1962-63 NHL Team Leaders
The 1962-63 National Hockey League season had one of the tightest finishes of the ‘Original 6’ era, at least for the top four teams. Just five points separated first-place Toronto Maple Leafs and fourth-place Detroit Red Wings. Toronto edged the Chicago Black Hawks for first place by just one point.
However, beyond Detroit, the NHL fell into a deep abyss. The New York Rangers finished with 56 points, 21 less than the Red Wings. The Boston Bruins finished with just 45.32 points from the final playoff position.
Detroit Red Wings – Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe led the Red Wings and the entire league with 86 points. Howe received his sixth and final Art Ross Trophy for the effort. Detroit showed a lack of diversity with Gordie’s total points playing a role in 43% of all team scoring. Still, the Red Wings defeated second place Black Hawks in the first round to earn a shot at the Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup final.
New York Rangers – Andy Bathgate
For the eighth year in a row, Andy Bathgate led the New York Rangers in scoring with 81 points. The team leader since his second year in the league, 1955-56, would not lead again. The following season, the Rangers traded Bathgate to the Toronto Maple Leafs mid-season. Andy finished second behind Howe in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.
Chicago Black Hawks – Stan Mikita
Bobby Hull’s Art Ross earned 84 points the year before, it was definitely a distant memory as he finished 1962-63 with just 62 points. That paved the way for Stan Mikita to lead the club for the first time with 76 points. He ranked third in the league behind Bathgate and Howe.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Frank Mahovlich
Frank Mahovlich led the Maple Leafs for the second consecutive season with 73 points, tying him for fourth in the NHL with Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs were regular season champions, losing just two games in the two series required to win the Stanley Cup. Mahovlich was silenced in the playoffs with just two assists in nine games. The Leafs were led by Dave Keon with 12 points, playing in all ten Toronto games.
Montreal Canadiens – Henri Richard
Henri Richard led the Canadiens third place with 73 points. Montreal had the fewest wins of the six teams at just 19. However, the Habs tied 23 of 70 games to cut their point total. Montreal faced Toronto in the first round of the playoffs and lost in five games.
Boston Bruins – Johnny Bucyk
Johnny Bucyk led the hapless Boston Bruins with 66 points, four points more than teammate Murray Oliver. Boston won just 14 games, but it was an improvement over the previous season when they posted their worst winning percentage in team history in a season with 44 games or more. That mark of futility remains today.
