WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 Welcome to another episode of the Deep Dive. 00:00:02.830 --> 00:00:05.209 We've got tons of sources today, tons of documents 00:00:05.209 --> 00:00:07.730 with facts, archives. Wait, are we doing an episode 00:00:07.730 --> 00:00:09.449 of The Deep Dive or an episode of another show? 00:00:09.650 --> 00:00:11.810 Oh, all right. Sorry, guys. That's just a little 00:00:11.810 --> 00:00:13.970 inside show from the start of the week. No, this 00:00:13.970 --> 00:00:15.669 is definitely an episode of The Deep Dive. Anyway, 00:00:15.769 --> 00:00:17.929 we've got some amazing historical sources for 00:00:17.929 --> 00:00:20.629 you today. We do. We've got an amazing snapshot 00:00:20.629 --> 00:00:24.210 of NHL history from way back in the 60s to break 00:00:24.210 --> 00:00:27.850 down for you all what makes this era so interesting. 00:00:27.989 --> 00:00:29.910 What do we have lined up to talk about today? 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:33.960 We're looking at the 1962 -63 season. This era 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:36.840 of the original six is what built the foundation 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:39.700 for the hockey we see today. It's super interesting 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:42.380 and so important for anyone looking to really 00:00:42.380 --> 00:00:44.759 get into this sport. For sure. Exactly. What 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:46.859 did that early NHL season even look like when 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:48.799 there were only six teams? Exactly. When you've 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:50.740 got such a small pool of competitors playing 00:00:50.740 --> 00:00:53.359 each other for an entire season. And it was an 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.159 entire season back then. Almost a full 70 games 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.490 in a season for a team. That's insane. And there's 00:00:59.490 --> 00:01:01.350 an amazing trade story, too. Let's talk about 00:01:01.350 --> 00:01:04.790 the Frank Mahavlich story. So, wait, I'll just 00:01:04.790 --> 00:01:06.969 jump to the $1 million trade that almost wasn't. 00:01:06.969 --> 00:01:09.609 Tell us all about it. Yes. Oh, my gosh. It was 00:01:09.609 --> 00:01:12.090 incredible. There was this offer that was essentially 00:01:12.090 --> 00:01:14.329 an entire million dollars. This was back in, 00:01:14.349 --> 00:01:16.909 let's see, yeah, the 62 season. A million dollars 00:01:16.909 --> 00:01:20.129 was so much back then. The team in Toronto basically 00:01:20.129 --> 00:01:23.920 offered Mahavlich up for sale. But, well. It 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:25.700 really goes back to Toronto's head coach, Punch 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:28.099 Imlach. Punch had this amazing quote. He literally 00:01:28.099 --> 00:01:29.920 just said a million dollars doesn't score goals. 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:33.379 I love it. It's an all -time classic sports quote 00:01:33.379 --> 00:01:35.659 for a reason, honestly. That's a perfect encapsulation 00:01:35.659 --> 00:01:38.260 of how competitive this era really was. But wait, 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:41.040 we also need to get to the crazy $100 fines. 00:01:41.299 --> 00:01:43.359 What's with that? The stick -swinging brawls. 00:01:43.420 --> 00:01:45.739 Let's talk about this duel from October, right? 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:47.319 So this is right at the start of the season. 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:49.659 October 23. This is what you got back then, right? 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:52.900 Hockey is notoriously a contact sport. But what 00:01:52.900 --> 00:01:56.019 you had was Montreal's Gilles Tremblay going 00:01:56.019 --> 00:01:58.719 up against Chicago's Reg Fleming. It was exactly 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:01.200 what you would call a vicious stick -swinging 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.319 duel. And there were $100 fines, match penalties, 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:06.420 obviously, but really a $100 fine. That's maybe 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:08.439 two decent dinners at a modern restaurant. Oh, 00:02:08.460 --> 00:02:12.280 man, $100 fines for literally wielding weapons 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:15.240 at each other. Wild. You're right, wild. But 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:16.759 let's take a look at the player dynamics. Look 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:18.520 at the records, Glenn Hall's record in particular. 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:20.960 We've got a hit on the pinched nerve. Yes, a 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:24.860 truly historic era for just pain, honestly. Playing 00:02:24.860 --> 00:02:26.719 every single game straight for practically ever. 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:29.080 Right, right. It's hard to imagine with goalies 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:31.060 resting a ton more now. Glenn Hall is playing 00:02:31.060 --> 00:02:34.259 every game until a pinched nerve in his back. 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.120 Put an end to his consecutive game straight. 00:02:36.259 --> 00:02:38.379 Yeah. But honestly, what a run. You also had 00:02:38.379 --> 00:02:42.000 guys like, wait, Believo? Jean Believo, who scored 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:45.639 his 300th goal this season. 300th goal. Incredible. 00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:48.000 Let's see. Actually, there is that other record 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.080 that is almost more indicative of this specific 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:53.020 season. Howie Young. That record. Howie Young 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:57.039 getting 27 minutes of penalties. 27 minutes. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:59.340 All in one game. In a single game. It really 00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:02.439 was the Wild West. And look, this aggressive 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:05.520 physical play. Yeah. Unfortunately. Yeah. Led 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:07.240 to some real tragedies too, right? Definitely. 00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:10.110 Lou Fontenato, the Montreal player. That's just 00:03:10.110 --> 00:03:12.729 a sad part of this historical look. It was a 00:03:12.729 --> 00:03:15.530 brutal injury. Just a career -ending injury for 00:03:15.530 --> 00:03:17.969 Lou Fontenot. The game is so tough. This is exactly 00:03:17.969 --> 00:03:19.949 what can happen. That is what made this such 00:03:19.949 --> 00:03:22.090 an intense season, though. So we've talked about 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:23.650 all these crazy moments from the regular season, 00:03:23.810 --> 00:03:25.849 but who actually came out on top before the playoffs? 00:03:25.990 --> 00:03:28.789 Let's talk points. Toronto won out in the end. 00:03:28.889 --> 00:03:30.310 Yes, Toronto actually ended up with the most 00:03:30.310 --> 00:03:31.909 points overall for the regular season. But you 00:03:31.909 --> 00:03:34.150 know who had the real standout individual season? 00:03:34.530 --> 00:03:36.840 Gordie Howe. Gordie Howe of the Red Wings. He 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.759 won the Art Ross Trophy, the top scorer for the 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.360 season. And he won the Hart Memorial Trophy for 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:45.840 Most Valuable Player. He finished with 86 points, 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:50.740 which was 38 goals and 48 assists. A crazy run. 00:03:50.780 --> 00:03:53.460 Right. And you've got Dave Keon winning, what 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:55.539 was it called? The Lady Bing Memorial Trophy 00:03:55.539 --> 00:03:57.560 for Sportsmanship. But man, Gump Worsley had 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.039 a tough run that year. Yes, exactly. Worsley. 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:03.080 What a tough run for him. Okay. So let's talk 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:05.770 about the playoffs and the finals. The structure 00:04:05.770 --> 00:04:08.389 was basically just the top four teams, that best 00:04:08.389 --> 00:04:10.710 of seven. Right, exactly. So you got Toronto 00:04:10.710 --> 00:04:13.669 taking on Montreal in the semis, and Toronto 00:04:13.669 --> 00:04:15.830 took that one 4 -1. Then you had Chicago and 00:04:15.830 --> 00:04:18.089 Detroit. Detroit wins that one 4 -2, which does 00:04:18.089 --> 00:04:20.209 it for the big one. Toronto versus Detroit. The 00:04:20.209 --> 00:04:23.029 Stanley Cup Finals. Toronto takes down Detroit 00:04:23.029 --> 00:04:26.029 4 -1. Back -to -back cups for Toronto. Amazing. 00:04:26.189 --> 00:04:28.529 It's massive. And it's so important for people 00:04:28.529 --> 00:04:31.129 listening to understand, if you are really looking 00:04:31.129 --> 00:04:33.480 to understand the history of this team. If we 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:35.819 connect this to the bigger picture, this was 00:04:35.819 --> 00:04:38.899 the second cup in a row, but it's more than that. 00:04:39.060 --> 00:04:41.339 What do you mean? Think about this. As of right 00:04:41.339 --> 00:04:46.920 now, 2025, that 1962 -63 season. is the latest 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:48.879 season where the Maple Leafs had the most points 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.100 in a regular season. That is absolutely crazy. 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.480 So if you're a hockey fan, knowing the season 00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:56.100 is essential, that's the high watermark for the 00:04:56.100 --> 00:04:58.379 Toronto franchise. Wait, okay. I'm looking at 00:04:58.379 --> 00:04:59.720 the notes. All right, let's unpack this. This 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:02.620 is so funny. Our system config wants us to pause 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:05.120 right now and generate the Apple podcast title 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.500 and description for this episode. Okay. It wants 00:05:07.500 --> 00:05:09.579 an engaging SEO -friendly title and description. 00:05:09.740 --> 00:05:11.660 Sure. Let's give it a go. Here's the draft. The 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:14.949 deep dive. Blood, Sweaters, and Anwes Nye. The 00:05:14.949 --> 00:05:18.529 63 NHL Season Original Six Hockey History. Journey 00:05:18.529 --> 00:05:21.269 back to the era of the Original Six. In this 00:05:21.269 --> 00:05:23.750 episode of the Deem Dive, we explore the legendary 00:05:23.750 --> 00:05:28.550 1962 -1963 NHL season. Discover the untold stories 00:05:28.550 --> 00:05:31.389 of Gordie Howe's MVP year, a rejected $1 million 00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:34.209 trade for Frank Mohavlich, vicious stick -swinging 00:05:34.209 --> 00:05:36.449 brawls, and the Toronto Maple Leafs' march to 00:05:36.449 --> 00:05:38.660 a back -to -back Stanley Cup victory. Whether 00:05:38.660 --> 00:05:40.800 you're a diehard hockey fan or a sports history 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:43.959 buff, this episode unpacks the grit, the glory, 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.259 and the surprising facts from a defining era 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:49.399 of professional ice hockey. Keywords, NHL history, 00:05:49.579 --> 00:05:53.439 1962 -63 NHL season, original six, Toronto Maple 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:55.639 Leafs, Gordie Howe, Stanley Cup, Hockey History 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:58.060 Sports Podcast. Honestly. That is perfect. It 00:05:58.060 --> 00:05:59.800 checks all the boxes. It's catchy. It's got the 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:02.120 People All Pod reference right there. Well, implicitly, 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:04.079 since it's for this episode. And the SEO keywords 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.339 are strong. Let's use that. So what have we really 00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:07.819 learned today? What's the big takeaway for listeners? 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:09.680 We've got a time capsule of this six -team era. 00:06:09.740 --> 00:06:12.279 It was just defined by rivalries. Fierce rivalries 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:15.160 house absolute dominance on the ice and Toronto's 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:17.339 championship run. For sure. But, you know, this 00:06:17.339 --> 00:06:18.800 race is an important question if you think about 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:21.819 it. Think about the expansion, right? We've gone 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:26.480 from six teams to 32. It's an absolutely massive 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:30.060 league now. So you have to wonder, how does that 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:32.699 change things? How does that change the business 00:06:32.699 --> 00:06:35.620 of the sport, but also the rivalries? That's 00:06:35.620 --> 00:06:37.360 interesting. Right. What is the likelihood of 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:39.699 a dynasty forming like what we saw with early 00:06:39.699 --> 00:06:42.459 Toronto or Montreal? Can you get that same intimacy 00:06:42.459 --> 00:06:46.379 or intensity with an 82 game? 32 team schedule 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:49.319 compared to a 70 game, six team schedule. That 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:51.279 is a fascinating thought to leave our listeners 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:52.819 with. That's a great question to ponder. Thanks 00:06:52.819 --> 00:06:55.000 so much for joining us on this deep dive. Keep 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:56.300 learning and we'll see you next time.