1953-54 NHL Season
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
Canadian crews here.
Please note that these telecasts - both regular season and playoffs - were quite regional in nature and would be for another several seasons.
Important to note: Before January 10, 1954, CBFT was the lone TV channel in Montreal. The station had a roughly 60-40 split of French to English language programming. Telecasts of Canadiens games however, were handled entirely in French by Rene Lecavalier until the launch of CBMT on 1/10/54. Once CBMT went to air, Canadiens games were then handled separately in French on CBFT (Radio-Canada) with Lecavalier and in English on CBMT (CBC) by Danny Gallivan. For that reason, I am only listing the Montreal games from 1/16/54 with Gallivan at the mike.
Also of note is that the intermission interlude changed from chamber music to the popular HNIC radio intermission feature, "The Hot Stove League." It debuted with the Toronto telecasts and then likely Montreal joined in with the launch of CBMT in January. Among the participants were Bobby Hewitson, Harold "Baldy" Cotton, Syl Apps and Elmer Ferguson. Moderators varied between Dave Price, Wes McKnight or Scott Young. Also Imperial/Esso pitchman Murray Westgate would handle the sponsor duties, dressed as an Esso gas attendant. The format would usually feature two or three of the participants bantering about hockey happenings with the moderator, closing with a word from Esso (Westgate).
There would be no national American telecasts until the 1956-57 season.
OCTOBER
Saturday 10/10:
Black Hawks-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 10/17:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 10/24:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 10/31:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
NOVEMBER
Saturday 11/7:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 11/14:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 11/21:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 11/28:
Canadiens-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
DECEMBER
Saturday 12/5:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 12/12:
Black Hawks-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 12/19:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 12/26:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
JANUARY
Saturday 1/2:
Black Hawks-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 1/9:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 1/16:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Bruins-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Note: It is likely that this was the first Canadiens telecast done entirely in English.
Saturday 1/23:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Black Hawks-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 1/30:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Rangers-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
FEBRUARY
Saturday 2/6:
Black Hawks-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Rangers-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 2/13:
Canadiens-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Saturday 2/20:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Red Wings-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 2/27:
Black Hawks-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Rangers-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
MARCH
Saturday 3/6:
Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Bruins-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 3/13:
Bruins-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Black Hawks-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 3/20:
Rangers-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Red Wings-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEMI FINALS
Saturday 3/27:
Game 3, Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Tuesday 3/30:
Game 4, Red Wings-Maple Leafs, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Foster Hewitt
Note: It appears that no games of the Canadiens-Bruins were seen in English. Only the first two games of the MTL-BOS series were televised, both from Montreal, and were only described in French (Rene Lecavalier).
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Thursday 4/8:
Game 3, Red Wings-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Saturday 4/10:
Game 4, Red Wings-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Sunday 4/11:
Game 5, Canadiens-Red Wings, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Tuesday 4/13:
Game 6, Red Wings-Canadiens, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Friday 4/16:
Game 7, Canadiens-Red Wings, 9:30 (JIP from 8:30), CBC. Danny Gallivan
Per the Montreal Gazette, "The CBC will televise the final to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, London and Kitchener." I would assume these locations saw the game live. Other locations likely saw this game via kinescope, if at all.