The 1968–69 NHL season was the 52nd season of the National Hockey League. Twelve teams each played 76 games (two more than in 1967–68). For the second time in a row, the Montreal Canadiens faced the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Final. Montreal won their second consecutive Stanley Cup as they swept the Blues in four, an identical result to the previous season.
Amateur draft The 1968 NHL amateur draft was held on June 13 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Michel Plasse was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens.
Regular season Prior to this season no player in NHL history had ever achieved 100 points in a season, but 1968–69 saw three achieve the feat. The Boston Bruins' Phil Esposito led the way with 49 goals and 77 assists for a new record of 126 points, as well as setting a record with linemates Wayne Cashman and Ron Murphy for most points in a season by a forward line. Bobby Hull of Chicago set a new record for goals with 58 and came in second in overall scoring with 107. Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings came in third with 103 points.
Red Berenson came up one goal short of tying an NHL record, scoring six goalsJoe Malone holds the record, with 7 goals in one game for the St. Louis Blues (all against goaltender Doug Favell) in an 8–0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on November 7. He became the first player to score a double hat trick in a road game.Hockey's Book of Firsts, p. 27, James Duplacey, JG Press,
Despite finishing last in the West Division, Minnesota was led by rookie left wing Danny Grant, who along with Oakland rookie Norm Ferguson tied Nels Stewart's forty-year-old record for most goals by a rookie with 34.
On December 21, with Montreal goalies Gump Worsley (nervous breakdown) and Rogie Vachon (injured) both unavailable, rookie Tony Esposito and Boston's Gerry Cheevers both achieved shutouts in a rare scoreless tie. Esposito made 41 saves, and Cheevers made 34 saves.
Los Angeles introduced rookie goaltender Gerry Desjardins, who took over the starter's job from Wayne Rutledge, who was bothered by groin injuries most of the season. Desjardins recorded 4 shutouts during the season in helping the Kings make the playoffs and win their first round series over Oakland.
On March 2, Phil Esposito became the first NHL player to score 100 points in a season in a 4–0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In Boston-Chicago game on March 20, two milestones were accomplished. Bobby Hull broke his own record for goals with his 55th goal, and Bobby Orr broke Flash Hollett's record for goals by a defenceman with his 21st goal.
This would be the last time until the 1997–98 season that the Chicago Black Hawks missed the playoffs.
The league held a beauty pageant for the first time this season, with a contestant from every franchise. Miss Minnesota North Stars Lynn Marie Stewart was named Miss NHL 1968, and was named the NHL "ambassador" for the 1968–69 season, making various appearances and helping to present the Stanley Cup. The league held just two more pageants in 1970 and 1972 before abandoning the concept.
Final standings
Playoffs
Playoff bracket The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, the third seeded team in each division played against the division winner from their division. The other series matched the second and fourth place teams from the divisions. The two winning teams from each division's first round series then met in the Stanley Cup Semifinals. The two winners of the Semifinals then advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series).
Quarterfinals
(E1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E3) New York Rangers The Montreal Canadiens finished as the best regular season team with 103 points. The New York Rangers earned 91 points to finish third in the East Division. This was the ninth playoff series between these two teams, and they split their eight previous series. Their most recent series had come in the 1967 semifinals, which Montreal won in a four-game sweep. New York earned nine of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
The Canadiens defeated the Rangers in a four-game sweep to advance to the semifinals.
(E2) Boston Bruins v. (E4) Toronto Maple Leafs The Boston Bruins finished second in the East Division with 100 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs earned 85 points to finish fourth in the East Division. This was the eleventh playoff series between these two teams, with Toronto winning eight of their ten previous series. Their most recent series had come in the 1959 semifinals, where Toronto won in seven games. Boston earned ten of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
Boston defeated Toronto in a four-game sweep to advance to the semifinals.
(W1) St. Louis Blues vs. (W3) Philadelphia Flyers The St. Louis Blues finished as West Division champions with 88 points. The Philadelphia Flyers earned 61 points to finish third in the West Division. This was the second playoff series between these two teams, in the second year of existence for both franchises. In the previous year's Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, St. Louis defeated Philadelphia in seven games. St. Louis earned thirteen of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
St. Louis defeated Philadelphia to advance to the semifinals with the franchise's first four-game sweep.
(W2) Oakland Seals vs. (W4) Los Angeles Kings The Oakland Seals finished second in the West Division with 69 points to advance to the playoffs for the first time. The Los Angeles Kings earned 58 points to finish fourth in the West Division. This was the first playoff series of the Battle of California and the first playoff meeting between two California-based NHL teams. Los Angeles earned ten of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
The Kings defeated the Seals in the only game seven of the year. Oakland never won another playoff game in franchise history.
Semifinals
(E1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E2) Boston Bruins This was the fourteenth playoff series between these two rivals, with Montreal winning eleven of their thirteen previous series. Their most recent series had come in the previous year's quarterfinals, where Montreal won in a four-game sweep. Boston earned ten of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
The Canadiens defeated the Bruins in six games to advance to their fifth consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
(W1) St. Louis Blues vs. (W4) Los Angeles Kings This was the first playoff series between these two teams. St. Louis earned thirteen of sixteen points in this year's regular season series.
The Blues defeated the Kings in a four-game sweep to continue their undefeated streak in the playoffs, and their streak of never missing a Stanley Cup Final.
Stanley Cup Finals
The Montreal Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth consecutive season, having won three Stanley Cups in the previous four seasons. Overall, it was their twenty-fifth Stanley Cup Finals, having won fifteen championships. This was the St. Louis Blues' second appearance in the Final in their second season. The Canadiens had never lost to the Blues going into this series; they went 3-0-1 against St. Louis in the 1967–68 NHL season, 4–0 in the previous year's Stanley Cup Final, and 5-0-1 in this year's regular season series.
The Montreal Canadiens swept the St. Louis Blues, an outcome identical to the 1968 final.
Awards 1968–69 NHL awardsPrince of Wales Trophy:(East Division champion, regular season) Montreal CanadiensClarence S. Campbell Bowl:(West Division champion, regular season) St. Louis BluesArt Ross Trophy:(Top scorer, regular season) Phil Esposito, Boston BruinsBill Masterton Memorial Trophy:(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication) Ted Hampson, Oakland SealsCalder Memorial Trophy:(Top first-year player) Danny Grant, Minnesota North StarsConn Smythe Trophy:(Most valuable player, playoffs) Serge Savard, Montreal CanadiensHart Memorial Trophy:(Most valuable player, regular season) Phil Esposito, Boston BruinsJames Norris Memorial Trophy:(Best defenceman) Bobby Orr, Boston BruinsLady Byng Memorial Trophy:(Excellence and sportsmanship) Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red WingsVezina Trophy:(Goaltender(s) of team with best goaltending record) Glenn Hall & Jacques Plante, St. Louis Blues
All-Star teams First Team Position Second TeamGlenn Hall, St. Louis Blues GEd Giacomin, New York RangersBobby Orr, Boston Bruins DTed Green, Boston BruinsTim Horton, Toronto Maple Leafs DTed Harris, Montreal CanadiensPhil Esposito, Boston Bruins CJean Beliveau, Montreal CanadiensGordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings RWYvan Cournoyer, Montreal CanadiensBobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks LWFrank Mahovlich, Detroit Red Wings
Player statistics
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes Player Team GP G A PTS PIM Phil Esposito Boston Bruins 74 49 77 126 79 Bobby Hull Chicago Black Hawks 74 58 49 107 48 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 76 44 59 103 58 Stan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks 74 30 67 97 52 Ken Hodge Boston Bruins 75 45 45 90 75 Yvan Cournoyer Montreal Canadiens 76 43 44 87 31 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings 72 25 58 83 8 Red Berenson St. Louis Blues 76 35 47 82 43 Jean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens 69 33 49 82 55 Frank Mahovlich Detroit Red Wings 76 49 29 78 38 Jean Ratelle New York Rangers 75 32 46 78 26 Source: NHL.
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SOJacques Plante St. Louis Blues 37 2139 70 1.96 18 12 6 5Glenn Hall St. Louis Blues 41 2354 85 2.17 19 12 8 8Gump Worsley Montreal Canadiens 30 1703 64 2.26 19 5 4 5Roy Edwards Detroit Red Wings 40 2099 89 2.54 18 11 6 4Eddie Giacomin New York Rangers 70 4114 175 2.55 37 23 7 7Bernie Parent Philadelphia Flyers 58 3365 151 2.69 17 23 16 1Bruce Gamble Toronto Maple Leafs 61 3446 161 2.80 28 20 11 3Gerry Cheevers Boston Bruins 52 3112 145 2.80 28 12 12 3Johnny Bower Toronto Maple Leafs 20 779 37 2.85 5 4 3 2Rogie Vachon Montreal Canadiens 36 2051 98 2.87 22 9 3 2
Other statistics Plus-Minus leader: Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
Coaches
East Boston Bruins: Harry Sinden Chicago Black Hawks: Billy Reay Detroit Red Wings: Bill Gadsby Montreal Canadiens: Claude Ruel New York Rangers: Bernie Geoffrion and Emile Francis Toronto Maple Leafs: Punch Imlach
West Los Angeles Kings: Red Kelly Minnesota North Stars: John Muckler and Wren Blair Oakland Seals: Fred Glover Philadelphia Flyers: Keith Allen Pittsburgh Penguins: George "Red" Sullivan St. Louis Blues: Scotty Bowman
Debuts The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1968–69 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs): Bob Berry, Montreal Canadiens Guy Lapointe, Montreal Canadiens Jude Drouin, Montreal Canadiens Tony Esposito, Montreal Canadiens Brad Park, New York Rangers Pat Quinn, Toronto Maple Leafs Jean Pronovost, Pittsburgh Penguins
Last games The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1968–69 (listed with their last team): Kenny Wharram, Chicago Black Hawks Kent Douglas, Detroit Red Wings Gilles Tremblay, Montreal Canadiens Allan Stanley, Philadelphia Flyers Billy Harris, Pittsburgh Penguins Doug Harvey, St. Louis Blues Pierre Pilote, Toronto Maple Leafs
Broadcasting Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games. HNIC also produced Wednesday night regular season game telecasts for CTV. This was the first season that games were shown in their entirety instead of typically being joined in progress.