1938–39 NHL season

The 1938–39 NHL season was the 22nd season of the National Hockey League (NHL). Seven teams each played 48 games. The Boston Bruins were the Stanley Cup winners as they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs four games to one in the final series.

The NHL created the icing rule on March 13, 1939.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold

National Hockey League GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Boston Bruins 48 36 10 2 74 156 76 251
New York Rangers 48 26 16 6 58 149 105 393
Toronto Maple Leafs 48 19 20 9 47 114 107 370
New York Americans 48 17 21 10 44 119 157 276
Detroit Red Wings 48 18 24 6 42 107 128 240
Montreal Canadiens 48 15 24 9 39 115 146 294
Chicago Black Hawks 48 12 28 8 32 91 132 367

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player Team GP G A PTS PIM
Toe Blake Montreal Canadiens 48 24 23 47 10
Sweeney Schriner New York Americans 48 13 31 44 20
Bill Cowley Boston Bruins 34 8 34 42 2
Clint Smith New York Rangers 48 21 20 41 2
Marty Barry Detroit Red Wings 48 13 28 41 4

Playoffs

Playoff bracket

  Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                           
        
  1  Boston Bruins 4  
    2  New York Rangers 3  
      
          
    1  Boston Bruins 4
  3  Toronto Maple Leafs 1
  3  Toronto Maple Leafs 2  
4  New York Americans 0  
3  Toronto Maple Leafs 2
    5  Detroit Red Wings 1  
5  Detroit Red Wings 2
  6  Montreal Canadiens 1  

NHL awards

Calder Memorial Trophy: Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins
Hart Memorial Trophy: Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Clint Smith, New York Rangers
O'Brien Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs
Prince of Wales Trophy: Boston Bruins
Vezina Trophy: Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins

All-Star teams

First team   Position   Second team
Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins G Earl Robertson, New York Americans
Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins D Earl Seibert, Chicago Black Hawks
Dit Clapper, Boston Bruins D Art Coulter, New York Rangers
Syl Apps, Toronto Maple Leafs C Neil Colville, New York Rangers
Gordie Drillon, Toronto Maple Leafs RW Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens LW Johnny Gottselig, Chicago Black Hawks
Art Ross, Boston Bruins Coach Red Dutton, New York Americans

References