100 years ago today, the Stanley Cup was called off
If you don’t know the answer, don’t take a guess. You’ll be wrong.
A Spanish flu pandemic started sweeping the world in 1918. By the time it ended more than two years later, it had infected an estimated 500 million people – about 30 per cent of the world’s population – and killed at least 50 million. There were approximately 50,000 deaths reported in Canada, and at least 500,000 in the United States.
In the end, the series was never completed. It was the first year without a Cup winner since the trophy was created – and remained the only winner-less year until a lockout of NHL players wiped out the 2004-05 season. The Cup was initially a challenge championship, meaning any team that won it would have to hold onto it and defend it against all comers. While there were criteria restricting Cup challenges to teams that stood a realistic shot at winning it, teams from smaller cities such as Kenora, Ont. , Brandon, Man., and Dawson City, Yukon, were able to play for the trophy during this era.
“If he played, it would have been enough of a difference that Seattle might have won it [before the flu hit],” Zweig said. “It would look more like guys playing shinny in their local rink than it would look like NHL hockey to us these days,” Zweig said.
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