Quebec Bulldogs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Quebec Bulldogs | |
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| Played | 1888 to 1920 |
| Home ice | |
| Based in | Quebec City, Quebec |
| Colours | Blue and White |
| Leagues | AHA, CAHL, ECAHA, CHA, NHA, NHL |
The Quebec Bulldogs were officially the Quebec Athletics. Their roots go back as far as the Amateur Hockey Association in 1888 and as far forward as the Brooklyn Americans of the National Hockey League in 1942. The Bulldog name was given by the media and was so popular with the fans a Bulldog mascot was created but was never officially changed until the team moved to Hamilton, Ontario in 1920 and became the Tigers.
- Founded: 1888
- Arena: Colisee de Quebec
- Uniform colours: Blue and white
- Logo design: A blue capital Q with a white outline.
- Stanley Cup wins: 2; 1912, 1913
- Stanley Cup finals appearances: 2; 1912, 1913
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[edit] Franchise history
The Bulldogs arrived on the hockey scene in 1888 as part of the Amateur Hockey Association (AHA). They also played in the CAHL and ECAHA before becoming a founding member of the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) in 1909. The CHA, however, would only last one month before being absorbed into the much more powerful National Hockey Association (NHA). Unsure if they wanted to join the NHA, the Bulldogs sat out the nagural 1909-10 season. The following season, 1910-11, the Bulldogs took over the defunct Cobalt Silver Kings franchise, but had a rough initiation, finishing dead last with 4 wins and 12 losses in a 16 game season. On a positive note, and a sign of things to come, Jack McDonald scored 14 goals and Tommy Dunderdale scored 13.
For 1911-12, the Bulldogs went from worst to first, with Joe Malone having a spectacular season. The Dogs' record improved to 10 wins and 8 losses while Malone scored 21 goals and Jack McDonald scored 18. In the Stanley Cup finals, they crushed the Moncton Victorias in 2 games, 9-3 and 8-0, in the best of three playoff.
In their third season (1912-13), Quebec would again finish first overall with a record of 16 wins and 4 losses. Joe Malone won the scoring race with an unprecedented 43 goals. His teammate, Tommy Smith, was a close second with 39. The Quebec Bulldogs went to the Stanley Cup finals again and easily beat the Sydney Millionaires in two games by a combined score of 20 to 5, their second straight Stanley Cup. At that time, the Stanley Cup was a challenge cup, almost any team could challenge the champions for it, and the Victoria Aristocrats of the PCHA did just that. The powerhouse Bulldogs expected to bowl over the Aristocrats, but were shocked after splitting the first two games and then losing 6-1 in the decisive third game. Fortunately for Quebec, and unfortunately for Victoria, the Stanley Cup Board of trustees did not recognise the challenge by the Aristocrats as being official and the Bulldogs were able to keep the Cup. This remains a controversial decision.
The following seasons would see the Bulldogs drop from the top of the league. They would finish third overall in each of the next three seasons and in the last NHA season (1916-17) went second overall. After their two Stanley Cup wins, they would never again reach the Cup finals.
With the end of the National Hockey Association and the start of the National Hockey League, the Quebec Bulldogs were invited to become a founding member of the NHL. Unfortunately, Quebec was unable to garner the required funds or merge with a top amateur team, and suspended operations for two seasons. While the team was suspended, their star player, Joe Malone, played for the Montreal Canadiens. When the Bulldogs resumed play for the 1919-20 season, Malone rejoined them. Malone would win the scoring championship that year with 39 goals. Despite Malone's scoring and the presence of players like Harry Mummery, the Bulldogs had a dismal season, finishing last, with four wins and twenty losses. After that disastrous season, it was decided to move the team to Hamilton and become the Tigers.
The team played as the Hamilton Tigers in the NHL from 1920 to 1925. Due in large part to a players' strike in the 1925 Stanley Cup finals, the franchise was revoked in the summer of 1925 and the players bought out by the expansion New York Americans franchise. The Americans would play in the NHL from 1925 to 1942.
The last active Bulldogs player was Dave Ritchie, who retired in 1926.
[edit] Notable players
[edit] Hall of Famers
- Rusty Crawford
- Thomas Dunderdale
- Joe Hall
- Joe Malone
- Paddy Moran
- Tommy Smith
- Bruce Stuart
- Hod Stuart
[edit] Team captains
- Joe Malone (1910-11 to 1916-17, 1919-20)
[edit] See also
- List of defunct NHL teams
- List of Quebec Bulldogs players
- Head Coaches of the Quebec Bulldogs
- List of NHL players
- List of Stanley Cup champions
- Hamilton Tigers
- New York Americans
- Quebec Nordiques
- List of NHL seasons
- List of pre-NHL seasons
