1924-25 MHL Pre-season

Surprise surprise, the MHL continued its tradition of changing the number of games and playoff format every offseason. This year’s regular season would be 54 games, while the number of playoff teams would go down to 4 again. Both rounds of the playoffs would remain the same format though, a best-of-3. It would also be East vs West again.

Toronto Star journalist Frederick Winton released his yearly rankings of the teams in each position, as well as the top overall players.

Center:
1. Pittsburgh
2. Ottawa
3. Montreal Barons

Wing:
1. Toronto
2. Brooklyn
3. New York

Defense:
1. New York
2. Chicago
3. Toronto

Goaltender:
1. Brooklyn
2. New York
3. Montreal Greys

Predicted Standings:
z-E1. New York
x-E2. Brooklyn
E3. Montreal Greys
E4. Boston
E5. Montreal Barons
E6. Nassau
E7. Syracuse

z-W1. Toronto
x-W2. Kingston
W3. Chicago
W4. Cornwall
W5. Pittsburgh
W6. Ottawa
W7. Peoria

Top Players:
1. Moses Addison, G, NYB (+1)
2. Frank Clercius, G, TOR (-1)
3. Alan Clercius, G, MTG (NEW)
4. Andrew Moehring, D, NYB (-1)
5. Robert Courbouche, C, MTB (0)
6. Roy Parent, C, SYR (NEW)
7. Joseph Ocking, C, PIT (-1)
8. Milford Diep, C, KGN (NEW)
9. Jacques Julien, D, KGN (NEW)
10. Cody Trice, C, KGN (NEW)

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I forgot to do the free agency post smh, I'll add that at the bottom here.

1924 MHL Offseason: On the Ice

There was some decent movement in the offseason, and some big contracts were signed. In particular, teams were lining up to grab whatever Steelers and Spiders players they could, as both teams had solid pieces available due to their folding.

In Boston, the Harpers didn’t make too many changes. They re-signed goaltender Alex Graham to a team-friendly deal. Graham was considered underrated last season and could be key to a playoff spot in 1924-25. Their lone free agent signing was Geoff Apps, who was a solid secondary contributor in Hamilton.

Brooklyn was more active in free agency. After re-signing top winger Scott Villeneuve, they nabbed Providence’s top defenseman, Andrew Hawk. The signings of Dan Covington and Ryan Houle helped solidify their depth, and they signed 19-year-old Isaiah Ryan to his first MHL contract.

In Chicago, the Wildcats re-signed two of their top players, Peter Mercier and Daniel Vanderbeken. Both players were key to their first-ever playoff appearance in 23-24. G Phil James was also given a new deal, and the additions of David Burton and Don Benoit were big for their secondary scoring. They also acquired C Alex Palmer from Brooklyn and traded W Kevin Bishop to Syracuse. Palmer is more of a goalscoring threat, something the Wildcats will definitely take more of.

Cornwall managed to get a couple of big names in Byron Francis and Jack MacKenzie. Francis was Hamilton’s best Winger, while MacKenzie was a solid defensive forward for Pittsburgh. The Royals also signed the most young talent of any team in the league, signing 4 rookies to deals. The biggest of these was for C Jack Davies, who impressed scouts enough to gain a 5-figure AAV out of amateur hockey in Montreal.

The Sentinels had a solid offseason, re-signing key pieces in Sam Morrow, Dean Shaw, and Fred Nelson. Depth signings in Bruce Harris and Frank Pearkes helped the Sentinels with their secondary scoring.

The Montreal Barons didn’t change their roster up too much, coming just off of an Abbott Cup appearance. Thaddeus Morgan was re-signed, while they signed former Hamilton D Frank Renaud to a deal. Their defence corps was further solidified through the addition of rookie D Theodore Mathieu, an exciting local prospect.

Staying in Montreal, the Greys focused on re-signing all their expiring contracts, which they managed to do. All of Alan Clercius, Nick Hadley, Luc Knefvel, and Christopher Clark re-signed, who were all key players in 23-24. Their lone addition was Providence C Jack Brown, who anchored the Spiders’ second line.

In Nassau County, they did the opposite of the Greys, only going after FAs. Buck Mahoney was one of Hamilton’s best defensemen and will help anchor a weak d-core. Their two other signings were both rookies, Michel Theriault and Chris Meyler. With the Lynx being a second-year team, both of them will have ample time to showcase their talent.

The Bluebirds had a near-perfect offseason. All of their key players were re-signed, and their new additions put them over the top. David Price, Chris Paquet, and Robert Willis were among those who re-signed, none were overpaid. Their biggest addition was John Lavigne, acquired from Ottawa for cash. Lavigne’s contract is very team-friendly, and he was far and away the Lumberjacks’ best defenseman.

In Ottawa, the Lumberjacks re-signed all expiring contracts, including that of G John Gilchrist, who many expected would leave after a disappointing season. Another head-scratching move included the trading of top defenseman John Lavigne, who was a local kid and the team’s face. Fans voiced their displeasure with the move in newspapers. Their only other addition was rookie W Aaron Lilley.

The Foxes only re-signed one player, Kenneth Paquette. After two straight disappointing rosters, they turned to free agency to try and improve. They signed John Jack, who was solid offensively for Providence, as well as Hamilton goalie Gerard McDonald. They signed two rookies, Simon Peters and Alex Walters, then traded out F Terry Blaylock and acquired F Tim Houle. Fans were originally livid about trading out one of their only solid players, but once Houle was acquired, they simmered down. Houle’s better goalscoring and overall offensive numbers will be a big boost to the Foxes.

The Pittsburgh Ints didn’t do much, but they did do the necessary moves of re-signing Jean Mercier and Don Lisle, both of who were their best defensive players in past seasons. Their lone FA signing was James Berube, who had limited time in Providence. Pittsburgh is hoping he can break out for them in an elevated role.

In Syracuse, the Icemen made some moves early on, signing Providence goalie Caleb Ross. Ross was a solid presence for the Spiders, helping them to a great season in 23-24. Other signings included Roy Parent and Ronald Nicholson, both of whom had big roles on their previous teams. Ronald Challenger was an underrated pickup for them, giving solid production. They also acquired forwards Terry Blaylock and Kevin Bishop via trade, who had leadership roles previously. While the roster would take a while to mesh together, the Icemen should fare well compared to previous expansion teams.

Toronto kept their roster mostly intact. Kenneth Moore and John Shaw were both re-signed, while they shored up their defence with the additions of Robert Andrews and Johnny Leblanc. They were solid in Hamilton despite the team’s failures, so playing on a stronger roster should only mean success for them.

1924-25 MHL Season: Second Half

The second half of the season saw lots of action, movement in the standings, and a playoff race that went down to the very last day.

Winning the West for the third consecutive year were the Toronto Lakers. Their grasp on it was shaky at times, but in the end, they pulled away comfortably. They continued with their league-best goals for and goal differential, pulling away in the final few games to get that home-ice advantage for the postseason. Toronto finished at 35-17-2.

Sitting in second and barely squeaking into the postseason were the Pittsburgh Internationals. It was a battle to the end vs Ottawa for that final playoff spot, but they managed to get in on the final day of the season. They played much better in the second half, getting their goal differential back above 0. Their road record was also best in the league, at 18-8-1. Pittsburgh finished 30-22-2, 1 point in the playoffs.

The Ottawa Lumberjacks were so close to clinching their first ever playoff berth, but they collapsed epically. They needed a win vs the expansion Syracuse Icemen to clinch that spot. Up 4-0 after the first period, everything seemed to be going smoothly. However, Syracuse managed to tie the game up and sent it to overtime. In the extra period, Kevin Bishop sunk the dagger into Ottawa’s hearts, his 4th goal of the game. This kept the Lumberjacks outside of the playoff picture, at 30-23-1.

Sitting in 4th were the Kingston Sentinels. Their second half was pretty disappointing, with sloppy play leading their record to fall under 0.500. In what was supposed to be a breakout season for them, they instead posted their worst record in their time in the MHL. It would’ve been even worse if not for a 5-game win streak to end the year. They’ll look to take that momentum to 1925-26. They finished at 25-28-1.

The remaining 3 eastern spots belonged to Chicago, Cornwall, and Peoria. The Wildcats had a much better 2nd half, but the hole they got themselves into in the first half was too big to climb out of. They finished at 24-28-2. The Royals pretty much collapsed due to lack of finances, leading to players being unable to play. With Cornwall being the smallest market in the league, it will be hard for them to remain in the MHL in their situation. Byron Francis led the league in goals and points, so at least they have that. The Royals’ record was 21-31-2. In Peoria meanwhile, the Foxes continued being themselves, terrible in every aspect. Their 3.6 goals against was highest in the league, the 2nd time in 3 years they finished dead last in that position. They finished with a dismal 15-39 record.

In the East, the Blue Birds continued their dominance with their 4th consecutive divisional title, and 2nd consecutive regular season #1 record. Their 2nd-half record wasn’t as impressive as their first-half one, but they were still a force, being 2nd in both goals scored and goals conceded. They finished at 37-17, 2 up on Toronto for the #1 seed.

Finishing in 2nd and making the playoffs for the first time since 1922 were the Montreal Greys. Their second half was electric, led by their outstanding defense and goaltending. The Greys’ underrated offense did the rest of the work to clinch that final spot. Their 2.15 goal against per game was lowest in the league. The Greys finished at 34-20, their best MHL record.

Finishing outside the playoffs in 3rd were the Brooklyn Kings. Their luck caught up to them in the second half, and the Frank Clercius show couldn’t keep up. Their 2.41 goals per game wasn’t good enough to make the postseason, and despite their defense giving up less goals, they couldn’t do it all, causing them to fall away from the Greys late in the year. the Kings finished at 31-23.

Finishing 4th were the Boston Harpers. Similar to Chicago in the West, their second half was amazing, but not enough to get out of the hole their first half created. They still finished above 0.500, and showed that they are quite capable of playing good hockey. They should be a candidate to break out in 1925-26, but only time will tell. The Harpers finished at 27-25-2.

The last three spots belonged to the Nassau Lynx, the Montreal Barons, and the Syracuse Icemen. All three teams maintained around the same pace they had in the beginning, though Syracuse declined the most, with their expansion fatigue catching up to them. They did manage to ruin Ottawa’s season in the final game, so they do have that fun distinction. The three teams finished with 43, 42, and 41 points respectively.



League Leaders: 

Goals: 
Byron Francis (COR/CAN) (48)
Falconer King (NYB/USA) (37)
Victor Gosselin (CHI/CAN) (37)
Eugene Price (BOS/CAN) (36)
Nick Madray (CHI/CAN) (36)

Assists:
Lewis Urban (NYB/CAN) (20)
Gordon Paquette (TOR/CAN) (19)
Sylvain Ermengille (TOR/CAN) (19)
Luke Knevel (MTG/CAN) (18)
Dean Shaw (KGN/CAN) (17)

Points:
Byron Francis (COR/CAN) (53)
Aaron Lilley (OTT/CAN) (46)
Joseph Ocking (OTT/CAN) (44)
Andrew Moehring (NYB/USA) (44)
Victor Gosselin (CHI/CAN) (44)

Goals Against Average:
Alan Clercius (MTG/CAN) (2.10)
Moses Addison (NYB/USA) (2.18)
Denis Jones (PIT/CAN) (2.18)
Frank Clercius (BRK/CAN) (2.24)
Jerome Bouchard (TOR/CAN) (2.30)

Save Percentage:
Frank Clercius (BRK/CAN) (0.909)
Denis Jones (PIT/CAN) (0.903)
Mark Sherman (COR/CAN) (0.901)
Alan Clercius (MTG/CAN) (0.899)
Ted Harvey (NAS/CAN) (0.897)

Shutouts:
Frank Clercius (BRK/CAN) (7)
Moses Addison (NYB/USA) (6)
Denis Jones (PIT/CAN) (5)
Jerome Bouchard (TOR/CAN) (5)
Phil James (CHI/CAN) (5)

Playoff Predictions:

1 - New York Blue Birds vs 4 - Pittsburgh Internationals
Previous Meeting: 1922 Abbott Cup Final
Result: New York 3-1 Pittsburgh

A rematch of the 1922 final will determine who advances to the 1925 edition. The Bluebirds won handily in that series, though the Ints did give them some trouble.

Pittsburgh actually won the season series this year, winning 2 out of the 3 games between the two teams. Both teams won a game 4-3, while Pittsburgh won another 3-1. New York definitely played troubled here, so the Ints might be able to pull off an upset.

My pick: Pittsburgh gives New York trouble, but the Blue Birds advance, winning 2-1.

2 - Toronto Lakers vs 3 - Montreal Greys
Previous Meeting: N/A
Result: N/A

An All-Canadian battle will determine who advances to the Abbott Cup Final, Toronto looking for their 3rd appearance, and Montreal looking for their 1st.

The Lakers won 2/3 games of the season series, but all 3 went to overtime. Montreal did very well to limit the Lakers’ chances, but Toronto does have the clutch and experience advantage here. It will be interesting to see whether Montreal can overcome that.

My pick: Montreal upsets in two close games, taking it 2-0.

1925 MHL Playoffs: Semifinals

(1) New York Blue Birds (37-17) vs (4) Pittsburgh Internationals (30-22-2)

A 1922 Abbott Cup Final rematch would decide who would advance to the 1925 edition.

Pittsburgh started early in game 1, with Michael Stevenson breaking the ice. Despite the opening goal, the Blue Birds dominated play in the first period. However, Pittsburgh’s Denis Jones stood tall in the net, and despite being outshot 14-8 after 20 minutes, the Ints held their 1-0 lead after the opening frame. New York scored twice in the second to take their first lead of the series, but Jean Mercier scored late in the frame to tie it back up. Pittsburgh had all the momentum heading into the third, but the final frame solved nothing, and they headed to overtime. Right off the opening faceoff of overtime, New York’s Tyler Robertson took an interference penalty. 20 seconds later, Pittsburgh’s power play capitalized thanks to Robert Fraser, and New York Stadium was in shock. The Ints led 1-0 and were a game away from the Abbott Cup Final.

The second game started eerily similar to the first. Despite being outplayed, Pittsburgh scored first once again, with Jean Mercier scoring his second goal of the series, which stood after 20. In the second, Chris Paquet tied it up for New York, who were basically doubling Pittsburgh in shots and shots attempts. However, that goal seemed to be a wake-up call for the Ints, who came out in full force in the third. In the first 5 minutes of the final frame, They scored twice to take a 3-1 lead, including another goal from Mercier. David Price would get New York back within 1, but Pittsburgh did well to contain the Blue Bird offence. They tried, but couldn’t get anything past Jones. Mercier would complete his hat trick in the final minute and added a fourth goal for good measure. Pittsburgh prevailed 5-2 and completed the two-game sweep of the defending champs. 

(2) Toronto Lakers (35-17-2) vs (3) Montreal Greys (34-20)

An All-Canadian matchup guaranteed a team north of the border would be in the Abbott Cup final once again. Toronto was looking for yet another appearance, while the Greys were just looking for their first.

Montreal made a really weird decision in game 1, deciding not to dress star goalie Alan Clercius in favor of 19-year-old Lawrence Turner, who was only acquired as a future prospect for the organization. This decision heavily backfired for them, as Toronto jumped out to a 3-0 lead just 4 minutes in. Colby Hughes got the Greys on the board, but it was already a huge hole for them. In the second, the scoring did not stop. Robert Andrews made it 4-1, but two power-play goals for Montreal put them within 1. However, the young Turner was visibly shaky and nervous, which Toronto capitalized on. They scored 2 more times before the end of the period to make it 6-3, Toronto only had 17 shots. In the third, Francois Girard scored his second and third goals of the game to make it 8-3, while Jack Warren added one final tally. Lakeshore Arena was buzzing, and they were 1 game away from the Abbott Cup Final.

In game 2, after the disaster performance, Montreal’s coach put Alan Clercius back in the net, hoping for a better result. Immediately, the team overall felt more together, and they didn’t allow Toronto to score until the middle of the frame. The Greys’ offence couldn’t solve Jerome Bouchard, so the Lakers held their lead after 1. The second period saw few shots, as both teams’ defences were locked down. Eventually, off a Greys PP, Jim Wright scored to tie the game up, much to the delight of Stade Square-Victoria. Despite the goal and tied score, the lack of chances continued, and any chances were stopped by the goalies. The third period was relatively boring, but the Lakers found themselves with a late power play. On that man advantage, Sylvain Ermengille found the back of the net, giving Toronto the lead with 4:13 to play. Montreal couldn’t find the answer, and as the clock hit 0, the Lakers celebrated. Toronto advanced to their third Abbott Cup final in 5 years, looking for their third Abbott Cup overall.



Abbott Cup Final Preview:

(2) Toronto Lakers vs (3) Pittsburgh Internationals
Previous Meeting: 1923 Semifinals
Result: Toronto 2-1 Pittsburgh

It’s a Western Division battle for the 1925 Abbott Cup. These two teams have faced off twice in the post-season, with both teams winning a series each. Toronto has had the upper hand overall though.

The Lakers won the season series 3-2. The Lakers won their games 3-0, 6-3, and 6-1, while the Ints wins were by scores of 6-0 and 5-2. Both teams have the ability to beat the other convincingly, so this could really go either way. Toronto’s experience may be the deciding factor, as they’ve been in this scenario multiple times before.

My Pick: Toronto gets their third Abbott Cup with two narrow wins, beating Pittsburgh 2-0.

1925 MHL Offseason: Off the Ice

The MHL’s instability continued through the offseason. 1 team folded, 1 team went on hiatus, and 1 team was welcomed as an expansion team.

First, the Cornwall Loyalists announced that the financial burden of pro hockey was too much, and that they would fold. Cornwall was far and away the smallest market in the MHL, so this didn’t come as a major surprise. All of their players were now fair game for other teams. Cornwall finished their MHL time with a record of 38-65-3.

Next, the Peoria Foxes announced that they could not continue for the 1925-26 MHL Season, but that commissioner James Burris gave them a season to get their finances back in order, after which they’d be welcomed back. As a consequence of this however, the Foxes would void all their players’ contracts, meaning they would be free agents, free to sign elsewhere. When the Foxes come back, they will have to start from scratch with their players. 

Expansion

Indianapolis Chauffeurs

The MHL continued with Midwest-focused expansion, welcoming Indianapolis to the league. The Chauffeurs are owned by businessman Raymond Marley, who owns the city’s first gasoline-powered taxi service. Their logo consists of the team name in gold on a black background, while the jerseys are blue with black and gold checkered trim, as a homage to the Indianapolis 500.



Other Changes

Ottawa Lumberjacks

The Lumberjacks apparently felt that their old jerseys were too plain because they added extras of their striping pattern to the arms and chest. This new look helps them contrast against other teams with darker jerseys.

Chicago Wildcats

The Wildcats became the first team in the MHL to adopt an away jersey, introducing a white jersey with red and blue stripes on the chest and arms. Reporters questioned the need for such a thing, while other believe this new “road jersey” could be something eventually adopted by the whole league.

MitchSwanson94 wrote:

The Chauffeurs look great! Not much of a fan of Ottawa’s stripe, but don’t flat out dislike it. That Chicago road jersey though looks a little busy with three colors, kinda reminds me of a barber pole. Hopefully DC gets a team sooner than later, great work!

Welcome aboard! The mindset for Chicago was kinda like a half-barberpole. Won't confirm or deny anything about DC at the moment.

1925 MHL Free Agency

Like all other MHL offseasons so far, disbanding teams meant that some good players were up for grabs as free agents. Every team made at least one noteworthy move, though some had more interesting offseasons than others.

In Boston, the Harpers re-signed 3 pieces of their roster in Hugh Mathieu, Bill Morris, and Thomas Badie. None of the 3 were true superstars, but were all good secondary pieces to keep the team’s depth in check. Their lone free agent signing was Maurice Coombs from Peoria. Coombs put on over half a point per game on the league’s worst team, so he should be a big help to Boston’s offense.

In Brooklyn, the Kings signed two of Cornwall’s secondary scorers, Derek Collins and Dom Meredith. Byron Francis was far and away the Loyalists’ best scorer, but Collins and Meredith were among their best forwards as well. They also made a trade with the Montreal Greys, acquiring defender Jim Wright in exchange for Forward John Giguere. Newspapers crowned the Kings the winner of the trade, as Wright is a solid two-way defenseman who can anchor their backend.

In Chicago, the Wildcats made a few significant moves. First, they re-signed Victor Gosselin, who scored the most goals among any Wildcat player in 24-25. As well, they acquired young goalie Vinny Hubalick, who played limited but impressive minutes in Peoria, such as a 2.30 GAA and 0.923 SV%. While Phil James is still under contract as their #1 choice, Hubalick is poised as their goalie of the future. As well, they acquired Gordon Paquette from Toronto, who looks to be a top-line presence offensively.

In Indy, the Chauffeurs did the best they could to put together a respectable lineup. Their most significant move in terms of money was for Ken Oppenheimer, who was Peoria’s goalie the previous year. While he’s sure to post better numbers in Indy, people were a little concerned about why the 3rd-richest deal in FA this offseason was for a goalie who went 14-38 with an 0.867 SV%. The Chauffeurs also acquired some veteran names like Marc Shack & James Pasztor, who should be key contributors toward the team.

In Kingston, the Sentinels re-signed C Cody Trice, the team’s premier defensive centre. Other moves include the re-signing of Ernest Girard, who though injured, still put up 18 goals in 31 games. As well, they signed Todd Roderick to a cheap deal. Roderick was one of the league’s top scorers in 23-24, but had a massive regression the following year in Peoria. Kingston is hoping that’s a product of playing for the Foxes, and not just regression due to age.

In Montreal, the Barons had a concensus great offseason. They signed John Gagnon from Ottawa, who was a good forechecker. As well, they acquired young star Aaron Lilley from the Lumberjacks for cash. The 20-year-old Lilley put up 35 goals and 46 points in his first season, and is only going to get better. Their lone question mark was the re-signing of Kenneth Paquette, who put up uninspiring numbers offensively despite his new contract making him paid like a star center.
Staying in Montreal, the Greys had a relatively quiet offseason. Their lone major move was the acquisition of John Giguere from Brooklyn in exchange for D Jim Wright. While Giguere is a first-rate defensive forward, the Greys blueline was already thin before trading Wright away. It will be interesting to see how the team fares defensively.

In Nassau County, the Lynx tried to make steps towards becoming a contender. Their biggest move was signing Graham Walsh from Syracuse, who put up great numbers on a first-year team, including 19 goals. He will look to be a secondary contributor. The Lynx also made 3 amateur player signings, the most of any team. Rejean Vallee, William Robinson, and James Bos will all look to make their mark, and help the Lynx surprise some people this year.

In Manhattan, the Blue Birds didn’t do too much, and they didn’t have to. First, they re-signed reigning team goalscoring leader Falconer King to a long-term deal. 1924-25 was a breakout year for the 27-year-old, and New York hopes he can keep up the scoring. They also re-signed steady vets John Lavigne and Jacques Barbe. Lavigne kept the blueline steady for the Birds, while Barbe hopes to regain his previous form from their championship seasons.

In Ottawa, the Lumberjacks had a high-octane offseason. First, they re-signed leading scorer Alden Bergeron for 4 years. Bergeron scored 34 goals in 24-25, a career high. A few days after that, they made the biggest move of free agency, signing league-wide scoring leader Byron Francis to a 7 year deal. Francis was the biggest name on the market after the folding of Cornwall. In a corresponding move, they traded outstanding rookie Aaron Lilley to Montreal for cash. While letting Lilley go was tough, Francis should be more than enough as a replacement.

In Pittsburgh, recent Abbott Cup finalist Ints had a thorough offseason. First, they re-signed Larry Nelson and Allan Dyck, solid secondary offensive pieces. Their biggest FA signing was Alexander Walters, who was a solid player for the Foxes. They also took a flyer on former Loyalist Matthew Gagne, whose season in 24-25 was cut short by a torn Achilles. Lastly, they signed two amateur defensemen in Jack O’Connor and Eric Graham, who will try to make their marks on Pittsburgh’s thin backend.

In Syracuse, the now second-year Icemen made a big splash with the trade acquisition of Jack Warren from Toronto. Warren, 29, scored 29 goals and 40 points in 47 games in 24-25. He was traded for cash, as his wish to play for an American team was granted. Warren won 3 championships with the Lakers, and leaves Toronto with 135 goals and 183 points, both franchise bests. Another big acquisition was the signing of D Ned Clarke, who was a solid presence on the Barons’ blueline the past two seasons.

Lastly, in Toronto, the reigning champion Lakers re-signed two major pieces: Sylvain Ermengille and Jerome Bouchard. Ermengille is Toronto’s offensive cornerstone and leader, while Bouchard has been a shaky but solid presence in net. After those re-signings, the Lakers made a shocking major trade, sending D Jack Warren to Syracuse for cash. Warren, an American, asked to play for an American team as he reaches his 30s. They made a second trade, sending W Gordon Paquette to Chicago, also in exchange for cash. Toronto is one of the richest teams in the league, so analysts were puzzled as to why they could be acquiring even more cash. 

TOP 10 SIGNINGS/ACQUISITIONS OF 1925:


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1925-26 MHL Pre-season

Once again, the MHL continued its tradition of changing the number of games. This year’s regular season would be 56 games. However, the number of playoff teams would remain static, at 4 teams, 2 from each division. Both rounds of the playoffs would remain the same format, a best-of-3, and the format would be East vs West, unlike previous years.

Toronto Star journalist Frederick Winton released his yearly rankings of the teams in each position, as well as the top overall players. (Let me know what you think of this graphic)