. The Arenas were sold to a group headed by Querrie, who renamed them the Toronto St. Patricks
Toronto St. Patricks
The Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when...
. This team became the Toronto Maple Leafs
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...
midway through the 1926–27 season.
Despite the ties to the Torontos, the Maple Leafs do not claim the Blue Shirts' history as their own, although the team includes the history of the "temporary" Toronto NHL franchise of 1917–18.
Players on 1916–17 and 1917–18 teams
These players were the property of the Toronto Hockey Club in 1916–17 and returned to play for the Torontos of 1917–18.- Arthur Brooks
- Harry CameronHarry CameronHarold Hugh "Cammie" Cameron was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played professionally for the Toronto Blueshirts, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Toronto St. Pats and Montreal Canadiens. Cameron won three Stanley Cups in his career...
-- had played with 228th in '16-17 - Jack CoughlinJack Coughlin (ice hockey)John Joseph "Jack" Coughlin was a professional ice hockey player. He played three seasons in the National Hockey League from 1917-18 to 1919-20 season for Toronto Arenas, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadiens, and Hamilton Tigers. He played 6 games in 1918 helping Toronto win the Stanley...
- Corb Denneny
- Reg NobleReg NobleEdward Reginald Noble of Collingwood, Ontario) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman who played 17 professional seasons in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League for the Toronto Blueshirts, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto St. Pats, Montreal Maroons,...
- Ken RandallKen RandallKenneth Fenwick Randall was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for 20 seasons, including ten seasons in the National Hockey League from 1917 to 1927 for the Toronto Arenas, Toronto St. Pats, Hamilton Tigers and New York Americans...
- Alf Skinner
Source: NHL.com
Season-by-season record
For the full season-by-season history of the Toronto Hockey Club, see List of Toronto Hockey Club seasons.Notable players
The following former Torontos have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
:
- Harry CameronHarry CameronHarold Hugh "Cammie" Cameron was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played professionally for the Toronto Blueshirts, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Toronto St. Pats and Montreal Canadiens. Cameron won three Stanley Cups in his career...
- Hap HolmesHap HolmesHarry George "Hap" Holmes was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. As a professional, Holmes won the Stanley Cup four times, with four different teams. He tied the record of his 1914 Stanley Cup winning Toronto Blueshirts teammate Jack Marshall, who also has won Cups with four different...
- Jack Marshall
- Frank NighborFrank NighborJulius Francis "Pembroke Peach" Nighbor was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and National Hockey Association and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA and Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific...
- Reg NobleReg NobleEdward Reginald Noble of Collingwood, Ontario) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman who played 17 professional seasons in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League for the Toronto Blueshirts, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto St. Pats, Montreal Maroons,...
- Jack Walker
- Cully Wilson
See also
- List of Stanley Cup champions
- Toronto ArenasToronto ArenasThe Toronto Arenas, Toronto Blueshirts or Torontos was a professional men's ice hockey team that played in the first two seasons of the National Hockey League . It was operated by the owner of the Arena Gardens, the Toronto Arena Company...
(1918–19) - Toronto St. PatricksToronto St. PatricksThe Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when...
(1919–27) - Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe 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...
(1927–present)