Established
1919
City
Quebec – Hamilton – New York – Brooklyn
League History
1919 – 1942 / National Hockey League
Team History
1941 – 1942 / Brooklyn Americans
1925 – 1941 / New York Americans
1920 – 1925 / Hamilton Tigers
1919 – 1920 / Quebec Bulldogs
Nickname
Tigers – The Hamilton Tigers are one of the oldest teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1920. The team has a long and storied history, and its nickname has an interesting origin story.
The name “Tigers” was first used by a group of local hockey players who competed against each other for fun in 1914. The team was made up mostly of players from Hamilton, Ontario, known as “the Tiger Town” due to its large population of tigers that roam freely there. It's said that these passionate hockey fans adopted this nickname out of admiration for their beloved city animal!
When the NHL formed two years later, it seemed only natural for them to adopt this famous moniker as well - thus officially becoming known as the Hamilton Tigers! Over time they've become synonymous with professional hockey excellence, winning three Stanley Cups during their tenure before ultimately merging with another franchise in 1925 to form what we now know today as the Detroit Red Wings.
While many things have changed since then – including several rebrandings throughout different eras – one thing remains true: when you think about great Canadian sports teams, you can't help but remember those fierce-fighting Hamilton Tigers!
Championship
Stanley Cup 0
Arena
*New York*
1925 – 1942 / Madison Square Garden
*Hamilton*
1920 – 1925 / Barton Street Arena
*Quebec*
1919 – 1920 / Quebec Arena
Owner
1936 – 1942 / Mervyn “Red” Dutton
1925 – 1936 / Bill Dwyer
1920 – 1925 / Abso Pure Ice Company
1919 – 1920 / Quebec Athletic Club
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history
- 1920
- 1925
-
Move to Hamilton
After the 1919 – 1920 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 – 1921 season and renamed the Hamilton Tigers. This was done to prevent the startup of a rival league, which was trying to land a ... -
Sold to Dwyer of New York
Thomas Duggan of Montreal, owner of the Mount Royal Arena, held two options for expansion teams in the United States. He sold the first of the two to Boston grocery magnate Charles Adams, who used it to start the Boston Bruins. He sold the second to a New York bootlegger named “Big Bill” Dwyer for a team to play in ...
History of the Tigers
The Hamilton Tigers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1920 to 1925. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario, and competed against other teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Ottawa Senators. The Tigers had some success during their five-year tenure in the NHL, winning two division titles and making it to one Stanley Cup Final.
The history of the Hamilton Tigers began with its formation by John Wilson McConnell of Stelco Steel Company Ltd., who also became its first president. He assembled an all-star lineup featuring Hall of Famer George Hay at the center along with other notable players such as Billy Burch, Harry Meeking, and Jack Walker on defense; Joe Malone up front; plus goaltender Hap Holmes between the pipes. This talented roster helped lead them to their first division title during their inaugural season which ended abruptly due to a players’ strike after they reached Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against fellow Canadian rivals Vancouver Millionaires lost a 2–0 series sweep despite outscoring them 7–5 over four games total.
Despite this setback, the Tigers still managed another successful run for the second consecutive Division Championship before disbanding the following 1924/25 season due to financial difficulties caused by high player salaries coupled with dwindling attendance numbers at home games. Although short-lived, Hamilton Tigeres's legacy lives on through Hall Of Famers like Frank Boucher whose career spanned almost 20 years including his time spent playing for both New York Rangers & Detroit Red Wings while also earning six Stanley Cups Championships combined between those two franchises.
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