Hamilton Tigers - Franchise History

Franchise History

The origins of the team go back to the old Quebec Hockey Club team, which started play in 1878. Originally an amateur team, it turned professional in 1909. Quebec was a charter member of the NHL in 1917, however, due to financial difficulties, and the NHA-NHL dispute, the Quebec franchise was dormant until the 1919-20 season, when it was operated by the Quebec Athletic Club. That season proved to be a dismal one; despite the presence of Joe Malone the club only finished with four wins in 24 games.

After the 1919–20 season, the NHL took back the Quebec franchise and sold the team to the Abso Pure Ice Company of Hamilton, Ontario. The club was moved to Hamilton for the 1920–21 season and renamed the Hamilton Tigers. This was done to prevent the startup of a rival league, which was trying to land a club in Hamilton. (see Eddie Livingstone) At the time, Hamilton was the fifth-largest city in Canada (pop. 114,200) and considered a vital market. Percy Thompson, a part-owner and manager of the Barton Street Arena, would be the manager of the team.

The move to Hamilton did not improve the team's record. Despite earning a shutout in their first game, a 5–0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on December 22, 1920 — the only team ever to do so up to that point — the Tigers were as noncompetitive as the Bulldogs. As a result, the NHL ordered the other three teams to supply players to the Tigers. Despite receiving quality players from the other teams and the reacquisition of Malone four games into the season, Hamilton still finished dead last in the league with 6 wins, 18 losses, and 0 ties in 24 games. Even with Malone managing to score 30 goals in only 20 games, they couldn't climb out of the cellar.

The next three seasons were just as dreadful as the first one. The Tigers finished dead last every year, making a total of 5 straight (counting the one season as the Bulldogs) with last place finishes. During these dreadful years, the Tigers attempted a rebuilding phase to bring the team up to par. After the 1921–22 NHL season, they hired Art Ross as their new coach and made many player changes, including trading superstar Malone to the Montreal Canadiens for Bert Corbeau and Edmond Bouchard. The fans were outraged at seeing Malone leave, but the Tigers felt vindicated when Malone — nearing the end of his career — only scored one goal in twenty games in one season for Montreal.

Prior to the 1922–23 season, the NHL would hold its governors meeting at the Royal Connaught Hotel on King Street, where visiting teams stayed as well.

After four years of futility, things started to come together in the 1923–24 NHL season with another new coach (Percy LeSueur) and the signing of four players from the Sudbury Wolves of the NOHA: brothers Red and Shorty Green, Alex McKinnon, and Charlie Langlois. This year saw the Tigers achieve a team high of nine wins in 24 games. It was the next season, though, that saw the results of the previous years' wheelings and dealings.