Toronto 228th Battalion (NHA)
The Toronto 228th Battalion (NHA) was an ice hockey team, composed entirely of troops in the 228th (Northern Fusiliers) Battalion, CEF of the Canadian Army, in the National Hockey Association (fore-runner to the modern NHL) for the 1916–17 season.
| Toronto 228th Battalion | |
|---|---|
| City | Toronto, Ontario |
| League | National Hockey Association |
| Operated | 1916–17 |
| Home arena | Mutual Street Arena |
| Colours | Khaki |
| General manager | Leon Wilson Reade |
| Head coach | Howard McNamara |
| Captain | Howard McNamara |
The Battalion assumed the place of the former Toronto Shamrocks franchise, which had been dormant since the end of the 1914–15 season, and played out of the Mutual Street Arena.
Also known as the Northern Fusiliers, the team played wearing khaki military uniforms and was the league's most popular and highest scoring club until the regiment was ordered overseas in February 1917 and the team was forced to withdraw. A scandal ensued when several stars were subsequently discharged and alleged they had been promised commissions solely to play hockey.
The NHA then sued the military for $3000 and some game revenues due to the team leaving the league. This lawsuit was not successful.
Team roster
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Oatman | F | 12 | 17 | 5 | 22 | 20 |
| George Prodger | F | 12 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 30 |
| Amos Arbour | F | 10 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 6 |
| Howard McNamara (Head coach) | D | 12 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 36 |
| Harry Reynolds | – | 5 | 6 | 0 | 6 | – |
| Arthur Duncan | D | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Gordon Meeking | D | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| George McNamara | F | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Gord Spence | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Bill Speck | – | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Jack Brown | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Roxy Beaudro | D | 8 | – | – | – | – |
| Howie Lockhart | G | 12 | 6W | 6L | 5.75 GAA | 1 SO |
Results
| Date | Opponent | Site | TOR | OPP | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 27, 1916 | Ottawa Senators | Home | 10 | 7 | Win |
| December 30, 1916 | Montreal Wanderers | Away | 10 | 4 | Win |
| January 3, 1917 | Toronto Hockey Club | Away | 4 | 0 | Win |
| January 6, 1917 | Quebec Bulldogs | Home | 16 | 9 | Win |
| January 10, 1917 | Montreal Canadiens | Away | 1 | 6 | Loss |
| January 13, 1917 | Ottawa Senators | Away | 1 | 2 | Loss |
| January 17, 1917 | Montreal Wanderers | Home | 4 | 10 | Loss |
| January 20, 1917 | Toronto Hockey Club | Home | 8 | 6 | Win |
| January 24, 1917 | Quebec Bulldogs | Away | 12 | 4 | Win |
| January 27, 1917 | Montreal Canadiens | Home | 4 | 9 | Loss |
| January 31, 1917 | Ottawa Senators | Away | 0 | 8 | Loss (228th awarded win due to Ottawa using an ineligible player (Cy Denneny)) |
| February 3, 1917 | Montreal Wanderers | Home | – | – | Postponed |
| February 7, 1917 | Toronto Hockey Club | Home | 3 | 4 | Loss |
| February 12, 1917 | Quebec Bulldogs | Away | – | – | Cancelled (228th was ordered overseas, withdrew from league) |
References
- Coleman, Charles (1966). Trail of the Stanley Cup.
- Holzman, Morey (2002). Deceptions and Doublecross:How the NHL conquered hockey. ISBN 978-1-55002-413-5.