WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.379 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We've got a really 00:00:03.379 --> 00:00:05.759 fascinating stack of historical notes sitting 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:08.080 right here on the table today. And our mission 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:10.939 for this one is to travel back to the 1959 -60 00:00:10.939 --> 00:00:13.640 NHL season. Oh, it is such a good one. It really 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:16.760 is. We are looking at a very specific 70 -game 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:20.399 six -team stretch that honestly served as a massive 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:22.679 turning point, not just for the mechanics of 00:00:22.679 --> 00:00:25.320 the sport, but for sports media, locker room 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:28.699 culture, and... The entire concept of player 00:00:28.699 --> 00:00:30.800 safety. Yeah, absolutely. So if you're listening 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:33.280 and you follow hockey history, you probably know 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.439 the broad strokes when we talk about goalies, 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.640 glory in the original six era. But digging into 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.280 the granular details of this specific season 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.560 reveals a league that is just. It's stretching 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:46.799 at the seams. It's caught right between its gladiator 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:49.100 past and its modern future. Right. It operates 00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:51.600 as a perfect microcosm of organizational change. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:53.920 I mean, we are looking at the 43rd season of 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:57.259 the league. So running from October 1959 to April 00:00:57.259 --> 00:00:59.859 1960, you've got Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.079 Detroit, Boston, and the Rangers. It's a classic 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:05.180 lineup. Exactly. But what anchors this specific 00:01:05.180 --> 00:01:07.560 year, and I think this is just a wild piece of 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:12.000 trivia, is the roster composition. This 59 -60 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.939 campaign marked the very first time in the original 00:01:14.939 --> 00:01:18.500 six era where every single active player in the 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.859 league had only ever played for an original six 00:01:20.859 --> 00:01:22.879 franchise. Because the last holdout had just 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.540 retired, right? Yes, Ken Mosdell. He had ties 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:27.920 to a defunct franchise, but he retired the previous 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:30.780 year. So now... The purity is absolute. Okay, 00:01:30.819 --> 00:01:33.099 let's unpack this. Because that roster detail 00:01:33.099 --> 00:01:35.519 completely recontextualizes the environment for 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:38.420 you as a listener. You have just six teams, 70 00:01:38.420 --> 00:01:40.599 games. That means every single team is playing 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:43.620 the exact same five opponents 14 times a year. 00:01:43.739 --> 00:01:46.359 14 times! Think about that. And now there is 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.760 zero outside blood. Every player on the ice was 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:52.780 born and bred within this specific, highly concentrated 00:01:52.780 --> 00:01:55.840 six -team ecosystem. The rivalries aren't just 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:59.079 historical at this point. They are deeply, uncomfortably 00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:01.819 personal. It's pure claustrophobia. Imagine the 00:02:01.819 --> 00:02:03.959 claustrophobia of that workplace. You were facing 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:06.439 the exact same defensemen, the exact same goalies 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:08.939 week in and week out. The grudges just compound. 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.050 You can't escape anyone. You can't. And the tactical 00:02:12.050 --> 00:02:14.370 adjustments are microscopic because there are 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:17.610 no unfamiliar systems to exploit. It's a hermetically 00:02:17.610 --> 00:02:19.789 sealed environment. And in that kind of pressure 00:02:19.789 --> 00:02:23.150 cooker, the cream doesn't just rise to the top. 00:02:23.310 --> 00:02:27.610 It suffocates everything else. Which brings us 00:02:27.610 --> 00:02:31.090 directly to the Montreal Canadiens dynasty. Suffocating 00:02:31.090 --> 00:02:33.229 is definitely the right word for them. Montreal 00:02:33.229 --> 00:02:35.370 was in the middle of five straight first overall 00:02:35.370 --> 00:02:37.830 finishes in the regular season. They're chasing 00:02:37.830 --> 00:02:40.110 their fifth straight Stanley Cup. Unstoppable. 00:02:40.129 --> 00:02:43.409 They finished with 40 wins, 18 losses, 12 ties, 00:02:43.669 --> 00:02:47.050 92 points, which was 13 clear of second place 00:02:47.050 --> 00:02:49.800 Toronto. But the number that really jumps off 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:52.580 the page in these notes, the plus 77 goal differential. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.360 Yeah, that is staggering. Right. In a league 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.479 where you play the same five teams 14 times, 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:00.180 posting a plus 77 means you aren't just winning 00:03:00.180 --> 00:03:02.460 games. You are systematically breaking the will 00:03:02.460 --> 00:03:04.479 of your peers. They were playing chess while 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:06.300 the rest of the league was stuck playing checkers. 00:03:06.900 --> 00:03:09.000 Montreal had constructed a roster that could 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:11.159 just dictate the pace of every single shift. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:13.659 But, you know, the contrast to that dominance 00:03:13.659 --> 00:03:16.219 is just as compelling. Look at the Detroit Red 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:18.520 Wings. Oh, completely night and day. Exactly. 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:21.780 Montreal is this well -oiled machine. But Detroit 00:03:21.780 --> 00:03:24.240 had finished dead last the previous season. It 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:27.060 was a complete organizational collapse. Yet, 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:29.879 in this 59 -60 season, they climb out of the 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:32.419 basement and secure the fourth and final playoff 00:03:32.419 --> 00:03:34.500 spot. And they essentially did it on the back 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:37.199 of Gordie Howe. Entirely on his back. At a point 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:39.020 in his career where the Miles really should have 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:41.560 been catching up to him, he puts up 28 goals 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:46.469 and 45 assists. 73 points. It was a masterclass 00:03:46.469 --> 00:03:49.590 in sheer will, and it turned into Gordie Howe's 00:03:49.590 --> 00:03:53.009 legendary heart trophy campaign. He won his fifth 00:03:53.009 --> 00:03:55.349 MVP. And look at the voting spread on that. He 00:03:55.349 --> 00:03:59.830 received 118 out of a possible 180 votes. Which 00:03:59.830 --> 00:04:02.069 literally doubled the total of the runner -up, 00:04:02.150 --> 00:04:05.729 Bobby Hall. Right. Earning double the votes of 00:04:05.729 --> 00:04:09.110 a prime Bobby Hall speaks volumes about how the 00:04:09.110 --> 00:04:11.840 voters viewed Howe's value. He wasn't just a 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.180 point producer. He was the structural integrity 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:17.060 of the Detroit franchise. Without him, they are 00:04:17.060 --> 00:04:19.519 a basement team. With him, they're a playoff 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:21.779 contender. And there's a cool piece of hardware 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:24.540 history attached to that win, too. This season 00:04:24.540 --> 00:04:26.720 was the final time the original Hart Trophy was 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.540 awarded. Oh, right. Yeah. After Howell won it, 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:31.339 the physical trophy was retired to the Hall of 00:04:31.339 --> 00:04:34.060 Fame, and the league introduced the Hart Memorial 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:37.800 Trophy. Howe essentially closed the book on the 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:40.040 original era of the award. That's a great detail. 00:04:40.220 --> 00:04:42.360 But, you know, while Howe is securing his legacy 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:44.699 in the record books, the most visceral, game 00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:46.879 -altering moment of the season happens over in 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:50.779 the crease. November 1st, 1959. Yes. The night 00:04:50.779 --> 00:04:53.339 Jacques Plante debuted the first goalie mask. 00:04:53.800 --> 00:04:56.160 Up to this point, goaltenders were absorbing 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:58.620 blistering shots with absolutely nothing but 00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:00.899 their bare faces. Which is just insane to think 00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:03.819 about today. It is. But Planté had a documented 00:05:03.819 --> 00:05:06.160 history of asthma, and he'd had a sinus operation 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:10.079 back in 1957. Since that surgery, he had actually 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:12.600 been wearing a rudimentary fiberglass face mask, 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:16.620 but strictly during practice. Because his coach 00:05:16.620 --> 00:05:18.360 wouldn't let him wear it in the game? Exactly. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:22.279 Toe Blake hated it. And then, on November 1st, 00:05:22.279 --> 00:05:24.779 the inevitable happens. Planty takes a shot straight 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:27.839 to the face from Rangers right winger Andy Bathgate. 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:31.060 It breaks his nose, cuts him wide open, sends 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:33.360 him bleeding to the dressing room. He gets stitched 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.579 up, but then he issues a hard ultimatum to Toe 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:37.980 Blake. He refuses to return. Yeah, he says he 00:05:37.980 --> 00:05:40.120 will not go back to the ice unless he can wear 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:42.420 that fiberglass mask. Now, let me play devil's 00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:44.319 advocate here for a second, just to put you in 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.870 the mindset of 1959. Okay, go for it. We look 00:05:46.870 --> 00:05:49.230 back at Toe Blake's bitter resistance to the 00:05:49.230 --> 00:05:53.209 mask as pure, stubborn machismo. But from a coaching 00:05:53.209 --> 00:05:55.589 perspective back then, wasn't Blake at least 00:05:55.589 --> 00:05:58.290 somewhat justified in his concern? You have a 00:05:58.290 --> 00:06:00.350 goalie strapping a thick piece of fiberglass 00:06:00.350 --> 00:06:02.990 over his eyes. Peripheral vision is critical 00:06:02.990 --> 00:06:05.410 for tracking the puck at your feet. What's fascinating 00:06:05.410 --> 00:06:08.009 here is that you are absolutely hitting on the 00:06:08.009 --> 00:06:11.009 exact tactical argument Blake used to justify 00:06:11.009 --> 00:06:13.170 his stance. You thought it made him a worse player. 00:06:13.550 --> 00:06:16.129 He argued that the mask would create blind spots, 00:06:16.449 --> 00:06:18.649 especially when looking down in a scramble. But 00:06:18.649 --> 00:06:20.490 we also have to acknowledge that the tactical 00:06:20.490 --> 00:06:23.129 concern was heavily wrapped in the cultural expectation 00:06:23.129 --> 00:06:26.790 of the era. The gladiator ethos. Precisely. The 00:06:26.790 --> 00:06:29.610 NHL was built on this idea that showing pain 00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:32.410 or taking preventative measures to avoid pain 00:06:32.410 --> 00:06:34.790 was a weakness that opponents would exploit. 00:06:35.230 --> 00:06:37.990 Blake was managing a psychological warfare unit 00:06:37.990 --> 00:06:40.800 just as much as a hockey team. But his leverage 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.339 completely evaporates because of the roster rules 00:06:43.339 --> 00:06:46.860 of the time. Teams didn't dress a backup goaltender. 00:06:47.019 --> 00:06:49.220 Yep, you just had the one guy. So when Plante 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:51.480 says, I'm not going back out there without the 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:54.699 mask, Blake looks down the bench and sees empty 00:06:54.699 --> 00:06:57.879 space. He has no alternative. He has to cave. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.779 And Plante states out with a mask, and what follows 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:02.819 is the ultimate proof of concept. It's one of 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:04.560 the most remarkable streaks in sports history. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:07.600 He goes undefeated in his next 10 games. 10 games. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:11.279 He doesn't just survive, he thrives. He completely 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.439 dismantles ToeBlake's tactical argument. He proves 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:17.300 that protecting your face and removing that flinching 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:20.540 instinct actually improves your peripheral tracking 00:07:20.540 --> 00:07:23.000 because you are no longer bracing for facial 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:26.459 trauma. He plays 69 games that season, posts 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:30.339 a league -best 2 .54 goals against average, and 00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:33.500 wins his fifth Vizina trophy. It forces the rest 00:07:33.500 --> 00:07:35.279 of the league to reckon with their own outdated 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:38.439 traditions. When you see a guy go undefeated 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:40.899 while breaking the unwritten rules, suddenly 00:07:40.899 --> 00:07:43.319 the unwritten rules look - Pretty foolish. It 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:45.879 really highlights how organizational change usually 00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:47.779 starts with someone willing to be the lightning 00:07:47.779 --> 00:07:50.300 rod. You have to take the heat. Absolutely. Now, 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.279 while Montreal is setting the standard for innovation 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:54.579 and dominance, the New York Rangers are providing 00:07:54.579 --> 00:07:57.160 a masterclass in total dysfunction. Wow, it's 00:07:57.160 --> 00:07:59.540 a mess. It really was. We have to talk about 00:07:59.540 --> 00:08:01.420 the backstage drama of the New York Rangers because 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:04.120 they finished dead last with 17 wins. And the 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.199 chaos behind the scenes is relentless. Yeah. 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:09.399 Coach Phil Watson. literally develops a stress 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:11.660 ulcer. He had to step down. Yeah, Alf Pike took 00:08:11.660 --> 00:08:15.240 over. Quietly replaced by Alf Pike. But the situation 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:18.240 with their goaltender, Gump Worsley, is where 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.939 the organizational chaos truly peaks. Right. 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:24.579 So management decides they need a shakeup. They 00:08:24.579 --> 00:08:27.540 demote Worsley to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield 00:08:27.540 --> 00:08:30.180 Indians. Worsley is a proud, established player, 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:33.120 and his reaction is explosive. He screams out 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:35.419 that he is finished with hockey. I quit. Yeah, 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:37.820 he publicly declares it. And it's such a relatable 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:41.100 human moment. He screams, I quit. And then after 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:43.480 the anger subsides, he quietly packs his bags 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:45.580 and reports to Springfield anyway. We've all 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:47.600 had those moments. You want to dramatically walk 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.220 out the door only to realize you still need the 00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:52.669 paycheck. Exactly. But the irony of his demotion 00:08:52.669 --> 00:08:55.450 is who he ends up playing for. The Springfield 00:08:55.450 --> 00:08:58.549 Indians were owned by Eddie Shore. Oh, man. Eddie 00:08:58.549 --> 00:09:01.529 Shore, historically feared for his draconian 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:03.870 management style, brutal treatment of players. 00:09:04.009 --> 00:09:06.850 You would expect Worsley and Shore to clash instantly. 00:09:07.210 --> 00:09:09.330 But they don't. No. Shore actually gives Worsley 00:09:09.330 --> 00:09:11.509 a massive vote of confidence. He treats him with 00:09:11.509 --> 00:09:13.809 respect, and Worsley responds by playing excellent 00:09:13.809 --> 00:09:16.070 hockey in the minors. Meanwhile, back in New 00:09:16.070 --> 00:09:18.350 York, the Rangers' situation deteriorates even 00:09:18.350 --> 00:09:21.659 further. Worsley's replacement, Marcel Pye, struggles 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:24.320 immensely. So the Rangers have to swallow their 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.860 pride and call Worsley right back up. And the 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:29.600 timing is incredible. January 3rd. First game 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.059 back, Worsley leads the last place Rangers to 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:34.919 an 8 -3 victory over the unstoppable Montreal 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:37.899 Canadiens. It's a cinematic comeback. It is. 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:41.840 But because they are the 1959 Rangers, the triumph 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.940 is totally fleeting. A few weeks later, Montreal 00:09:44.940 --> 00:09:47.879 retaliates and absolutely obliterates Worsley 00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:50.620 and the Rangers 11 -2. And the volatility of 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:53.039 his season takes a very dark turn shortly after 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:55.799 that. During a game against Chicago, Bobby Hall 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:59.059 skates over Worsley's catching glove. The blade 00:09:59.059 --> 00:10:01.779 severs two tendons in Worsley's fingers, instantly 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:04.580 ends his season in just a gruesome fashion. The 00:10:04.580 --> 00:10:06.740 Rangers are forced into this chaotic scramble 00:10:06.740 --> 00:10:09.019 just to patch the hole in the net. And the visceral 00:10:09.019 --> 00:10:12.000 danger of Worsley's injury connects directly 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.340 to this growing showing undercurrent of frustration 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:16.659 among the players. You have Plante protecting 00:10:16.659 --> 00:10:19.399 his face, Worsley getting his tendons severed, 00:10:19.419 --> 00:10:22.379 and players are realizing that the league's gladiator 00:10:22.379 --> 00:10:24.820 culture is physically breaking them. Which brings 00:10:24.820 --> 00:10:27.299 us back to Andy Bathgate. The same Rangers player 00:10:27.299 --> 00:10:30.360 whose shot broke Plante's nose. Yes. Bathgate 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:32.519 decides to take aim at the culture of the league, 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:34.779 but he skips the locker room and goes straight 00:10:34.779 --> 00:10:38.970 to the national press. In January 1960, he ghostwrites 00:10:38.970 --> 00:10:41.190 an article with Dave Anderson for True magazine. 00:10:41.529 --> 00:10:44.029 And he does not pull punches. He explicitly lists 00:10:44.029 --> 00:10:46.730 the names of NHL players he accuses of spearing. 00:10:46.970 --> 00:10:49.750 Now, for you listening, spearing isn't just aggressive 00:10:49.750 --> 00:10:53.029 checking. It is a predatory act, using the blade 00:10:53.029 --> 00:10:55.090 of the stick as a weapon. And by taking this 00:10:55.090 --> 00:10:57.429 to a national magazine, Bathgate, who is the 00:10:57.429 --> 00:11:00.110 defending MVP, by the way, breaches the ultimate 00:11:00.110 --> 00:11:02.929 unwritten rule of the era. You do not air the 00:11:02.929 --> 00:11:05.029 Brotherhood's dirty laundry to the public. The 00:11:05.029 --> 00:11:07.129 response from NHL President Clarence Campbell 00:11:07.129 --> 00:11:10.490 is incredibly revealing about the era. Campbell 00:11:10.490 --> 00:11:12.629 doesn't launch an investigation into the dangerous 00:11:12.629 --> 00:11:15.850 play. He attacks the whistleblower. He fines 00:11:15.850 --> 00:11:20.149 Bathgate $500. Fines Bathgate $500, hits Rangers 00:11:20.149 --> 00:11:24.649 GM Muz Patrick with a $100 fine. And Campbell's 00:11:24.649 --> 00:11:27.190 official reasoning was that the article was prejudicial 00:11:27.190 --> 00:11:29.750 to and against the welfare of the league. The 00:11:29.750 --> 00:11:32.559 welfare of the league. That phrasing tells you 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.179 everything about the power dynamics in 1960. 00:11:35.580 --> 00:11:37.840 It didn't mean the physical safety of the assets 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:40.419 on the ice. It meant the preservation of the 00:11:40.419 --> 00:11:42.919 tough guy image that sold tickets. Campbell was 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:46.500 protecting the brand, not the players. But between 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:49.580 Planty's mask and Bathgate's article, the foundation 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:52.750 of that old school mentality was cracking. the 00:11:52.750 --> 00:11:54.750 players were beginning to realize they had a 00:11:54.750 --> 00:11:56.929 voice. They were demanding accountability for 00:11:56.929 --> 00:11:59.070 their own survival. It's a fascinating cultural 00:11:59.070 --> 00:12:02.429 pivot. But amidst all this off -ice drama, the 00:12:02.429 --> 00:12:05.090 actual on -ice product was delivering incredible 00:12:05.090 --> 00:12:07.610 offensive storylines. The Boston Bruins are a 00:12:07.610 --> 00:12:10.049 great example here. Yeah, they narrowly missed 00:12:10.049 --> 00:12:11.789 the playoffs, falling just short of Detroit. 00:12:11.929 --> 00:12:13.889 But they were arguably the most entertaining 00:12:13.889 --> 00:12:16.409 team to watch because of the Uke line. Johnny 00:12:16.409 --> 00:12:20.700 Busick, Vic Stasiuk, and Bronco Horvath. The 00:12:20.700 --> 00:12:23.539 offensive output from that line was staggering. 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:26.519 Bronco Horvath put together a phenomenal campaign. 00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:30.759 39 goals, 41 assists for 80 points. He was neck 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:32.940 and neck for the scoring title the entire season. 00:12:33.139 --> 00:12:35.399 And he ultimately finished a razor -thin second 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:38.480 to Chicago's Bobby Hull, who posted 81 points. 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:42.139 A single assist separated Horvath from the Art 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:44.360 Ross Trophy. which Hull claimed for the first 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:46.440 time in his career. Boston wasn't just relying 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:48.940 on Horvath either. Don McKinney was orchestrating 00:12:48.940 --> 00:12:51.899 the offense, led the lead with 49 assists, and 00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:54.019 picked up the Lady Bing trophy. But as we talk 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:56.379 about these thrilling offensive races, it makes 00:12:56.379 --> 00:12:59.200 you wonder how the fans of the era actually digested 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.139 this information. In 1959, you can't just pull 00:13:02.139 --> 00:13:04.600 up a highlight on your phone. Or flip to a dedicated 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:07.230 sports network. The media landscape profoundly 00:13:07.230 --> 00:13:10.490 shaped how the sport was consumed. In Canada, 00:13:10.669 --> 00:13:12.850 Saturday nights meant hockey night in Canada 00:13:12.850 --> 00:13:16.149 on CBC television. But the broadcast technology 00:13:16.149 --> 00:13:18.649 and scheduling constraints meant they didn't 00:13:18.649 --> 00:13:21.169 even show full games. They joined in progress, 00:13:21.350 --> 00:13:23.850 right? Yes. Fans tuning in would typically join 00:13:23.850 --> 00:13:26.860 the broadcast in the second period. You relied 00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:29.539 heavily on radio to fill the gaps. It wasn't 00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:32.019 until the late 60s that full games became the 00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:34.519 standard on TV. Joining a game in the second 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.820 period completely changes your relationship with 00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:39.340 the tension of the sport. You miss the establishing 00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:41.519 tone of the first period. You are essentially 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.720 walking into the middle of a movie every Saturday 00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:45.679 night. And if you lived in the United States, 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:48.879 the situation was even more fragmented. The lead 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:51.460 had a four year deal with CBS to broadcast Saturday 00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:54.399 afternoon games. But CBS only aired them from 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.299 January to March. They completely ignored the 00:13:57.299 --> 00:13:59.220 first half of the season. And then following 00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:01.980 this 59 -60 season, CBS dropped the contract 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:04.980 entirely. The NHL found itself without a national 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:07.080 television network in the United States until 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:11.399 the 1965 -66 season. They went dark on a national 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:14.190 scale for half a decade. It's wild to consider 00:14:14.190 --> 00:14:17.309 how localized the sport was. Today, we treat 00:14:17.309 --> 00:14:19.730 professional sports as these omnipresent global 00:14:19.730 --> 00:14:23.230 entertainment monoliths. But in 1960, if you 00:14:23.230 --> 00:14:26.409 were a fan in New York or Chicago, the NHL was 00:14:26.409 --> 00:14:29.919 a highly regional product. The drama of Worsley's 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:33.559 demotion, Planty's mask, Bathgate's fines, it 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:35.899 was mostly digested through local newspaper columns 00:14:35.899 --> 00:14:38.639 and radio broadcasts, which really makes the 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:41.639 intensity of the playoffs feel even more mythic. 00:14:41.659 --> 00:14:43.539 Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Which brings us to the 00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:46.620 postseason. The top four teams advance. First 00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:49.519 place Montreal draws third place Chicago, while 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.860 second place Toronto faces fourth place Detroit 00:14:51.860 --> 00:14:54.179 in the semis. And that Toronto -Detroit series 00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:56.899 provided the requisite grit and marathon endurance 00:14:56.899 --> 00:14:59.220 you expect from playoff hockey. Game three in 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:01.559 Detroit is the perfect example. Detroit's Jerry 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:04.100 Melnick manages to tie the game late in the second 00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:06.600 overtime, pushing both teams to the brink of 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.480 physical exhaustion. But in the third overtime 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:10.720 period, Toronto's Frank Mahavlich finally ends 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:12.940 it at the three -minute mark, securing a 5 -4 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:15.980 victory. Toronto eventually grinds out the series 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:19.759 four games to two. A brutal, heavy series. But 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.519 over in the other bracket, Montreal is operating 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:23.879 with surgical precision. It's not just that they 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:26.340 beat Chicago, they dismantled them. Game one 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:29.279 is a tight 4 -3 win. Game two goes to overtime, 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:33.659 another 4 -3 win. But by game three, Plante and 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:36.259 the Montreal defense have completely mapped out 00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:39.470 Chicago's attack. They shut the door. Game three 00:15:39.470 --> 00:15:42.090 is four to nothing. Game four is two to nothing. 00:15:42.490 --> 00:15:44.809 Montreal sweeps the Blackhawks right out of the 00:15:44.809 --> 00:15:47.190 building. The psychological toll of facing that 00:15:47.190 --> 00:15:50.269 Montreal team must have been devastating. You 00:15:50.269 --> 00:15:52.490 push them to overtime. You give them your best 00:15:52.490 --> 00:15:54.690 tactical effort. And they still find a way to 00:15:54.690 --> 00:15:56.950 win. And then they adjust and suddenly you can't 00:15:56.950 --> 00:15:58.710 even get on the scoreboard. And they carry that 00:15:58.710 --> 00:16:01.230 exact same momentum into the finals against Toronto. 00:16:01.649 --> 00:16:04.350 Toronto just survived a grueling six -game war 00:16:04.350 --> 00:16:07.389 with Detroit. And their reward is a fully rested, 00:16:07.549 --> 00:16:10.159 absolutely... dialed in Montreal squad. And the 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:12.919 results are clinical. Game one, four to two. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:16.340 Game two, two to one. Game three in Toronto, 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.679 Montreal takes it five to two. And then game 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:21.759 four on April 14th, Montreal drops the hammer. 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:24.720 Shama Blavot scores twice. Doug Harvey and Henri 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:27.179 Richard add goals. And Jacques Plant posts the 00:16:27.179 --> 00:16:29.720 four to nothing shutout. That is a flawless Stanley 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:32.279 Cup playoffs run right there. Eight games played 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:35.129 in the postseason. Eight games won. It remains, 00:16:35.370 --> 00:16:38.210 over six decades later, the last time a team 00:16:38.210 --> 00:16:40.169 has gone completely undefeated in the Stanley 00:16:40.169 --> 00:16:42.990 Cup playoffs. It is the absolute zenith of a 00:16:42.990 --> 00:16:46.149 dynasty, and it provided the perfect exit for 00:16:46.149 --> 00:16:49.309 an icon. Following that flawless run, Maurice 00:16:49.309 --> 00:16:51.610 Richard announced his retirement. Left the game 00:16:51.610 --> 00:16:53.629 having accomplished the rarest feat in sports. 00:16:54.190 --> 00:16:56.610 walking away at the absolute peak of team dominance 00:16:56.610 --> 00:16:59.549 with no lingering questions. What a way to close 00:16:59.549 --> 00:17:01.649 a career. When you look at the totality of this 00:17:01.649 --> 00:17:03.690 season, it really is a pivot point. You have 00:17:03.690 --> 00:17:06.230 the retirement of legends, an untouchable playoff 00:17:06.230 --> 00:17:08.710 record, and the undeniable introduction of safety 00:17:08.710 --> 00:17:11.049 equipment. If we connect this to the bigger picture, 00:17:11.309 --> 00:17:15.049 the 1959 -60 season is defined by the concept 00:17:15.049 --> 00:17:18.250 of taking ownership. Montreal took ownership 00:17:18.250 --> 00:17:21.089 of the league's competitive standard. But more 00:17:21.089 --> 00:17:23.789 importantly, The players started taking ownership 00:17:23.789 --> 00:17:26.970 of their own survival. The armor literally and 00:17:26.970 --> 00:17:29.950 metaphorically went on. Jacques Plante strapped 00:17:29.950 --> 00:17:33.210 fiberglass to his face, and Andy Bathgate used 00:17:33.210 --> 00:17:35.569 a national magazine to demand accountability. 00:17:36.029 --> 00:17:38.049 They stopped accepting the premise that their 00:17:38.049 --> 00:17:40.089 bodies were just expendable commodities for the 00:17:40.089 --> 00:17:42.250 welfare of the league. And that is a powerful 00:17:42.250 --> 00:17:44.890 takeaway for you listening right now. When we 00:17:44.890 --> 00:17:47.730 read these historical notes, it is so easy to 00:17:47.730 --> 00:17:50.150 view a goalie putting on a mask as inevitable 00:17:50.150 --> 00:17:53.279 progress. But in the moment, progress almost 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:56.079 always looks like rebellion. It looks like insubordination. 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:58.700 Sometimes moving your industry forward requires 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:01.119 you to be the one willing to stand your ground, 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:03.480 take the inevitable criticism, and put on the 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.359 mask when your boss is screaming at you to take 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.740 it off. Exactly. It requires a willingness to 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:09.880 weather the storm of shifting the status quo. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.640 Planty faced immense backlash for simply wanting 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.319 to protect his face, a concept that seems absurdly 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:17.900 obvious to us today. Right. It makes you wonder. 00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:20.940 What essential traditions in your own industry 00:18:20.940 --> 00:18:23.460 or daily life right now are actually just outdated, 00:18:23.700 --> 00:18:26.200 dangerous habits waiting for someone brave enough 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:29.279 to put on a mask? That is a phenomenal thought 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:31.500 to leave on. Questioning the traditions we just 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:33.500 accept as normal. Thank you so much for joining 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:35.039 us on this deep dive into the source material 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:37.400 today. Keep questioning the status quo. Keep 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:39.839 looking for those unseen tipping points. And 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.140 we will catch you on the next one.